War of the Human Tanks: Alter

About

In "War of the Human Tanks: Alter," players command a group of anthropomorphic tanks in a turn-based strategy game. The story follows a newly appointed commander in a war between two factions, as they fight to gain control of new territories. Players must utilize strategic planning, resource management, and the unique abilities of their tanks to achieve victory. This game is a spin-off of the original "War of the Human Tanks" and features new characters and storylines.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

War of the Human Tanks: Alter screenshot

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 65 reviews

story12 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game has successfully brought players closer together, providing a fun way for families to bond over gameplay.
ALTeR expands on the original with a variety of new tank types and a lengthy Great Cavern campaign, offering more depth and strategy.
The combination of visual novel storytelling and strategic gameplay is engaging, with a good soundtrack and humorous moments throughout.

The main story is shorter and less branching compared to the first game, which may disappoint fans looking for a more complex narrative.
The introduction of control tanks that disable modules can make battles frustratingly difficult, especially in the later stages.
Some players may find the grinding for resources necessary to progress through the cavern system tedious and unbalanced.

story
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
82%
4%
The story in "War of the Human Tanks: Alter" is more linear compared to its predecessor, featuring a shorter main campaign with a single narrative path, but it compensates with an extensive side story set in the Great Cavern, which offers over 100 missions and deeper character exploration. While the main storyline is less complex and lacks branching routes, it connects well with the first game, and the humor and character development in the cavern missions provide a rich experience. Overall, the narrative is engaging, albeit simpler, and retains the charm of the original while introducing new elements and characters.
- “The story has many tests on it: humor, sadness, drama, etc. It'll show how each character feels about the war and how to deal with it.”
- “It's clever that Fruitbat decided to incorporate the main storyline as the 'side' story in the form of the long Great Cavern campaign, because it allows the first game's story to connect more smoothly to this one.”
- “These caverns are massive at over 90 levels in total, and feature new characters, new tanks to fight and unlock, and story regarding these new characters as well as the nature of human tanks.”
- “While the first game had a very robust story mode with branching paths, Alter instead contains a number of more linear story modes.”
- “The main story may look a lot smaller, but that's because it's simply a teaser for the real meat of the game: the cavern.”
- “There are two side notes that should also be understood: first, the branching story/multiple endings that the first game had is gone; the story is now one definitive story.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
78%
8%
The gameplay in this sequel retains the core mechanics of its predecessor while introducing new tank types and strategic elements that enhance depth and challenge. Players appreciate the tactical nature of the turn-based battles, though some express a desire for quality-of-life improvements and note the presence of punishing mechanics that can lead to frustrating moments. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and offers a mix of familiar and fresh experiences, making it a worthwhile continuation for fans of the original.
- “Alter expands the basic gameplay by adding a large variety of new tank types that both expand the player's capabilities as well as add extra challenge (the enemy gets to use them too after all!).”
- “These simple additions add a lot more depth and strategy to the general gameplay, which you didn't realize the first game needed until you play Alter.”
- “Overall though, the game is great, the story is just as strange yet captivating as the first game and the new gameplay elements give you more tanks and mechanics to play with.”
- “Gameplay, UI, and general visuals are identical to the first, and I mean identical. It would have been nice to get some quality of life changes like easier tank placement or having attacks with a high target area not take a full minute to execute, but those are all just minor complaints.”
- “While Alter improves on a lot of things from the first game, the core gameplay is absolutely identical.”
- “The most major changes to the gameplay are easily the command tanks (which disable modules), meaning you can't be utterly invincible with ridiculous modules all the time as in the first game, and mid-battle saves being disabled for most stages (presumably due to how easy it was to savescum in the original).”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its eclectic and innovative electronic-based soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. While most tracks are enjoyable and memorable, a few odd or less favorable pieces have been noted. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, making it a worthwhile aspect for players.
- “The soundtrack is as eclectic as ever.”
- “The characters were funny, the story was actually quite interesting, the music was surprisingly good, and the game was fun.”
- “The soundtrack for the game is surprisingly good; I wouldn't put it on the level of my favorite game soundtrack (Timesplitters 2), but the sound cues here are quite catchy, and I think they'll stick with me for a good while.”
- “Music is more of the same - generally very good, a few absolutely odd tracks here and there, one or two that are headache-inducing (including one of the ops, unfortunately).”
- “Soundtrack is as eclectic as ever.”
- “Also, the music in this game is more innovative, perhaps.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that grinding is essential for unlocking various content, requiring extensive map exploration, but caution against excessive grinding during the first playthrough due to a mechanic that makes enemies progressively stronger based on player actions. This can lead to a frustrating experience, as hard-earned equipment may become less effective against tougher foes, making the grind feel counterproductive. Overall, while grinding is a necessary aspect of gameplay, it can detract from the enjoyment if not approached carefully.
- “You should also be fine with grinding maps for currency if you want to unlock/use a lot of stuff (going through the 100+ maps is a kind of grind even though they aren't the same maps).”
- “If you kill too many enemy tanks while grinding for supplies, the final boss will be harder to kill... much harder... infuriatingly so if you max it out.”
- “It's sort of a slap in the face to know that all that equipment you worked so hard to earn is now about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics in the game are largely unchanged from the previous installment, featuring a simple chibi art style and basic visuals that some may find cheap. However, players appreciate the impressive and unnerving visuals encountered throughout the gameplay, which contribute to the overall experience despite the lack of significant graphical updates.
- “You can find some pretty impressive, and unnerving, visuals as you go along.”
- “The chibi art style, the over the top visual novel dialogue.”
- “Gameplay, UI, and general visuals are identical to the first, and I mean identical. It would have been nice to get some quality of life changes like easier tank placement or having attacks with a high target area not take a full minute to execute, but those are all just minor complaints.”
- “The artwork is still cheap, but that's okay.”
- “An awesome little gem of a game, don't let the simple graphics fool you.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is highlighted as a key element, blending wit and touching moments throughout the narrative. Players appreciate the funny characters and engaging story, which effectively balances humor with more serious themes. Overall, the humor adds to the enjoyment and fun of the game.
- “The wit, humor, and touching moments are also inalter.”
- “The characters were funny, the story was actually quite interesting, the music was surprisingly good, and the game was fun.”
- “In this game, there are more tankfus models and the story is very funny as well.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "War of the Human Tanks - Alter" is highlighted by its blend of wit, humor, and poignant moments that provoke both strategic and emotional reflection. While the story can sometimes feel disheartening, it maintains engagement through its character connections and impactful narrative. Overall, players experience a mix of laughter and deeper emotional resonance throughout the game.
- “The wit, humor, and touching moments are also in alter.”
- “And the story really faltered and made me feel as if everything I achieved beforehand meant nothing.”
- “War of the Human Tanks - alter has managed to make me laugh, think (strategically and emotionally, if that makes any sense), and never felt boring.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization allows for some variation in gameplay based on player performance, particularly in the final level, though the ending remains consistent regardless of the chosen level.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game features two distinct campaigns, with the "great cavern of fuji" offering a more in-depth and serious exploration of character development compared to the main campaign, enhancing both tactical complexity and narrative depth.
- “The game features two campaigns: the main campaign and the Great Cavern of Fuji. The latter is longer, more serious, and offers much more depth in both tactics and character development.”
- “Character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters as their stories unfold throughout the game.”
- “The choices you make significantly impact character growth, making each decision feel meaningful and enhancing the overall narrative experience.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression throughout the game.”
- “I was disappointed by how one-dimensional the characters are; they don't evolve or change in any significant way.”
- “Despite the potential for rich storytelling, the character arcs are predictable and fail to engage the player.”