The War of the Worlds drafts Patrick Stewart

The odd game or two always gets lost in the fuss and bother of E3, but through the magic of marketing we're reminded of them soon enough. Such is the case with The War of the Worlds. Its announcement earlier this month passed us by, but we've been made aware of its existence through word that Patrick Stewart is lending his voice to the game.

The war on colour

The War of the Worlds is described as a "cinematic platformer," said to be "paying homage to classic cinematic platformers such as Flashback and Out of This World." The game runs parallel to the 1953 movie adaptation of H. G. Wells' classic sci-fi novel, with a new arc, characters and subplots. Escaping from London, you'll face Martian tripods, spiders, and drones, whom it seems you're dodging rather than fighting.

It's being made by Other Ocean Interactive, developer of Dark Void Zero, the retro-styled spin-off made to promote Dark Void.

Patrick Stewart, Shakespearian actor, leader of the X-Men, captain of the USS Enterprise-D, and Emperor Uriel Septim VII, will voice the game's narrator. "As a young boy, I remember watching the The War of the Worlds so many times I was quoting the lines," Stewart said in the announcement.

"The alien invasion both terrified and fascinated me and the movie has stuck with me since then. Now, being part of this project will provide a new way for gamers around the world to experience a fresh new take on a classic."

The War of the Worlds is headed to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network later this year.