Area 51
Release Information
US: June 15 2005
Europe: May 20 2005
Introduction
With all the quality first-person shooters on the market it becomes extremely difficult for developers to bring out titles that totally blow gamers away, however be prepared for when Area 51 hits the shelves, because if it lives up to the hype, it will literally dominate the market in Halo fashion. Midway have taken the arcade classic of the same name and given it a total FPS makeover that is sure to blow the socks off even the most avid Killzone fan.
Area 51 is set to explode onto the Playstation 2, X-Box and PC scene by providing a gaming engine that has been in development for nearly one and a half years, which apparently plays beautifully on all platforms. If an absolutely perfect engine isn’t enough to wet your mouth then try the addition of celebrity voice-overs, including David Duchovny as the hero, Ethan Cole and Marilyn Manson as the alien, Edgar. On top of all that raw gaming goodness comes a 16 person multiplayer offering that is bound to keep this game in your consoles until the sequel comes out.
Area 51 comes complete with a killer Hollywood-inspired storyline that involves a species of gray aliens working together with the shadow Illuminati Government of Earth. It seems the aliens need a quiet planet to conduct research that would be too dangerous to perform on their home world. Naturally, they picked Earth because of our abundance of resources and our easily accessible shady Government. A pact was made between the 2 parties that required the development of a secret project called ‘Theta’. However, a surviving alien from the Roswell crash, named Edgar, has been working with the mysterious Dr. Cray to create a viral weapon that when combined with ‘Theta’ will create the ultimate tool of destruction. Realising that the grays would destroy Earth upon the completion of ‘Super Theta’ Dr. Cray released his viral weapon inside the facility, in hopes of halting the project and ceasing development. Area 51 was shutdown in fear of contamination and a HazMat team was called in to fix the problem. HazMat team Bravo was dispatched, but never returned and are considered missing in action. Thus, Ethan Cole and the rest of HazMat team Delta are sent in to find team Bravo and solve the mystery surrounding the deadly virus.
Preview
Area 51 contains an intriguing single-player campaign mode that sees gamers take control of Ethan Cole and his HazMat team as they attempt to enter huge facility. Initially, Area 51 is a squad-based FPS with focus placed on keeping your team alive at all costs. Amazing gameplay will ensue, thanks to the advanced A.I. of team members, as they seek out enemies, protect you and even man nearby turrets if needed. As you progress through Area 51’s various sections you will gradually lose team members until you find yourself all alone with only evil aliens to keep you company. Although these introduction team-based levels might seem a little boring to the hardcore FPS fans out there, they are well worth enduring because they teach you vital skills in order to survive the base alone.
Once your team has fallen victim to the vicious enemy the game really gets pushed into overdrive. Ethan Cole will eventually contract the alien virus and ever-so slowly he will mutate into a human-alien hybrid. This sounds like a bad move by Midway but it could prove to be one of the most exciting things to hit FPS gaming. You see, once Cole starts mutating he will gain the ability to use various alien powers. For example, funky parasites will fly from your hands, killing enemies and stealing their health. As soon as you learn to harness the alien power, Cole will become a ruthless killing machine.
From the outside, it’s easy to see where Midway got their influences. The intense action can be attributed to Halo, the scanning of objects and enemies to gain important information can be attributed to Metroid Prime, aspects of cut-scenes can be attributed to Half-Life and even weaponry aspects like the dual-wielding of weapons could be attributed to Rogue Agent. It seems like Midway has taken gameplay elements from every single hot FPS on the market and combined them into what can only be described as gaming perfection.
The multiplayer part of Area 51 is shaping up to be the best part of the game. Not only does Marilyn Manson voice one of the characters, but he is also set to host the multiplayer battles. Using your PS2, X-Box or PC you can create or join battles between 2-16 people anywhere in the world. A whole range of modes have been included that are sure to open the eyes of even the most diehard FPS fan. In CounterStrike fashion, players can join either the HazMat team or the Alien team to see which one comes out victorious. If you’re looking for something a little different, Midway have included a really cool mode that could see 16 people join a game with 15 of them being HazMat personnel and the other gets to be an Alien. The Alien’s job is to infect other members, until there are 15 Aliens and only 1 HazMat personnel. This style of gameplay is enhanced with even more cutting-edge technology. In an amazing display of gaming genius, if you are playing a game with 16 people, Area 51 will automatically create a map big enough to hold 16 people. During the game, if people die or leave, parts of the map will self-destruct and literally come apart around you as the game basically alters itself to suit the remaining people. After viewing this close up, I was in awe of how whole rooms could just blow up or burn as the map shrinks.
Area 51 has been in production for a long-time but the wait will most surely be worth it. The game comes complete with about 10 crazy weapons that range from your basic standard issue military weapons, like the assault rifle, to innovative alien technology that will flip the traditional FPS way of fighting upside down! There is an experimental weapon called the BBG that allows you to use its laser sighting to bounce signals off walls and objects, creating a trajectory that can hit enemies wherever they hide. The initial list of weapons doesn’t even include the alien powers Cole is privy to.
If your one to marvel at the wonders of artificial intelligence then you will certainly not be disappointed with what Area 51 has to offer. You can expect a whole range of differing enemies that include human clones called BlackOps, mutant scientists, mutant leapers, mutant security force, grays and bosses like Theta, Edgar and the conniving Mr. White. All of these enemies have A.I. that will frustrate even the most experienced FPS gamer. For example, leapers have the ability to chew through steel and will stop at nothing to hunt you. Other enemies will make a point of dodging everything you throw at them; it’s about as real as it gets. All the enemies in Area 51 have been designed by famed creator ‘Stan Winston Studios’ that created the horrifying creatures in ‘Aliens’, ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Predator’; prepare to be terrified.
Conspiracy buffs will rejoice in a game that finally satisfies their needs. Every single conspiracy is uncovered and explored within Area 51; everything from the mysterious lunar moon landing to the freaky alien autopsy. So be prepared as you move throughout the base, as you never know what might lie around the next corridor.
Anticipation
This is easily the most anticipated game of the year, so far, and I am hoping it will live up to expectation. Although I’m not the biggest FPS fan around, I still appreciate the genre and love nothing more then gearing up and slaughtering my way through beautifully created environments. I think Area 51 will totally re-define the FPS genre in the same way Halo did and with this title getting released on the PS2, you can rest assured it will reach a wider audience. Developers should prepare for new bench mark, as Midway is shooting to kill with this one.
I can’t stress how great it is to have David Duchovny voicing the lead character. Being an avid X-Files fan, this is almost a dream come true for me and I’m sure having him tied to the project will do wonders for Area 51. After watching videos of Manson and Duchovny doing their lines, it’s clear to see that they are putting their heart and souls into this one, which just cranks my anticipation into overload.
Preview by: REC
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