5/02/2005
AREA 51, Midway Games/Inevitable
This game still features the fabled Area 51 military base in Roswell, N.M., and lots of aliens that want you dead, but otherwise there's not that much in common with the shoot-everything-that-moves arcade game of a decade ago. Instead, this reinvention of the Area 51 franchise puts you in the protective boots of hazmat operative Ethan Cole (voiced by actor David Duchovny), who's called in to investigate a viral outbreak at Area 51. Things soon spiral into an alien conspiracy story that goes beyond any "X-Files" mythology to include alien colonization, men in black, Illuminati, cyborgs, mutants and telepaths.
While it doesn't all make perfect sense and Duchovny's monotone voice can grow tiresome, there's still plenty of amusement to be had in blowing away an assortment of aliens, including skinny gray beings, mutant soldiers and robotic assassins. With an assortment of environments to explore and a huge arsenal of weapons, Area 51 offers plenty of variety but little rest -- you'll be constantly ducking and covering from the fire of your all-too-smart enemies.
Area 51 excels in both its graphics and its audio, which also features such Hollywood talent as Powers Boothe (who barks commands on your radio) and Marilyn Manson (the voice of a crazy, jar-encased telepathic monster). Once you've run through the 15 levels of its single-player mode, up to 16 gamers can complete online. This game does have plenty of strong competition, much of it more innovative (for instance, Doom 3, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect, Project: Snowblind and Halo 2), but it does provide an entertaining ride. -- John Gaudiosi
While it doesn't all make perfect sense and Duchovny's monotone voice can grow tiresome, there's still plenty of amusement to be had in blowing away an assortment of aliens, including skinny gray beings, mutant soldiers and robotic assassins. With an assortment of environments to explore and a huge arsenal of weapons, Area 51 offers plenty of variety but little rest -- you'll be constantly ducking and covering from the fire of your all-too-smart enemies.
Area 51 excels in both its graphics and its audio, which also features such Hollywood talent as Powers Boothe (who barks commands on your radio) and Marilyn Manson (the voice of a crazy, jar-encased telepathic monster). Once you've run through the 15 levels of its single-player mode, up to 16 gamers can complete online. This game does have plenty of strong competition, much of it more innovative (for instance, Doom 3, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect, Project: Snowblind and Halo 2), but it does provide an entertaining ride. -- John Gaudiosi
