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Area 51
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Game Name:
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Area 51 |
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Console:
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Dreamcast |
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Reviewed:
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Unknown |
Area 51 is a name that everybody knows of but the government has made it so nobody knows about. It is more like cult fiction than real fact; it is a culmination of outlandish ideas, superstitious beliefs, and, of course, plenty of aliens. You’ve undoubtedly heard of this mysterious base where the army undertook ghastly experiments in futuristic vehicles, weaponry, and aliens. But now something has gone wrong on this base and you have been sent in to fix it.
Area 51 is, at its core, the same as the arcade game of the same name. It does, however, feature upgraded graphics, more gameplay elements, more weapons, and an actual storyline. The action is still very arcade like, meaning it is fast paced and gritty, pitting you up against hundreds of aliens and mutants and forcing you to cut them all down. The moments of large, hectic battles can be quite exhilarating indeed, but sadly these moments are strewn out and in the middle is mostly just bland gameplay that only copies the ideas from other popular FPS titles rather than invent any for itself.
Most of your time will be spent battling through corridors with your fellow soldiers at your sides, cutting down the ferocious mutants and enemies with a wide array of weaponry. You can choose from many different automatic weapons to launchers to even dual wielded weaponry (which tend to pack quite a punch). The friendly AI are also able to handle themselves quite well being able to take down the enemies quickly and effectively.
The rest of the gameplay is focused mostly on the multiplayer mode, which also prevents nothing new or innovative. You can either play with friends offline or hook it up and go online to take down other gamers. Up to 16 players can compete in these multiplayer matches which include the basic deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag, and other generic modes. This is where the large portion of the replay lies in Area 51.
The game is presented quite well with solid visual and audio aspects. The graphics are sharp, well detailed, and plenty flashy. The environments were well designed and are fairly interactive. The special effects are truly special and they do much to add to the gameplay thanks to the sparks and fireworks given off from explosions and weaponry. The visuals are only backed up by a solid sound department that includes excellent sound F/X that really help to make the visual explosions and weapons sound even more destructive and satisfying. The voice acting is solid at times and does do some to help keep gamers interested in a mediocre storyline.
Overall, Area 51 just ends up being an average FPS that just doesn’t offer anything unique or innovative; it simply brings nothing new to the table. While it may be good filler for gamers who can’t find a better game to play until the next great FPS comes out, for most Area 51 won’t be very appetizing. Area 51 could have just used a little more spice thrown into the mix, something to set it apart.
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