DID THAT TREE JUST MOVE? FRAG THE
HELL OUT OF IT!
Play It:
For the arcade, Playstation, and Saturn.
Story:
There is no single story arc, as you go through a series of unconnected scenarios. At first glance, the missions would appear to be: raid on terrorist nuclear base; stopping an attempted bank robbery; and taking out a drug lab. However, the manual tries to give some backstory to these missions. Unfortunately, I think I prefer not being enlightened...
First mission: The terrorist group Ground Zero has amassed a sizable nuclear stockpile (hey, just like the name suggests) which they plan to use to nuke the world and eliminate the human race, allowing the defenseless animals to regain the planet. Your job is to clear them out. Mission 2: The Fiduciary Liberation Front have taken over the World City Bank (located in Generic City) to 'rescue the cruelly imprisoned money' from being manipulated for mankind's evil profits. Your mission is to suppress these terrorist who look disturbingly like wannabe rappers/hip-hoppers (What's the difference between rap and hip-hop, anyway? They sound exactly the same. Although I do like some hip-hop, so I guess its 'rap that ain't crap.') and secure the bank. Mission 3: The Somnolia (I guess its a parody of Somalia) drug cartel has developed a new drug which will brainwash the 'vital American worker, the computer geek.' Then, they will be able to take over the WORLD! Guess what you have to do. Well, it seems that you have uncovered information on all these operations, and they have sent assassins to kill you. However, you instead go out to meet them head on...
I'm not sure why they felt the need to throw in the part with assassins, because I'm blasting terrorists at their base, bank robbers, and cartel thugs. I don't think that there were any particular individuals whose appearance really needed to be explained.
Graphics:
Circa 1996 or 7, I don't remember.
Sound:
Nicely composed but forgettable music that you will never hear anyway unless you just sit back and watch. That's how I heard it. Sound is a combination of recycled bits from Area 51 and some generic sound effects which can be found on various SFX sites.
Difficulty:
On maximum difficulty, this can be a fair challenge. Otherwise, this game is a walk in the park. In fact, you can get pretty far without firing a shot (I've done it.) You can just sit back and watch bad guys take potshots at you, chinking off little bits of life and you'll get through at least one mission with one player.
Enjoyment:
Pretty generic blasting here, but this game has one thing going for it: complete and utter chaos. Its enough for me to raise the score a notch or two. Everywhere you go, windows are blown out, cars are crashing, stuff is exploding, and everything is engulfed in flames. God, I just LOVE it. This game really should be called "Maximum Destruction!" My personal favorite of the Atari Games shooters. If you can find someone else, they can join in too.
Replay Value:
There are a whole bunch of secret rooms to discover, and if you discover the right ones, you can win the Maximum Cool contest and win the chance to be in the sequel to Area 51! Oh wait, that was back in 1997... Fuck.
Rant Session:
I was reading a Gamefaqs review once, and the writer commented that the 'bad guys died Realistically.'
For the arcade, Playstation, and Saturn.
Story:
There is no single story arc, as you go through a series of unconnected scenarios. At first glance, the missions would appear to be: raid on terrorist nuclear base; stopping an attempted bank robbery; and taking out a drug lab. However, the manual tries to give some backstory to these missions. Unfortunately, I think I prefer not being enlightened...
First mission: The terrorist group Ground Zero has amassed a sizable nuclear stockpile (hey, just like the name suggests) which they plan to use to nuke the world and eliminate the human race, allowing the defenseless animals to regain the planet. Your job is to clear them out. Mission 2: The Fiduciary Liberation Front have taken over the World City Bank (located in Generic City) to 'rescue the cruelly imprisoned money' from being manipulated for mankind's evil profits. Your mission is to suppress these terrorist who look disturbingly like wannabe rappers/hip-hoppers (What's the difference between rap and hip-hop, anyway? They sound exactly the same. Although I do like some hip-hop, so I guess its 'rap that ain't crap.') and secure the bank. Mission 3: The Somnolia (I guess its a parody of Somalia) drug cartel has developed a new drug which will brainwash the 'vital American worker, the computer geek.' Then, they will be able to take over the WORLD! Guess what you have to do. Well, it seems that you have uncovered information on all these operations, and they have sent assassins to kill you. However, you instead go out to meet them head on...
I'm not sure why they felt the need to throw in the part with assassins, because I'm blasting terrorists at their base, bank robbers, and cartel thugs. I don't think that there were any particular individuals whose appearance really needed to be explained.
Graphics:
Circa 1996 or 7, I don't remember.
Sound:
Nicely composed but forgettable music that you will never hear anyway unless you just sit back and watch. That's how I heard it. Sound is a combination of recycled bits from Area 51 and some generic sound effects which can be found on various SFX sites.
Difficulty:
On maximum difficulty, this can be a fair challenge. Otherwise, this game is a walk in the park. In fact, you can get pretty far without firing a shot (I've done it.) You can just sit back and watch bad guys take potshots at you, chinking off little bits of life and you'll get through at least one mission with one player.
Enjoyment:
Pretty generic blasting here, but this game has one thing going for it: complete and utter chaos. Its enough for me to raise the score a notch or two. Everywhere you go, windows are blown out, cars are crashing, stuff is exploding, and everything is engulfed in flames. God, I just LOVE it. This game really should be called "Maximum Destruction!" My personal favorite of the Atari Games shooters. If you can find someone else, they can join in too.
Replay Value:
There are a whole bunch of secret rooms to discover, and if you discover the right ones, you can win the Maximum Cool contest and win the chance to be in the sequel to Area 51! Oh wait, that was back in 1997... Fuck.
Rant Session:
I was reading a Gamefaqs review once, and the writer commented that the 'bad guys died Realistically.'
Notice the explosion of blood in the lower right corner
that was once a person. Yeah, that really looks very realistic, jackass.
One of my complaints with the original Area 51 is still here. You can sit back and watch enemies completely unload on you, and you might not get hit until they stop firing and duck back for cover. Definitely some delayed reaction time there.
Another thing I don't get is why Atari felt the need to give some background information to a handful of normal bad guys. Yes, you heard that right; they gave some of the generic bad guys (not bosses, not that there are any anyway) biographies. Now, I could applaud them for this, if they didn't get every damn cliché in there. Let's run through them...
The Ground Zero thugs:
Drake Stanton and Wilma Snow: Some mercenaries who are also a nice couple. Both are stone-cold killers and are driven by money. Typical. As the manual states, "don't let this bombshell surprise you when Stanton is in your sites." Wait, my sites? Holy mother of God, Stanton is inside Gunstars.net right now! AAAAAHHHHH! Oh wait, did they mean sights? Yeah, they probably did.
Sandi Nil: An attempted bank robber who "skipped parole to join Ground Zero." Nil... Great name for a bank robber, eh? However, "she is not as passionate about the group's cause as the other members are." Huh, maybe that's why she's actually part of the Fiduciary Liberation Front. Well, I guess I might be mistaken. I can't be sure if she's who I think she is since she looks exactly the same as Wilma, and of course every terrorist wears fucking sunglasses. But be careful, "she won't hesitate when it comes to pulling the trigger!"
Ray Holder: Once again, Atari fucks up. He's actually part of the Somnolian cartel. Geez, can't you keep your own characters straight? Anyway, he makes bombs, and he's the only person here who isn't a stone-cold killer. He doesn't even have any real training. "It wouldn't be so bad if you found this guy and ended his training." Oh, Atari, you are just killing me here.
Butch Cutter: Wow, another great name! A former Green Beret, he's a top marksman and total tough guy, as well as the military brains of the group. He has "dedicated his life to the group's cause." Now remember, Ground Zero plans to nuke everyone so the cute little animals can regain the planet. You're telling me this elite stone-cold killer is part of some extremist animal supremacy group? Could we possibly shovel some more bullshit in here somewhere? I'm also told to pump him full of lead until he goes down. They must think I'm a shit shot, because everyone here dies with 1 bullet.
The Fiduciary Liberation Front:
Melvin Doreaux: It says here that he could have gone on to be a successful baseball player, but he instead became a terrorist. Uh, what was that word I'm looking for? Its off the tip of my tongue... Oh yeah, bullshit. Enjoys his work, has no fear, blah, blah, blah, stone-cold killer.
Two-Bucks, Kenny D., and Reese's Peace's: 3 teenagers who were once aspiring rappers. However, during one of their gigs, they met up with Melvin Doreaux and decided to join the FLF. Now, they rock the hizzouse in their own way.
Somnolia Drug Cartel:
Deidre Hanson: AKA the Deadly Debutant. She was born into a rich family, but instead chose a life of crime. Oh, and she has no remorse.
Victor Topper: Stone-cold killer. He gave up a career in athletics to be a terrorist, making him the third person in this game to give up everything to become a killer. Ok, now I'm getting lazy. I think Atari probably was, too.
Okay, so I know the background of people who I will only see for 0.3 seconds before I blast them into a puddle of blood. Now where are the innocent people's biographies?
Bottom Line:
Oh, it can't compete with the likes of Virtua Cop or Time Crisis, but I still like this game.
One of my complaints with the original Area 51 is still here. You can sit back and watch enemies completely unload on you, and you might not get hit until they stop firing and duck back for cover. Definitely some delayed reaction time there.
Another thing I don't get is why Atari felt the need to give some background information to a handful of normal bad guys. Yes, you heard that right; they gave some of the generic bad guys (not bosses, not that there are any anyway) biographies. Now, I could applaud them for this, if they didn't get every damn cliché in there. Let's run through them...
The Ground Zero thugs:
Drake Stanton and Wilma Snow: Some mercenaries who are also a nice couple. Both are stone-cold killers and are driven by money. Typical. As the manual states, "don't let this bombshell surprise you when Stanton is in your sites." Wait, my sites? Holy mother of God, Stanton is inside Gunstars.net right now! AAAAAHHHHH! Oh wait, did they mean sights? Yeah, they probably did.
Sandi Nil: An attempted bank robber who "skipped parole to join Ground Zero." Nil... Great name for a bank robber, eh? However, "she is not as passionate about the group's cause as the other members are." Huh, maybe that's why she's actually part of the Fiduciary Liberation Front. Well, I guess I might be mistaken. I can't be sure if she's who I think she is since she looks exactly the same as Wilma, and of course every terrorist wears fucking sunglasses. But be careful, "she won't hesitate when it comes to pulling the trigger!"
Ray Holder: Once again, Atari fucks up. He's actually part of the Somnolian cartel. Geez, can't you keep your own characters straight? Anyway, he makes bombs, and he's the only person here who isn't a stone-cold killer. He doesn't even have any real training. "It wouldn't be so bad if you found this guy and ended his training." Oh, Atari, you are just killing me here.
Butch Cutter: Wow, another great name! A former Green Beret, he's a top marksman and total tough guy, as well as the military brains of the group. He has "dedicated his life to the group's cause." Now remember, Ground Zero plans to nuke everyone so the cute little animals can regain the planet. You're telling me this elite stone-cold killer is part of some extremist animal supremacy group? Could we possibly shovel some more bullshit in here somewhere? I'm also told to pump him full of lead until he goes down. They must think I'm a shit shot, because everyone here dies with 1 bullet.
The Fiduciary Liberation Front:
Melvin Doreaux: It says here that he could have gone on to be a successful baseball player, but he instead became a terrorist. Uh, what was that word I'm looking for? Its off the tip of my tongue... Oh yeah, bullshit. Enjoys his work, has no fear, blah, blah, blah, stone-cold killer.
Two-Bucks, Kenny D., and Reese's Peace's: 3 teenagers who were once aspiring rappers. However, during one of their gigs, they met up with Melvin Doreaux and decided to join the FLF. Now, they rock the hizzouse in their own way.
Somnolia Drug Cartel:
Deidre Hanson: AKA the Deadly Debutant. She was born into a rich family, but instead chose a life of crime. Oh, and she has no remorse.
Victor Topper: Stone-cold killer. He gave up a career in athletics to be a terrorist, making him the third person in this game to give up everything to become a killer. Ok, now I'm getting lazy. I think Atari probably was, too.
Okay, so I know the background of people who I will only see for 0.3 seconds before I blast them into a puddle of blood. Now where are the innocent people's biographies?
Bottom Line:
Oh, it can't compete with the likes of Virtua Cop or Time Crisis, but I still like this game.