Apocalypse Then: Motocross Madness 2

Ten Years of Motocross Madness 2

On this day in gaming, in 2000, Motocross Madness 2 was released.

It’s no doubt the sequel to Motocross Madness, developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Microsoft. It was only ever released for the PC.

Some improvements over the first one included better textures, and not to mention the addition of foliage which was strangely absent from the original.

Another new addition was that of a level editor which allowed you to create your own tracks. Not only this but there licenced motorcycle brands, customization of bikes and riders, and the soundtrack was done by non other than Incubus.

Also in the game were several different game modes which ranged from racing against other motocross riders to just playing around in freestyle mode, doing stunts and usually bailing a hell of a lot.

I fondly recall playing Motocross Madness 2 years ago with my gamepad, passing the time while recovering from sprained ankles – injuries incurred from skateboarding years ago. It’s not only one of Microsoft’s best games put out over the last decade, but one of the best motocross simulations ever.

Apocalypse Then: Motocross Madness 2

Apocalypse Then: Daikatana

10 Years of Daikatana

On this day in gaming, Daikatana was released. It was developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos. The game was released on PC, N64, and Game Boy.

The brainchild of John Romero, who previously co-founded id Software and worked on classics like Doom and Quake, Daikatana was a FPS that used the Quake II engine, and is also known as one of the biggest flops of the video game industry. It was technologically outdated way before its release, which was delayed several times over a period of three years. And not to mention numerous team members working on the game quitting while still in development.

John Romero recently, nearing the ten year anniversary of the game, commented on the controversial ad for the game, which had the slogan: “John Romero’s about to make you his bitch.”

"I knew it was risky, and I didn't want to do it. It didn't make sense. I mean, there's the whole culture of smack talk that goes with games and especially an FPS, and that was something I was known for. You know, I never wanted to make you my bitch, not you, not them, not any of the other players and, most importantly, not any of my fans.

"I should have stopped that ad. I didn't, and I'm sorry for that. Our head of marketing tells me that they spent a lot of time working on it, and ... all these other things. I should have said fucking no. I've looked back on that three minute meeting a hundred times."

"Up until that ad, I felt I had a great relationship with the gamer and the game development community and that ad changed everything.The game insulted nearly everyone who read it. It was a terrible marketing decision. I apologize for letting it loose in the first place."

"It's a miracle it was released at all. There were issues on the inside and the outside. Half the team left. ... that's not the best way to make a game."

----

Source: News: Romero "regrets" Daikatana ad campaign [Eurogamer via Gamesauce]

Apocalypse Then: Daikatana

Apocalypse Then: Redneck Rampage

On this day in gaming history, in 1997, Redneck Rampage was released.

It’s a title developed by Xatrix entertainment, which later became known as Grey Matter, then absorbed into Treyarch – the “B Team” when it comes to Call of Duty games, such as World at War.

Redneck Rampage was a title which used the build engine, famous in the 90s for use with several games, such as Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, and Blood. These titles became known as the big four of build games.

It followed the story of Leonard and Bubba, two country hicks and brothers, as they fight hordes of alien creatures. Along the way you pick up many inventive, original weapons, as well as powerups like alcohol and pork rinds which give you health, but drinking and eating too much can have adverse effects.

One of the best features the game had was the soundtrack. Contrary to what many games in the mid nineties and even in 1997 had, which was mainly MIDI, or E-MIDI in the case of Shadow Warrior, RR had a proper soundtrack by well known Psychobilly artists like The Reverend Horton Heat. You might know them for “Psychobilly Freakout”.

Redneck Rampage was followed by an expansion, Rampage: Suckin' Grits on Route 66, a sequel in Redneck Rampage Rides Again, and a spin-off title in Redneck and Redneck Deer Huntin'.

The licence for the series was purchased from Interplay by Vivendi, and then sold to Blizzard last year. There’ve been rumours ever since suggesting that another Redneck Rampage title might be in the works, and it might be an MMO, seeing as that’s one of the genres that Blizzard loves so much. Otherwise, like some of the other classics from the 90s, like Duke Nukem 3D, it might well be that the series will be released on Xbox Live Arcade or another platform.

For more on this game, check out my hub on HubPages.

Apocalypse Then: Redneck Rampage

Apocalypse Then – Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil

5 Years of Doom 3: RoE

In 2005, the sole expansion for one of 2004’s best games, Doom 3, was released. It’s name was Resurrection of Evil.

RoE, which was co-developed by id and Nerve Software, was released on PC and Xbox. The PC version was not a stand alone expansion, and needed the original game, Doom 3, to be installed. This wasn’t the case with the Xbox version, which also came with Ultimate Doom, Doom II, and the Doom II Master Levels as extras.

The game featured some new enemies, boss creatures, and weapons. The double-barrelled shotgun made famous in Doom II returned, and the Grabber, a new weapon, features as well, which people claim ripped up the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2. Although there are claims that the weapon was supposed to appear in Doom 3.

There was also a new playable character this time instead of the marine.

You can pick this game up here for PC or Xbox.

Apocalypse Then – Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil

Apocalypse Then: Risk II

10 Years of Risk II

I was always a big fan of Risk – the boardgame, that is. Whenever there was an opportunity, I would get it out the cupboard, and play it with my brothers and friends.

And sometimes, admittedly I would even play it solitaire – against myself, that is, sometimes with more than two players, to make it interesting.

That’s where this game comes in. Despite the title, the game doesn’t have a prequel – software wise. This game is the video game sequel to the old boardgame. It was developed by MicroProse, designed by Deep Red, and published by Hasbro Interactive; released on PC and Mac, and happened to be released on this day the 22nd of March, 2000; ten years ago.

It’s a turn-based strategy title, no doubt similar to the original boardgame, but with a few additions – and subtractions, too. The subtraction being that there’s no board involved. This game has some new game modes, allows you to play against AI opponents, and even online against human foes.

This is surprisingly not the first Risk video game, but it is likely one of the best out there, still played today.

You can pick up Risk II here if you want to play a classic.

Apocalypse Then: Risk II

Apocalypse Then – Thief II: The Metal Age

Ten Years of Thief II

On this day in gaming, back in 2000, Thief II: The Metal Age was released.

The game once again centres around Garrett the Master Thief – the greatest thief the world has never seen.

In this game, Garrett was up against a new threat in the Mechanists – a splinter group of the Hammerites, and their maniacal leader Karras, who planned a terrible fate for The City and its inhabitants. Along the way, Garrett meets old allies and enemies from his previous adventures. Surprisingly, although some hold grudges, they end up working together, somewhat reluctantly, to take down this new, greater, enemy.

The game was developed by the now defunct Looking Glass Studios, the guys behind the original Thief and System Shock games. It was published by Eidos Interactive, and was only ever released on PC.

The game looked similar to the first one as far as looks go. It used the same Dark engine, with a few graphical improvements but there were some new additions, like weapons, tools, and power ups, as well as new enemy types, with hardly any from Thief: The Dark Project making an appearance.

Players engaged in more thief-like behaviour, like robbing people and more stealth and sneaking around, rather than TDP’s tomb raiding and darker missions. The levels were bigger and better designed than the original, and less linear, with great levels like “Life of the Party” illustrating this.

This was LGS’s swan song, seeing as although they planned a Thief II: Gold, just like the original received, with extra missions and such, the company closed down.

The game did receive a sequel in Thief: Deadly Shadows, otherwise known as Thief III, which was developed by Ion Storm, makers of Deus Ex and Deus Ex: Invisible War. This Thief, although not bad, was considered the low point of the series so far. Another Thief game, referred to as Thi4f or Thief 4, is currently in development at Eidos Montreal, who are also working on Deus Ex: Human Revolution, once known as Deus Ex 3.

Funny how these games, Deus Ex, Thief, and System Shock always seem to be linked to each other in some way or another. Deus Ex took the stealth elements from the Thief series, and the RPG ones from the System Shock series.

However, the fan base for the Thief games is still thriving to this day, with Thief II in particular receiving many FMs or fan missions, as well as unofficial expansions like T2X: Shadows of the Metal Age. Other notable mods, like The Dark Mod, seek to recreate the Thief experience, but in newer engines like the Doom 3 or id Tech 4 engine in TDM’s case. Various incarnations of the Unreal engine have been used for other Thief-inspired mods like Thievery and Nightblade.

Thief II: The Metal Age remains my favourite in the series so far, with excellent story-telling, and gameplay. And not to mention I’ve always had a soft spot for castles and medieval architecture, which this game has plenty of. Not to mention, Garrett is one of the best protagonists, or anti-heroes, of any game.

You can pick up Thief II: The Metal Age here if you want to play a classic.

Apocalypse Then – Thief II: The Metal Age

Apocalypse Then – Unreal II: The Awakening

Even though I did an article on this last year, I only found this out later, so I decided to still along and post this, seeing as it’s better.

On this day, the 3rd of February 2003, Unreal II: The Awakening was released.

The game was developed by the now defunct Legend Entertainment, not Epic, and published by Atari and used the Unreal Engine 2.0. The game saw a release on PC, and the Xbox a year later.

Unreal II, for short, is a FPS title loosely based on the Unreal series. The game bears no real relation to Unreal besides the Skaarj – the iconic enemies from the first game. They are bladed brutes which are reputed to stand eight foot tall, and unlike the first game, some wear armour and come in different colours, but are encountered only occasionally.

Besides this, it’s said that the ending bears some resemblance to the first game. And the company name “Liandri” crops up as well, and there is a glimpse near the beginning of the game which shows you how the Unreal Tournament was formed.

Unlike UT, Unreal II was initially singleplayer only until Unreal II: eXpanded MultiPlayer was released.

In the game you take the part of John Dalton, a former marine and now Marshal with the TCA (Terran Colonial Authority). Basically he’s like a police officer instead of a soldier, and in the game you go from planet to planet to retrieve pieces of an artefact. And along the way he fights different enemies, but also including others, mainly mercenaries or aliens of some sort. You even get to team with others against enemies at some points in the game.

                   Aida: the first officer and prime piece of ass on the ship

But to me the among some of the most interesting parts of the game were aboard the ship, the “Atlantis”, with the other characters, Ne’ban, Isaak, and Aida – the eye candy in the game. You could chat to them, and find out their insecurities as well as information on the game’s locations and weapons that you might not have otherwise have known. You find out that Aida has a strong dislike for Isaak because of a past incident that took place.

[spoiler alert] In fact, I was quite devastated at the end, after becoming attached to these characters, and having to watch them die. [spoiler alert]

Apart from all this, I imagine that the graphics in the game were a major selling point. It might not have been as highly regarded as its predecessor or the Unreal Tournament spin-off series, but it was still quite enjoyable to play, although quite short, linear, and little in the way or replayability, even though I did play it through two or three times years ago.

It wasn’t a bad game, but just kind of unrelated and disconnected in a way, because of its story. It’s still something that hasn’t been rectified to this day seeing as there’s been no Unreal 3 released, since Epic went on to focus on Unreal Tournament and Gears of War titles.

You can pick up Unreal II: The Awakening here if you want to play a classic.

Apocalypse Then – Unreal II: The Awakening

Apocalypse Then: Quake III Arena

10 Years of Quake III Arena

On this day, 2 December, 1999, Quake III Arena was released for Microsoft Windows on the PC. Developed by id Software and published originally by Activision, Quake III rose to become one of the biggest multiplayer FPS games of all time, alongside its competitor, Unreal Tournament and its sequels. It was later released on multiple other platforms, like Linux, IRIX, Mac OS, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, as well as Xbox Live Arcade and Steam.

The game is still alive and well today, and was once a favourite competitive play mainstay.

Unlike previous Quake games, and more like UT, this game’s singleplayer only really had one purpose: To introduce you to the gameplay, familiarize you with the maps, and to prepare you for the multiplayer, as you battled against bots. Bots can be scaled on five different levels of difficulty, and in the SP campaign you go through 7 tiers or levels, each with four maps except the last one where you face off against Xaero, the top bot.

There is a basic story behind the game, and that is that gods known as the Vadrigar had assembled all the greatest warriors in the universe to compete for their entertainment. There was a little continuity from previous titles with characters and weapons from previous games making an appearance. Notable characters included Doomguy (Doom series), Ranger (Quake), Bitterman (Quake II) and Grunt (multiplayer skin and NPC from Quake II). The only games in id’s back catalogue that seemed to get left out were the Commander Keen series, and Wolfenstein 3D.

The only real new weapon was the gauntlet which one could use for humiliation kills. Apart from that, most of the weapons made a return from Quake and Doom games before it, although most had some new design and functionality, like the BFG. Powerups like Quad damage along with its traditional sound effects from previous Quake titles also made an appearance.

There were several different modes of play like deathmatch, team deathmatch, tournament, and CTF, a few modes less than UT.

Quake 3 also introduced the id Tech 3 engine (otherwise known as the Quake 3 engine), which has been used by many other games, including some of those developed by studios who have worked on id games like Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Other notable games that used the engine are Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, and Call of Duty. All of these were FPS titles set in WW II. RTCW was the least different from Quake 3. It still had a very Q3 feel to it. Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix also used the engine.

Quake 3 featured music from Sonic Mayhem, a one-man team who also worked on Quake II’s soundtrack, . Front Line Assembly also featured on the soundtrack. Unlike Quake II, I found that the music in Q3 was less loud foreground, and more background, sometimes even more atmospheric type stuff.

I remember getting Quake 3 back in 2000, and my friends and I would usually just play against bots or LAN against each other occasionally. I haven’t played the game in a while now seeing as years ago it was such an effort to install all the map packs and point release patches, and usually after all that I didn’t even feel like playing. I also didn’t like the fact that there is no real singleplayer campaign like other games. Some friends of mine preferred Quake or Quake II to Quake III seeing as it was too colourful, although the game was meant to be a bridge between the two games in other areas like weapon balance and player speed.

And of course there was the argument over which game was better: Quake 3 or Unreal Tournament.

Quake III Arena received an expansion pack in Team Arena, and the two of these were eventually bundled together in the Quake III: Gold pack. The source code to the game was released a few years ago, and since then the free OpenArena was released. Also numerous mods and TCs have been made for the game, and even a few movies made with it. I remember seeing one years ago, I think called Escape from the Bastille.

Quake 4 came out in 2005, and was more in line with Quake II as far as storyline, but never succeeded Quake III Arena in popularity, especially in multiplayer.

Quake Zero which became known as Quake Live is essentially an updated version of Quake III Arena, and is free to download and browser-based. Recently, IS (Internet Solutions) launched a local server for South African Quake Live players, who felt that there was too much lag playing internationally.

You can pick up Quake III Arena here if you want to play a classic

Quake III Arena at Amazon

Apocalypse Then: Quake III Arena

Apocalypse Then: Unreal Tournament

10 Years of Unreal Tournament

On this day in gaming, on November 30, 1999, Unreal Tournament, a title developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes, was released. It was published by GT Interactive (now Atari) and appeared on numerous platforms like Windows, Mac, Mac OS X, PS2, Linux, and the Dreamcast.

Unreal Tournament, Despite being an FPS, was one of the first games geared more towards multiplayer, with a tacked-on singleplayer on the side, much like its chief competitor, Quake III Arena by id Software. Instead of a true sequel to Unreal, the Unreal Tournament franchise took off and there have been several sequels which pretty much all look the same to me.

Unreal II: The Awakening, although not a true sequel to Unreal, also featured a part early on in the game which pitted you against another guy in a fight. This is supposedly how the Unreal Tournament was formed, story wise.

Unreal Tournament received mainly positive reviews, especially on the PC. Console, particularly PS2, reviews were average to good. It was also featured twice as a deathmatch title at the World Cyber Games. Aspects of the game praised were the graphics (the water always looked inviting), AI, map or level design, and good weapon balance.

I remember back in school, a bunch of us would always argue over which one was better: Q3A or UT? I got the Game of the Year Edition back in 2001 or 2002, although I had played the game before this period, although probably just the demo though.

God knows why I stuck with the game for as long as I did though. I remember playing it on an old Windows 98, while friends were round, and we would take turns battling bots, or else battling each other, while listening to Linkin Park.

The singleplayer in UT featured a series of levels with different play-modes which put you against bots – AI controlled opponents.

These bots could also be used in multiplayer, while competing in different game types like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, CTF, Domination, Last Man Standing, and Assault. One of my favourite levels, although pretty basic, was the one called Overlord, basically the game’s version of a D-Day map.

Weapons in the game continued with the alt-fire feature that was seen in Unreal, and you could use a pistol (Enforcer), two pistols (guns Akimbo), the ASMD, minigun (my favourite), Pulse gun, and the Sniper Rifle. Some weapons also made a return from Unreal except they were renamed, like the Razorjack (renamed the Ripper), the Flak Cannon, and the Bio Rifle. Another weapon was the Impact hammer, which replaced the Dispersion pistol, and with it you could literally blow someone’s head off. You could also use it to do the equivalent of rocket jumps.

The game is known for having inspired many, many mods over the years, ranging from mutators to TCs. Also, other games have used the engine such as one incarnation of Duke Nukem Forever a long time ago. Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix also considered using the engine, but went with Q3A’s. Another game which used this engine was Rune, a game forgotten by time.

You can pick up Unreal Tournament here, if you want to play a classic.

Unreal Tournament at Amazon

Apocalypse Then: Unreal Tournament

Apocalypse Then: Ten Years of Medal of Honor

Veterans Day


On this day in gaming, in 1999, Medal of Honor for the Playstation was released. Developed by DreamWorks Interactive (now EA Los Angeles) and published by Electronic Arts, it was the original title in a franchise that is hailed as one of the best World War II shooter series, and indeed one of the best First-person shooter series in the genre, often competing with other series like Call of Duty and Brothers in Arms. Indeed, some are under the impression that it is the “first ever World War II First Person Shooter”, or at least the one that springs to mind.

Now admittedly, I haven't played the original, even though I have been around Playstation consoles in the past, but I have seen it, read about it, and heard about it enough. I think I read reviews of Medal of Honor and Medal of Honor: Underground years ago, and no doubt it intrigued me a lot, and when Allied Assault was due to arrive on the PC, I was more than eager to have a go with it.

Also, the American spelling of "Honour" has also niggled me for years.

IGN (Imagine Games Network) ranked the game number 21 on their list of the "Top 25 Games of All Time" for the PlayStation, and Guinness World Records awarded the Medal of Honor series with a world record for "Best Selling First Person Shooter Series" in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008.

And on top of this, the game’s story was created by Steven Spielberg, who also directed Saving Private Ryan, one the best war movies of all time, which came out a year earlier. The Medal of Honor series is often considered to be related to this film, as Spielberg is associated with both, and his name crops up in the credits for more than one of the games in the franchise. Of course another name which has become synonymous with Medal of Honor is Dale Dye, a retired USMC Captain, who served in the Vietnam War, who has been in the movie and video game business for the last twenty something years, and has worked on numerous high-profile war and action films, and not to mention MoH, where he served as the game's military advisor, and has maintained this position on most other MoH titles.

In Medal of Honor, the player takes on the role of Lieutenant James Steven Patterson (or Jimmy Patterson for short), an American soldier and OSS (Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA) operative during World War II , and this has become a theme somewhat, at least initially, with the first few titles, with Manon Batiste being with the French resistance, and Lieutenant Mike Powell in Allied Assault also being an OSS operative. Stealth, intelligence gathering, fighting behind enemy lines, sabotage, infiltration and such played a role in these games, but this style of play was abandoned in later sequels.

Lately, as of the last year or more, there have been rumours and even official talk of a new Medal of Honor title, and the last time I read about this was indeed on the eve of the series’ tenth anniversary. There are reportedly plans, although much of this could be speculation, that this title will take place in a more modern setting, such as its contemporary series, Call of Duty, which received its latest incarnation just this week: Modern Warfare 2.

It’s said that the MoH series will drop its long-lasting World War II theme and follow in Infinity Ward’s footsteps. To this day, we have yet to see any real evidence of this. No screenshots, concept art; not much at all.

Medal of Honor titles:

• Medal of Honor (Lt. Jimmy Patterson) - (PlayStation) - 1999
• Medal of Honor: Underground (Manon Batiste) - (PlayStation, Game Boy Advance) - 2000
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (Lt. Mike Powell) - (Linux, Windows, Mac OS) - 2002
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - Spearhead (Sgt. Jack Barnes) - (Linux, Windows, Mac OS)
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - Breakthrough (Sgt. John Baker) - (Linux, Windows, Mac OS)
• Medal of Honor: Frontline (Lt. Jimmy Patterson) - (Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube) - 2002
• Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (Cpl/Sgt. Joseph Griffin) - (Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube) - 2003
• Medal of Honor: Infiltrator (Cpl. Jake Murphy) - (Game Boy Advance) - 2003
• Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault (Pvt/Pfc/Lcpl/Cpl/Sgt. Tommy Conlin) - (Windows) - 2004
• Medal of Honor: European Assault (Lt. William Holt) - (Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube) - 2005
• Medal of Honor: Heroes (Lt. Jimmy Patterson, Lt. William Holt, Sgt. John Baker) - (PlayStation Portable) - 2006
• Medal of Honor: Vanguard (Cpl/Sgt. Frank Keegan) - (PlayStation 2, Wii) - 2007
• Medal of Honor: Airborne (Pfc/Cpl. Boyd Travers) - (Windows, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Mobile) - 2007
• Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 (Lt. John Berg) - (PlayStation Portable, Wii) – 2007
• Latest Medal of Honor title (TBA)

Apocalypse Then: Ten Years of Medal of Honor

Apocalypse Then: Mortal Kombat Trilogy

Developers: Point of View, Inc. (Saturn), Avalanche Software (PlayStation), Williams Entertainment (N64)
Publishers: Midway, Williams Entertainment
Series: Mortal Kombat
Engine: Updated UMK 3
Platforms: Nintendo 64, PC, PlayStation, Saturn, Game.com
Release date: September 1, 1996
Genres: Fighting

On this day in gaming, in 1996, Mortal Kombat Trilogy was released.

Mortal Kombat Trilogy combines practically everything from Mortal Kombat 1, 2, 3, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, hence the name "Trilogy".

Back in the 90s, I was obsessed with this game. I picked it up at a reasonable price at a local secondhand shop.

My favourite character was Sub-Zero, of which there were two, the masked (older, who is now Noob Saibot), and the unmasked (younger). In fact, this is the first out of two games in the series, the other being Armageddon, to feature all the ninjas, except this game just had them as palette swaps with different moves.

I was unable to play this game on Microsoft Windows XP for years, until I discovered a patch on a fansite, totalmortalkombat.com that makes this possible. Replaying the game while listening to Megadeth, especially Countdown to Extinction, was like going back in time.

Out of all the classic MK games I've ever played, I maintain that this is one of, if not the best, even though there are others who feel differently, particularly those who got one of the console versions.

You can pick up Mortal Kombat Trilogy here if you want to play a classic.

Apocalypse Then: Mortal Kombat Trilogy

Apocalypse Then: GoldenEye 007

Developers: Rareware
Publishers: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo 64
Release dates: August 23, 1997
Genres: First-person shooter

On this day in gaming, in 1997, GoldenEye 007 was released. The game is based on the James Bond movie released in 1995, GoldenEye.

The game has been listed as one of the best games of all time on several occasions, and is credited with providing one of the best multiplayer experiences. On top of this it is also always mentioned in the elite, small group of movie to game adaptations which is actually good, along with titles such as Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. . It was also released at a time in the 90s when games like Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Quake II ruled the scene, and introduced stealth elements to the genre. It's also one of the only good James Bond games to date.

Quite a lot of accolades, then.

The title has been sort after to be ported to other consoles like the Xbox Live Arcade and the Wii, and even spurred on a modding effort with Half-Life 2's Source engine, to bring the game to the PC.

You can pick up GoldenEye 007 here if you want to play a classic.

Resources:

http://www.goldeneyesource.net/
http://www.moddb.com/mods/goldeneye-source

Apocalypse Then: GoldenEye 007

Apocalypse Then: Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six

Developer: Red Storm Entertainment
Publisher: Red Storm Entertainment
Platforms: Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, N64, PlayStation, PlayStation Network
Original Release date: August 21, 1998
Genres: Tactical shooter

On this day in gaming, in 1998, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six was released.

The game is based on the novel of the same name, Rainbow Six, written by Tom Clancy, but the plot of the game deviates as you progress, seeing as the novel wasn’t finished by the time the game was.

It’s a squad based tactical shooter, where you take a team of international counter-terrorists through several stages. There’s the briefing and planning stage- here you get the low down on the situation, terrorists, hostages and other information, before choosing your team from a roster of specialists. After this, you choose the gear that your team will wear as well as the weapons and tools they will carry. After this you have a basic layout of the mission stage, where you can give your team waypoints and orders to carry out once the mission starts. This means the game is less of a run and gun Quake-style game, and more in tune with strategy and sometimes luck.

Years ago I used to play this game over and over. I found it a little frustrating that one had to be prepared to play the missions over and over again mainly due to the quite poor AI and some irritating bugs, and not to mention the unforgiving and surprisingly realistic damage system. One shot from a gun will likely either critically wound a person or kill them. I also enjoyed taking out my frustrations on my teammates and hostages when things went b@lls-up.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six received an expansion called Eagle Watch, as well as a semi-sequel (as claimed by the developer) titled Rogue Spear the following year. After this, through the years there have been a number of games in the Rainbow Six series as well as similar franchises which spawned from it in the Tom Clancy’s range such as the Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell games, among others.

You can pick up Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six if you want to play a classic. Otherwise you can also try Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Gold Pack Edition, which includes Eagle Watch.

Apocalypse Then: Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six

Apocalypse Then: Motocross Madness

Developer: Rainbow Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Games
Platform: Microsoft Windows
Genre: Racing, Sport
Release date: August 14, 1998

On this day in gaming, in 1998, Motocross Madness was released.

It was the first of two games in the series, and obviously as the name suggests puts you in control of a motocross rider on a bike, taking on numerous obstacles, many of which you can make with the included course editor.

What I thought was funny is that some claim the game is known for its realism, and yet in the game there is a complete lack of any foliage, like trees of bushes. These were hastily added in the sequel, Motocross Madness 2.

Apart from that it was good fun, and the crashes were quite hilarious too, and some of them would likely lead to paralysis or death in real life.

You can pick up Motocross Madness if you want to play a classic. Otherwise you can also try Motocross Madness 2.

Apocalypse Then: Motocross Madness

Apocalypse Then: System Shock 2

Developers: Irrational Games, Looking Glass Studios
Publishers: Electronic Arts
Designers: Ken Levine
Composer: Eric Brosius
Engine: Enhanced Dark Engine (Thief)
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast (cancelled)
Release date: August 11, 1999
Genres: First-person shooter, Action RPG, Action-adventure, Survival horror

On this day in gaming, in 1999, System Shock 2 was released. Today marks the tenth anniversary of this classic game.

If I ever made a list of my favourite games of all time, System Shock 2 would be somewhere near the top, probably even ahead of BioShock.

System Shock 2 is a hybrid between an FPS and an RPG, and is the sequel to System Shock, released in 1994. Commercially it wasn’t a huge success, but has generated a cult following over the years. Critics regard it as one of the greatest games ever made. It has influenced other games such as Deus Ex and Doom 3, and has spawned a series of spiritual successors in BioShock and BioShock 2.

Rumours have been going around for a few years as regards a third title in the series, after the trademark on the name was renewed.

The game places the player at first on earth where he undertakes basic training before joining one of three branches of the UNN, a military organisation- the marines, the navy, or the OSA. After this, the player is launched into space where, for three years, he undergoes advanced training, one year at each post. This eventually ends up in him being transferred to the Rickenbacker, a ship which is escorting the UNN Von Braun, an FTL (faster than light) starship which is undertaking its maiden voyage into the unknown reaches of space. Aboard the Von Braun after receiving illegal cyber upgrades, the player awakes in the cryo recovery area of the Med/Sci deck, and quickly discovers that things have gone awry aboard both ships.

You can pick up System Shock 2 here if you want to play a classic. Otherwise you can also try System Shock, the prequel.



Resources:

Apocalypse Then: System Shock
Classic Games Resurrected: System Shock 2

Apocalypse Then: System Shock 2

Apocalypse Then: Jagged Alliance 2: Gold Pack

Developers: SirTech Canada
Publishers: Strategy First (Gold Pack)
Engine: Fallout engine
Platforms: PC , Linux (ported via v1.13 mod)
Release date: August 6, 2002
Genres: Turn-based strategy; TBS

On this day in gaming, in 2002, Jagged Alliance 2: Gold Pack was released.

Jagged Alliance 2 happens to be one of my favourite games, and at the moment I still have Wildfire installed on my PC. I’ve played Jagged Alliance 2: Gold Pack recently as well.

The Gold Pack includes Jagged Alliance 2, Unfinished Business, as well as a basic scenario editor. The original Jagged Alliance 2 is patched to v1.10, and also comes with a number of improvements and changes. The game was originally released for PC, but the v1.13 mod for the game has seen it ported onto Linux.

You can pick up Jagged Alliance 2: Gold Pack if you want to play a classic. Otherwise you can also try the original Jagged Alliance 2, Unfinished Business or Wildfire, the standalone addons.

The Gold Pack It is also available from Steam and GameTap, digital distribution services. These versions contained bugs like infinite money and corrupted save games, but as of July 17, 2009, the various bugs appear to have been fixed.

Apocalypse Then: Jagged Alliance 2: Gold Pack

Apocalypse Then: Doom 3

Developers: id Software, Splash Damage(multiplayer), Vicarious Visions (Xbox version), Aspyr Media (Mac OS X version)
Publisher: Activision
Distributors: Activision (retail), Steam (online)
Series: Doom
Engine: id Tech 4
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Xbox
Original release date: August 3, 2004
Genres: First-person shooter

On this day in gaming, in 2004 , Doom 3 was released.

Doom 3 is essentially a remake, or reboot of the Doom series, ignoring what happened in the original games and placing the player, who once again takes the part of an anonymous space marine, at the very beginning, before the events which lead to the invasion of the Mars facility from Hell takes place.

While the plot is different from the original (which some argue had no real plot besides killing the game’s many enemies), there are things that made it into this game, such as the weapons , including the BFG 9000, and the enemies, except a lot of these look different than in the original series (Doom, Doom II). Final Doom is more of an addon or big expansion pack.

Resurrection of Evil is the expansion to Doom 3, and put the player in the role of another character, this time a combat engineer, who discovers the Hell stone, an artifact from Hell, and must return it here to destroy it.

The expansion includes new weapons like the grabber and the double-barreled shotgun, as well as new enemies an boss creatures.

You’ll notice in this game, once you get the Grabber weapon that it’s very similar to the Gravity Gun or Physics Cannon from Half-Life 2 and the Half-Life 2: Episodes series (rarely called Aftermath, collectively).

Doom 3

Apocalypse Then: Doom 3

Apocalypse Then- Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines

Developer: Pyro Studios
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Series: Commandos series
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Sega Mega Drive (unlicensed)
Original Release date: 31 July 1998
Genre: Real-time strategy; RTS
Modes:Single player, Multiplayer

On this day in gaming, in 1998, Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines was released.

It was an WWII RTS game developed by Spanish company, Pyro Studios, and made the player use small-unit tactics to achieve objectives.

The player controls six commandos, the green beret, driver, marine, spy, sniper, and the sapper. Each of these men has unique skills and equipment to serve in accomplishing the mission goals, which usually include sabotage, infiltration, espionage, and the wiping out of enemy bases.

Going in with all guns blazing is usually a recipe for disaster as your men can only take a few shots before being killed, and this means that more deceptive, cunning methods are required in order to succeed.

I played this game to bits years ago,and some of the missions are easy, while others required the use of some of the game's interesting cheats.

The game was followed by Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty, an addon, and sequels in Commandos 2: Men of Courage, Commandos 3: Destination Berlin, and Commandos: Strike Force.

You can pick up Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines here if you want to play a classic. Otherwise you can also try Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty.

Apocalypse Then- Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines

Apocalypse Then: Max Payne

Developers: Remedy Entertainment (Win), Rockstar Toronto (PS2), Rockstar Vienna (Xbox), Rockstar Leeds (GBA), MacSoft (Mac) Producer: 3D Realms
Publishers: Gathering of Developers (WIN), Rockstar Games (PS2, Xbox, GBA), Feral (Mac), Tec Toy (BR), Capcom (JP) Valve Corporation (Steam), MacSoft (Mac)
Platforms: Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Mac OS
Original Release date: July 25, 2001 (PC)
Genre: Third-person shooter

On this day in gaming, in 2001, Max Payne was released.

It's a third person shooter which helped popularise the bullet-time or slow-mo effect in games, which was introduced in movies by The Matrix. This gimmick was later used in games like F.E.A.R.

The game tells the story of a man who once lived the American Dream, but lost nearly everything after junkies on a new drug wiped out his family. He then goes out seeking revenge and trying to find out why it all happened in the first place, and stumbling upon darker things in the process.

Interestingly, Max Payne's rather strange looking character was modeled on Sam Lake, the writer for the game. The game was developed by a Finish developer, Remedy, and therefore a lot of the names in the games, whether it be people, places, or the drug Valkyr, are borrowed from Norse Mythology.

The game was followed up Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne and the yet to be released Max Payne 3.

Apocalypse Then: Max Payne

Apocalypse Then: Duke Nukem

Canada Day (CA)

Developer: Apogee Software
Publishers: Apogee Software
Platforms: PC Compatible/DOS
Release date: July 1, 1991 (PC)
Genres: side-scrolling platform game

Today is the 18th birthday of Duke Nukem!

On this day in gaming, in 1991, Duke Nukem was released. It was the first game in the series, and as you can see, a few details that we associate with Duke Nukem were not present in this game- like the the red shirt, among other things. Even the name was different, as it was changed from Duke Nukem to Duke Nukum, and then back again in Duke Nukem II, the sequel.

After that there was Duke Nukem 3D, the most popular game in the series. It featured numerous expansions, and add-ons.

After this, there was a spate of console games featuring Duke Nukem, like Total Meltdown, Time to Kill, Zero Hour, Land of the Babes,

Duke Nukem Manhattan Project was a spin-off title storywise, but paid homage to Duke Nukem with the side-scroller style, but with 3D elements and a better camera.

Duke Nukem Forever, the most controversial title in the series, was in development for ages until 2009, and now we have no idea what is to become of it. DNF was supposed to, at one stage anyway, feature the return of Dr. Proton, the enemy of Duke Nukem in the original.

There are more games coming like Duke Nukem Trilogy, as well as others scheduled to appear on the iPhone.

Apocalypse Then: Duke Nukem