Area 51 - Project: Blue Book

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Ross Mahon

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Published on November 12, 2018 9:50:33 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ty2skSqox8

Game:

Area 51 (2005)

Duration: 6:17

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Area 51 is a science fiction first-person shooter video game that was released in 2005. It was developed by Midway Studios Austin and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows. It is a loose remake of the 1995 light gun video game of the same name, and was followed in 2007 by the loosely related BlackSite: Area 51. The player controls Ethan Cole, a HAZMAT operative sent to the Area 51 base to assist in the cleanup of a mutagenic virus.

Area 51 at first starts out with intense combat where the player has several AI teammates with him (ranging from two to seven most of the time) versus hordes of mutants. Midway through, the player will have to go through shootouts with more intelligent enemies in the form of alien soldiers. Notable among the voice actors are David Duchovny as Ethan Cole, Marilyn Manson as Edgar the ancient and powerful Grey, Powers Boothe as Major Bridges, and Ian Abercrombie as Dr. Cray.

Area 51 is a first person shooter, played from the perspective of the protagonist, Ethan Cole. The game features operable machinery, including artillery turrets, besides the player's inventory of weapons. The player begins with a team of three other HAZMAT soldiers, who cannot be killed by the game world, unless it is scripted into the story.

Throughout the game, the player uses a variety of weapons, both Human and Alien in origin, to defeat their adversaries. Most weapons can only be wielded one handed, however the player can dual wield some weapons, such as the Shotgun and the Sub-Machine Gun. Each weapon can also be used as a melee weapon for close quarter combat, and for its original intended purpose. Each weapon has two modes of firing, the first being the primary method, while the second is of a much higher power level, at the cost of ammunition and accuracy to the player. The player can also use explosive grenades, one of human origin, and the other of alien design.

Midway through the game, Ethan Cole becomes infected with the mutagen, and the option to turn into a mutant temporarily is obtained. Mutating offers a variety of benefits, such as increased strength, stamina, as well as the initial ability to fire health-replenishing parasites as well as the later ability to contaminate enemies, both at the cost of mutation time reduction. While in a mutant form, players can easily spot enemies, which would otherwise be cloaked to the regular human eye, albeit with a slight ocular defect.

Players can replenish health and mutagen either through the use of medical syringes found throughout the game or by using parasites, and mutagen by melee combat or "using" infected corpses, or by finding mutagen syringes.

A notable aspect of gameplay is the ability to scan and analyze various objects in the game environment. This is possible by using the scanner present on the player's suit, worn throughout the game. While using a scanner, the player has no access to weapons, and must switch to an available weapon in order to fight (though they could still melee). Scanning provides detailed information on a player's surroundings, as well as combated enemies.

The scanner, when equipped, adds a translucent bar to the player's HUD, which changes in color and height from light blue, to deep red. This bar indicates how near or far a player is, to one of many scannable clues, such as file folders or personal digital assistants. The scanner can collect information from the items without it being touched. The HUD shows red when the player is very close, and blue when very far. Items which are scanned are viewable in-game, providing insight into the workings of Area 51, as well as proving necessary to unlocking secret videos made by Dr. Cray or Mr. White.

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