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System:
Arcade
Genre:
Shoot 'Em Up
Publisher:
Atari Games
Developer:
-
Players:
1-2
Release date/year:
2001
Other systems:
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- Area 51: Site 4
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1998 Atari Games - Arcade
- Area 51 Site 4 is nothing more than an upgrade on the original game that features some improved visuals and a few extra stages thrown in for good measure. Though the game seems to have changed widely for the most part, what you’ll find is that the game is still the same run and gun action that you saw before, only with a slightly better looking presentation than the last! With that in mind, the game itself plays just like the original in which you fire off shots at everything that looks somewhat evil while trying to avoid damage in the process.
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The Game Play
Area 51, Roswell New Mexico, UFO's and Aliens. You've got to get through the most widely known secret base in the world that has been infected with an alien virus, turning those on base into hideous alien creatures. Not a bad storyline to base a shooting game on, almost like one of those ancient aliens trying to take over the world movies that you catch on cable every once in a while. You go into a base, and through it, blasting zombies. Although this game is light gun compatible, you do get a little bored after a while. It does offer up some extra levels, but it takes masterful shooting and practice to gain all of these little extras.
It doesn't have much of a replay value after you've found the secret levels, except for a special view of the game, but you'll have to play through and figure it out! With the different bonus rounds that you can find throughout the game, you’ll see that there is plenty that the game can offer as long as you’re willing to take the time and find out where all of these little hidden extras are. With the two-player option, there is nothing more than a little added difficulty and some good times blowing enemies away with handguns, machine guns and even a special mode that uses explosive bullets. The environment around you is completely interactive, and in most cases, destroyed with plenty of shots fired, so if you want to add on plenty of extra carnage, then start firing off on whatever you see!
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The Control
Just like the previous version of the game, you point and shoot at your targets that pop up on the screen. Some may take a little more time to defeat than others, but in the end, you still have the same game control that you do in every other shooter out there. Once you’ve gotten into the habit of shooting and quickly pointing the gun off-screen, then everything else is clockwork for you to pick up and play through in the later stages!
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The Visuals
Now, what sets Site 4 apart from the original is that the textures that you find here seem to be a little more fluid than they were in the previous game. With the aliens, backgrounds and otherwise having little or no break-up, missing frames or otherwise, you will see a noticeable difference in the way that the game is presented to you. That being said, most of the game is what you’ve seen before, with a few extra stages added in for good measure, all of which do bring the dark and moody feel to the game from the opening screen!
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The Audio
You’re still left with the same gun music that you had before, with little or no changes from the original. Some of the voice effects are back again with the game having a few different styles to keep the mood semi-fresh throughout. However, with the lack of total redesign on the audio part, you may find it a little hard to get into the game and get it moving along when you’re listening to the same track, effectively, over and over again!
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Why you might not like this game:
Well, essentially, it’s the same Area 51 with a couple of added stages and visual improvements. The game play is still the same thing that you’ve played in the previous version and with nothing really giving you a sense of new found paths, there may be some disappointment. Add this into the fact that the game just doesn’t have enough audio going for it and the stages themselves are a little too dark in some cases, you may find that this is a sensory experience enough to give your eyes screen burn!
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The Verdict
While not the most innovative shooting game on the market, there is something to be said about a company that just wanted to give a few improvements to an already decent game. With the imrpoved visuals and some of the newer stages added, there is a sense of uniqueness that stays only for a few minutes and then disappears just as quickly as it came on. The pop up action is getting old folks, and if you like games that have a little more variety to them, then you might want to stray elsewhere and stick credits in a different machine!
6/10
//KasketDarfyre
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