Delta V | |
---|---|
![]() Cover art by Dave Menehan | |
Developer(s) | Bethesda Softworks |
Publisher(s) | Bethesda Softworks |
Designer(s) | V. J. Lakshman [1] |
Platform(s) | MS-DOS [2] |
Release | 1994 [3] |
Genre(s) | Racing |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Delta V (pronounced as Delta Vee) [4] is a first-person science fiction video game for MS-DOS, developed by Bethesda Softworks and released in 1994. It is a spiritual predecessor to XCar: Experimental Racing .
Each mission involved flying a virtual craft along a single predetermined path represented by a trench in virtual space. The trench and the space immediately around it was peppered with obstacles of various shapes and sizes, including helixes and narrow gates. Hitting an obstacle would send the craft back a small distance and take some hitpoints off the armor. Attempting to avoid obstacles by leaving the trench area, or by scraping the bottom of the trench also results in damage.
Various kinds of small enemy fighter and turret drones despatched in swarms by the target system's security would unleash the occasional stream of fire in the attempt to damage the craft's armor. These could be taken down for points. Also, automated security drones in later levels attempt to shoot down the craft, and must have their cannons disabled in order to proceed with the mission. Enemy bosses occasionally make an appearance, and must also be neutralized to proceed with the mission. Certain system targets on the banks of the trench can be hit in order to procure valuable data, energy or shield power by flying into them.
Missions goals include scouting, stealing enemy data and destroying major enemy craft. Mission targets are automatically indicated and locked onto on approach by the Artemis targeting device, and are usually described. Prior to each mission, the player may choose their primary and secondary weapons (other than standard energy-expensive homing torpedoes that come with the craft) from a virtual armory that is added to when research comes up with new weapons (helped along by aforementioned stolen data). Research also comes up with useful devices from time to time, such as one that converts energy to shields, and so on.
Character development is shallow, but the game does feature a few characters that repeat, such as a boss, trainee who the player must mentor, and enemies with grudges. Mission briefing and debriefing often contain important information. The briefing room comes with a feature to view and rotate mission targets and bosses in 3D.
Delta V, follows a cyberpunk theme, taking place in a future where mega-corporations hire hackers to acquire data, which has become the currency of that era. The player starts the game as a captured hacker who is conscripted by Black Sun, one of the mega-corporations, to join the ranks of their online operatives and risk his life piloting programs through cyberspace to steal rival corporations' data and defend Black Sun against invading hackers. The player's character brain-jacks into cyberspace and operates virtual vehicles and weaponry in a virtual environment to accomplish his mission, while avoiding getting his brain fried by the real effects of virtual damage.
The game was originally scheduled to release in October 1993. [5]
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Next Generation | 2/5 [6] |
PC Joker | 60% [7] |
PC Games | 71% [8] |
PC Player | 46% [9] |
Power Play | 51% [10] |
Pelit | 60% [11] |
Next Generation reviewed the game, rating it two stars out of five, and stated that "It's just plain hard to move beyond the fact that for all its extras, Delta V is like playing the trench stage of the original Star Wars arcade game over and over again." [6]
The game was named Best of Show at the Consumer Electronics Show in 1993 [12] [13]
System Shock is a 1994 first-person action-adventure video game developed by LookingGlass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. It was directed by Doug Church with Warren Spector serving as producer. The game is set aboard a space station in a cyberpunk vision of the year 2072. Assuming the role of a nameless security hacker, the player attempts to hinder the plans of a malevolent artificial intelligence called SHODAN.
Shinobi (忍) is a side-scrolling hack and slash video game produced by Sega, originally released for arcades on the Sega System 16 board in 1987. The player controls ninja Joe Musashi, to stop the Zeed terrorist organization from kidnapping students of his clan.
Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics (ICE) is a term used in cyberpunk literature to refer to security programs which protect computerized data from being accessed by hackers.
Star Wars: Republic Commando is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed and published by LucasArts. It was released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows in March 2005. Set in the Star Wars Legends expanded universe, the game revolves around Delta Squad, a special ops unit within the Galactic Republic's Clone Army consisting of four genetically-enhanced clone troopers, referred to as "Clone Commandos." Throughout the single-player campaign, players assume the role of the squad's leader, RC-1138 ("Boss"), and complete various missions during the Clone Wars. Players can also indirectly control the actions of their squadmates RC-1262 ("Scorch"), RC-1140 ("Fixer"), and RC-1207 ("Sev") by issuing different commands, which allow for certain situations to be approached in multiple ways.
Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a vertically scrolling shooter developed by Cygnus Studios and published by Apogee Software. Its working title was "Mercenary 2029". It was released on April 1, 1994 for MS-DOS compatible systems. The first episode of the game, "Bravo Sector", was distributed as shareware. The other two episodes were sold commercially.
Recca is a 1992 scrolling shooter video game developed by KID and published by Naxat Soft for the Family Computer. Controlling the titular space fighter craft, the player is sent to counterattack an invading alien armada while avoiding collision with their projectiles and other obstacles. The ship has a powerful bomb at its disposal that can be used as shield and clear the screen of enemies and bullets when fully charged.
Mega Man Xtreme is a 2000 video game developed by Capcom for the Game Boy Color handheld console. It is a spin-off title in the Mega Man X series of video games that originated on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Mega Man Xtreme takes place within the series timeline during the 22nd century, in which a group of "Maverick" androids called the "Shadow Hunters" hack into the world's "Mother Computer" system, destabilize all of the networks, and allow other Mavericks to cause rampant destruction all over the world. The heroic "Maverick Hunter" X is tasked with going into cyberspace to relive his past missions and put a stop to the group's plans.
Vertical Force is a 1995 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published for the Virtual Boy by Hudson Soft in Japan and by Nintendo in North America. The player controls a starship, the Ragnarok, that must destroy a malfunctioning supercomputer on a human colony planet before it wipes out all of mankind. Gameplay is similar to Hudson's Star Soldier series, featuring power-up items that increase the player's abilities and parallax scrolling. The player can move their ship farther into the background to avoid enemies and obstacles in the way.
Black Tiger, known in Japan as Black Dragon, is a hack-and-slash platform game released for arcades by Capcom in 1987.
The Lawnmower Man is a video game based on the 1992 film of the same name. The game was published in Japan by Coconuts Japan (ココナッツジャパンエンターテイメント) under the title Virtual Wars.
Bloody Wolf, released in Europe as Battle Rangers, is a run and gun arcade game released by Data East in 1988. Two commandos take on an entire army with many weapons, and defeat bosses to advance levels.
The Terminator 2029 is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is based on the Terminator film series, and was released in 1992 for DOS. It is Bethesda's second Terminator game following The Terminator (1990).
The Terminator: Rampage is a first-person shooter video game released for personal computers with the operating system DOS by Bethesda Softworks in 1993. It is the third game based on the Terminator film series that was made by Bethesda, following The Terminator and The Terminator 2029.
Skynet is a computer game based on the Terminator media franchise. It was intended as an expansion pack for the predecessor The Terminator: Future Shock, but was adapted into a standalone product.
Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Arkane Austin and published by Bethesda Softworks. It was released worldwide on 5 May 2017, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One.
Star Wars: TIE Fighter is a 1994 Star Wars space flight simulator and space combat video game, a sequel in the Star Wars: X-Wing series. It places the player in the role of an Imperial starfighter pilot during events that occur between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Brink is a first-person shooter video game developed by Splash Damage and published by Bethesda Softworks for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in May 2011. In Brink, two factions, Resistance and Security, battle in a once-utopian city called The Ark, a floating city above the waters of a flooded Earth.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior is a tactical shooter video game developed and published by City Interactive for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is the second entry in the Sniper: Ghost Warrior series and is the sequel to Sniper: Art of Victory.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth main installment in The Elder Scrolls series, following The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), and was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 11, 2011.
Fallout 4 is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fourth main game in the Fallout series and was released worldwide on November 10, 2015, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game is set within an open world post-apocalyptic environment that encompasses the city of Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts region known as "The Commonwealth". It makes use of a number of local landmarks, including Bunker Hill, Fort Independence, and Old North Bridge near Concord, as the bridge out of Sanctuary Hills.