Evolva

Last updated
Evolva
EvolvaBox.jpg
European cover art
Developer(s) Computer Artworks
Publisher(s)
Director(s) William Latham
Producer(s) Vince Farquharson
Designer(s) Mark Atkinson
Vince Farquharson
Programmer(s) Rik Heywood
Mark Atkinson
Artist(s) Karl Wickens
Composer(s) Keith Tinman
Platform(s) Windows
Release
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Evolva is a third-person action game created by British computer artist William Latham and game designer/programmer Mark Atkinson, [3] [4] and released in 2000.

Contents

Gameplay

The player leads a team of four "GenoHunters" exploring a planet; each of the GenoHunters can develop new abilities by incorporating and altering the DNA they've absorbed from the creatures they have killed. [4] The GenoHunters change their physical appearance (change colors, develop spikes or horns) based on the DNA they've used to mutate themselves. Genohunters can punch, jump, super jump, breathe fire, vomit flammable liquids, shoot explosives, scramble enemies' brains, and spawn small alien offspring that injure enemies. Prior to the game's release, publisher Interplay Entertainment advertised that there are over one billion possible variations on the basic Genohunter.

The game has 12 large, linear levels populated with alien insect-like creatures known as the "parasite guardians". There are different types of these alien creatures. In some of the levels there are "Bosses" at the end which your team of GenoHunters must defeat.

Reception

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. [5] The game was praised by critics as very innovative, without any major criticisms, other than the high hardware requirements (for the time) and weak multiplayer support.[ citation needed ] Jim Preston of NextGen said of the game, "The gorgeous graphics and beautiful sound conceal some rather ordinary, if mostly fun, gameplay." [18]

Nick Woods of AllGame gave it a score of four stars out of five, saying, "A strong point of Evolva is the quality of the environments created by Interplay. The sense that you're on another planet is apparent and adds to the enjoyment of the game. I'd recommend this game to just about anyone as, overall, Evolva is a good, solid game that will provide many hours of enjoyment." [20] Michael Lafferty of GameZone gave it 8.5/10, calling it "a well-designed action-adventure game that demands intellect and reflexive skill." [21] Barry Brenesal of GamePro said, "Evolva has its distinctive elements-good team AI and great pathing, a wonderful variety of exotic creatures, and a novel application of color over a 3D terrain. But much of the game is simply traditional shooter material with an alien overlay. I kept hoping for something more creative, given the 3D possibilities-perhaps abilities that included flight. Evolva doesn't disappoint, but it doesn't raise much enthusiasm, either." [22] [a]

Based upon Evolva, Universal Interactive invited Computer Artworks to make a pitch for The Thing , a game based on the 1982 film of the same name. For the pitch, Computer Artworks reskinned a level from Evolva with an Antarctic theme and a Thing-like creature as a boss fight. The pitch impressed Universal sufficiently, and the deal was signed. [23]

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave the game 3.5/5 for graphics, 2/5 for sound, 4/5 for control, and 3/5 for fun factor.

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Wars: Force Commander</i> 2000 video game

Star Wars: Force Commander is a real-time strategy video game released for the Microsoft Windows platform in 2000. It was co-developed by Ronin Entertainment and LucasArts, and published by LucasArts. Its plot interweaves between Star Wars: A New Hope and Return of the Jedi, taking place in key battles. Peter McConnell created remixed tracks of John Williams's original score with influences from hard rock and techno music.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic III</i> 1999 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia is a turn-based strategy game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing originally released for Microsoft Windows by The 3DO Company in 1999. Its ports to several computer and console systems followed in 1999–2000. It is the third installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series.

<i>Starlancer</i> 2000 video game

Starlancer is a space-based science fiction flight simulator computer game, created by Erin and Chris Roberts, and developed by Warthog Games under the auspices of Digital Anvil.

<i>Call to Power II</i> 2000 video game

Call to Power II is a PC turn-based strategy game released by Activision as a sequel to Civilization: Call to Power, which itself was named after the Civilization series by Sid Meier; this game could not have "Civilization" in its title because the license to the Civilization name was lost.

<i>X: Beyond the Frontier</i> 1999 space trading and combat video game

X: Beyond the Frontier is a video game created by Egosoft for Windows. The first of the X series, it is a space trading and combat simulator game, mostly set in the fictional X-Universe. Upon release, it was frequently compared to the older Elite.

<i>Sacrifice</i> (video game) 2000 real-time strategy video game

Sacrifice is a real-time strategy video game published by Interplay Entertainment in 2000 for Microsoft Windows platform. Developed by Shiny Entertainment, the game features elements of action and other genres. Players control wizards who fight each other with spells and summoned creatures. The game was ported to Mac OS 9.2 in 2001.

<i>Pharaoh</i> (video game) 1999 video game

Pharaoh is an isometric city-building game released in November 1999. It was created by Impressions Games and published by Sierra Studios for Microsoft Windows. Using the same game engine and principles of Caesar III, it is the first such game in Sierra's City Building series to focus on another civilization of ancient times. Players oversee the construction and management of cities and settlements in Ancient Egypt, micro-managing every aspect of the city to ensure citizens are fed, employed, healthy and protected from diseases, disasters and wars. An expansion pack, Cleopatra: Queen of the Nile, was released in 2000, developed by BreakAway Games. In 2001, both the game and expansion pack were bundled together as Pharaoh Gold. A remake titled Pharaoh: A New Era was released by Triskell Interactive and Dotemu in 2023.

<i>Sheep</i> (video game) 2000 video game

Sheep is a strategy puzzle video game released for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. In 2001 it was released for Mac OS X by Feral Interactive. The Game Boy Advance version was released in March 2002 in the EU, while the intended North American release was cancelled for unknown reasons.

<i>Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War</i> 1999 video game

Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War is a turn-based strategy game based on the Panzer General 2 engine by SSI. It is set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. It was produced by Games Workshop in 1999, and concerns the invasion of a Tyranid Hive fleet and the Eldar and Imperial efforts to defeat it. The game was re-released in 2015 on GOG.com.

<i>Interstate 82</i> 1999 video game

Interstate '82 is a vehicular combat video game developed and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows in 1999.

<i>Sid Meiers Antietam!</i> 1999 video game

Sid Meier's Antietam! is a real-time computer wargame designed by Sid Meier, the co-founder of Firaxis Games, then released in December 1999. It is the prequel to the 1997 Sid Meier's Gettysburg!.

<i>Gorky 17</i> 1999 video game

Gorky 17 is a turn-based tactics tactical role-playing video game developed by Polish studio Metropolis Software and published by Monolith Productions for Microsoft Windows in 1999. The game was later ported to Linux by Hyperion Entertainment and published by Linux Game Publishing in 2006. The AmigaOS 4 version was released in 2015.

<i>Stupid Invaders</i> 2000 video game

Stupid Invaders is an adventure video game developed by Xilam and published by Ubi Soft for Microsoft Windows in 2000 and Mac OS in 2001. A 2001 Dreamcast port was handled by Titanium Studios. The game is based on the animated television series, Space Goofs.

<i>Industry Giant</i> 1997 business simulation video game

Industry Giant is a business simulation game for Windows. In 2002 a sequel, Industry Giant II, was released.

<i>Warlords Battlecry</i> 2000 video game

Warlords Battlecry, sometimes mislabeled as Warlords 3: Battlecry, is a real-time strategy video game released in 2000 for Microsoft Windows. It was the first of new series of RTS games set in Steve Fawkner's Warlords franchise.

<i>Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge</i> 1999 war video game

Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge, sometimes known as Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge, is a 1999 computer wargame developed by Atomic Games and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). A simulation of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, it is the fourth game in the Close Combat series. A remake, Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein, was released in 2008.

<i>Creatures</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

Creatures is an artificial life simulation packaged as a video game developed by British studio Creature Labs for Windows, and was ported to Macintosh, PlayStation, and Game Boy Advance. It is the first game in the Creatures series.

<i>Invictus</i> (video game) 2000 strategy role-playing video game

Invictus: In the Shadow of Olympus, also known as simply Invictus, is a video game developed by Quicksilver Software, Inc. and published by Interplay for Windows in 2000.

<i>Battle of Britain</i> (1999 video game) 1999 video game

Battle of Britain is a 1999 computer wargame developed and published by TalonSoft. It was designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors.

<i>TNN Outdoors Pro Hunter</i> 1998 video game

TNN Outdoors Pro Hunter is a sports game developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by ASC Games for Microsoft Windows in 1998. A sequel, TNN Outdoors Pro Hunter 2, was released in 1999 developed by Monolith Productions using their LithTech engine.

References

  1. ↑ Bye, John "Gestalt" (May 11, 2000). "Evolva review". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 18, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ Fudge, James (May 25, 2000). "Evolva Ships". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 30, 2003. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  3. ↑ Kushner, David (May 2000). "Mutations". Spin . Vol. 16, no. 5. Next Management Partners. p. 88. ISSN   0886-3032.
  4. 1 2 "NG Alphas: Computer Artworks". Next Generation . No. 33. Imagine Media. September 1997. pp. 64–66.
  5. 1 2 "Evolva for PC". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ Bub, Andrew S. (June 13, 2000). "Evolva". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  7. ↑ Perkins, Dave (June 19, 2000). "Evolva". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 30, 2003. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  8. ↑ Bailey, Joe (September 2000). "You Say You Wanna [sic] Evolution? (Evolva Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World . No. 194. Ziff Davis. p. 112. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  9. ↑ Edge staff (May 2000). "Evolva" (PDF). Edge . No. 84. Publishing. pp. 84–85. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  10. ↑ McEnery, Paul (September 30, 2000). "Evolva". The Electric Playground . Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on July 12, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  11. ↑ Bye, John "Gestalt" (May 11, 2000). "Evolva". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 7, 2001. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Evolva". Game Informer . No. 88. FuncoLand. August 2000.
  13. ↑ "REVIEW for Evolva [Incomplete]". GameFan . Shinno Media. May 30, 2000. Archived from the original on June 19, 2000. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  14. ↑ Sparks, Shawn (July 2000). "Evolva Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  15. ↑ Parker, Sam (June 7, 2000). "Evolva". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  16. ↑ Madigan, Jamie (June 12, 2000). "Evolva". GameSpy . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 1, 2002. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  17. ↑ Lopez, Vincent (June 13, 2000). "Evolva". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  18. 1 2 Preston, Jim (August 2000). "Evolva". NextGen . No. 68. Imagine Media. p. 96. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Evolva". PC Gamer . Vol. 7, no. 9. Imagine Media. September 2000.
  20. ↑ Woods, Nick. "Evolva - Review". AllGame . All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  21. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (June 7, 2000). "Evolva Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  22. ↑ Brenesal, Barry (June 22, 2000). "Evolva Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro . IDG. Archived from the original on January 20, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  23. ↑ Mason, Graeme (May 4, 2014). "The making of The Thing". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on July 6, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.