Machine Hunter

Last updated
Machine Hunter
Machunt.jpg
Developer(s) Eurocom Entertainment Software
Publisher(s) MGM Interactive
Producer(s) Mark Hetherington
Designer(s) Rob Craven
Composer(s) Neil Baldwin
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
Release
  • EU: July 1997
  • NA: August 1997 [1]
Genre(s) Shoot 'em up
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Machine Hunter is a top-down shooter game developed by Eurocom Entertainment Software, published by MGM Interactive and distributed in Europe by Eidos Interactive. It was developed and released simultaneously in 1997 for Windows 95 and PlayStation console. It has been described as a clone of the 1995 game Loaded , in that it uses an overhead perspective, extensive lighting effects, and over-the-top bloodshed.

Contents

Plot

In a bleak future, a virus is turning robots into killing machines. The carrier of the virus must be tracked down and destroyed if humanity has any chance of survival. [2]

Gameplay

The game is presented in a top-down overhead perspective, with the option of a fixed or rotating camera. Players must guide the character through 17 unique stages whilst battling alien, mutant, and mechanical enemies. The primary focus is the rescuing of hostages and occasionally obtaining an item such as a key card, defusing or planting bombs, or completing an objective under a time limit. Players are encouraged to "transfer" or transform into one of nine unique types of robots encountered throughout the stages, each with their own distinct appearance, weapons, and abilities. [3]

Power-ups are present, scattered throughout each stage and hidden in secret areas. Power-ups include:

Development

The game was showcased at E3 1997. [1] The title of the game changed multiple times during development. Initially announced as "H.O.S.T.", it was later renamed "HOST" (no periods), then "Droid Hunter", then "Suicide Run", before finally being released as Machine Hunter. [4] [5] The name "Droid Hunter" was discarded due to the potential for legal challenges from LucasArts (who held a trademark on the word "droid" via the entities from Star Wars), while "Suicide Run" was eventually rejected because the developers thought it sounded too much like a racing game. [4]

Reception

Reviews for Machine Hunter widely varied. While critics unanimously remarked that the game is a blatant clone of Loaded , [7] [11] [13] [16] Electronic Gaming Monthly and GamePro opined that the multitiered levels and the ability to take over disabled machines give Machine Hunter enough of its own character and depth to make it worthwhile, [7] [16] whereas Next Generation argued that though these two elements do represent positive originality, "the similarities overpower any differences, and on the whole, the game is little more than a poorly executed rip-off." [13] Glenn Rubenstein wrote in GameSpot that while the game is reasonably fun, "most die-hard fans will be a lot happier dusting off their copy of the original Loaded". [11]

In addition to the limited originality, the controls have been heavily criticized due to weak responsiveness and the difficulty in executing diagonals with the standard PlayStation controller. [7] [11] [13] However, GamePro contended that "The controls are smooth and very responsive to onscreen action." [16] [lower-alpha 2] And where Rubenstein said the split screen used in the multiplayer mode is annoying, [11] GamePro asserted that the multiplayer mode is the most fun part of the game. [16]

Most reviews commented that the graphics are more detailed and feature more impressive effects than Loaded, [7] [11] [16] though Rubenstein added that they were still not good enough to stand out amongst contemporary PlayStation games. [11] Despite their overall positive reaction to the game, the Electronic Gaming Monthly review team acknowledged that the gameplay becomes very repetitive. [7]

The Windows version was more negatively received than the PlayStation version, with reviews citing baffling low-resolution graphics and controls which are even more confusing and poorly responsive than the PlayStation version's. [5] [13]

Notes

  1. ↑ Three critics of GameFan gave the PlayStation version each a score of 80, 83, and 85.
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the PlayStation version 4.5/5 scores for graphics and control, 3.5/5 for sound, and 4.0/5 for fun factor.

Related Research Articles

<i>Area 51</i> (1995 video game) 1995 video game

Area 51 is a light gun arcade game released by Atari Games in 1995. It takes its name from the military facility. The plot of the game involves the player taking part in a Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Response (STAAR) military incursion to prevent aliens, known as the Kronn, and alien-created zombies from taking over the Area 51 military facility.

<i>X-Men vs. Street Fighter</i> 1996 video game

X-Men vs. Street Fighter is a crossover fighting video game developed and published by Capcom. It is Capcom's third fighting game to feature Marvel Comics characters, following X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes, and is the first installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. As the title suggests, the game includes characters from Marvel's X-Men franchise and the cast from Capcom's Street Fighter series. Originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1996, it was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997 and the PlayStation in 1998.

<i>Star Wars: Demolition</i> 2000 video game

Star Wars: Demolition is a vehicular combat game set in the Star Wars universe created by Luxoflux and LucasArts using the Vigilante 8 game engine. The premise of the game is that the Galactic Empire have banned Jabba the Hutt's podraces, so Jabba creates a more life-threatening vehicular combat contest.

<i>Batman Forever: The Arcade Game</i> 1996 video game

Batman Forever: The Arcade Game is a beat 'em up video game based on the movie Batman Forever. The subtitle is used to differentiate it from Batman Forever, another beat 'em up published by Acclaim at around the same time. One or two players, playing as Batman and Robin, fight Two-Face, the Riddler, and numerous henchmen.

<i>Hercs Adventures</i> 1997 video game

Herc's Adventures is a video game released for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation by LucasArts in 1997. The overhead, action-adventure format is similar to Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Up to two players each take on the role of one of three ancient Greek heroes: Herc (Hercules), Atlanta (Atalanta), or Jason, who are on a quest to defeat Hades and save the goddess of nature, Persephone. In 2014, it was released for PSN in North America.

<i>Contra: Legacy of War</i> 1996 video game

Contra: Legacy of War is a 3D action game produced by Konami and developed by Appaloosa Interactive that was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. It is a follow-up to Contra: Hard Corps, and was the first of two games in the Contra series that were externally developed by Appaloosa; the second game, C: The Contra Adventure, was released in 1998. Legacy of War marks the series' shift to three-dimensional graphics and gameplay, the game was released packaged with a pair of 3D anaglyph glasses, which enables the player to view the 3D effects incorporated into the game's graphics. Legacy of War bears the distinction for being the first console game in the series to retain both the Contra title and human characters during its release in Europe and Australia. The game was scheduled to be released in Japan as well, but was cancelled.

<i>Black Dawn</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Black Dawn is a helicopter-combat simulation, published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment. It was released on the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in 1996.

<i>Star Wars: Starfighter</i> 2001 action video game

Star Wars: Starfighter is a 2001 action video game, developed and published by LucasArts, that takes place right before the Battle of Naboo. The player unites alongside three starfighter pilots and is allowed to take control of several different spacecraft to help stop the invasion that threatens Naboo.

<i>NASCAR 98</i> 1997 video game by Stormfront Studios

NASCAR '98 is a racing simulator video game developed by Stormfront Studios, published by EA Sports, and released in 1997 for Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn. This was the first game in the EA Sports NASCAR series.

<i>Spot Goes To Hollywood</i> 1995 video game

Spot Goes to Hollywood is a platform game developed by Eurocom and published by Acclaim Entertainment in North America and Virgin Interactive Entertainment in Europe for the Mega Drive/Genesis as the sequel to Cool Spot. Saturn and PlayStation versions were later released with full motion video clips and isometric graphics. The player controls Spot, once the mascot for the 7 Up soft drink, as it travels to various places trying to free its friends.

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

Amok is a 1996 mech-themed action video game for Windows and Sega Saturn. Players guide a robot called "Slambird" through nine different scenarios to complete several objectives. The game was noted for its use of voxel-based graphics for its environments rather than the polygonal models which were standard at the time of its release. Developed by Lemon, Amok began as a technology demo for the Sega 32X, but was reworked for the Saturn after Sega discontinued support for the 32X.

<i>Beast Wars: Transformers</i> (video game) 1997 video game

Beast Wars: Transformers is a third-person shooter developed by SCE Studio Cambridge and published by Hasbro Interactive on December 5, 1997 for PlayStation and May 31, 1998 for Microsoft Windows. It is based on the Beast Wars: Transformers animated series, specifically the first season, after the introduction of Airazor and Inferno.

<i>Loaded</i> (video game) 1995 video game

Loaded is a science fiction-themed top-down multidirectional shooter developed by Gremlin Interactive and published by Interplay Productions. Loaded was released on December 15, 1995 on the PlayStation, and was ported to the Sega Saturn the following year. The game had origins in DC Comics as well as the more adult-orientated Vertigo Comics, and there was a small graphic novel based on the game. The six playable characters of the game are a combination of villains, anti-heroes, psychopaths, perverts, mutants, and flamboyant murderers. They are, however, the best hope to stop the intergalactic supervillain nicknamed F.U.B. and save the universe. The characters were created and designed with contributions from Garth Ennis of Vertigo Comics and Greg Staples of 2000AD.

<i>Centipede</i> (1998 video game) 1998 video game

Centipede is a 3D remake of the 1981 Centipede arcade game from Atari, the original of which was and designed by Ed Logg and Dona Bailey. It was published by Hasbro Interactive in 1998 under the Atari Interactive brand name.

<i>Lifeforce Tenka</i> First-person shooter video game from 1997 by Psygnosis

Lifeforce Tenka is a first-person shooter for PC and PlayStation released in 1997 by Psygnosis. It is also known as just "Tenka" in some other forms of release.

<i>Crypt Killer</i> 1995 video game

Crypt Killer is a 1995 arcade video game produced by Konami. It was also released in 1997 for the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation home consoles, and in Japan for Microsoft Windows. The Saturn version makes use of the Saturn's various light guns, while the PlayStation version is compatible with the Naki Lunar Gun and the Konami Justifier. The game's scenery and characters are all 3D polygon models, while most of the enemies and their projectiles are 2D sprites.

<i>The Lost Vikings 2</i> 1997 video game

Lost Vikings 2 is a 1997 puzzle-platform game developed by Beam Software and published by Interplay. All versions of the game, except the SNES release, were titled Lost Vikings 2: Norse by Norsewest. The sequel to The Lost Vikings, it features the original three characters plus two new playable characters: Fang the werewolf and Scorch the dragon. The gameplay remains largely the same, though the three Viking characters all have new or modified abilities.

<i>Mega Man X4</i> 1997 video game

Mega Man X4, originally released in Japan as Rockman X4 (ロックマンX4), is an action-platform game developed and published by Capcom. It is the fourth game in the Mega Man X series and the second game in the series to be released on the Sega Saturn and PlayStation. The two versions were released simultaneously in Japan in 1997. A North America release followed sometime thereafter, while Europe received only the PlayStation version in 1997. Mega Man X4 allows the player to choose between the two mechanoid "Reploids" protagonists at the beginning of the game: X, who uses traditional, long-range attacks; or Zero, who wields a short-range sword.

<i>Three Dirty Dwarves</i> 1996 video game

Three Dirty Dwarves is a 1996 beat 'em up video game developed by Appaloosa Interactive and published by Sega for their Sega Saturn console. It was later ported to PC.

<i>NHL Powerplay 98</i> 1997 sports video game

NHL Powerplay 98 is a sports video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Virgin Interactive and Sega for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn in 1997. It is the sequel to NHL Powerplay '96; there was no "'97" entry in the NHL Powerplay series. After Virgin opted not to release the game for the Sega Saturn, Sega acquired the rights and published the Saturn version under the title NHL All-Star Hockey 98 so as to make it a continuation of Sega's own NHL All-Star Hockey series.

References

  1. 1 2 Johnston, Chris (June 9, 1997). "MGM's E3 Lineup". GameSpot . Archived from the original on January 19, 1998. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  2. ↑ "First Sight: Machine Hunter". PlayStation Plus UK. Vol. 2, no. 7. EMAP. June 1997. p.  45.
  3. ↑ "Protos: Suicide Run". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 94. Ziff Davis. May 1997. p. 48.
  4. 1 2 "Behind the Screen: Name Changes". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 97. Ziff Davis. August 1997. p. 100.
  5. 1 2 3 Sengstack, Jeff (September 22, 1997). "Machine Hunter Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  6. ↑ Bauman, Steve (1997). "Machine Hunter". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on October 24, 2003. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Review Crew: Machine Hunter". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 97. Ziff Davis. August 1997. p. 51.
  8. ↑ "Machine Hunter". Game Informer . No. 52. FuncoLand. August 1997. p.  56. Archived from the original on October 21, 1997. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  9. ↑ Halverson, Dave "E. Storm"; Hobbs, Michael "Substance D"; Griffin, Mike "Glitch" (August 1997). "Machine Hunter". GameFan . Vol. 5, no. 8. Metropolis Media. p.  16 . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. ↑ Hubble, Calvin (September 1997). "Machine Hunter Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on April 20, 2004. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rubenstein, Glenn (October 16, 1997). "Machine Hunter Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  12. ↑ "Machine Hunter". IGN . Ziff Davis. August 19, 1997. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Finals: Machine Hunter". Next Generation . No. 34. Imagine Media. October 1997. p. 171. This is formally a review for the PlayStation version, but also significantly discusses the Windows version.
  14. ↑ Vaughn, Todd (November 1997). "Machine Hunter". PC Gamer . Vol. 4, no. 11. Imagine Media. p.  232 . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Machine Hunter". PSM . No. 1. Imagine Media. September 1997. p.  24 . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Dr. Zombie (October 1997). "PlayStation ProReview: Machine Hunter". GamePro . No. 109. IDG. p. 130.
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.