Martian Gothic: Unification

Last updated
Martian Gothic: Unification
Martian Gothic - Unification Coverart.png
Developer(s)
  • Creative Reality
  • Coyote Developments (PS)
Publisher(s)
Director(s) Stephen Marley
Producer(s)
  • Luke Vernon
  • Lee Brown
Programmer(s)
  • Neil Dodwell
  • Martin Wong
Artist(s)
  • David Dew
  • Julian Holtom
  • Paul Oglesby
Writer(s) Stephen Marley
Composer(s) Jeremy Taylor (firQ)
Platform(s)
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
PlayStation
  • AU: October 21, 2000
  • EU: October 5, 2001
  • NA: November 16, 2001 [3]
Genre(s) Survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player

Martian Gothic: Unification is a 2000 survival horror video game developed by Creative Reality for Microsoft Windows and Coyote Developments for the PlayStation and published by TalonSoft for Microsoft Windows and Take-Two Interactive for the PlayStation. It takes place on a Martian base in the year 2019, where a crew of three (Martin Karne, Diane Matlock, Kenzo Uji) have been tasked to investigate 10 months of radio silence. They soon find that the dead crew members of the base have been killed, and now become re-animated bloodthirsty zombies.

Contents

The PlayStation version was one of a number of "budget titles" released near the end of the system's lifespan.

Gameplay

The game is very similar to the Resident Evil series: third-person perspective; fixed camera angle; tank controls; “Vac-Tubes” in the place of item boxes; and colored key-cards. The game focuses heavily on puzzle solving and exploration, rather than combat. However, the combat system focuses on crowd control or dispatching small and weak enemies as it is easy to become overwhelmed by enemies such as the non-dead who walk at exactly the same pace as the player. The game is centered on three playable characters that are separated. This separate trio gimmick is similar to Day of the Tentacle. One of the unique features of the game is that if the characters ever meet face-to-face, it will result in a game-over. However the player can easily and quickly switch to any character at any moment. A radio is used for easy communication. It is recommended that the player finds a ‘safe area’ before switching characters. The characters have a very limited inventory. Because the characters cannot meet they can trade items using the Vac-Tubes that are scattered throughout the base. The Vac-Tubes can carry up to four items to another hatch connected to the Vac-Tubes anywhere in the base. If the player needs to leave behind items the Vac-Tubes can hold up to six items. If the player is unsure where they left an item, it can be checked using any in-game computer to bring up the list of contents of any hatch, including ones that have not been accessed yet.

The purpose of the game is to unravel the events before the characters arrival. To do this the player may search dead bodies for letters or micro-recorders which may contains information about the character, plot, passwords, and the method in which they might have died. Many recordings have been stored on some of the base's computers, which also contain information about the characters, plot and further the player's progress.

Another unique feature of the game is that the non-dead enemies cannot be killed permanently. Shooting an enemy enough times will incapacitate it temporarily, but it will reanimate if the player re-enters the area later and comes too close to the enemy's fallen model.

Saving is done through a computer game called "Martian Mayhem" and is limited to 2-4 saves in the PC version and 12 saves in the PlayStation version. Once the player reaches the Necropolis excavation site, a laptop is found that allows the player to save anywhere.

Plot

Setting

In Martian Gothic, the player is able to assume the role of three characters sent from Earth to a Martian base called Vita-01. The base was the first human settlement on Mars. The team has been sent to examine why it has been silent for ten months. The last broadcast from the base simply stated: “Stay alone, stay alive.” Upon arrival the player finds that all the residents are apparently dead and must gradually uncover the secrets and nature the last undertaking by Vita-01's crew; the discovery of ancient Martian "Pandora's Box" which, when opened, started a chain of chaotic events that led to the base's downfall, and death of almost all of its inhabitants. However, during the player's progress of uncovering the truth, searching for any possible survivors, and solving Vita-01's many mounting problems, the player finds that the dead crew has become re-animated and begin attacking the player. When the player enters the base each character states that the decontamination process felt wrong. The three characters must not meet due to a threatening alien presence that would cause them to mutate into a “trimorph” if they did.

The Vita-01 base was constructed in 2009 by the Corporation called "Earth Care", governed by Allenby, implied to be Earth's most powerful megacorporation, to research potential alien life from microfossils on Mars, after discovering in 1996 that a Martian meteorite found in 1984 contains ancient bacteria which had crashed in Antarctica in 11,000 BC. Vita-01 is situated very close to Olympus Mons which can be partially visited by the player upon access to the underground "Necropolis" zone, the human-excavated ruins of an old Martian city of Vita-01.

Development

Creative Reality's last game shares the same team and same writer as Dreamweb , and as such it relies heavily on writing and puzzles. In an interview with Stephen Marley for Retroaction, [4] he stated that he was unhappy with the final product.

In this interview it was revealed that the game was initially entitled "Martian Gothic" but during the game's development the team referred to it as "Unification" based on one of the development team's favourite Star Trek episode of the same name as it loosely fitted the theme of a point and click adventure game. This theme was eventually changed to a survival horror game, but it kept many of the item based puzzles from its original concept. As a result of both names a compromise was made to suffix Stephen's title "Martian Gothic" with "Unification" to create Martian Gothic: Unification.

There was also a significant downgrade of the textures for the PlayStation version, but it did allow the player to save more. [5]

Reception

The PlayStation version of Martian Gothic: Unification received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [8] Duncan Turner of IGN said that the PC version had "a lot to offer...the story -- though seemingly cobbled together from many different sci-fi plots -- is engaging and keeps you guessing." [17] Steve Smith of GameSpot stated the same console version was a "missed opportunity" as the designers had good ideas but did not mix the game elements into a balanced game." [5] One of more positive reviews came from PlayStation Illustrated. [20]

Related Research Articles

<i>Resident Evil 2</i> 1998 video game

Resident Evil 2 is a 1998 survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation. The player controls rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who must escape Raccoon City after its citizens are transformed into zombies by a biological weapon two months after the events of the original Resident Evil. The gameplay focuses on exploration, puzzles, and combat; the main difference from its predecessor are the branching paths, with each player character having unique storylines, partners and obstacles.

<i>Nightmare Creatures</i> 1997 video game

Nightmare Creatures is a 1997 survival horror video game developed by Kalisto Entertainment for PlayStation, Windows, and Nintendo 64. A sequel, Nightmare Creatures II, was released three years later. A mobile phone version of Nightmare Creatures was developed and published by Gameloft in 2003. A second sequel, Nightmare Creatures III: Angel of Darkness, was cancelled in 2004.

<i>Disgaea 2</i> 2006 video game

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. Disgaea 2 is the sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and was released for the PlayStation 2. It is also the predecessor to Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice for the PlayStation 3.

<i>Metal Slug 2</i> 1998 video game

Metal Slug 2 is a run and gun video game developed by SNK. It was originally released in 1998 for the Neo-Geo MVS arcade platform as the sequel to the 1996 game Metal Slug. The original version of the game had extensive slowdown and performance issues, eventually leading SNK to release a modified version in 1999 titled Metal Slug X: Super Vehicle-001 (メタルスラッグX). It has been ported to the Neo Geo CD, PlayStation, Virtual Console, iOS and Android, and to the Wii, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2. The game added several new features to the gameplay of the original Metal Slug, such as new weapons, vehicles and the ability to transform the character. It received generally positive reviews. It was followed by Metal Slug 3 released in 2000.

<i>South Park Rally</i> 2000 kart-style racing video game

South Park Rally is a kart-style racing video game released in early 2000 based on the American animated sitcom South Park published by Acclaim Entertainment and released for the PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast. Gameplay follows the player in a competitive racing championship set in the fictional town of South Park. Players are given the options for multiplayer, arcade, or championship modes, but only the championship unlocks extra features. Competition begins in South Park's 1st Rally, a circuit race around four checkpoints in the downtown area of South Park. Races get gradually more diverse, with more locations, racers, and elements added as the game progresses.

<i>The Incredible Hulk</i> (2008 video game) 2008 video game

The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 video game published by Sega and developed by Edge of Reality for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows. The game, based on the film of the same name, follows scientist Bruce Banner as he defends himself from the military and the Enclave organization while searching for a cure to a condition that transforms him into a monstrous being known as the Hulk. The game takes place in an open world recreation of Manhattan, and the Hulk has a variety of attacks and abilities for destroying enemies and causing environmental destruction. Apart from the main story, there are numerous mini-games and collectibles that can unlock new content.

<i>PixelJunk Monsters</i> 2007 tower defense video game

PixelJunk Monsters is a tower defense video game developed by Q-Games for the PlayStation 3. The second game in the PixelJunk series, it was originally released in Japan on December 6, 2007 and worldwide by Sony Computer Entertainment on the PlayStation Store on January 24, 2008. The game was released for the PlayStation Portable under the title PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe.

<i>Spelunky</i> 2008 video game

Spelunky is a 2008 source-available 2D platform game created by independent developer Derek Yu and released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. It was remade for the Xbox 360 in 2012, with ports of the new version following for various platforms, including back to Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies, and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run-through of the game unique.

<i>Shadow Master</i> 1997 video game

Shadow Master is a video game developed by HammerHead and published by Psygnosis for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is a first-person shooter in which the player character rides in an armed vehicle. It met with predominantly negative reviews which praised its visuals but criticized it for clunky controls and poorly designed, frustrating gameplay.

<i>Dungeon Defenders</i> 2010 video game

Dungeon Defenders is a hybrid multiplayer video game developed by Trendy Entertainment that combines the genres of tower defense and action role-playing game. It is based on a showcase of Unreal Engine 3 named Dungeon Defense. The game takes place in a fantasy setting where players control the young apprentices of wizards and warriors and defend against hordes of monsters. A sequel titled Dungeon Defenders II was released in 2015.

<i>Terraria</i> 2011 video game

Terraria is a 2011 action-adventure sandbox game developed by Re-Logic. The game was first released for Windows and has since been ported to other PC and console platforms. The game features exploration, crafting, building, painting, and combat with a variety of creatures in a procedurally generated 2D world. Terraria is one of the best-selling video games of all time, selling 58.7 million copies as of 2024.

<i>Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3</i> 2011 video game

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The game was released in November 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and was featured as a launch title for the PlayStation Vita in 2012. The game was later ported to PlayStation 4 in December 2016, and Windows and Xbox One in March 2017.

<i>Dungeon Hunter: Alliance</i> 2011 video game

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance is a hack and slash action role-playing video game developed and published by Gameloft in 2011. The game is a remake of the 2009 iPhone game Dungeon Hunter, with the addition of a multiplayer mode and support for the PlayStation Move controller.

<i>The Amazing Spider-Man</i> (2012 video game) 2012 superhero video game

The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 action-adventure game. It was developed by Beenox and published by Activision. Based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and the 2012 film of the same name. It was released on June 26 in North America and on June 29, 2012 in Europe for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Android, iOS, and Microsoft Windows. A version for the Wii U was released in March 2013 in North America and Europe known as The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition in both regions. A PlayStation Vita version was released in November 2013.

<i>Axiom Verge</i> 2015 video game

Axiom Verge is a metroidvania video game by American indie developer Thomas Happ. The game was originally released in March 2015 in North America and April 2015 in Europe and Australia for PlayStation 4. It was released in May 2015 for Linux, OS X, and Windows. A PlayStation Vita version was released in April 2016. The Wii U and Xbox One versions were released in North America and Europe in September 2016. A Nintendo Switch version was released in October 2017.

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

Tarzan is a 1999 platform game based on the 1999 film of the same name. Versions were released in North America for the Game Boy Color on June 28, 1999, PlayStation and Microsoft Windows on June 30, 1999, and Nintendo 64 in February 15, 2000. In 2012, the PlayStation version was made available on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation Vita.

<i>Buzz Lightyear of Star Command</i> (video game) 2000 video game

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is a platform/shooter video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Disney Interactive and Activision in 2000. It is based on the animated series of the same name, a spin-off of the Toy Story franchise. It was released for Dreamcast, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Color. A version for the Nintendo 64 was planned but was later cancelled for unknown reasons.

<i>Crypt of the NecroDancer</i> 2015 video game

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a roguelike rhythm game by Brace Yourself Games. The game takes fundamental elements of a roguelike dungeon exploration game and adds a beat-matching rhythm game set to an original soundtrack written by Danny Baranowsky. The player's actions are most effective when moving the character set to the beat of the current song and are impaired when they miss a beat, so it is necessary to learn the rhythmic patterns that the various creatures follow. The mixed-genre game includes the ability to import custom music, and the option to use a dance pad instead of traditional controllers or the keyboard. The game was released for Linux, OS X, and Windows in April 2015, being co-published by Klei Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4 and Vita in February 2016, for the Xbox One in February 2017, and for Nintendo Switch in February 2018. Crypt of the NecroDancer Pocket Edition, developed for iOS, was released in June 2016.

<i>Game of Thrones</i> (2014 video game) 2014 video game by Telltale

Game of Thrones, also known as Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, is an episodic graphic adventure game developed and published by Telltale Games for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It is based on the television series of the same name.

<i>Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens</i> 2016 video game

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a 2016 Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by TT Fusion. It is the fifth entry in TT Games' Lego Star Wars series of video games and adapts the events of the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Under license from Lucasfilm, the game was released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, on 28 June 2016, and for Android, and iOS, on 28 July 2016. The game was ported and released by Feral Interactive for OS X on 30 June 2016.

References

  1. ↑ "New Releases". EB Games . Archived from the original on May 11, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ "UK release date list updated". Eurogamer.net. 2000-05-26. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  3. ↑ "Martian Gothic: Unification - PlayStation". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  4. ↑ Nreive (June 30, 2011). "Stephen Marley talks Martian Gothic". Retroaction. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Smith, Steve (May 25, 2000). "Martian Gothic: Unification Review (PC)". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Martian Gothic: Unification for PC". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Martian Gothic: Unification for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Martian Gothic: Unification for PlayStation Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  9. ↑ Schembri, Tamara (May 20, 2002). "Martian Gothic: Unification (PC)". Adventure Gamers . Archived from the original on September 17, 2002. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  10. ↑ Woods, Nick. "Martian Gothic: Unification (PC) - Review". AllGame . All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  11. ↑ Thompson, Jon. "Martian Gothic: Unification (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  12. ↑ Hunt, David Ryan (June 12, 2000). "Martian Gothic: Unification". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 12, 2003. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ Ellis, Keith "DNM" (May 13, 2000). "Martian Gothic : Unification (PC)". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 7, 2001. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  14. ↑ Burns, Enid (June 23, 2000). "Martian Gothic: Unification Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro . IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  15. ↑ Provo, Frank (January 25, 2002). "Martian Gothic: Unification Review (PS)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  16. ↑ Madigan, Jamie (June 19, 2000). "Martian Gothic: Unification (PC)". GameSpy . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 10, 2001. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  17. 1 2 Turner, Duncan (June 6, 2000). "Martian Gothic: Unification". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Martian Gothic: Unification". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . No. 54. Ziff Davis. March 2002. p. 34.
  19. ↑ Rausch, Allan (2000). "Martian Gothic: Unification". PC Gamer . Future US. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  20. ↑ Paddock, Matt (2001). "Martian Gothic: Unification". PlayStation Illustrated. Retrieved February 19, 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.