Soldiers of Anarchy

Last updated
Soldiers of Anarchy
Soldiers of Anarchy Windows Cover Art.jpg
Developer(s) Silver Style Entertainment
Publisher(s) Bigben Interactive
Simon & Schuster Interactive
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: October 23, 2002 [1]
  • EU: March 28, 2003
Genre(s) Real-time tactics
Mode(s) Single-player

Soldiers of Anarchy (SOA) is a 2002 squad-based real-time tactics video game released by Simon & Schuster.

Contents

Gameplay

Gameplay involves squad tactics, vehicles, and a wide variety of weapons and ammo.

Plot

The game takes place in the year 2015, ten years after a deadly man-made virus (Spontaneous Genome Degeneration Syndrome) kills billions across the planet. The initial protagonists are four soldiers who have spent the last decade in a bunker at a Russian Kalinina military base. What greets the survivors initially is a barren world populated by sporadic groups of survivors. Every community is self-sustaining, with trade organized by the Seeker Guild. Seekers are people who scavenge pre-catastrophe (referred to as Old Time) equipment from ruined cities. It is also revealed that after the disaster, central society became non-existent, with territories being controlled by gangs; apparently the area where the group's base was located was the territory of the Slingers, a group of thugs who have started to capture and kidnap people lately.

The group took control of a nearby town and its radar station. They also interrupted another kidnapping and busted up the Slinger base nearby, securing vital intelligence. The kidnapped were due to be sold at a slave market in New Boston, which the group wiped out and freed the slaves. They also paid a small visit to the Slinger headquarters nearby, killing their leader and permanently crippling their operations, as well as narrowly avoiding being caught in the crossfire of a gang war between the Claws and The Final Revolution.

The protagonists acquired intel about a secretive group of highly trained and heavily armed soldiers and scientists, known as NOAH. Their operations and location were a complete secret with only the local Seekers knowing the location of their laboratories. To gain this information in exchange, the protagonists intervened in the gang war in Bergstadt, joining one gang and wiping out the other (the choice is up to the player). However, the defeated gang retreated first to the township Solensk, then besieged the nearby NOAH base, leaving the protagonists to break the siege.

The leader of the local NOAH forces, Prof. Vlamidir Czeko gave the group minimal info: they were extensively but not successfully researching SGDS in the hope of finding a cure. They were suspicious about a religious community known as COTUC (Church Of The Undying Child). Suspiciously, nearly all of COTUC survived the SGDS-catastrophe and seem to be benefited from it, as they used the past ten years to research advanced technology.

To get more information, especially the location of the COTUC headquarters protagonists infiltrated a COTUC monastery protected by heavily armed troops, cyborgs and crawling mines: mines capable of subterranean movement and attracted to vibrations caused by surface movement. Fortunately the visit of a high ranked COTUC member can be used to extract the desired information. At this point, the storyline splits into two paths: the player can choose to join COTUC or to defeat them.

Joining COTUC the protagonists accepted a mission to infiltrate a NOAH compound and got vital intelligence from a COTUC spy. The intelligence revealed NOAH as responsible for creating SGDS and distributing it through the world in order to develop and sell the vaccine at a high price. Obviously, the vaccine wasn't completed and billions died as a result. Finally, the joint protagonist-COTUC taskforce raided and destroyed the central NOAH headquarters. At the end, the leader of COTUC arrived and gave the group a Hobson's choice: either surrender and be transformed into Death Knight cyborgs, or go down fighting.

Opposing COTUC the protagonists had to infiltrate the COTUC headquarters, disguised as unarmed monks. The group had to use anything they can find to fight their way out. It was also discovered that the COTUC not only found and synthesised a cure, but also perfected SGDS to become an even more potent toxin. Unfortunately the leader of COTUC escaped to his last resort and took the antidot with him. With a little help from a squad of NOAH soldiers the numerous enemies were defeated and a counterstrike targeting the players base was prevented. In his final standoff the COTUC leader offered an alliance, which was promptly and violently rejected.

Depending on the players choice the game has three possible endings, which are narrated in the closing:

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Medal of Honor: Allied Assault</i> 2002 video game

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is a 2002 first-person shooter video game developed by 2015, Inc. and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Allied Assault is the third game in the Medal of Honor series. The game uses the id Tech 3 engine, with modifications from Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.², to simulate infantry combat in the European and North African theaters during World War II.

<i>Anarchy Online</i> Multiplayer online role-playing game

Anarchy Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) published and developed by Norwegian video game development company Funcom. Released in June 2001, the game was the first in the genre to include a science-fiction setting, dynamic quests, instancing, free trials, and in-game advertising. The game's ongoing storyline revolves around the fictional desert planet "Rubi-Ka", the source of a valuable mineral known as "Notum". Players assume the role of a new colonist to Rubi-Ka. With no specific objective to win Anarchy Online, the player advances the game through the improvement of a character's skills over time. After more than 20 years, Anarchy Online has become one of the oldest surviving games in the genre.

<i>Gothic</i> (video game) 2001 video game

Gothic is a 2001 fantasy-themed action role-playing video game for Microsoft Windows developed by the German company Piranha Bytes. A Nintendo Switch port, titled Gothic Classic, was released on September 28, 2023.

<i>XIII</i> (2003 video game) 2003 video game

XIII is a first-person shooter video game, loosely based on the first five volumes of the 1984 Belgian graphic novel series of the same name. Developed and published by Ubisoft, it was released in November 2003 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and GameCube; an Xbox version of the game, released at the same time, was developed by Southend Interactive, while an OS X version was developed by Zonic, published by Feral Interactive, and released the following year in June 2004.

<i>Cyborg</i> (film) 1989 film by Albert Pyun

Cyborg is a 1989 American martial-arts cyberpunk film directed by Albert Pyun. Jean-Claude van Damme stars as Gibson Rickenbacker, a mercenary who battles a group of murderous marauders led by Fender Tremolo along the East coast of the United States in a post-apocalyptic future. It was followed by the sequels Cyborg 2 (1993) and Cyborg 3: The Recycler (1994).

<i>C-12: Final Resistance</i> 2001 video game

C-12: Final Resistance is a third-person shooter video game developed by SCE Cambridge Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation.

<i>Total Overdose</i> 2005 video game

Total Overdose: A Gunslinger's Tale in Mexico is an open world third-person shooter video game developed by Deadline Games and published by SCi Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The game received generally mixed reviews, with the combat often being praised while the graphics and storyline were frequently criticized.

<i>Star Trek: Elite Force II</i> 2003 video game

Star Trek: Elite Force II is a first-person shooter video game developed by Ritual Entertainment and published by Activision. It was released on June 20, 2003 for Microsoft Windows and later for Mac OS X. Elite Force II is a sequel to 2000's Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force. Whereas the original game was powered by the first version of id Software's id Tech 3 engine, Elite Force II is based on a heavily modified version of the Quake III: Team Arena engine with Ritual's ÜberTools GDK, allowing for expansive outdoor environments and higher quality facial animations.

<i>Gore: Ultimate Soldier</i> 2002 video game

Gore: Ultimate Soldier, also known as simply Gore, is a first-person shooter video game for Microsoft Windows, released on June 5, 2002. It was published by DreamCatcher Interactive and developed by 4D Rulers.

<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>Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood</i> 2002 video game

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood is a 2002 stealth-based real-time tactics video game developed by Spellbound Entertainment. It is similar to games such as Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive and the Commandos series. In the game, the player controls up to five characters in a setting based on the stories of the protagonist, Robin Hood. The player can also control Robin Hood's Merry Men, including Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, Will Stutely, and Maid Marian. Robin and his crew must evade the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham and his henchmen and stop the machinations of the vile usurper to England's throne, Prince John. However, Robin must avoid killing enemies as much as possible, or he will not be able to recruit as many new Merry Men.

<i>Prince of Qin</i> (video game) 2002 video game

Prince of Qin is a 2002 action role-playing game developed by Object Software and published by Strategy First. The story is set in China in the final years of the Qin dynasty, with Fusu – the heir apparent to the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huang – as the protagonist. Although the game has a historical basis, its setting is purely fictitious because the historical Fusu died in 210 BC.

<i>Anarchy Reigns</i> 2012 video game

Anarchy Reigns, known in Japan as Max Anarchy, is an open world beat 'em up video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. It is the spiritual successor to the Wii video game MadWorld (2009), and was released in Japan on July 5, 2012, in North America on January 8, 2013, in Australia on January 10, and in Europe on January 11.

<i>Wasteland 2</i> 2014 video game

Wasteland 2 is a post-apocalyptic role-playing video game developed by inXile Entertainment and published by Deep Silver. It is the sequel to 1988's Wasteland, and was successfully crowdfunded through Kickstarter. After the postponement of the original release date from October 2013, it was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux in September 2014. An enhanced version of the game, named Wasteland 2: Director's Cut, was released in October 2015, including versions for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

<i>The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct</i> 2013 video game

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is a first-person shooter video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by Activision. It is based on and canon to The Walking Dead television series, in contrast to the video game by Telltale Games, which is based on and canon to the comics. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct acts as a prequel to the TV series; it is set in the Georgia countryside and focuses on Daryl and Merle Dixon as they make their way to Atlanta during the early days of the zombie apocalypse. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct was received poorly by critics, with criticisms mainly directed to the game's graphics, controls, and plot.

<i>Invisible, Inc.</i> 2015 video game

Invisible, Inc. is a turn-based tactics stealth video game incorporating elements of roguelike gameplay, developed by Canadian independent studio Klei Entertainment. The player acts as the remote operator for an espionage agency that has come under attack from multinational corporations, and directs agents in covert missions, acquiring resources and support in order to enable relocation of the agency's computer system to a safe haven within a limited amount of time.

<i>Zombie Army Trilogy</i> 2015 video game

Zombie Army Trilogy is a third-person tactical shooter video game developed and published by Rebellion Developments. It is a spin-off to the Sniper Elite series and was released on March 6, 2015, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released on March 31, 2020, in North America and Europe, and in Japan on May 28, 2020. The game takes place in an alternative version of the final days of World War II, with the German army close to defeat. Adolf Hitler deploys a last resort plan to raise the fallen as zombies through occult rituals and turn them against Allied forces, thus causing Germany to become overrun with the undead.

<i>Overkills The Walking Dead</i> 2018 video game

Overkill's The Walking Dead is a first-person shooter developed by Overkill Software and published by Starbreeze Studios and 505 Games. The title, based on the comics of The Walking Dead, has a strong emphasis on cooperative gameplay. The game was released worldwide for Windows in November 2018. On 26 February 2019, Skybound Entertainment terminated their contract with Starbreeze Studio, leading to the discontinuation of all efforts on the game, including cancellation of efforts to bring the game to consoles. Critical reception of the game was mixed, and it was a commercial failure.

<i>Dishonored: Death of the Outsider</i> 2017 video game

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is a 2017 action-adventure game developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is a standalone expansion pack following Dishonored 2, and was released 15 September 2017 for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game takes place in the coastal city of Karnaca after the events of the previous title. It follows the former assassin Billie Lurk as she reunites with her mentor Daud to kill the mysterious entity known as The Outsider. The game is played from a first-person perspective and the player has access to a variety of supernatural abilities to complete missions in a multitude of ways, from stealth to purposeful violent conflict.

<i>Ruiner</i> (video game) 2017 shooter video game

Ruiner is a cyberpunk twin-stick shooter video game developed by Reikon Games and published by Devolver Digital. It was released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on 26 September 2017 and for Nintendo Switch on 18 June 2020.

References

  1. Calvert, Justin (October 23, 2002). "Soldiers of Anarchy ships". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Soldiers of Anarchy for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  3. Liberatore, Raphael (March 2003). "Soldiers of Anarchy" (PDF). Computer Gaming World . No. 224. Ziff Davis. p. 102. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  4. Grey, Bruce (November 8, 2002). "Soldiers of Anarchy Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  5. Adams, Dan (November 13, 2002). "Soldiers of Anarchy". IGN . Ziff Davis. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  6. "Soldiers of Anarchy". PC Gamer . Future US. January 2003. p. 114.
  7. "PC Review: Soldiers of Anarchy". PC Zone . Future plc. 2003.
  8. Bondy, Karsten (November 25, 2002). "'SOA: Soldiers of Anarchy' (PC) Review". X-Play . TechTV. Archived from the original on November 25, 2002. Retrieved March 1, 2018.