This article needs additional citations for verification .(January 2009) |
SpyHunter | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Developer(s) | Paradigm Entertainment [lower-alpha 1] Midway Games (GBA) Vasara Games (Zodiac) [lower-alpha 2] |
Publisher(s) | Midway Aspyr (PC & Mac OS X) |
Designer(s) | Shawn Wright |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Windows, Mac OS X, Zodiac |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Vehicular combat |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
SpyHunter is a vehicular combat game. It is a remake and sequel of the 1983 arcade game of the same name first released for PlayStation 2 in 2001. It has since been ported to GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Windows, Mac OS X, and Tapwave Zodiac. In the game, the player drives the G-6155 Interceptor, an advanced, weaponized spy vehicle. Unlike the original's top-down view, the remake is played with a chase camera, similar to a racing game.
The game features variations of the Peter Gunn theme throughout the game, including menu screens and the main levels, as well as a variation with lyrics called "The Spy Hunter Theme" by Saliva. Each mission, of which there are fourteen (including 2 training levels), has one primary objective and a number of secondary objectives. There is a range of objectives, though the gameplay is similar on every level: the player must drive along shooting enemy vehicles, avoiding civilians and destroying set targets. Every mission must be completed within a time limit. Objectives are generally to destroy things like enemy weapons, equipment and communications towers, to avoid civilian casualties, to tag things with tracking devices and so on, although some objectives that are a little different include escaping from a warehouse using a trabant within a tight time limit, escorting and protecting allied vehicles and even chasing and destroying a stolen Interceptor vehicle.[ citation needed ]
The car features the same weapons as the original arcade game, although only the machine guns, and oil slick are available at first; the smoke screen and missiles are acquired later (in this game, there are two types of missiles: unguided rockets and guided missiles). New weapons include tracking devices (not really a weapon) and a flamethrower, rail gun, EMP launcher, IR scanner. Larger 20mm guns, then 40mm guns are unlocked as well. The weapons van also returns in this game, and features some of the same enemies (including "Switch Blade" Plymouth Prowler which has tire slashers, and the "Road Lord" Mack Superliner which can't be destroyed with machine guns). The Interceptor has three modes: car, boat and motorcycle (the third mode is new to this game), the latter mode appearing when the Interceptor's energy (in car or boat mode) is critically low. The game also features a two-player mode, where the player and a friend can race through any of the 14 missions after completing them in single player mode. Some are straight races, while others require the players to kill chickens or drive through icons along the way. The players can also destroy each other, after which they "respawn".[ citation needed ]
The plot deals with Alec Sects, an F-15 pilot who was trained by the FBI, as he tries to take down Nostra, an Israeli-based international company that produces food products, bio-chemicals, genetics, e-commerce and children's software. Daemon Curry, a man who believes himself to be the figure mentioned in several religions (for example: the second christ/antichrist and believes in the prophecies of Nostradamus), is the founder and leader. To deal with him, the IES create a team called Spyhunter. Curry has reason to believe that it is the same person who stopped him in 1983 ( Spy Hunter ). When he was trying to launch his plan, he sends all he has after him. Curry's plan is to use four EMP weapons mounted on satellites, dubbed the Four Horsemen, to stop all electricity in the world, then plans to rule. Originally Alec does light missions, mostly destruction of Nostra property (like a vehicle created from Nostra and stolen IES technology), but Nostra hijacks the "Weapons Van" and an Interceptor, and Alec is forced to destroy it. Eventually, the G-6155 Interceptor receives an upgrade (and a change of paint) to the G-6155 Interceptor II, complete with an EMP Launcher, Scanner, and a shorter Turbo lag time. Nostra's schemes become more dangerous, and Alec finds himself returning to most of the previous Nostra bases for more intense missions such as destroying weapons of mass destruction. Later, he finds the headquarters where the Four Horsemen are based in Petra. After a hard-fought battle, the Four Horsemen are defused and explode, while Alec escapes on the Interceptor II. Following a parachute dive from the cliff-side base and landing safely on the ground, he heads toward Russia, setting the stage for SpyHunter 2 . Curry's fate is never shown, but he is most likely killed in the explosion as he is not mentioned among the Nostra ringleaders in the sequel.
Word that the game was in development emerged in late 1997. At the time, it was titled "Spy Hunter Returns", was planned for release in late 1998 or early 1999, and had the Nintendo 64 as its target platform, but Midway already had plans to feature different versions of the original Peter Gunn theme throughout the game. [7]
Aggregator | Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GBA | GC | PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
Metacritic | 64/100 [8] | 71/100 [9] | 56/100 [10] | 84/100 [11] | 71/100 [12] |
Publication | Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GBA | GC | PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
AllGame | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | N/A | N/A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | N/A |
Edge | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6/10 [15] | N/A |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8.17/10 [16] | 8/10 [17] |
Game Informer | 7.5/10 [18] | 7.5/10 [19] | N/A | 8.5/10 [20] | 7.75/10 [21] |
GamePro | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | N/A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
GameRevolution | N/A | N/A | N/A | B [26] | N/A |
GameSpot | 6.2/10 [27] | 6.7/10 [28] | 5.8/10 [29] | 7.8/10 [30] | 6.7/10 [31] |
GameSpy | 76% [32] | 70% [33] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 88% [35] | 79% [36] |
GameZone | 7.2/10 [37] | 7.8/10 [38] | 7.6/10 [39] | 8.3/10 [40] | 6.3/10 [41] |
IGN | 7.2/10 [42] | 6.8/10 [43] | N/A | 8.9/10 [44] | 7/10 [45] |
Next Generation | N/A | N/A | N/A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | N/A |
Nintendo Power | 3.2/5 [47] | 2.9/5 [48] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | N/A | N/A | N/A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | N/A |
Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8.1/10 [50] |
PC Gamer (US) | N/A | N/A | 51% [51] | N/A | N/A |
Maxim | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8/10 [52] | N/A |
By July 2006, the PlayStation 2 version of SpyHunter had sold 900,000 copies and earned $29 million in the United States. Next Generation ranked it as the 64th highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country. Combined console sales of SpyHunter games released in the 2000s reached 1.6 million units in the United States by November 2003. [53]
The PlayStation 2 version received "favorable" reviews, while the rest of the console versions received "mixed or average reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
Jeff Lundrigan reviewed the PlayStation 2 version of the game for Next Generation , rating it four stars out of five. [46]
In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of one nine, one six, and two eights for a total of 31 out of 40. [54] [55] GameSpot's Ryan Davis praised the same version as a solid reinterpretation of a video game classic with its own elements, [30] but panned the PC port, noticing the problems with graphics and controls in the gameplay. [29] Avery Score of the same website gave the Zodiac version 8.8 out of 10, [56] while GameZone gave the Zodiac version nine out of ten. [57]
The Simpsons: Road Rage is a 2001 racing video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, and is part of a series of games based on the show. It was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. A Game Boy Advance version was released in 2003.
James Bond 007: Nightfire is a 2002 first-person shooter video game published by Electronic Arts for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows, with additional versions released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003, and Mac OS X in 2004. The computer versions feature modifications to the storyline, different missions, and the removal of driving sections used in home console versions.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 is a 2002 skateboarding game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision under their Activision O2 label. The game was ported by different developers to various systems. It is the fourth installment in the Tony Hawk's series. The game was released in 2002 for the GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance. In 2003, it was published for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. In 2004, a Tapwave Zodiac version was released.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is a 2004 stealth game developed and published by Ubisoft Shanghai and Ubisoft Milan. The game is the sequel to Splinter Cell and the second game in the Splinter Cell series endorsed by writer Tom Clancy. It follows the covert activities of Sam Fisher, an agent working for a black-ops branch of the National Security Agency (NSA) called "Third Echelon". Michael Ironside returns to voice Sam Fisher, while Dennis Haysbert voices the character Irving Lambert, Fisher's boss, making this the only time he is not voiced by Don Jordan. Lalo Schifrin provides the theme music for the game.
Madden NFL 2005 is an American football simulation video game based on the NFL that was developed by EA Tiburon, along with Exient Entertainment and Budcat Creations, and published by EA Sports. The 16th installment of the Madden NFL series, it features former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis on the cover. Al Michaels and John Madden return as game commentators. Released on August 10, 2004, the game is the first Madden game to feature Xbox Live. It was the last Madden game to be released on the original PlayStation, and the first Madden game to be released on the Nintendo DS, where it was a launch title.
Lego Star Wars: The Video Game is a 2005 Lego-themed action-adventure video game based on the Lego Star Wars line of construction toys, and the first installment in the Lego video game franchise developed by Traveller's Tales, which would develop all future Lego titles from that point on. It was first released on 29 March 2005, and is a video game adaptation of the Star Wars prequel trilogy: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, with a bonus level from A New Hope.
Madden NFL 2002 is an American football video game. It features former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper on the cover. Pat Summerall and John Madden are the commentators. The Madden NFL 2002 commercial first aired during Super Bowl XXXVI, three days after Madden NFL 2002 started selling in Japan. Notably, it does not feature the Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, who is included on later editions of the game as a roster update. It is also the first game to be developed by Budcat Creations.
NBA Live 2003 is the 2002 installment of the NBA Live video games series. The cover features Jason Kidd as a member of the New Jersey Nets. The game was developed by EA Canada and released on October 8, 2002 for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube consoles and November 14, 2002 for Microsoft Windows. It was the last NBA Live game to be released on the original PlayStation. The game includes a soundtrack, which is the first video game soundtrack in history to be certified Platinum by the RIAA, selling over 1,300,000 copies worldwide.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 action-adventure game published by Electronic Arts. It is based on the 2005 film of the same name.
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 is a 2001 BMX video game developed by Z-Axis and published by Acclaim Entertainment under their Acclaim Max Sports label. It is the sequel to Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX. It was released for the PlayStation 2 in August 2001, and in the following months it was ported to the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Xbox video game systems. Both the GameCube and Xbox ports featured two extra levels that were not present in the PS2 version.
Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter is a first-person shooter video game developed by Warthog Games, published by Black Label Games and released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows. A GameCube version was in development, but was cancelled.
SpyHunter 2 is a video game published by Midway in 2003 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. This game is the sequel to the 2001 remake of the 1983 game Spy Hunter. The player's first mission begins in Russia, right where the last level left off from leaving Petra, Jordan and the NOSTRA organization completely decimated initializing a sequel from the 2001 remake; he begins his cooperation with Agent Duvelle, traveling in various locations all around the planet including Russia, the United States, Asia, Switzerland and Antarctica. The weapons van is brought back again and equipped this time with an automatic turret / machine gun being that the player can utilize in extreme vehicular combat resolutions. The newly acquired Interceptor SpyHunter vehicle can enter off-road mode and transform itself into a jet-ski, a snow-mobile, a motor-tricycle, and a speedboat. The player can also choose from an arsenal of weapons inspired by James Bond 007 and Mission Impossible. Available weapons include Mines, Smoke Screen, Oil Slick, Machine Guns, Rockets, Missiles, Lasers and Cannons. The soundtrack features the song "Dark Carnival" recorded by Vanessa Carlton.
Catwoman is an action-adventure video game based on the 2004 film of the same name based on the fictional character. It features the likeness of the film's lead actress Halle Berry, while the character's voice is provided by actress Jennifer Hale. This would end up being developer Argonaut Software's final game.
Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer is an extreme sports video game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision under the Activision O2 label. The game was endorsed by veteran surfer Kelly Slater and released for Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2002, and for Windows in 2003. To coincide with the game, Slater appeared as an unlockable character in the 2001 skateboarding video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, complete with surfboard.
MTX Mototrax is a racing video game developed by Left Field Productions and published by Activision for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X later that year developed by Beenox and published by Aspyr. It was also released in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable. Additional releases were planned for the GameCube console in 2004, which was later canceled, and Tapwave Zodiac, which was called off when Tapwave went out of business. A demo version of the game is available in the options menu in the PlayStation 2 version of Tony Hawk's Underground.
NHL 2002 is a video game released by EA Sports in 2001. It is the predecessor to NHL 2003. The game's cover man is Pittsburgh Penguins superstar and owner Mario Lemieux, who had just made a comeback after being retired for three and a half years. It was the first installment of the NHL series to be released on Xbox.
SpyHunter: Nowhere to Run is an action racing video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by Midway Games released for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A version for Microsoft Windows was released in 2009, ported by Steel Monkeys. It is the first installment in the Spy Hunter series to allow the player to play as the character and not only the vehicle. Nowhere to Run was an orphaned tie-in to an unmade Spy Hunter movie adaptation. The film got stuck in development hell and the game was released as a stand-alone. The game stars Dwayne Johnson as government agent Alex Decker, who replaces Alec Sects, the "SpyHunter" who was to have been the main character of the movie.
Transworld Surf is a sports video game developed by Angel Studios and published by Infogrames The game was released for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox between November 2001 and March 2003. The Xbox version of the game was the third game released under Infogrames' newly-revamped Atari label.
FIFA Football 2003, known as FIFA Soccer 2003 in North America, and simply FIFA 2003 is a football simulation video game produced by Electronic Arts and released by EA Sports. It was released in 2002.