Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M.
Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. is a 1999 first-person shooter developed by Acclaim Studios London and released for the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color and PlayStation. It is based on the Armorines comic book from Valiant Comics, which was bought by Acclaim Entertainment.
Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. | |
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Developer(s) | Acclaim Studios London (N64) Neon (GBC) Distinctive Developments (PS) |
Publisher(s) | Acclaim Entertainment |
Platform(s) | Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, PlayStation |
Release | Nintendo 64Game Boy ColorPlayStation |
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. is a first-person shooter with some on-rail segments. The game features five different environments taking place on earth and in space and has two characters to choose from: Tony Lewis and Myra Lane. Each character has a different starting weapon. Tony uses a slower but stronger gun than Myra, while Myra uses a faster machine gun-like weapon, which causes less damage. Additional weapons can be picked up throughout the game. The weapons available depend on which character the player chooses to play as. Each character features 3 weapons, while there are 5 special weapons. Each one of the special weapons is exclusive to a specific environment and can be powered up 3 times in its respective environment.[3]
Armorines includes a co-op campaign and a multiplayer versus mode. The versus mode can accommodate up to 4 players, while the co-op mode supports 2 players.[4] The Versus mode has 4 gameplay types:
- Deathmatch: Playable by 2-4 players. This game mode's objective is to get the most kills. The game can have a target amount of kills or have a timer set.
- Racewars: Playable by 2-4 players. In this game mode player can choose to play as any of the alien bug species, each one possessing different attributes and abilities. The objective in this game mode is get the most kills. The game can have a target amount of kills or have a timer set.
- Capture The Flag: This is a team based game for 2-4 players. The objective is to steal the other teams flag and return it to your base,
- King Of The Hill: Playable by 2-4 players. The player must find the score zone, marked by a large flag, and stay inside of it to score points.
Plot
A group of marines fitted with advanced futuristic suits of armor protect Earth from an invasion of extraterrestrial, spider-like beings. The marines protect the Earth by killing the spiders with their weapons. The game features 2 protagonists and playable characters, Tony Lewis and Myra Lane. Each character has a different load-out equipped with their Armorine suit. They are Armorines, a highly advanced, highly classified virtually indestructible fighting force equipped to survive the terrifying might of a nuclear conflict.[5]
Development
Armorines was developed by Acclaim Studios London and uses the Turok 2: Seeds of Evil engine.[6] By using a Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, the Nintendo 64 version can output high-resolution graphics (640x480). It is also compatible with the Rumble Pak.
Reception
Matt Sammons reviewed the Nintendo 64 version of the game for Next Generation, rating it one star out of five, and stated that "Armorines is a great step backward from Turok 2. If you're desperate to kill bugs, buy a can of raid instead."[7]
Doug Trueman reviewed the PlayStation version of the game for Next Generation, rating it one star out of five, and stated that "Like the plot of so many science-fiction horror flicks, this was a good idea gone horribly wrong."[8]
GameRankings rated the game 61% based on thirteen reviews for the N64 version,[9] 30% based on eight reviews for the PlayStation version[10] and 57% based on four reviews for the Game Boy version.[11]
References
- Cove, Glen (9 December 1999). "Armorines in Stores". Archived from the original on 26 August 2004.
- Cove, Glen (4 May 2000). "Armorines PSX". Archived from the original on 15 August 2004.
- Armorines Project S.W.A.R.M. Instruction Booklet (PDF). Acclaim Entertainment. 1999. pp. 14, 15.
- Armorines Project S.W.A.R.M. Instruction Booklet (PDF). Acclaim Entertainment. 1999. p. 5.
- Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. Instruction Booklet (PDF). Acclaim Entertainment. 1999. p. 4.
- "Armorines". N64 Magazine. No. 31. Future Publishing. August 1999. pp. 58–63.
- Sammons, Matt (February 2000). "Finals". Next Generation. Vol. 3 no. 2. Imagine Media. p. 94.
- Trueman, Doug (September 2000). "Finals". Next Generation. Vol. 3 no. 9. Imagine Media. p. 108.
- "Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. 30 November 1999. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
- "Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. for PlayStation". GameRankings. 30 June 2000. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
- "Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. Retrieved 16 June 2014.