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Area 51 (first-person shooter)
Encyclopedia
Area 51 is a first-person shooter
survival horror video game that was released in 2005 (2006 in Japan
) and it was developed by Midway Studios Austin
and published by Midway
for the PlayStation 2
, Xbox
, and Microsoft Windows
, and is a loose remake
of the 1995 light gun
video game of the same name
. The player controls Ethan Cole, a HAZMAT
operative voiced by David Duchovny
sent to the infamous base
to assist in the cleanup of a mutagenic virus
.
Area 51 at first starts out with intense combat where the player has several AI
teammates with him (ranging from two to seven most of the time) versus hordes of mutants. Notable among the voice actors are David Duchovny
as the player character and main protagonist of the game Ethan Cole, Brian Warner as Edgar the ancient and powerful Grey, Powers Boothe
as Major Bridges, and Ian Abercrombie
as Dr. Cray.
, Ethan Cole. The game does feature some operable machinery, including plasma turrets, besides the player's inventory of weapons. The player begins with a team of three other HAZMAT
soldiers, who cannot be killed by the game world, unless it is scripted into the story.
and Alien
in origin, to defeat their adversaries. Most weapons can only be wielded one handed, however the player can dual wield some weapons, such as the Shotgun and the Sub-Machine Gun. Each weapon can also be used as a melee
weapon for close quarter combat, and for its original intended purpose. Each weapon has two modes of firing, the first being the primary method, while the second is of a much higher power level, at the cost of ammunition and accuracy to the player. The player can also use explosive grenades, one of Human origin, and the other of alien design.
At a later stage in the game Ethan Cole becomes infected with the mutagen, and the option to turn into a mutant
temporarily is obtained. Mutating offers a variety of benefits, such as increased strength, stamina
, as well as the initial ability to fire health-replenishing parasites as well as the later ability to contaminate enemies, both at the cost of mutation time reduction. While in a mutant form, players can easily spot enemies, which would otherwise be cloaked to the regular human eye, albeit with a slight ocular defect.
Players can replenish health and mutagen either through the use of medical syringe
s found throughout the game or by using parasites
, and mutagen by melee combat or "using" infected corpses
, or by finding mutagen syringes.
is the ability to scan and analyze various objects in the game environment. This is possible by using the scanner present on the player's suit, worn throughout the game. While using a scanner, the player has no access to weapons, apart from melee, and must switch to an available weapon in order to fight. Scanning provides detailed information on a player's surroundings, as well as combated enemies.
The scanner, when equipped, adds a translucent bar to the player's HUD
, which changes in color and height from light blue, to deep red
. This bar indicates how near or far a player is, to one of many scannable clues, such as file folders or personal digital assistants. The scanner can collect information from the items without it being touched. The HUD shows red when the player is very close, and blue when very far. Items which are scanned are viewable in-game, providing insight into the workings of Area 51, as well as proving necessary to unlocking secret videos made by Dr. Cray or Mr. White.
near Roswell, New Mexico
in the United States. The craft was recovered by the US Air Force
and taken to Area 51, Nevada
, where all of the survivors of the crash; the Greys were held captive by the US military
. Eventually, the Greys opened a dialogue with the Illuminati
led by the ominous Mr. White (Proctor), and struck a deal with them; the Illuminati would give the Greys a research base 3 miles below the surface of Area 51, the use of the base as a landing site, and give them human
test subjects, where they (along with human scientists) would research a mutagenic virus
to use in a war on their homeworld, and in return the Greys would give the Illuminati exclusive access to Grey technology. The Illuminati used some of this technology to spy on the Human population.
The Greys and the human scientists eventually developed a powerful mutant being - known as the "Theta", which spread the virus
. Unbeknownst to the Greys and many of the scientists working on the project, the Illuminati were also planning to use the virus against the Earth population, and dominate the world. When the Greys and Dr. Winston Cray (Ian Abercrombie
) found out about the plan, they let loose the "Theta" and the mutagenic virus throughout Area 51, in an effort to slow them down. This prompted the United States military
to send in a Quick Reaction Force
led by Major Bridges (Powers Boothe
) to quarantine and contain the virus. HAZMAT
Team Delta, the first team initially sent into Area 51 are ambushed by the "Theta" creature, sustaining casualties, before withdrawing deeper into the base. HAZMAT Team Bravo, composed of team leader Ramirez, McCan, Crispy, and mission specialist Ethan Cole (Duchovny
) is sent to find Delta.
After initially encountering the mutant
s, McCan is killed when a mutant decapitates him. Deeper into the base, Crispy and Ramirez are both ambushed by the Theta and killed, leaving Cole on his own. Cole manages to locate the rest of Delta, however they are attacked again by the Theta, and all but Cole and Lieutenant Chew are killed. Making their way topside, the Illuminati disables the cargo elevator, killing Chew and leaving Cole bitten by one mutant, partially mutating him. Able to switch between human and mutant form, Cole is guided deeper into the base by Edgar reanimating corpses to deliver information telepathically
. Cole is guided to Dr. Cray's bio labs, where Cray claims there is time to decontaminate
Cole, and rid him of the virus. Before he can be cured, the Illuminati attack, killing Cray and stopping the process.
Cole is teleported to a alien Mothership in outer space where he eventually finds Edgar (Warner
) a powerful Grey , where he reveals the scientists used his DNA
to create the virus, and the nature of the experiments at the base, which killed dozens of his species to harvest it. He then tells Cole the history of the Greys and Area 51. Edgar gives Cole the cure to the mutagenic virus, and instructs him to destroy the Illuminati ship, that is leaving with dozens of Theta duplicates. Cole is teleported miles beneath Area 51 where he locates the vessel and destroys it by overloading its reactor, and uses a alien teleporter to escape into the Nevada desert. He lands by the "White Mailbox" area and watches Area 51 being destroyed by the exploding ship in a tornado like explosion. Cole watches as a truck drives past, with a green, alien-like container on board with unknown contents inside and walks away from the site, not knowing what is going to happen to him next and saying that Jean-Paul Sartre
was only half-right about "Hell is other people."
Steven Jay Blum
, Dan Hagen
, John Vernon
, Lori Allen
, Brian Tochi
, James McCaffrey
, Nicholas Guest
, and Michael Gough
all provide additional voices.
for U.S. based consumers by the United States Air Force
,. It is no longer available on DoubleFusion.com.
announced that they had reached an agreement concerning the film rights for the game. In March 2007, comic book
author Grant Morrison
was hired to adapt the game as a screenplay. This project is unrelated to the upcoming movie Area 51
by Oren Peli
.
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
survival horror video game that was released in 2005 (2006 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) and it was developed by Midway Studios Austin
Midway Austin
Midway Studios Austin was founded as Inevitable Entertainment on March 23, 2000 and acquired by Midway Games in 2004. Responsible for developing Area 51 and its 2007 sequel BlackSite: Area 51....
and published by Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, and is a loose remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of the 1995 light gun
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
video game of the same name
Area 51 (arcade game)
Area 51 is a light gun arcade game released by Atari Games in 1995. It takes its name from the Area 51 military facility.-Overview:The plot of the game involves the player taking part in a STAAR military incursion to prevent aliens, known as the Kronn, and alien-created zombies from taking over...
. The player controls Ethan Cole, a HAZMAT
Hazmat
Hazmat, HazMat and similar terms can refer to:* Hazardous materials and items—see Dangerous goods** Hazchem—a system of hazardous chemical classification and firefighting modes** A hazmat suit is a type of protective clothing...
operative voiced by David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
sent to the infamous base
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
to assist in the cleanup of a mutagenic virus
Mutagen
In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations cause cancer, mutagens are therefore also likely to be carcinogens...
.
Area 51 at first starts out with intense combat where the player has several AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
teammates with him (ranging from two to seven most of the time) versus hordes of mutants. Notable among the voice actors are David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
as the player character and main protagonist of the game Ethan Cole, Brian Warner as Edgar the ancient and powerful Grey, Powers Boothe
Powers Boothe
Powers Allen Boothe is an American television and film actor. Some of his most notable roles include his Emmy-winning 1980 portrayal of Jim Jones and his turn as Cy Tolliver on Deadwood, as well as Vice-President Noah Daniels on 24....
as Major Bridges, and Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie is an English actor, best known for playing Alfred Pennyworth in Birds of Prey. He appeared as Elaine Benes' boss Justin Pitt during the sixth season of Seinfeld, and as a fastidious butler on Desperate Housewives.-Biography:He is the cousin of John Abercrombie, a jazz guitarist of...
as Dr. Cray.
Gameplay
Area 51 is a first person shooter, played from the perspective of the protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, Ethan Cole. The game does feature some operable machinery, including plasma turrets, besides the player's inventory of weapons. The player begins with a team of three other HAZMAT
Hazmat
Hazmat, HazMat and similar terms can refer to:* Hazardous materials and items—see Dangerous goods** Hazchem—a system of hazardous chemical classification and firefighting modes** A hazmat suit is a type of protective clothing...
soldiers, who cannot be killed by the game world, unless it is scripted into the story.
Combat
Throughout the game, the player uses a variety of weapons, both HumanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
and Alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
in origin, to defeat their adversaries. Most weapons can only be wielded one handed, however the player can dual wield some weapons, such as the Shotgun and the Sub-Machine Gun. Each weapon can also be used as a melee
Mêlée
Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
weapon for close quarter combat, and for its original intended purpose. Each weapon has two modes of firing, the first being the primary method, while the second is of a much higher power level, at the cost of ammunition and accuracy to the player. The player can also use explosive grenades, one of Human origin, and the other of alien design.
At a later stage in the game Ethan Cole becomes infected with the mutagen, and the option to turn into a mutant
Mutant
In biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...
temporarily is obtained. Mutating offers a variety of benefits, such as increased strength, stamina
Endurance
Endurance is the ability for a human or animal to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise...
, as well as the initial ability to fire health-replenishing parasites as well as the later ability to contaminate enemies, both at the cost of mutation time reduction. While in a mutant form, players can easily spot enemies, which would otherwise be cloaked to the regular human eye, albeit with a slight ocular defect.
Players can replenish health and mutagen either through the use of medical syringe
Syringe
A syringe is a simple pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube. The plunger can be pulled and pushed along inside a cylindrical tube , allowing the syringe to take in and expel a liquid or gas through an orifice at the open end of the tube...
s found throughout the game or by using parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
, and mutagen by melee combat or "using" infected corpses
Cadaver
A cadaver is a dead human body.Cadaver may also refer to:* Cadaver tomb, tomb featuring an effigy in the form of a decomposing body* Cadaver , a video game* cadaver A command-line WebDAV client for Unix....
, or by finding mutagen syringes.
Other aspects
A notable aspect of gameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
is the ability to scan and analyze various objects in the game environment. This is possible by using the scanner present on the player's suit, worn throughout the game. While using a scanner, the player has no access to weapons, apart from melee, and must switch to an available weapon in order to fight. Scanning provides detailed information on a player's surroundings, as well as combated enemies.
The scanner, when equipped, adds a translucent bar to the player's HUD
HUD (video gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
, which changes in color and height from light blue, to deep red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
. This bar indicates how near or far a player is, to one of many scannable clues, such as file folders or personal digital assistants. The scanner can collect information from the items without it being touched. The HUD shows red when the player is very close, and blue when very far. Items which are scanned are viewable in-game, providing insight into the workings of Area 51, as well as proving necessary to unlocking secret videos made by Dr. Cray or Mr. White.
Plot
In July 1947, an alien spacecraft crashedRoswell UFO incident
The Roswell UFO Incident was the recovery of an object that crashed in the general vicinity of Roswell, New Mexico, in June or July 1947, allegedly an extra-terrestrial spacecraft and its alien occupants. Since the late 1970s the incident has been the subject of intense controversy and of...
near Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
in the United States. The craft was recovered by the US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and taken to Area 51, Nevada
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
, where all of the survivors of the crash; the Greys were held captive by the US military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. Eventually, the Greys opened a dialogue with the Illuminati
Illuminati
The Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically the name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776...
led by the ominous Mr. White (Proctor), and struck a deal with them; the Illuminati would give the Greys a research base 3 miles below the surface of Area 51, the use of the base as a landing site, and give them human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
test subjects, where they (along with human scientists) would research a mutagenic virus
Mutagen
In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations cause cancer, mutagens are therefore also likely to be carcinogens...
to use in a war on their homeworld, and in return the Greys would give the Illuminati exclusive access to Grey technology. The Illuminati used some of this technology to spy on the Human population.
The Greys and the human scientists eventually developed a powerful mutant being - known as the "Theta", which spread the virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
. Unbeknownst to the Greys and many of the scientists working on the project, the Illuminati were also planning to use the virus against the Earth population, and dominate the world. When the Greys and Dr. Winston Cray (Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie is an English actor, best known for playing Alfred Pennyworth in Birds of Prey. He appeared as Elaine Benes' boss Justin Pitt during the sixth season of Seinfeld, and as a fastidious butler on Desperate Housewives.-Biography:He is the cousin of John Abercrombie, a jazz guitarist of...
) found out about the plan, they let loose the "Theta" and the mutagenic virus throughout Area 51, in an effort to slow them down. This prompted the United States military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
to send in a Quick Reaction Force
Quick reaction force
Quick Reaction Force or is a military unit, generally platoon-sized in the United States Marine Corps, that is capable of rapid response to developing situations. They are to have equipment ready, to respond to any type of emergency, typically within ten minutes or less, although this is based on...
led by Major Bridges (Powers Boothe
Powers Boothe
Powers Allen Boothe is an American television and film actor. Some of his most notable roles include his Emmy-winning 1980 portrayal of Jim Jones and his turn as Cy Tolliver on Deadwood, as well as Vice-President Noah Daniels on 24....
) to quarantine and contain the virus. HAZMAT
Hazmat
Hazmat, HazMat and similar terms can refer to:* Hazardous materials and items—see Dangerous goods** Hazchem—a system of hazardous chemical classification and firefighting modes** A hazmat suit is a type of protective clothing...
Team Delta, the first team initially sent into Area 51 are ambushed by the "Theta" creature, sustaining casualties, before withdrawing deeper into the base. HAZMAT Team Bravo, composed of team leader Ramirez, McCan, Crispy, and mission specialist Ethan Cole (Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
) is sent to find Delta.
After initially encountering the mutant
Mutant
In biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...
s, McCan is killed when a mutant decapitates him. Deeper into the base, Crispy and Ramirez are both ambushed by the Theta and killed, leaving Cole on his own. Cole manages to locate the rest of Delta, however they are attacked again by the Theta, and all but Cole and Lieutenant Chew are killed. Making their way topside, the Illuminati disables the cargo elevator, killing Chew and leaving Cole bitten by one mutant, partially mutating him. Able to switch between human and mutant form, Cole is guided deeper into the base by Edgar reanimating corpses to deliver information telepathically
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
. Cole is guided to Dr. Cray's bio labs, where Cray claims there is time to decontaminate
Decontamination
Decontamination is the process of cleansing the human body to remove contamination by hazardous materials including chemicals, radioactive substances, and infectious material...
Cole, and rid him of the virus. Before he can be cured, the Illuminati attack, killing Cray and stopping the process.
Cole is teleported to a alien Mothership in outer space where he eventually finds Edgar (Warner
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
) a powerful Grey , where he reveals the scientists used his DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
to create the virus, and the nature of the experiments at the base, which killed dozens of his species to harvest it. He then tells Cole the history of the Greys and Area 51. Edgar gives Cole the cure to the mutagenic virus, and instructs him to destroy the Illuminati ship, that is leaving with dozens of Theta duplicates. Cole is teleported miles beneath Area 51 where he locates the vessel and destroys it by overloading its reactor, and uses a alien teleporter to escape into the Nevada desert. He lands by the "White Mailbox" area and watches Area 51 being destroyed by the exploding ship in a tornado like explosion. Cole watches as a truck drives past, with a green, alien-like container on board with unknown contents inside and walks away from the site, not knowing what is going to happen to him next and saying that Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
was only half-right about "Hell is other people."
Voice Cast
- David DuchovnyDavid DuchovnyDavid William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
as Ethan Cole, HAZMATHazmatHazmat, HazMat and similar terms can refer to:* Hazardous materials and items—see Dangerous goods** Hazchem—a system of hazardous chemical classification and firefighting modes** A hazmat suit is a type of protective clothing...
Team Bravo's Mission Specialist. Duchovny was the target of considerable criticism for his voice acting in the game. - Powers BoothePowers BoothePowers Allen Boothe is an American television and film actor. Some of his most notable roles include his Emmy-winning 1980 portrayal of Jim Jones and his turn as Cy Tolliver on Deadwood, as well as Vice-President Noah Daniels on 24....
as Major Bridges, Commanding Officer of the Quick Reaction ForceQuick reaction forceQuick Reaction Force or is a military unit, generally platoon-sized in the United States Marine Corps, that is capable of rapid response to developing situations. They are to have equipment ready, to respond to any type of emergency, typically within ten minutes or less, although this is based on...
, sent into quarantine Area 51Area 51Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
. - Brian Hugh Warner as Edgar, an ancient and powerful Grey, whose DNA was used to create the mutagenic virusMutagenIn genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations cause cancer, mutagens are therefore also likely to be carcinogens...
. Marilyn Manson vocalist Warner was particularly attracted to the role, as he saw parallels between himself and Edgar, both having a general distaste of humanity, and Manson himself feeling alienated at times. - Ian AbercrombieIan AbercrombieIan Abercrombie is an English actor, best known for playing Alfred Pennyworth in Birds of Prey. He appeared as Elaine Benes' boss Justin Pitt during the sixth season of Seinfeld, and as a fastidious butler on Desperate Housewives.-Biography:He is the cousin of John Abercrombie, a jazz guitarist of...
as Dr. Winston Cray, a scientist who releases the mutagenic virusMutagenIn genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations cause cancer, mutagens are therefore also likely to be carcinogens...
, and the Theta weapon inside the baseArea 51Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
. - Phil Proctor as Mr. White, the ominous leader of the IlluminatiIlluminatiThe Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically the name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776...
. - Marc Rodriguez as Ramirez, Team Bravo's Team Leader
- Josh KeatonJosh KeatonJoshua "Josh" Keaton is an American actor, voice actor, singer and music producer.-Early life:Keaton was born Joshua Luis Wiener in Hacienda Heights, California. He has three sisters: Danielle, Alitzah , and Sabrina...
as Crispy, a member of Team Bravo - Nolan NorthNolan NorthNolan Ramsey North is an American actor and voice actor born in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bona fide leading man."-Biography:...
as McCan, a member of Team Bravo - Beng SpiesBeng SpiesBeng Spies is an American voice actor.-Television:*E! True Hollywood Story - Narrator *What's New, Scooby-Doo - Murph the Mechanic/Randy Dinwiddie -Video games:...
as Lieutenant Chew, Team Delta's Team Leader - Sean DonnellanSean DonnellanSean Donnellan is a television host, voice actor, and comedian. He is known for being a host on How to Boil Water and Faux Pause and the announcer on Batman Beyond....
as Marco, a member of Team Delta - Brian CummingsBrian CummingsBrian Cummings is an American voice actor.-Biography:He is known for his work in radio and television commercials, television and motion picture promos, cartoons and as the announcer on The All-New Let's Make a Deal from 1984 to 1985...
as Victor5, Dr. Cary's lab assistant
Steven Jay Blum
Steven Blum
Steven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
, Dan Hagen
Daniel Hagen
Daniel Hagen is an American voice, television, and film actor. He has also done miscellaneous work as a member of the crew, as well as guest appearances on Seinfeld , CSI, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Friends, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Charmed...
, John Vernon
John Vernon
John Keith Vernon was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada.-Early life:...
, Lori Allen
Lori Alan
Lori Alan , sometimes credited as Lori Allen, is an American voice actress who provides the voice of news anchor Diane Simmons on Family Guy, various voices on Hey Arnold!, and SpongeBob SquarePants as Pearl....
, Brian Tochi
Brian Tochi
Brian Keith Tochihara , better known as Brian Tochi, is a U.S. actor, screen-writer, movie director and producer. He was widely recognized as the most popular East Asian child actor working in U.S. television during the late 1960s through much of the 1970s having appeared in various T.V. series and...
, James McCaffrey
James McCaffrey
James G. McCaffrey is an American actor.-Biography:McCaffrey was born in Northern Ireland and raised in New York. His first role was for sills models, as a mentally challenged teen, in Bill II: on His Own, the Bill Sackter story. He also played the lead in the first and last seasons of the series...
, Nicholas Guest
Nicholas Guest
Nicholas Haden-Guest is an American actor. He primarily works as a voice actor, but is best known for a TV role, as the principal in the NBC teen sitcom, USA High.-Personal life:...
, and Michael Gough
Michael Gough (voice actor)
Michael Gough is an American voice actor and singer.-Television roles:*Dog from WordWorld* Don Diego de la Vega and The lead role in The New Adventures of Zorro* "Goof Troop" - Fester Swollen...
all provide additional voices.
Reception
The game received largely average to positive reviews on its release, scoring 6.9 on GameSpot, who praised the game for its audio effects, sharp-looking visuals and the multiplayer, but criticised the game for its weak voice acting, and repetitive gameplay, coming to the consensus that "For shooter fans in serious need of something new to play, Area 51 fits the bill adequately. But for anyone looking for something more than an average shooter, it probably isn't worth it." Likewise to GameSpot's review, the game scored 6.2 on GamersHell, with the graphics and sound scoring the highest. IGN gave the game a positive review, with an average user rating of 7.5 out of 10 - a "Good" rating. The graphics and the sound scored the highest in IGN's review, like GamersHell's review, scoring 8.5 out of 10 each.Freeware release
The game was released as freewareFreeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
for U.S. based consumers by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
,. It is no longer available on DoubleFusion.com.
Film
In 2004, ahead of the game's release, Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
announced that they had reached an agreement concerning the film rights for the game. In March 2007, comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
author Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
was hired to adapt the game as a screenplay. This project is unrelated to the upcoming movie Area 51
Area 51 (film)
Area 51 is a science-fiction film picture written and directed by Oren Peli, the director of Paranormal Activity and starring Benjamin Rovner, Reid Warner and Darrin Bragg.-Cast:* Sandra Staggs* Ben Rovner as Ethan Cole...
by Oren Peli
Oren Peli
Oren Peli is an Israeli-born American film director, producer and screenwriter, best known as the director/creator of Paranormal Activity. He is also a video game programmer.-Biography:...
.