Lemmings Revolution
Encyclopedia
Lemmings Revolution is a puzzle computer game released in 2000. Like previous games in the Lemmings series, the object of the game is to guide the lemmings characters to an exit by giving them specific skills. Each level
is situated on a rotating cylinder (the "revolution" of the title), so while the game is displayed in 3D
, it plays much more like the 2D games.
characters that once entertained themselves by watching the old adventures of the lemmings. Wanting more, they have captured the lemmings and created new puzzle
s and maze
s, so they can watch the lemmings as they suffer trying to survive the puzzles.
The main new element in this game is the change of the level design. All levels now consist of cylindrical columns, causing the lemmings to walk in large circles on the outer-most area. This essentially creates 2D levels that simply wrap around a cylinder
from one side to the other. The levels no longer have an end at left or right
, giving lemmings the ability to returning to a location without retracing their route when encountering an obstacle. This whole concept was first shown in 8-bit era game Nebulus
, one of the most famous platform games for the Commodore 64
and other contemporary computers.
The levels are viewed from a single point, from which the player can rotate the level on its axis in either direction. This is similar to simply scrolling left or right in the original games. Zooming in and out is also possible at one single step. In zoomed mode is possible to move the camera at a fixed angle.
All original eight skills from Lemmings return in this game, with the same usage. Also returning from previous games are the fast-forward button and the "nuke all" option.
The level structure has also changed significantly. Once a level has been completed, two more levels become available, each slightly more difficult than the previous one. This creates a hierarchal, triangular structure, allowing more and more levels to become available as the game progresses. In this way it is possible to play through to the final column of levels while skipping some others. There are 102 levels in total.
Other new elements in this game include:
WeaselsThese are the main enemies in this game. About the same size as lemmings, they will walk around in levels and kill any lemming they walk into, by knocking them sideways off the level. Unlike lemmings, weasels automatically have a floater if they fall from high heights. While the weasels did not appear in any other Lemmings game, enemies had featured before in All New World of Lemmings
and Lemmings Paintball
.
New types of lemmingsNext to the classic regular lemmings, there are now also Water
lemmings as well as Acid
lemmings. Each will be able to walk over water or acid respectively, without dying. Aside from that, they act the same and can be controlled the same way as the regular lemmings. In levels with more than one type of Lemming, each type may have a different colored balloon to escape to (otherwise a red balloon is used for all three types).
Anti-gravity padsOnce lemmings step on these, their sense of gravity will reverse, causing them to fall upwards and walk on the ceiling. They will stay this way until they walk on another anti-gravity pad, causing them to fall down and walk normally again.
Laser gates and leversBy walking past a laser gate, some part will be affected for the rest of the level and, for example a bridge might appear over a water basin. Levers will have similar effects, but most times the event can be undone by walking the other way, although sometimes they act exactly like laser gates, as one-time event triggers.
GatesMetal gates that can retract and extend to block lemmings. Some toggle when a switch is flipped, others when a set amount of lemmings pass through the open gate. They can either hinder the lemmings by barring the way, or help by forming paths over hazards.
Speed-up padsThese accelerate momentarily every creature who passes through them, which can be beneficial sometimes or disastrous at the wrong time.
TeleportersWhen a lemming comes into the radius of action of one of these portals he disappears for an instant and reappears at another portal in the level. You can't tell which portals form a pair. Some levels feature multiple portals leading to the same exit portal
Break-away floorsTerrain that falls apart square by square each time a lemming walks over it.
and the critics PC Gameplay, Game Raiders, Computer Games Mag and Computer Games World. The lowest score was 30/100 given by Frictionless Insight.
Level (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
is situated on a rotating cylinder (the "revolution" of the title), so while the game is displayed in 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
, it plays much more like the 2D games.
Storyline
The storyline of Lemmings Revolution revolves around WeaselWeasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
characters that once entertained themselves by watching the old adventures of the lemmings. Wanting more, they have captured the lemmings and created new puzzle
Puzzle
A puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution...
s and maze
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
s, so they can watch the lemmings as they suffer trying to survive the puzzles.
Gameplay
Cylinder (geometry)
A cylinder is one of the most basic curvilinear geometric shapes, the surface formed by the points at a fixed distance from a given line segment, the axis of the cylinder. The solid enclosed by this surface and by two planes perpendicular to the axis is also called a cylinder...
from one side to the other. The levels no longer have an end at left or right
Wraparound (Video Games)
Wraparound, in video games, is a gameplay variation on the single-screen in which space is finite but unbounded; objects leaving one side of the screen immediately reappear on the opposite side, maintaining speed and trajectory...
, giving lemmings the ability to returning to a location without retracing their route when encountering an obstacle. This whole concept was first shown in 8-bit era game Nebulus
Nebulus (computer game)
Nebulus is a computer game created by John M. Phillips and published by Hewson Consultants in the late 1980s for various home computer systems...
, one of the most famous platform games for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and other contemporary computers.
The levels are viewed from a single point, from which the player can rotate the level on its axis in either direction. This is similar to simply scrolling left or right in the original games. Zooming in and out is also possible at one single step. In zoomed mode is possible to move the camera at a fixed angle.
All original eight skills from Lemmings return in this game, with the same usage. Also returning from previous games are the fast-forward button and the "nuke all" option.
The level structure has also changed significantly. Once a level has been completed, two more levels become available, each slightly more difficult than the previous one. This creates a hierarchal, triangular structure, allowing more and more levels to become available as the game progresses. In this way it is possible to play through to the final column of levels while skipping some others. There are 102 levels in total.
Other new elements in this game include:
WeaselsThese are the main enemies in this game. About the same size as lemmings, they will walk around in levels and kill any lemming they walk into, by knocking them sideways off the level. Unlike lemmings, weasels automatically have a floater if they fall from high heights. While the weasels did not appear in any other Lemmings game, enemies had featured before in All New World of Lemmings
All New World of Lemmings
All New World of Lemmings is a computer game released in 1994, as the third game in the popular Lemmings puzzle game series. In North America, the game was named The Lemmings Chronicles...
and Lemmings Paintball
Lemmings Paintball
Lemmings Paintball is a game from the Lemmings franchise made by Visual Science and published by Psygnosis. The game was released in 1996.-Summary:...
.
New types of lemmingsNext to the classic regular lemmings, there are now also Water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
lemmings as well as Acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
lemmings. Each will be able to walk over water or acid respectively, without dying. Aside from that, they act the same and can be controlled the same way as the regular lemmings. In levels with more than one type of Lemming, each type may have a different colored balloon to escape to (otherwise a red balloon is used for all three types).
Anti-gravity padsOnce lemmings step on these, their sense of gravity will reverse, causing them to fall upwards and walk on the ceiling. They will stay this way until they walk on another anti-gravity pad, causing them to fall down and walk normally again.
Laser gates and leversBy walking past a laser gate, some part will be affected for the rest of the level and, for example a bridge might appear over a water basin. Levers will have similar effects, but most times the event can be undone by walking the other way, although sometimes they act exactly like laser gates, as one-time event triggers.
GatesMetal gates that can retract and extend to block lemmings. Some toggle when a switch is flipped, others when a set amount of lemmings pass through the open gate. They can either hinder the lemmings by barring the way, or help by forming paths over hazards.
Speed-up padsThese accelerate momentarily every creature who passes through them, which can be beneficial sometimes or disastrous at the wrong time.
TeleportersWhen a lemming comes into the radius of action of one of these portals he disappears for an instant and reappears at another portal in the level. You can't tell which portals form a pair. Some levels feature multiple portals leading to the same exit portal
Break-away floorsTerrain that falls apart square by square each time a lemming walks over it.
Reception
The game has received average to positive reviews from the game critics. The highest score was 8/10, given by IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and the critics PC Gameplay, Game Raiders, Computer Games Mag and Computer Games World. The lowest score was 30/100 given by Frictionless Insight.
External links
- Lemmings Revolution game review on IGN.comIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...