Area 51

by Midway

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000021Y5J
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 20, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,377 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Product Description

Midway's Area 51 infiltrated the top of the arcade charts for 10 months, so it is no surprise that the home version has become popular on the PlayStation. With impressive cinematic effects and stop-motion animation sequences, Area 51 is filled with a generous amount of alien warfare and nonstop action. One or two players can play as soldiers in the elite Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Response (S.T.A.A.R.) team, which is aiming to stop the spread of an alien-bred lethal infection that has taken over the high security air base at Area 51. The S.T.A.A.R. team, which is trained to deal with hostile alien life forms, must survive six extensive stages of gunfire and alien encounters. The sci-fi storyline eventually leads players to covert rooms, government secrets, and cover-ups, and more than a few aliens and UFOs.

Product Description

AREA 51 VIDEO GAME VERSION. Chances are, if you've ever been in a bowling alley, bar, or pizza parlor in your lifetime, you've encountered at least one Area 51 arcade machine. Originally debuting as a light gun-based shooter, This is perhaps for a reason, considering the original game, let alone its follow-up sequels, wasn't really that great to begin with. Thankfully, Midway's latest version of Area 51 bears little resemblance to its predecessors. Now, Area 51 is a first-person shooter. The original game's titular setting has remained intact, as has its army of mutated villains. However, Midway has decided to inject some storyline into this version, as well as a smattering of Hollywood voice talent and a pretty-nice-looking graphics engine. Unfortunately, all this gussying up can't gloss over what's ultimately an average shooter that doesn't offer up more than a handful of satisfying thrills throughout its single-player and multiplayer modes. As the title would suggest, Area 51 takes place at the infamous, eponymous military installation, where the US government supposedly houses all its secret alien technologies picked up after the Roswell, New Mexico, incident of the 1940s. As one might expect, for this to be much of a game, something has to go horribly wrong; and indeed, it does. You play as Ethan Cole, a HAZMAT operative sent in with his team--a prototypically ragtag bunch--to assess some manner of viral outbreak within the walls of Area 51. After a gruff meet and greet with the local military personnel, you're sent in guns blazing. What you end up finding is a horde of mutated soldiers, scientists, and other alien creatures wandering about the place, looking to infect and/or kill whatever comes their way. Oh, and there's also a whole bunch of nonsense involving the Illuminati, psychics, those little bigheaded, gray-skinned aliens we've all come to know and love, and a whole lot of crazy conspiracies thrown in to the mix.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just As Good As the Arcade, November 11, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Area 51 (Video Game)

This game is awesome, a whole lot of fun. I remember when I used to plug so many quarters into the arcade version of this game, and spend hours shooting alien scum. This version for the playstation has all of the same pros to it. Only one con: without a gun (like the Interact Lightblaster), control is hardly worth attempting. A definite riot for two players.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Area 51 Freaks!, December 29, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Area 51 (Video Game)

My family and I just got Area 51 for Playstation and we are very happy customers! To make the game a truly awesome experience, it pays to get a gun. We bought Interact's Lightblaster Gun, and it's just like being in the arcade!

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Trigger Happy Fun, February 19, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Area 51 (Video Game)

Area 51 was definately one of my favorite arcade games. Now, here it is, a perfect port for the Playstation. Everything included in this is just as good if not better than the arcade version. Just make sure that you have a lightgun or two. I reccomend Namco's GunCon which comes with Time Crisis and Point Blank 1 and 2. All those games are great as well, so you cant lose.