Area 51 For Xbox Views
The name Area 51 immediately evokes a number of things relating to the US government, ranging from secret aircraft test programs to more colorful conspiracies, such as aliens and space ships. In the world of gaming, Midway has used Area 51 in a series of pretty hokey alien-filled games, ranging from light gun shooters that started in arcades to cheesy first-person shooters filled with all kinds of weird conspiracy theories. BlackSite: Area 51 continues the lineage in a more serious manner, but it doesn't necessarily make for a better game overall. The game's strong graphical presentation is overshadowed ... Expand full review
The name Area 51 immediately evokes a number of things relating to the US government, ranging from secret aircraft test programs to more colorful conspiracies, such as aliens and space ships. In the world of gaming, Midway has used Area 51 in a series of pretty hokey alien-filled games, ranging from light gun shooters that started in arcades to cheesy first-person shooters filled with all kinds of weird conspiracy theories. BlackSite: Area 51 continues the lineage in a more serious manner, but it doesn't necessarily make for a better game overall. The game's strong graphical presentation is overshadowed by its run-of-the-mill gameplay, which is in turn overshadowed by a series of glitches.
Once you've dealt with Area 51's single-player missions, there's a multiplayer mode to partake in as well, albeit a multiplayer mode that's about as average as you're going to find in an FPS these days. Up to 16 players can participate in team and regular deathmatches, capture the flag matches, and a game called infection, where players take on the role of either a solider or an infected mutant. The maps are modeled after various Area 51 locations, so you can expect a lot of corridors and stairways to navigate. For the most part, the multiplayer is pretty good and runs well on both the PS2 and Xbox, though there's nothing particularly special about any of it. Between the somewhat limited array of weapons and fairly run-of-the-mill maps, it's probable that you'll simply play through a few rounds of the multiplayer and then be done with it, as it's never exciting enough to really grab hold of you and keep you coming back for more.
It shouldn't take you more than a dozen or so hours to work your way through Area 51's single-player campaign, and the motivation for doing so will hinge entirely on how much you really get into the game's brand of action, as well as how much repetition of said action you're willing to put up with. In no way is the game devoid of fun, but FPS fans will often feel like they've experienced a lot of what Area 51 has to offer before, especially when it comes to the multiplayer. In the end, Area 51 turns in what amounts to the perfect rental for first-person shooter fans. It's a brief and infrequently enjoyable game that has some problems, but it does just enough right to make it worth a play...but probably not a purchase.
Area 51 For Xbox Images
