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DELIVERS THE GOODS

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 20 / 22
Date: October 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I was hooked from the moment that I first played the demo available on the Mortal Kombat Deception game disc. After much delay, the game is finally here and I've got to say that it delivers the goods promised in that demo. Whether you've played Midway's earlier version of Area 51 in the arcade (later released on the PSX), are into the whole Area 51/UFO conspiracy thing, or just like a good first person shooter (FPS), this one's for you. Speaking of the PSX, it seems like they've taken the best of the original Area 51 (released on the PSX in 1995), mixed in some elements of the Roswell Conspiracies (also on the PSX, 2001), and souped it up to rival your favorite FPS (Doom, Halo, Quake, etc.) for today's platforms. Like Doom, Halo, and Quake, it has multi-player options (2 player offline and up to 16 players online). It's amusing to note that on the back of the PS2 cover, this game is touted as the best FPS yet for that system while the Xbox's (with different screen shots) favorably compares it to Halo (which is only available for that system). Anyway, back to the game itself. Along with the excellent gameplay, you can also collect secret documents strewn throughout the facility that will enable you to unlock several bonus features. As if that weren't enough, the voice actors put this one over the top. In addition to David Duchovny voicing your character of Ethan Cole, there is Powers Boothe as Major Bridges and Marilyn Manson as Edgar the alien. A nice touch to an already impressive game. Be sure to check out the "making of" features and tell me that Duchovny and Manson don't sound eerily alike (in spite of Marilyn speaking noticeably slower). So climb into your HAZMAT suit and meet me at Area 51, if you dare.

A must for FPS fans

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: May 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Well where do I start? Just like the game there are so many fun twists and turns that it's hard to pick out a good spot to start talking about this game. Anyway the storyline is your HazMat Specialist Ethan Cole, who is with HazMat Team Bravo, sent into the treacherous Area 51 compound to find out what exactly happened and why did HazMat Team Delta go missing. Once you step into the base things go from bad, to worse, then to just downright ugly and hellish.

I am a huge FPS and shooter fan, and have played the original Area 51 and Area 51: Site 4 arcade machines. When I heard Midway was coming out with a FPS Area 51 game I couldn't wait. As soon as I got it and popped it into my PS2, I was immersed from the start. The graphics are jaw-dropping and the fluidity of the character movements were just downright smooth as hell. The action is far from lax too. From the get go you're thrusted into the mayhem that the mutated inbatitants of the base throw at you. Mutants, leapers,and later on in the game Cloned Human Spec Op soldiers, come at you out of nowhere at the most unexpected moments of the game, thus making you stay on your toes and making your finger hover over the R1 button at all times. Bottom line: You just never know when something will come at you from around the corner of a hallway.

The plot and the story of the game itself is great also. Conspiracy theories, plot twists, and sudden changes in the game that will shock you will keep any gamer from putting down that controller, yes it is THAT good. I can't say much about it because I don't want to spoil anything, but I can surely say that you will always be surprised at what occurs during the game as you make your way down through the base. In Area 51 you'll always want to find out what happens next.

Of course, no FPS is complete without a set of AI controlled teammates. But sometimes those teammates hamper you more than help you. In Area 51, these teammates actually give you cover fire, shout at you where enemies are coming from, and actually shoot to kill and not just weaken enemies for you.

What about controls? Controls are a snap to learn and easy to use. Nothing too complicated here.

The voice acting is an excellent point too. David Duchovny plays the role of Ethan Cole real well, giving the gamer the impression that yes Cole may seem like a soft-spoken HazMat specialists, but can sure prove his worth during battle. And Marylin Manson compliments Edgar real well. I feel that Manson does the job right by voicing the creepy looking Edgar and giving the game a chilling feel everytime his character speaks in the game.

Overall I love this game and the action is second-to-none and I feel that this is 50 bucks well spent. If you're a FPS fan or a fan of the Area 51 series, I highly suggest you buy this game. You won't be sorry, and chances you won't leave your PS2 until you finally complete the game.

Best Graphics ever!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: August 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

When I first rented Area 51 I wasn't expecting much, but when I played it, it was awesome I couldn't belive the great graphics!!!
When you watch videos after you beat a level it looks so real I really think it meets the limits of what PS2 and X-Box can deliver.

You start off being told to go down to the lower levels of Area 51 with your squad because they think something horrible has happend because the last report they got was that an alien got loose! When you get down their, aliens and mutants were runing around everywhere. Later you get infected by a mutant and you learn to control you poweres, you see heat coming off your enemys body, shoot parisites at people. The only problem is that the infection in time will kill you...

This game is a mix of Half Life and Halo, kind of. It would be a great game to buy and play over and over. Its 1-4 players, multiplayer is also very fun. The only thing that is kind of a flaud in the game is there is'nt very many wepons, but the game is still great, so go play it!

Area 51 is creepy, fun and addicting

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the best FPS games I've ever played (Halo was the best). The only thing I don't like is that the game is kind of short. It's pretty long, but still short, I love games that take a long time to complete so it mught be just me.

The one thing i love is that the blood stays the whole time and doesn't disapear, it's so much more realistic. The gore is great. It's not overload, but when you hit something blood comes out, so it's just perfect, not too much, not too little.

THe people who do the voices are great. David duchovny sounds exactly like he would if he were actually the guy in the game, and Marilyn Mason is the creepy voice that Edgar has.

This game is also creepy. There's a lot of dark places, so you use your flashlight often. The only bad thing is when you reload in a dark place, your flashlight is hidden by your arm and you cant see if youre in a big battle. the scariest thing is when you walk around a dark corner and an enemy jumps down from the ceiling.

THis is one of the funnest games ive ever played and the storyline is creative and is intriging.
BOTTOM LINE: BUY THIS GAME!

FREEKIN AWESOMEEEE WUUUUUUUU!!!!! ONLINE ROCKZZZ

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: January 14, 2006
Author: Amazon User

THIS IS THE BEST PS2 SHOOTER OUT THERE. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON OTHER THINGS, JUST BUY THIS!!!!!!!

This Game is cool !!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 30
Date: June 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is soo graffic that you get in to it so much you don't hear nothing but what they say on the game.

The most amazing graphics i have ever seen in a game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is probably the best first person shooter to come out for ps2. I like this better then both halos. Its fun, scary, challenging, and crazy cool. And o yea did i mention the graphics they are very nice, and are much better then halos graphics. I wouldnt reccomend this for little kids though, it has tons of curses and is very gory one guy gets his head ripped off and they show it. Overall i think it is an amazing game if your thinking about getting it GET IT.

Area 51......

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: July 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

One thing I've got to hand to Midway...they did an awesome job at bringing Area 51 back into the shooter fold the way it should be. I was greatly impressed with the way this game looked and played on the Playstation2. I've played a ton of FPS in my time but I've never had one to just draw me in from the moment it started like this one did. It had a certain eerie style to it that kept me playing to see what happend next. I'll admit, at first, I thought it was just your normal typical FPS(and in many ways, it is) but with an intriguing storyline-great voiceovers by Powers Boothe, Marilyn Manson and David Duchovny-and dead-on gameplay...it's anything but. It's one of the better FPS released of late on the PS2. I hope Midway decides to keep this series going cause I, absolutely, loved this game.

The story to the game goes a lil something like this...The research facility at Area-51 has been shut down because of a viral outbreak. The distress signal received by the U.S. Army has activated the automatic quarantine procedures, locking all scientific and military personnel inside. It will be your mission, as Ethan Cole, to dive into five massive levels within the secret confines of the mysterious Area-51 to try to keep the virus contained.

better than i thought

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 5
Date: September 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

when i got psi-ops i watchded the trailer for area 51.then i know it would be awsome.this game is like two horror games i got(the suffering).but dont think you would easy beat it.its east untill you meet the black ops.they are hard to beat because thy get even more stronger wepons.it like sucidcide.but i like it.enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Honestly one of the best games I have played.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: December 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I must say I was very impressed with this game. I didn't really expect it to be all that great when I first got it. I simply got it to play online because of what I had read from customer reviews. It was the complete opposite of what I expected it to be.

The graphics are fantastic and the cinematics, although very short, are breath taking. The environments are the best I have ever seen in any game. On a scale of 1-10 for creativity in the environment, characters, visuals, weapons, color scheme, graphics, etc. etc. I would give it an 11 no doubt about it. It deserves more than a perfect score, thats how great I felt it was in those aspects. I have not yet seen a game that comes close.

Don't listen to the reviews that claim the single player mode to be dull, boring, short and/or easy. I can assure you it is none of those. I was one of the fools that believed those reviews from people who aparently probably didn't even play the game and my expectations for the single player mode were very low. I was in for quite a surprise. The single player mode is much longer than a majority of other similar games even when on easy mode. Some points though, can become frustrating to beat (well atleast in my case).

I honestly cannot find any legitimate negative aspect of the game. This is a very solid game all around.

I am not a big first person shooter fan and I never have been but this game has changed all that. I would definatly recommend this game to anyone who is even remotely interested. If you arent sure whether to believe my judgement then go ahead rent it first and you will see what I am talking about. It is to ps2 what Halo was to XBox.

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