Area 51 (2005)

 PC
  • Publisher: Midway
  • Release Date: Jun 8, 2005
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 58 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 58
  3. Negative: 14 out of 58
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  1. JoshuaK.
    Mar 23, 2005
    7
    It was a pretty good game.
  2. FredM.
    Sep 22, 2005
    6
    This game is...ok. The graphics are very impressive and I liked how the storyline progressed...beyond that, however, it way questionable. The battles are fierce in this - you'll find yourself holed up for extended periods of time, holding off hordes of enemies, and the weapons, though a little uninspired, are good nonetheless. Unfortunately, there were a number of issues that got me This game is...ok. The graphics are very impressive and I liked how the storyline progressed...beyond that, however, it way questionable. The battles are fierce in this - you'll find yourself holed up for extended periods of time, holding off hordes of enemies, and the weapons, though a little uninspired, are good nonetheless. Unfortunately, there were a number of issues that got me down. First is the fact that you can never keep a team for more than a short while...I really wanted to fight alongside teammates in large battles, but every person you meet ends up dying within a level or two...sometimes within the cutscene you met him in. There are two or three large fights between humans and aliens, but they just weren't enjoyable since you were always forced to do something else (like find something or fix something) while they were fighting. Second is the alien-hybrid thing that you get later that allows you to change...yeah. I never used it once. It was really pretty clunky and I always found that bullets were better than those weird alien attacks you had. Lastly, the combat is good, but many times it forces you to charge head-first into battle, as standing still and planning attacks will only get you viciously mauled. This wouldn't be so bad if these battles weren't also hopelessly difficult... It seems that there are two kinds of reviews for this one - 10 (omfg amazing-zors) and 3 (crap). The 10s come from people who still drool over Halo, and just want mindless combat dumped into a game engine. Halo was indeed a very good game, but it certainly wasn't the pivotal, all-time most amazing sci-fi FPS out there. As for the 3s, this game deserves more than that, but I still agree that it is lacking overall.… Expand
  3. Marickk
    Jan 25, 2016
    6
    Yeah, this game is outdated. Graphics are so, so outdated. Gameplay is boring in and nothing is wow. One major issue is the game haven't subtitles. So unoriginal.
  4. shkipermann
    Feb 25, 2023
    6
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Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
54
#54 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Play Magazine
    70
    But here again, another fun idea inevitably joins what feels like a game thrown together out of genre spare parts. [May 2005, p.39]
  2. 1UP
    65
    If nostalgia for the original arcade light-gun game, or fascination with the myth of the Mid-West has you by the cockles, then this game may give you a day or two's worth of good times. But anyone with a stricter criteria than that would be hard-pressed to find real satisfaction in what's offered here.
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  3. GameBiz
    75
    Unfortunately experienced FPS players may find they aren’t being offered anything new in the game.
    Read full review
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