Area 51

With its immense array of story, online, arcade, and mapmaking modes, few can compete. Still, if you are looking for a killer FPS for the PS2, look no further than Area 51. It’s a real treat.

Sporting some exceedingly sharp sharp, audio that will leave a player with beads of sweat on their brow, a story that could make their head feel as if it might explode (yet is still enjoyable to watch unfold), and solid frantic shooting mixed with duck and hide combat tactics all blend together to create one fantastic gaming experience.

Its otherworldly sets... are done up in such bewildering detail that you'll want to wipeout P.O.ed spacemen if only to have a more leisurely look-see at all their busy, mind-bending contraptions.

Cinematically seamless, you'll only get thrown out of the gameplay by pre-rendered cutscenes, because everything else is handled in the game engine.

Guns, aliens and conspiracies make for a top-notch shooter. [Jan 2007, p.106]

One of the most intense first person shooters to be released this year.

An intense and enjoyable alien and mutant killing frenzy.

From its chaotic beginning to its clinically insane conclusion, Area 51 provides just enough classic FPS action and technical goodness to merit a great rating and honest recommendation.

With guns firing at full tilt, and mindless carnage taking center stage, Midway has a surefire hit on its hands. [May 2005, p.108]

It’s a surprisingly well-done FPS that not only looks good but also feels good on the PS2.

Fast and riotous, with plenty of crud-faced mutants to shoot down, but the moment the chaos stops, so does your grin. [GamesMaster]

A traditional 3D shooter that borrows elements from Doom 3, Half-Life 2, Halo 2 and Metroid Prime.An awesome game? Not quite, but decent enough. [July. 05]

While technologically astounding and generally satisfying in terms of gameplay, Area 51 could have used a deeper, clearer story and another five to 10 hours of play time. [March 2005, p.86]

Dialogue is fantastic. The script's professionally written. Foul language is common, yet used in the appropriate context. Weapons come off as carefully balanced, and won't disappoint.

Sucks all these sci-fi staples together into some kind of cliche black hole that also happens to look killer and deliver serious scares and thrills. [June 2005, p.96]

For PS2 owners in particular I can think of no finer FPS on the system at the moment. Given that it's technically pushing the machine further than anything else, features 16-player online multiplayer, an action-packed single-player campaign that's no pushover and provides an interesting and well-conceived twist on the saturated shooter genre I'd happily nail my hearty recommendation to all PS2 owners looking for a shooter to get them through the summer.

A strong game, but it succeeds kind of in spite of itself. It would've been nice to see a lot more originality in the game, but Area 51 is a fun ride, regardless.

Every aspect of Area 51 is performed with quality, but with borrowed style that's familiar yet doesn't breed contempt.

While there are problems--too cutscene-heavy, some lame objectives, and the fact that there are infinitely more zombies than little green men--Area 51 is more than enough to make a believer out of you.