| GameBump | http://www.gamebump.com Video gaming news blog. en-us Copyright 2006-2008 Gaming Horizon Game Dev Accepts Responsibility for Blacksite: Area 51 Shiva Stella http://www.gamebump.com/go/game_dev_accepts_responsibility_for_blacksite_area_51_ http://www.gamebump.com/go/game_dev_accepts_responsibility_for_blacksite_area_51_ http://www.gamebump.com/go/game_dev_accepts_responsibility_for_blacksite_area_51_#

It's rare that a developer who pushes out a lackluster game will actually address the issue and what went wrong with the title, but Harvey Smith, developer behind Blacksite: Area 51 and who also worked on the original Deus Ex, commented on the game's low scores at a recent games summit.

Prepare for some R-rated language, children. Expounds Smith:

This project was so fucked up…Everyone was forced to share tech. It took eight months to get one thing working…With a year to go, the game was disastrously off rails…it went straight from alpha to final.

Smith went on to explain that once his team had completed a level they only had four days to fix it with necessary adjustments, which he called "completely reprehensible". Though Smith believes in "personal accountability" and accepts the blame for his role in the title's (in-complete) creation, he also feels that Blacksite: Area 51 deserved a rating in the 80/B range due to the game's satirical narrative. Perhaps it would have made for a better book?

Here's the scorecard from metacritic. As far as our opinion of the game goes, we wouldn't know because Midway has yet to send over a copy for us to experiment with. Still waiting...


]]> Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:00:00 -0600 New BlackSite: Area 51 Demo on XBL, Boasting Two Levels Shiva Stella http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_blacksite_area_51_demo_on_xbl_boasting_two_levels http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_blacksite_area_51_demo_on_xbl_boasting_two_levels http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_blacksite_area_51_demo_on_xbl_boasting_two_levels#

The aliens are coming...

Midway sent over word this morning that a new BlackSite: Area 51 demo featuring two levels is now available over the Xbox Live service.

Here's the run-down from Midway:

The demo highlights two levels from the game's single-player campaign, taking gamers through the Rachel, NV town square and courthouse, and placing players in the gunner's seat during a helicopter escort mission through the desert canyons of Nevada.

BlackSite: Area 51 gives gamers a chance to direct their living, breathing squad mates with a context-sensitive "One-Button Squad Command" control. Destructible environments can be reduced to rubble, creating interactive cover points that can be blown away with enough firepower.

The title is already available for the Xbox 360/PC and will ship for the PlayStation 3 in December.


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