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Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. is the latest first-person shooter from Acclaim, the same company who gave gamers Turok 2: Seeds of Evil and Forsaken 64. With Armorines, Acclaim explores new territory with an engrossing two-player cooperative mode, while living up to its reputation for creating delightfully repulsive enemies. Occupation: Extermination In a plot similar to Midway's Body Harvest (which itself contained an unacknowledged nod to Heinlein's Starship Troopers), the Armorines must save the world from an invasion of alien bugs whose mission is to colonize Earth. Not a novel concept, but the practice of blasting through a swarming mass of angry insects is undeniably entertaining. At the onset of the assault, players choose to control either a male or female Armorine.
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After receiving orders and mission objectives from a superior officer, the action immediately commences with a blood-thirsty bug running at top speed straight for you. You'll quickly learn that the only good bug is a dead bug. The adventure consists of five stages with four mission-based objectives in each stage. More entertaining than simple switch puzzles, the objectives in Armorines frequently involve interaction with other characters and execution of bug sabotage. Acclaim provides plenty of enemies to exterminate along the way, which adds to the challenge and keeps squeamish gamers jumping. In a unique twist, the gameplay in Armorines mixes rail shooter elements with free-roaming first-person action. After exploring the first stage, for example, you'll board a monorail and experience an arcade-style shooting gallery as you ride the vehicle through an army of bugs. In another stage, you'll find yourself in the nose of a chopper. In these instances your mission is to lay waste to as many insects as possible, because as soon as the ride is over you're face-to-mandable with the irritated bugs that you were unable to take down. Ways to Spray. In addition to the one-player adventure mode, Project S.W.A.R.M. offers a two-player cooperative mode, which allows you and a friend to team up against the invading bugs. Each player is able to explore a different portion of the stage, while both are working to accomplish the same mission objectives. If you're the more competitive type, up to four Armorines can compete in the standard Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill or Race Wars. In a Race War, players can compete as different types of bugs to determine which breed wins the battle of the fittest. Unlike the adventure mode, in Race Wars the bugs are strapped with high-powered weaponry. No guts, no glory! Armorines runs on the same game engine that powered Turok 2, but don't expect the same intricate texture maps and lighting effects that made Seeds of Evil so visually pleasing. The environmental graphics in Armorines are realistic, though, and suitable for the remote locations where the action takes place. The bugs are the real stars of the game, and we're happy to report that they are horribly grotesque. Spindly legs scrape across the ground with authentic fluidity, while beady eyes and tooth-filled jaws can intimidate even the most experienced Armorine. There's no shortage of gooey green stuff splashing across the screen, which was convincing enough to earn this game a T (teen) rating from the ESRB. Red Badge of Coolness. Not surprisingly, the default controls are set to the good ol' comforting Turok-style configuration. Four alternate control settings are also available. Like any first-person game, it takes a moment in Armorines to determine the exact pressure needed on the Control Stick to make your Armorine move appropriately. The responsiveness of the Control Stick is completely customizable, and after squashing a few bugs the play control feels great. Armorines is an entertaining exploration of bug annihilation, even though we've traveled down the insect colonization trail before. Replay value is fueled by an in-depth multiplayer mode, as well as the ability to complete the game using two different Armorines. If you hate bugs, this game's right up your alley. Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. is now lurking on store shelves.
