Blacksite: Area 51

Old school style first-person shooter that plays on the Area 51 urban legend. I like the game and it gives that sci-fi action movie vibe like the 2011 film Battle Los Angeles. But if there was an action packed episode of the X-Files filled with government troops, an assortment of aliens both big and small then this game would be closer to that.

The game has several alien designs and I personally find them really well done. These aliens range from humanoid types, insectoids to gigantic worm and tentacled creatures that looked like they came out of the 2007 movie, The Mist. The characters are likable and engage in funny small talk. The game is set on the present day which is refreshing seeing all these popular "human vs. alien" shooters that are always set in the future in space in some planet far away. Having to see soldiers in contemporary US military equipment battling aliens in some western desert in small town America is somewhat a rarity in video games with Half-Life 1 from 1998 the only thing that comes close to mind.

Having played this on the PC the graphics seems to be superior from what I gathered with those who played it on Playstation who complained about the graphics being foggy. Unreal Engine is gorgeous and it really comes out with the PC. I also heard the game is notorious for being 'unfinished' because of production problems it faced. This is noticeable during gameplay, with npc soldiers appearing out of nowhere during sequences and then disappearing from the map and also when they are killed which I find really archaic. A patch or mod could have fixed this but so far in 2018 (ten years later) I have not found any.

I give the game a solid 9 because I expected a really bad game due to the mediocre to negative press but was pleasantly surprised instead. Blacksite Area 51 reminds me of games I used to play in the past. It has that old school charm but with nicer graphics and interesting Americana sci-fi setting. If you are fan of conspiracy theories regarding extraterrestrials and the government cover-ups give this game a try. Its not that bad its actually quite enjoyable.

The game "Blacksite Area 51" left me feeling deeply disappointed. The expectations for this project were much higher than what it actually delivered. Let's start with the storyline, which unfortunately didn't live up to expectations. The plot is very short, and its content is so bland that, after just a few hours of play, it's hard to maintain any interest. Despite the potential that opens up for developers when tackling themes like military operations, aliens, and secret bases, everything feels incredibly shallow and superficial. The player is left without any emotional connection to the characters, as their personalities remain almost completely undeveloped.

When compared to other shooters, especially those released around the same time, it becomes clear that stories centered on military conspiracies and alien threats often have the potential to be highly engaging. However, "Blacksite Area 51" makes no effort to develop this concept further. The player is simply led through a series of missions without significant explanations or emotional involvement. This leaves the narrative experience feeling incredibly weak.

As for character depth-this is another issue. The characters you encounter in the game are mostly devoid of any individuality or development. They come across as stereotypical soldiers without any distinct traits or backstories that could make them interesting or memorable. In many modern shooters, a large part of the game's success lies in how the heroes interact with each other, how they evolve throughout the game's events, and how these changes affect the plot itself. However, in "Blacksite Area 51," none of this happens, which significantly diminishes the level of engagement and immersion in the gameplay.

Speaking of the gameplay, there are a few positive aspects to mention. The biggest strength of the game is the feeling of shooting. Using various types of weapons brings a certain level of satisfaction, and the shooting mechanics are implemented reasonably well. Some of the weapons look and feel good, which might appeal to fans of the genre. However, even in this regard, the game doesn't offer anything new or innovative. All the mechanics are familiar to those who've played other shooters before, and "Blacksite Area 51" doesn't do anything to stand out among its competitors.

On the technical side, we should mention the graphics and the overall atmosphere. At the time of its release, the graphics in "Blacksite Area 51" were decent, but even here, there's nothing extraordinary. The visual effects are average, and the overall atmosphere of the game fails to evoke strong emotions. Many locations feel monotonous, and the level design does not contribute to a sense of immersion in the game world.

Overall, "Blacksite Area 51" feels incomplete. It's a typical shooter that can distract a player for a few hours, but it doesn't offer anything memorable or that would make you want to return to the game again. For those looking for something more engaging, with a deep story and interesting characters, this game is unlikely to be what they're looking for. It lacks standout features and doesn't provide a unique gaming experience that would set it apart from dozens of other shooters on the market.

In conclusion, "Blacksite Area 51" is a game for those who just want to spend some time with a classic shooter, without worrying about the details of the plot or characters. It's not a bad game, but it certainly doesn't stand out as something special or innovative in the genre.

This game was a difficult review for me. I am a big fan of alien games. I did like this game. It isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but it delivers. The characters were pretty cool to know, but they start down sliding in the last act. The environments are nice to look at, but we've seen them to much. Enemies start off good, but then they get repetitive. I not talking bad about the game, it's just it could of gave us a lot more thrills. The creatures were nicely detailed to but you see then far to much. The shooting is like Area 51 meets Call of Duty style. But all and all I had fun with what they gave me.

7.5/10

I'm going to be brutally honest with you, most reviews written by large or fairly well known game reviewers usually base their score on the popularity of game as well as the tech and specs. I am reviewing this game souly on the tech and spec.

Presentation: This game has a reasonable story line which isn't complicated or too simple. The graphics aren't bad but neither are they fantastic, basically if you can live with a few rough edges you can get through this game, there are a few issues with frame rates though, for instance in areas with loads of action the game can lag a little, but this only happens a few times depending on which console you play it on: Ps3 lag = moderate, PS2 lag = rare and xbox lag = low to moderate, but don't let this bother you it DOESN"T really effect game play a lot. The other problem is disappearing team mates, yes sometime your team mates can disappear but they reappear when you 1. shoot your gun or 2. walk into a building or new area this again is very rare. The game has a pretty cool strategic system where you can order your squad to move or attack, as well as having to look out for your morale level. Overall the pros and cons just level out the score

6/10

Gameplay: The game play is good, sometimes a little repetitive but once you get past the first level you wont see this again, destructive scenery is a nice touch when blasting a hole in a wall to get through. Controls are simple and easy to get a hold of. In fact the game play looks as if it had influenced some pretty big games like Resistance FOM and Killzone 2, the two games looking to of borrowed of of Blacksite. The AI is good as long as you play on 'HARD' and Not 'EASY', and the enemy variation is really done well. Sometimes there are a couple of annoying long walks to get to the next bit of action and it does make you lose your rush. Overall though the gamplay excels the presentation and probably the best factor of the game.

7.5/10

Sound and Script: The script is again a little bog standard but there are a couple of pretty intelligent comments made by you squadrons but apart from that the script is just like any FPS. There are glitchy sounds throughout the game which for any really serious gamer who gets annoyed by anything will damage their like for the game. The music is good and builds the suspense well.

6.5/10

Apeal: This game should appeal to anyone who has a love for horror games, old school FPS's and possibly even Modern Warfare 1 (just a hint though). This game looks like a PS2 game but handles like a PS3 game, for those who enjoyed Half Life 2 will probably like this as well simply because it feels slightly like Half Life just not as Big or Good. If you like games with more than a cheap thrill you may want to rent or even buy this game. More than reasonable game and underrated.

OVerall 6.8/10