Amen: The Awakening Developer: Cavedog Entertainment Publisher: GT Interactive Genre: 3D FPS Date posted: 28 april '99 ScreenShots: 4 Written By: Geert A little Introduction Time is going fast these days, every month there is a new 3D shooter released. Every company is trying to beat the high standard of Half-Life with an enhanced engine and gameplay. The people of Cavedog decided they could also make a 3D game, and so their baby was born: Amen: The Awakening. But Cavedog wants to give the players some new elements, so that we can't speak anymore of a 'first-person-shooter' (FPS), but several genres mixed through each other. Does it have a decent storyline? The game is set against the backdrop of events that start on the Christmas Eve of 2032 when, without warning, a murderous insanity takes hold of a third of the world's population. The Mad people (known as the Afflicted) burn down whole cities, bring planes crashing to earth and kill millions. But all is not lost. The European Resistance Organisation (the EURO) is formed to create a safe area for the survivors to live in peace, somewhere in Western Europe. Here, debate rages about the true causes of the Affliction with suggestions raging from biblical Armageddon to a failed government bio-chemical experiment. While the academics wrangle on this side of the pond, however, things have all gone tits up in the States. Large numbers of the Afflicted carry out apparently organised take-overs of key military and other strategic targets and the US resistance faces total annihilation. The big boss of EURO, Sir Robert Dwight decides to send 'Britain's best kept secret' to their aid.When the Awakening of the game's title took place on that fateful Christmas Eve, it was Sir Robert who drove the Afflicted out of London and then formed the European Resistance Organisation. Facing the problems in the States, his solution comes in the form of Bishop Six, a dedicated commando who has done legendary work for the SAS in the field. Bishop Six and the former Bishop Eight have a relationship based on mutual respect and, in fact, Bishop Six reminds Sir Robert a little of his younger self, but this mysterious SAS officer has deeper reasons for wanting to take on the afflicted. While much of his personal life is shrouded in secrecy, we do know that Bishop Six has a big chip on his shoulder after the Afflicted killed his wife and daughter. So it is, then, that Bishop Six who, in case you hadn't guessed, is the character you play as, joins a military strike force to be sent into occupied territory to discover the real truth behind the Affliction and their strange illness - a truth which remains elusive until the game's dramatic conclusion.   A real story ... a real plot? Cavedog wants Amen, The Awakening to be more than just a shooter. It has to be a game, with a real plot. A game, where people begin to play, and still want to play further, because they want to know how the game will evolve, not because they want to murder the whole gang, but how the plot is constructed. For that reason, Cavedog hired a "screenwriter", Christopher Null, who has experience in writing scripts for movies. Another thing Cavedog emphasises is the fact that the game not exist out of different levels, but out of 12 "acts". Acts are big environments, sometimes to ten times bigger than an average level. The acts must give the players another feeling to the game, and not one of 'going from here to there, shooting everyone and advancing to next level'. A further innovative development of the story line takes the form of OmegaNet, a completely new concept for any game as far as I know. The OmegaNet is an on-line resource to find out all about the constantly evolving world of Amen: The Awakening and also fits into the story line as the only remaining means of communication and news broadcasting available to the non-afflicted after the Awakening itself, now operated from resistance stations around the world. The sites also contain the archives of the NCN network - or New Century News to give it its full title - which, until the Awakening, was the leader in 24 hour news and entertainment. Next Page Up Previous Page If you want to review your favorite game, or if you work with a computer game company and want your products reviewing, mail info@playdevil.com. All contributions are welcome. Any problems and/or suggestions are always appreciated on webmaster@playdevil.com Nothing of this entire Site, animation & logo's included, may be reproduced, stored, saved, transmitted, in any form or means, electronic, written or otherwise without the prior permission of PlayDevil. Other Logos & Names are Copyrighted Material of its respectful owners. All Rights Reserved. PlayDevil Productions © 199/8-199/9 "rip your own stuff"