Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels

Fanatical marines take on terrifying aliens in the depths of space

• Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels
• By Electronic Arts
• PC CD-ROM
• MSRP $49.95

art update and part sequel, Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels continues the body count of the original Space Hulk 3-D action/strategy game released by Electronic Arts in 1993. The game is set in the 41st millennium, when humanity is locked in a vicious battle with a terrifying alien race called the Genestealers (see 36K .GIF screen shot), reptilian humanoids with four arms, an armored shell and a penchant for attacking in relentless numbers.

Humanity's salvation lies in the Space Marines. These defenders of the emperor fight encased in tactical dreadnought armor and adhere to a strict code of honor and religion. There is no more honorable chapter of the Space Marines than the Blood Angels. In this game, players command squads of five Blood Angels on a variety of individual missions or on an ongoing campaign designed to defeat the Genestealers once and for all.

The game is played in two modes, and all action takes place in the tight, winding corridors of derelict space ships (or Space Hulks). In the strategy mode, time is frozen as players assign movements to each of the individual marines under their command, sending them to various positions within the treacherous corridors. In the combat mode, time unfreezes, the marines move out, and the action begins (See 39K .GIF screen shot). This mode is played in a first-person perspective like Doom or Marathon, with the exception that players can only directly control one marine at a time, switching viewpoints as needed.

Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels offers several levels of game play, including all of the missions from the original game as well as new training missions. The action is fast, furious...and at first confusing. It will take most players several games to get used to controlling all five marines, but as the game progresses players will come to appreciate the fire power their warriors bring with them. The game also allows for multiple players over a network for those added thrills.

The biggest disappointment with this new Space Hulk is how similar it has become in look and feel to Doom. The original game stood out, both graphically and in game play, with an emphasis on tactics and positioning over mouse-triggered firing. But now Space Hulk looks more like just another 3D game where players move through corridors and shoot aliens.

The graphics have undergone a nice upgrade since the original, and the Genestealers have the most realistic appearance of any of the 3D monsters to date. The sound and introduction have also been vastly improved, and in this respect Space Hulk blows away other clones in the genre. An overhead radar is a particularly nice touch, allowing players to watch as the endless hordes of Genestealers attack. These features, combined with the individual mission format, help Space Hulk stand out from the crowd of Doom-a-likes.

I was really blown away by the new graphics but really disappointed that the game had become another Doom clone, albeit with the multi-troopers to command. I also like that it's possible to play an individual mission in a short period of time. -- Peter

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