Ghen War
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ghen War | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Jumpin' Jack Software |
| Publisher(s) | Sega (NA) Virgin Interactive (everywhere else) |
| Platform(s) | Sega Saturn |
| Release date | 1995 (NA) 1996 (JP & EU) |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A) |
Ghen War is a first-person shooter video game for the Sega Saturn console. It was developed by Jumpin' Jack Software and published by Sega in 1995. The game centers around a member of a mining crew, with an artificial powered exoskeleton resembling a power-loader. The crew, specifically the protagonist, must fight off a once-friendly alien race known as the Ghen, who suddenly turn on the humans.
[edit] Story
The game takes place in the future, years after an armada of aliens known as the Ghen made contact with human beings. The Ghen are seeking refuge from an inter-galactic war with a super race known as the Bo-Kyat.
In exchange for their aid, human beings were given major advancements in science and technology, including a device that makes them immune to all disease. The Ghen also assist humans in locating materials on other planets through the creation of the Sunstar Solar Exploration Station.
The exploration team, comprised of humans led by a man named Jenners, and Ghen led by Commander Zimon, is harvesting minerals on Titan when our story begins. For reasons unknown, Zimon orders his Ghen to enter their spacecraft and take off. Boxhead, a human scientist, informs Jenners that there is "stronium" activity (a presumably fictional material) nearby. After hearing that the Ghen have left, Jenner orders everyone back to the ship, including the 'Lieutenant' (our protagonist), in his hydro-suit.
The human team (including their pilot Gina and wise-cracking Akira) take off in their own ship and try to make contact with the Sunstar station. The Ghen attack and destroy the station before turning their attention to the human ship. The humans manage to escape but soon begin a mission of disabling Ghen stronium reactors and thwarting their attacks, with the help of the Lieutenant and his hydro-suit.
[edit] Gameplay
Ghen War takes place from within a powered loader, equipped with various tools / weapons which it uses to fight off the suddenly hostile Ghen. Most of the games information and HUD are displayed along the roll-bar of the suit.
Among its guns and missles, the Hydro Suit has unique features such as a claw-manipulator and the ability to cast a decoy suit, which attracts enemy attention.
Despite Bioware's claim that the 1996 game, Shattered Steel, is the first game to include deformable terrain, Ghen War included this same feature a year prior. Firing your weapons into a mountain would cause the mountain to wear away, much like explosions would cause craters and other similar effects.
[edit] Audio and Visuals
The story of Ghen War is told through a series of cut-scenes, done mostly in full motion video, a relatively uncommon feature of video games.
The opening menu features a licensed song by the Bygone Dogs, who also did the soundtrack for Cyber Speedway
