Alien Sydrome sickens store shelves

by: Randy - posted: 7/25/2007 2:52:00 AM

Alien Syndrome hit store shelves yesterday for the Wii and PSP, and offers some fast-paced, runnin' and gunnin', RPG-shooter action for arcade junkies.  Up to four players can link up cooperatively with the PSP's Wi-Fi, and the Wii goes for a full range of motion-sensitive slashing and blasting.  And if the lead character's name -- Aileen -- is practically an anagram for "alien," then this revisioning of Sega's original Alien Syndrome from 1987 might keep its sense of humor intact amidst all the flamethrowing, quad-barrel lasering, and incendiary grenading explodiness. 

SEGA SHIPS ALIEN SYNDROME ON the wii™ and psp® system

 

Sci-Fi Shooter-RPG Introduces Revolutionary Gameplay for Up to Four Players

 

SAN FRANCISCO (July 24, 2007) – SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced today that Alien Syndrome™ has shipped to stores nationwide for the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. Alien Syndrome is a lightning-fast game combining RPG and shooter genres in a stunningly imaginative sci-fi universe. The game offers a dramatic and engaging single player adventure in addition to an infinitely replayable co-op multiplayer mode for up to four players. Derived from the classic SEGA arcade game, Alien Syndrome’s new shooter-RPG gameplay makes it easy to pick up and play, while its depth and wealth of features keeps it challenging for all gamers.

            In Alien Syndrome, players take control of the game’s strong and enigmatic heroine – Earth Command Trooper Aileen Harding – and battle a variety of fearsome aliens and colossal bosses. Gamers will unlock a wide selection of character specialties and skills upgraded as they progress through an engrossing campaign, protected by many different types of armor and using a variety of increasingly powerful melee and ranged weaponry. Players can improve their heroine’s statistics and discover a huge number of powerful new abilities as they fight through infested spaceships and bizarre alien planets.

Alien Syndrome features 20 different weapon types including flamethrowers, quad-barreled lasers, nanobot swarms that dissolve enemies, and incendiary grenades that shoot fiery geysers from the ground. Each weapon offers advantages and disadvantages, depending on how it is used and the specializations players have chosen to adopt. Alien Syndrome’s fast-paced combat also allows for any number of combat strategies to defeat over 100 different alien enemies at one time.

Fighting alongside Aileen is the SCARAB, a sentient combat and inventory robot that can be upgraded to a powerful and indestructible battle-machine, automatically attacking nearby enemies during battle. It also acts as a vendor through which players can recycle or sell items at any time, as well as construct better weapons and synthesize more powerful items. Additionally, the robot can be upgraded with abilities such as healing and charging weapons.

            Alien Syndrome on the Wii will utilize the Wii Remote™’s motion-sensitive technology to allow players a full range of motion when slashing through enemies, unloading on bosses, or running and gunning through hallways using a uniquely intuitive aiming system. Gamers will also be able to access new game modes and mini-games that expand on the core gameplay.  Using the Wii Remote, these new modes allow players to craft new items, to enhance existing items and character abilities, and to hack into computer systems.

            For gamers on the go, Alien Syndrome on the PSP system is Wi-Fi enabled so that up to four players can play cooperatively in various multiplayer modes. 

            Alien Syndrome is developed by Totally Games and is now available for the Wii system and PSP system. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board and will have an MSRP of $49.95 on the Wii, and $39.95 on the PSP system.