Multiplayer
In addition to the single-player game, Area 51 also has a multiplayer mode you can play in splitscreen or on Xbox Live. Up to 16 players can play deathmatch, capture the flag, and a new game called Infection where you are either a soldier or a mutant. The game runs well online, but there isn’t really anything that makes it stand out against Halo 2 or TimeSplitters: Future Perfect or Unreal Championship 2. The multiplayer might keep you entertained for an evening, but it won’t keep you coming back for more as it is a pretty average experience.Graphics
Graphically, Area 51 is a great looking game. Even though the game takes place almost entirely in one huge base, you see a lot of different terrain so the game never looks or feels bland or repetitive. You always see something new and it keeps you interested. It is especially cool when you stumble across the fake Apollo moon landing set or an alien spaceship or three. The characters and enemies are also well designed and you come across a fair number of different enemy types which keeps the game fresh. Top this all off with good special effects for the various weapons you have at your disposal and Area 51 is a pretty nice looking game.
Sound
The sound is also fairly well done. Sound effects for all of the weapons and enemy growls and your teammates yelling and screaming at each other all sound really great. The music suits the game well and gives it a sort of B-movie feel (yes, that is a compliment). One area of the sound that is a disappointment is in the voice acting. David Duchovny is the voice of your character and it sound like he is bored out of his mind. Marilyn Manson does a better job with his character, but it still isn’t very good.Bottom Line
Area 51 isn’t without its problems, but overall it is still a fun game that is worth playing. The single-player game is pretty good, but it is hard to shake the feeling that if the whole game was more like the first hour or so it would have been a lot better overall. It is rather short, however, and you can beat it in less than 10 hours. Combine that with a less than stellar multiplayer mode and Area 51 is a hard pill to swallow at full price. Give it a rent or wait for a price drop.
