Archimedean Dynasty

Plot

By the mid-27th century, Earth's surface is a desolate wasteland from nuclear war and melted ice caps, forcing humanity into the ocean depths. The underwater world Aqua is divided into the democratic Atlantic Federation, the oligarchic Indo-Arabic Clansunion, the totalitarian monarchist Sino-Russo-Japanese Shogunate, and the lawless Tornado Zone. The story follows mercenary Emerald 'Deadeye' Flint, who takes an escort job for a sulfur cargo ship.

After a raid by Shogunate mercenaries, he is taken hostage but released by their leader Hóng Lóng, a known arch-enemy with whom he has a love–hate relationship. Flint is picked up by a freighter and dropped in Magellan, where his first mission is to bring himself and an attache to his boss El Topo's base in a rusty ship named 'Hiob'. After completing missions to repay El Topo for the failed escort, Flint is sent to find a mercenary to help obtain the black box of the submarine Big Fat Mama.

His ship is replaced several times: first by the scout 'Gator', then by the bomber 'Zorn', and finally by the prototype EnTrOx bomber 'Succubus', the fastest and most advanced submarine in Aqua. The Succubus is confiscated after EnTrOx's CEO is impeached and the company dissolved to end its monopoly on energy, transport, and oxygen.

Reception

Chris Hudak of GameSpot praised the game's open-endedness but noted that the many tactical options could confuse some players. PC Multimedia & Entertainment called it 'simply oozes perfection in almost every way', applauding the realistic physics, complex 3D graphics, detailed storyline, compelling sound effects, and strong combat, while citing the lack of multiplayer as a glaring omission. Next Generation hailed the 3D engine's realism and beauty and the storyline's depth, remarking that the game makes the player feel truly underwater in a single-seated attack submarine. The game was commercially unsuccessful in the US. It was nominated for Computer Games Strategy Plus's 1996 'Science-Fiction Simulation' of the year, losing to Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri, and was later named one of the '10 Best Sci-Fi Simulations' of all time by the same publication in 2000.