Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels
A tactical first-person shooter set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
In 1995, Electronic Arts released Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels for the 3DO, with later versions for PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Windows. This sequel to the 1993 game Space Hulk adapts Games Workshop's board game and blends first-person shooting with real-time strategy, all set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Key Game (3DO); Krisalis (SS, PS, PC)
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Composer
- James Hannigan
- Series
- Warhammer 40,000
- Platforms
- 3DO, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows
- Genre
- Real-time tactical first-person shooter
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Plot and setting
The game takes place in the 41st millennium of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, where humanity has expanded across the galaxy for 20,000 years using the Warp Drive. The Imperium is defended by the Adeptus Astartes, or Space Marines, bio-genetically engineered superhuman warriors. The player belongs to the Blood Angels Chapter and serves in the Terminator company, an elite unit of the hundred most courageous brothers. Terminators wear suits impervious to conventional weaponry and carry devastating armaments. Among humanity's enemies are Genestealers, six-limbed armored aliens that are swift, ferocious, and fearless. Genestealers cannot reproduce among themselves and rely on other races to expand their population.
Gameplay
In early stages, the player controls a single Terminator and follows orders from a commanding officer. As the player's rank increases through mission completion, they gain command of squads of more than five Terminators. Enemies include Genestealers, Hybrids, Chaos Space Marines, Magus, and Patriarchs, with Genestealers appearing in all campaign stages. The game features a main campaign, four training missions, and thirty-four solo missions across three categories: Space Hulk Originals, Classic Missions, and Famous Missions. These levels are also available in a ten-player network mode over TCP or IPX networks, with six additional missions playable cooperatively or in a death-match scenario where players compete to kill the most Genestealers. The Adeptus Ministorum of the Blood Angels contains a chamber tended by Librarians where applicants for Terminator Armour undergo the Vigil, a psychic trance that lets them experience the lives of past warriors. If accepted by the spirits of ancient brethren, the initiate emerges as a newly ordained Terminator.
Reception
The original 3DO release divided critics, with reactions depending on their patience for the complex strategic gameplay. A Next Generation reviewer praised the new twists on the first-person shooter formula and the visual effects of enemy deaths. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly found the game far too difficult but enjoyed the strategic gameplay and graphics before their character died. Scary Larry of GamePro appreciated the graphics, sound effects, and voice overs but criticized the gameplay as too complicated and cerebral. Maximum praised the gameplay for requiring sharp thinking and pure tactics, calling it one of the most substantial titles on the 3DO. Andy Butcher of Arcane magazine declared the game superior to its predecessor in almost every respect, noting that the designers improved upon what worked rather than reinventing the wheel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels available on?
Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels was released for 3DO, PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows.
Who composed the music for Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels?
The music for Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels was composed by James Hannigan.
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