Armada (video game)

Armada is a video game developed and published by Metro3D. It was released for the Sega Dreamcast in North America on November 26, 1999. Armada is a shooter role-playing game (RPG) that allows up to four players to fly about the universe, fighting the enemy, performing missions and improving their ship.

Not to be confused with Star Trek: Armada.
"Armada II" redirects here. For Star Trek: Armada II, see Star Trek: Armada II.
Armada
Developer(s)Metro3D
Publisher(s)Metro3D
Director(s)Mark Jordan
Designer(s)Mark Jordan
Roger Fang
Platform(s)Dreamcast
Release
Genre(s)Shooter, role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Plot

Earth has been destroyed by the unfathomable Armada, giant space aliens of unknown origin with an unknown purpose. Fleeing in whatever was available, humanity took to the stars in a desperate attempt to survive. Eons later, humans have split into six distinct groups who maintain a shaky alliance against the Armada.

Development

Armada was developed by Metro3D, (formerly Metropolis Digital, Inc.) and was announced in mid-1998 as an online game.[2] The company had previously developed a space-themed, real-time strategy game titled Star Command: Revolution.[3] In May 1999, the game was revealed to be a massively multiplayer online role-playing game in development for the Sega Dreamcast.[4][5] The game was planned to be released as a launch title for the console on September 9, 1999, but was delayed until late September or early October of that year.[6] The game was delayed again with a projected shipment the week of November 19.[7] Armada was finally made available at retail on November 26, 1999, the day following Thanksgiving.[1] At one time Armada had been scheduled to be released in Japan along with Dark Angel: Vampire Apocalypse in 2000,[8] but both games never made their release in Japanese stores for reasons unknown.

Reception

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[9] Greg Orlando of NextGen said, "As a solitary experience, Armada's RPG elements make the game worth a look – and maybe a second one, too. These unfriendly skies (and galaxies), however, are really meant to be traversed in the company of others."[18]

The D-Pad Destroyer of GamePro said that the game was "a Dreamcast shooter fan's dream, and it recalls the classics of the genre, like Asteroids, Xevious and a touch of R-Type. Hardcore shooter fans might be put off by its wide-open, non-level-based structure, but anyone who likes a little bad-guy-blastin' action should at least give Armada a rent."[20][lower-alpha 2] In another GamePro review, Lamchop said that the game "features passable sound and adequate control, though it doesn't take advantage of the Dreamcast's power in many areas. Still, Armada is compelling enough to keep you up until 2:00 am [sic] trying to finish the next mission."[21][lower-alpha 3]

The game was a nominee for "Console Action Game of the Year" during the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, which ultimately was given to Crazy Taxi.[22]

Legacy

Armada F/X Racers for the Game Boy Color, a racing game which takes place in the same universe as Armada, was developed by Metro3D and released in 2000.[23] A direct sequel to Armada was under development, originally for the Dreamcast, then for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 under various titles including Armada II, Armada's Revenge, Armada 2: Exodus, and Armada 2: Star Command.[24][25][26][27] However, due to repeated delays and redesigns along with limited resources, the game was canceled after spending over four years in varying degrees of development.[28]

In early 2005, EvStream, an independent game development studio formed by former Metro3D members, purchased the rights for Armada. An online continuation titled Armada Online has been announced and is under development by Roger Fang and Mark Jordan.[3] An alpha of the game was released.[28]

Notes
  1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the game, one critic gave it 6.5/10, two others gave it each a score of 6/10, and the other gave it 5/10.
  2. GamePro gave the game 4/5 for graphics, and three 4.5/5 scores for sound, control, and fun factor in one review.
  3. GamePro gave the game 2.5/5 for graphics, 3/5 for sound, 3.5/5 for control, and 4/5 for fun factor in another review.

References
  1. Gantayat, Anoop (November 23, 1999). "Armada Ships to Stores". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  2. IGN staff (June 30, 1998). "News Archives: Week of June 28, 1998". IGN. Independent. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  3. Sikora, Drew (January 25, 2007). "Interviews: EvStream". GameDev.net. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  4. IGN staff (May 14, 1999). "First Impressions: Armada". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  5. Justice, Brandon (December 2, 1999). "Armada". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  6. Gantayat, Anoop (August 23, 1999). "Armada Misses DC Launch". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  7. Justice, Brandon (November 3, 1999). "Armada to See Slight Delay". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  8. Gantayat, Anoop (December 9, 1999). "Metro 3D's Titles Set for Japanese release". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  9. "Armada for Dreamcast Reviews". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  10. Licata, Jonathan. "Armada - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  11. Boyer, Crispin; Smith, Shawn; Hsu, Dan "Shoe"; Davison, John (February 2000). "Armada" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 127. Ziff Davis. p. 173. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  12. Lopez, Miguel (January 8, 2000). "Armada". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on September 21, 2004. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  13. McNamara, Andy (February 2000). "Armada - Dreamcast". Game Informer. No. 82. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  14. Rodriguez, Tyrone "Cerberus" (February 2000). "Armada". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 2. Shinno Media. p. 43. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  15. Colin (December 1999). "Armada Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  16. Bartholow, Peter (December 9, 1999). "Armada Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  17. Bowen, Kevin (January 3, 2000). "Armada". PlanetDreamcast. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  18. Orlando, Greg (February 2000). "Armada". NextGen. No. 62. Imagine Media. p. 92. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  19. Moehnke, Mike (2012). "Armada - Staff Retroview". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  20. The D-Pad Destroyer (December 14, 1999). "Armada Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG. Archived from the original on November 13, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  21. Lamchop (February 2000). "Armada" (PDF). GamePro. No. 137. IDG. p. 112. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  22. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards: Console". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  23. Harris, Craig (February 29, 2000). "Armada F/X Racers (Preview)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  24. Chau, Anthony (March 20, 2001). "Metro3D Cancels Dreamcast Titles". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  25. Perry, Douglass C. (April 6, 2000). "Metro 3D Brings Armada 2 to PS2". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  26. "In Development". Metro3D, Inc. Archived from the original on February 10, 2001. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  27. Ahmed, Shahed (January 19, 2001). "Metro 3D Discusses Next-Gen Development Plans". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 24, 2001. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  28. Goldstein, Hilary (February 1, 2007). "Missing in Action: The Lost Games of Xbox". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
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