Bio Menace
Encyclopedia
Bio Menace is a 2D
, side-scrolling, platform
game both developed and published by Apogee Software
in 1993 for DOS
. It was built on a licensed version of id Software
's Commander Keen
game engine
, and was known as Bio Hazard during production. Apart from the engine, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.
The player controls the protagonist, Snake Logan, a top CIA
operative. Upon receiving reports of Metro City being invaded by mutants, Snake is ordered to fly recon over the city. However, after crash landing in Metro City, Snake is forced to complete his mission on foot.
Sales of the game were discontinued in 2000 due to problems with more modern operating systems.
Apogee released the game as freeware
on December 23, 2005 as a "Christmas present" and the full game can be downloaded from the Apogee website. It is likely that this decision was made due to the results of an earlier poll on the 3D Realms
forums, where visitors could pick a game they would like to see released as freeware from a list of discontinued Apogee games. See also list of commercial games released as freeware.
The object of the game is to control the main character Snake Logan through the levels of each episode killing monsters, avoiding traps, picking up powerups and bonus items and obtaining key items. Before he gets to the exit he needs to a crystal shard or keycard. To obtain one he must either rescue a hostage, or kill a boss
monster. There are exceptions in episde 2, levels 1 and 10 where he can exit without any key, hostage or boss to encounter.
Snake Logan's default weapon is a hitscan
gun that shoots regular bullets, but this can be upgraded with powerups for a full automatic, stronger bullets and plasma shots. Logan can also collect and use two sorts of hand grenades and there are mines that can be set up on floors. He also has access to secret maneuvers that require the player to do a unique keyboard seqeunce to activate one. Snake can fire a super plasma shot (sacrificing one of his health units in the process), fire six fireballs, form an electron shield and use an invicibility burst. Monsters cand take varying amounts of damage, so some require more hits than others in order to kill. Another interesting point is some monsters cannot be killed at certain intervals, or with certain weapons.
Logan only has a limited amount of health (8 units on easy mode, or 4 on medium or hard mode) that decreases as Logan takes damage from monsters or traps. He dies if this health bar reaches zero. When Logan dies he is returned to the beginning of the level, or the midway beacon if he touched it in the level before dying. Snake has only a limited number of lives
, and if he runs out the game is over. Logan can collect health kits to restore his full health, and 50 red gems or a miniature Logan to gain extra lives. The player can save the game at any time and place, but when the game is loaded the player is returned to the start of the level. Logan can also get hold of an invincilbity potion which makes him invincible to attacks and hazards for 30 seconds, but bottomless pits and giant enemies can still kill him.
An interesting feature added in the registered version is the transformer beam, which allows Snake to turn into a small mutant creature. In this form Snake is small enough to fit in tunnels that would be too small for a human. When transformed, Snake can't use his weapons, and can only defend against monsters by biting them, making combat much harder.
Other items that Logan can collect in the game include several different types of keys to open doors; bonus items that are usually hidden and are worth a varying number of points (20,000 points earns an extra life, with the point requirement doubling with each additional life); and "RoboPal", a robotic ally that flies near Logan and fires at enemies whenever Logan does. There is also one plot related item, a nuclear device, needed in episode 2 to get the good ending.
Though not a secret level, there is an Easter egg
in episode two. In the 10th level, "Specimens Lab", it is possible to enter a "Secret Door" and meet the programmers running the game "Behind the scenes". In exchange for not telling anyone, they let the player grab some goodies from their storeroom, which is filled with various items from Apogee's Bio Menace, Duke Nukem
and Commander Keen
as well as a portrait of Duke Nukem
on the wall. The programmer team can be attacked, but they are invulnerable and they retaliate.
#202 by Sandy Petersen
in the "Eye of the Monitor" column. Petersen gave the game 2 out of 5 stars.
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
, side-scrolling, platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
game both developed and published by Apogee Software
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
in 1993 for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
. It was built on a licensed version of id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
's Commander Keen
Commander Keen series
Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and assumes the identity "Commander Keen". The series was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of...
game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, and was known as Bio Hazard during production. Apart from the engine, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.
The player controls the protagonist, Snake Logan, a top CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
operative. Upon receiving reports of Metro City being invaded by mutants, Snake is ordered to fly recon over the city. However, after crash landing in Metro City, Snake is forced to complete his mission on foot.
Distribution
The game has three episodes, the first of which was released as shareware, the rest being available commercially. The episodes are:- Episode 1 - Dr. Mangle's Lab
- Episode 2 - The Hidden Lab
- Episode 3 - Master Cain
Sales of the game were discontinued in 2000 due to problems with more modern operating systems.
Apogee released the game as freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
on December 23, 2005 as a "Christmas present" and the full game can be downloaded from the Apogee website. It is likely that this decision was made due to the results of an earlier poll on the 3D Realms
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
forums, where visitors could pick a game they would like to see released as freeware from a list of discontinued Apogee games. See also list of commercial games released as freeware.
Gameplay
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
monster. There are exceptions in episde 2, levels 1 and 10 where he can exit without any key, hostage or boss to encounter.
Snake Logan's default weapon is a hitscan
Hitscan
Hitscan is a term that is used mainly in computer games. It is a test to find out what can be hit by an in-game weapon...
gun that shoots regular bullets, but this can be upgraded with powerups for a full automatic, stronger bullets and plasma shots. Logan can also collect and use two sorts of hand grenades and there are mines that can be set up on floors. He also has access to secret maneuvers that require the player to do a unique keyboard seqeunce to activate one. Snake can fire a super plasma shot (sacrificing one of his health units in the process), fire six fireballs, form an electron shield and use an invicibility burst. Monsters cand take varying amounts of damage, so some require more hits than others in order to kill. Another interesting point is some monsters cannot be killed at certain intervals, or with certain weapons.
Logan only has a limited amount of health (8 units on easy mode, or 4 on medium or hard mode) that decreases as Logan takes damage from monsters or traps. He dies if this health bar reaches zero. When Logan dies he is returned to the beginning of the level, or the midway beacon if he touched it in the level before dying. Snake has only a limited number of lives
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
, and if he runs out the game is over. Logan can collect health kits to restore his full health, and 50 red gems or a miniature Logan to gain extra lives. The player can save the game at any time and place, but when the game is loaded the player is returned to the start of the level. Logan can also get hold of an invincilbity potion which makes him invincible to attacks and hazards for 30 seconds, but bottomless pits and giant enemies can still kill him.
An interesting feature added in the registered version is the transformer beam, which allows Snake to turn into a small mutant creature. In this form Snake is small enough to fit in tunnels that would be too small for a human. When transformed, Snake can't use his weapons, and can only defend against monsters by biting them, making combat much harder.
Other items that Logan can collect in the game include several different types of keys to open doors; bonus items that are usually hidden and are worth a varying number of points (20,000 points earns an extra life, with the point requirement doubling with each additional life); and "RoboPal", a robotic ally that flies near Logan and fires at enemies whenever Logan does. There is also one plot related item, a nuclear device, needed in episode 2 to get the good ending.
Secret levels
All three episodes contain secret levels that can be accessed by collecting the secret level gems, which are usually well hidden in the levels. These levels allow Snake to collect large amounts of bonus items, gems, and lives. Snake can still die in these levels, because most of them contain monsters and other various dangers.Though not a secret level, there is an Easter egg
Easter egg
Easter eggs are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime.The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans...
in episode two. In the 10th level, "Specimens Lab", it is possible to enter a "Secret Door" and meet the programmers running the game "Behind the scenes". In exchange for not telling anyone, they let the player grab some goodies from their storeroom, which is filled with various items from Apogee's Bio Menace, Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem (computer game)
Duke Nukem is a platform game developed and published by Apogee Software , featuring the adventures of the fictional character Duke Nukem. The game was released on July 1, 1991.-Story:...
and Commander Keen
Commander Keen series
Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and assumes the identity "Commander Keen". The series was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of...
as well as a portrait of Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem (character)
Duke Nukem is a fictional character and action hero who has been the protagonist in over a dozen video games.The character first appeared in the 1991 video game Duke Nukem developed by Apogee Software...
on the wall. The programmer team can be attacked, but they are invulnerable and they retaliate.
Reception
The game was reviewed in 1994 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#202 by Sandy Petersen
Sandy Petersen
Carl Sanford Joslyn Petersen is a game designer.Petersen was born in St. Louis, Missouri and attended University of California, Berkeley, majoring in zoology....
in the "Eye of the Monitor" column. Petersen gave the game 2 out of 5 stars.
External links
- Bio Menace - Official page, including download of the game