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Breed (video game)
Encyclopedia
Breed is a squad
based, science-fiction video game developed by Brat Designs and published by cdv Software Entertainment. The game was released in the U.S. and Europe in March and April 2004 for the PC and Mac.
's population have left their home world and formed colonies on the world's of the Besalius binary star
system. All seemed peaceful in these fledgling colonies but as the last shuttle arrived in 2602 they were attacked by a terrifying alien
race that would be nicknamed "The Breed". These attacks seemed to be random with little or no thought or logic
, but they were devastating nevertheless. Under such an assault the colonies had no choice but to send out a distress call to Earth
.
In 2603 Earth
's collective military
, known as the United Space
Corps, mobilized a formidable fleet of attack cruisers in answer to the growing Breed threat, putting their very best and brightest at the helm. These ships now made a year-long trip to the Besalius System – hoping that they would not arrive too late.
Every cruiser was equipped with the latest technology and weapons, as well as being fully stocked with a complement of ground assault vehicles and fighter craft. Within their vast hulls, each cruiser also housed an array of genetic
gestation pods, capable of growing a constant supply of ground forces – known as grunts (Genetically Revived Universal Tactical Sentient). Fiercely loyal, bred for combat and totally expendable, the Grunts were the hardened backbone of the USC military
.
After their year-long journey the fleet arrived at Besalius in 2604 and swiftly engaged the Breed presence across the system. The battle was long and hard, as the Breed did not give up the system without a fight; their lack of intelligence was more than compensated by their ferocious nature in battle. This conflict with the Breed would come to be known as the Colony War.
The humans resources were drastically drained during this rigorous fight and the USC forces are stretched to breaking point. In 2624 the USC forces claimed victory in Besalius, but it was not without cost – the colonies had been devastated and the fleet badly damaged to a point that only the USC Darwin was capable of making the journey back to Earth. Captained by Saul Richter (A legend
now with over two hundred victories against the Breed under his belt) war weary and battle scarred, the ship and remaining crew began their return journey.
In 2625 that the victorious veterans of Besalius finally returned home expecting a heroes' welcome. Instead, the crew of the Darwin found their world on fire, that in their 20-year absence, the Breed had conquered Earth
. The Colony War on Besalius was nothing more than a diversionary tactic – a plan to pull the bulk of Earth's defense forces away, leaving it ripe for invasion. The human
population had been enslaved or devastated, the survivors had been enslaved by the Breed in forced labor camps.
But humankind was not quite ready to go into the darkness just yet. The USC Darwin quickly moved into orbit around the Earth and remained there under the cover of a cloaking device. Captain Richter began to order "surgical strikes" upon key enemy targets. The Breed were still recovering from their war on Earth and had not yet regrouped their infrastructure. As such, they could not organize a solid defense against such subterfuge. Eventually the crew of the Darwin managed to link up with the human resistance under the command of one Carla Alvarez, their charismatic leader. Between the hidden USC Darwin and Carla's fighters the desperate soldiers only hoped that they could turn the tide, and one day win back Earth for the human race.
. The gameplay could be compared to Halo
but is closer to the Rainbow Six
game series, or Star Wars Republic Commando
.
Squad
s can be commanded into various formations or ordered to regroup, ceasefire and various other commands. Squad members can share ammunition and heal one another. They can also fix vehicles or be left on top of a mountain (for example) to provide cover for other members. Breed's squad-based gameplay is along the lines of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
, allowing players to choose which squad member to play as and switch between squad members in the middle of combat. In this respect, players can choose to tackle many of the missions in several different ways.
The player shoots his way through numerous enemies and completes mission objectives given to them by the commander. Levels consist of wide-open areas, obstacles such as roads, bridges and cliffs as well as extended flight sequences using the vehicles. Although mission waypoints are marked it's often up to the player to realize strategies that don't include an obvious line of sight approach.
The player's view is usually from that of a first-person perspective, but can also be switched to a third person view. There is a heads-up display which shows the player's ammunition count, armor, and equipped weapon, as well as a compass and squad commands. The player can carry two weapons at a time and there is a wide selection of weapons at one's disposal, everything from energy weapons like plasma cannons to your standard assault rifle and a few exotic alien
weapons. There are also a range of vehicles such as an APC
, jeep, and a space fighter which can be used at certain points in the game. Friendly gun emplacements can be used, such as the guns on the drop ship. Enemy gun emplacements can also be captured and used to your advantage. The single player AI
can be left to control emplacements to give you covering fire. In a few instances players can pilot an aircraft from outer space
, head through the Earth's atmosphere, then continue their journey down to the planet
's surface. Breed's 'gameplay kernel' allows various aspects of a mission to be played out simultaneously in space or on the planet itself.
Online play includes several maps to choose from. There are Team, Melee and standard Deathmatch
modes. Many maps include vehicles. In all, 16 players can play on any given map, but there is no bot AI
included.
The identity of the commander who gives orders is never clearly stated (he may be assumed to be Captain Richter). At one point, in the cycling demo at the beginning of the game, the commander is heard to remark "War...what is it good for..?" and his dialogue includes other humorous references revealing the satirical slant to elements of the game. Although these elements are not included in the game play itself, which is more serious. Other characters who appear are a soldier in a wheel chair who the commander gives a satirical speech to in the title sequence, and characters like resistance fighters.
The player can control 3 different squad members, the grunt, sniper, and a heavy gunner, although this changes in later missions to include a missile specialist. Each squad-member is equipped with different weapons and can be controlled at any given time throughout a mission. The grunt, the character with whom the player begins the game, is usually armed with a standard assault rifle and shotgun but can also pick up other weapons. The sniper carries a sniper rifle and assault rifle, though this is sometimes replaced by a silenced sub-machinegun. The heavy gunner is armed with a large four-barreled minigun
for suppressive fire. One can also be an engineer or a medic.
The game was badly received in the community, but some reviews praise elements of the game.
Although information seems to be scant, a dispute seems to have erupted between the developers, Brat Designs, and the distributors, CDV. The developers claimed that an inferior version of the game was released by CDV. CDV claim they were supplied with a faulty release and had to bring in extra coders.
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
based, science-fiction video game developed by Brat Designs and published by cdv Software Entertainment. The game was released in the U.S. and Europe in March and April 2004 for the PC and Mac.
Storyline and plot
In the year 2600 much of the EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's population have left their home world and formed colonies on the world's of the Besalius binary star
Binary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
system. All seemed peaceful in these fledgling colonies but as the last shuttle arrived in 2602 they were attacked by a terrifying alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
race that would be nicknamed "The Breed". These attacks seemed to be random with little or no thought or logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
, but they were devastating nevertheless. Under such an assault the colonies had no choice but to send out a distress call to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
In 2603 Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's collective military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, known as the United Space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
Corps, mobilized a formidable fleet of attack cruisers in answer to the growing Breed threat, putting their very best and brightest at the helm. These ships now made a year-long trip to the Besalius System – hoping that they would not arrive too late.
Every cruiser was equipped with the latest technology and weapons, as well as being fully stocked with a complement of ground assault vehicles and fighter craft. Within their vast hulls, each cruiser also housed an array of genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
gestation pods, capable of growing a constant supply of ground forces – known as grunts (Genetically Revived Universal Tactical Sentient). Fiercely loyal, bred for combat and totally expendable, the Grunts were the hardened backbone of the USC military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
.
After their year-long journey the fleet arrived at Besalius in 2604 and swiftly engaged the Breed presence across the system. The battle was long and hard, as the Breed did not give up the system without a fight; their lack of intelligence was more than compensated by their ferocious nature in battle. This conflict with the Breed would come to be known as the Colony War.
The humans resources were drastically drained during this rigorous fight and the USC forces are stretched to breaking point. In 2624 the USC forces claimed victory in Besalius, but it was not without cost – the colonies had been devastated and the fleet badly damaged to a point that only the USC Darwin was capable of making the journey back to Earth. Captained by Saul Richter (A legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
now with over two hundred victories against the Breed under his belt) war weary and battle scarred, the ship and remaining crew began their return journey.
In 2625 that the victorious veterans of Besalius finally returned home expecting a heroes' welcome. Instead, the crew of the Darwin found their world on fire, that in their 20-year absence, the Breed had conquered Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. The Colony War on Besalius was nothing more than a diversionary tactic – a plan to pull the bulk of Earth's defense forces away, leaving it ripe for invasion. The human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
population had been enslaved or devastated, the survivors had been enslaved by the Breed in forced labor camps.
But humankind was not quite ready to go into the darkness just yet. The USC Darwin quickly moved into orbit around the Earth and remained there under the cover of a cloaking device. Captain Richter began to order "surgical strikes" upon key enemy targets. The Breed were still recovering from their war on Earth and had not yet regrouped their infrastructure. As such, they could not organize a solid defense against such subterfuge. Eventually the crew of the Darwin managed to link up with the human resistance under the command of one Carla Alvarez, their charismatic leader. Between the hidden USC Darwin and Carla's fighters the desperate soldiers only hoped that they could turn the tide, and one day win back Earth for the human race.
Gameplay
Breed is a squad-based first-person shooterFirst-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
. The gameplay could be compared to Halo
Halo (series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
but is closer to the Rainbow Six
Rainbow Six
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six is a media franchise created by American author Tom Clancy about a fictional international counter-terrorist unit called "Rainbow." The franchise began with Clancy's novel Rainbow Six, which was adapted into a successful series of tactical first-person shooter video games.-...
game series, or Star Wars Republic Commando
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Star Wars: Republic Commando is a first-person shooter Star Wars video game, released in the US on March 1, 2005. It was developed and published by LucasArts for the Microsoft Windows and Xbox platforms. The game uses Epic Games' Unreal Engine...
.
Squad
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
s can be commanded into various formations or ordered to regroup, ceasefire and various other commands. Squad members can share ammunition and heal one another. They can also fix vehicles or be left on top of a mountain (for example) to provide cover for other members. Breed's squad-based gameplay is along the lines of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is a first-person shooter video game in the Battlefield series, developed by Digital Illusions CE. Modern Combat is the first Battlefield game for video game consoles....
, allowing players to choose which squad member to play as and switch between squad members in the middle of combat. In this respect, players can choose to tackle many of the missions in several different ways.
The player shoots his way through numerous enemies and completes mission objectives given to them by the commander. Levels consist of wide-open areas, obstacles such as roads, bridges and cliffs as well as extended flight sequences using the vehicles. Although mission waypoints are marked it's often up to the player to realize strategies that don't include an obvious line of sight approach.
The player's view is usually from that of a first-person perspective, but can also be switched to a third person view. There is a heads-up display which shows the player's ammunition count, armor, and equipped weapon, as well as a compass and squad commands. The player can carry two weapons at a time and there is a wide selection of weapons at one's disposal, everything from energy weapons like plasma cannons to your standard assault rifle and a few exotic alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
weapons. There are also a range of vehicles such as an APC
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
, jeep, and a space fighter which can be used at certain points in the game. Friendly gun emplacements can be used, such as the guns on the drop ship. Enemy gun emplacements can also be captured and used to your advantage. The single player AI
Ai
AI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
can be left to control emplacements to give you covering fire. In a few instances players can pilot an aircraft from outer space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
, head through the Earth's atmosphere, then continue their journey down to the planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
's surface. Breed's 'gameplay kernel' allows various aspects of a mission to be played out simultaneously in space or on the planet itself.
Online play includes several maps to choose from. There are Team, Melee and standard Deathmatch
Deathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
modes. Many maps include vehicles. In all, 16 players can play on any given map, but there is no bot AI
Ai
AI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
included.
Characters
Breed's characters are mostly anonymous but are introduced at the beginning of the first mission as "Sniper", "Grunt", and "Heavy Gunner".The identity of the commander who gives orders is never clearly stated (he may be assumed to be Captain Richter). At one point, in the cycling demo at the beginning of the game, the commander is heard to remark "War...what is it good for..?" and his dialogue includes other humorous references revealing the satirical slant to elements of the game. Although these elements are not included in the game play itself, which is more serious. Other characters who appear are a soldier in a wheel chair who the commander gives a satirical speech to in the title sequence, and characters like resistance fighters.
The player can control 3 different squad members, the grunt, sniper, and a heavy gunner, although this changes in later missions to include a missile specialist. Each squad-member is equipped with different weapons and can be controlled at any given time throughout a mission. The grunt, the character with whom the player begins the game, is usually armed with a standard assault rifle and shotgun but can also pick up other weapons. The sniper carries a sniper rifle and assault rifle, though this is sometimes replaced by a silenced sub-machinegun. The heavy gunner is armed with a large four-barreled minigun
Minigun
The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire , employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source...
for suppressive fire. One can also be an engineer or a medic.
Reception
Some have criticized its lack of depth as well as inefficient storytelling elements.The game was badly received in the community, but some reviews praise elements of the game.
Controversy
There is more than one version of the game. The re-released "XPlosiv" version does not seem to suffer from the same problems that the original version suffered from. (constant crashes, slow loading times)Although information seems to be scant, a dispute seems to have erupted between the developers, Brat Designs, and the distributors, CDV. The developers claimed that an inferior version of the game was released by CDV. CDV claim they were supplied with a faulty release and had to bring in extra coders.
See also
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow SixTom Clancy's Rainbow SixTom Clancy's Rainbow Six is a tactical shooter computer game and the first in the Rainbow Six series. It was developed and published by Red Storm Entertainment for the PC in 1998. It was later ported to Mac OS, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Dreamcast and Game Boy Color. An expansion pack, Tom Clancy's...
- Operation Flashpoint
- Space Hulk
- Star Wars Republic CommandoStar Wars: Republic CommandoStar Wars: Republic Commando is a first-person shooter Star Wars video game, released in the US on March 1, 2005. It was developed and published by LucasArts for the Microsoft Windows and Xbox platforms. The game uses Epic Games' Unreal Engine...
- Muzzle VelocityMuzzle Velocity (computer game)Muzzle Velocity was a computer tactical wargame released by Digi4fun in 1997. The program was a unique hybrid of standard two-dimension map-based tactical gaming, and first person action. It is set in World War II...
- Armoured Fist 3