Ghen War
Encyclopedia
is a first-person shooter
video game for the Sega Saturn
console. It was developed by Jumpin' Jack Software and published by Sega
in 1995. The game centers around a member of a mining
crew, with an artificial powered exoskeleton resembling a power-loader
. The crew, specifically the protagonist, must fight off a once-friendly alien
race known as the Ghen, who suddenly turn on the humans.
, years after an armada
of aliens known as the Ghen made contact with human beings. The Ghen are seeking refuge from an inter-galactic war with a super race
known as the Bo-Kyat.
In exchange for their aid, human beings were given major advancements in science and technology, including a device that makes them immune to all disease
. The Ghen also assist humans in locating materials on other planets through the creation of the Sunstar Solar Exploration Station.
The exploration team, composed of humans led by a man named Jenners, and Ghen led by Commander Zimon, is harvesting minerals on Titan
when the story begins. For reasons unknown, Zimon orders his Ghen to enter their spacecraft
and take off. Boxhead, a human scientist, informs Jenners that there is "stronium" activity (a presumably fictional material) nearby. After hearing that the Ghen have left, Jenner orders everyone back to the ship, including the 'Lieutenant' (the protagonist
), in his exoskeleton.
The human team (including their pilot Gina and wise-cracking Akira) take off in their own ship, the Da Vinci, and try to make contact with the Sunstar station. The Ghen attack and destroy the station before turning their attention to the human ship. The humans manage to escape but soon begin a mission of disabling Ghen stronium reactors and thwarting their attacks, with the help of the Lieutenant and his exoskeleton.
that takes place from within a powered loader, equipped with various tools / weapons which it uses to fight off the Ghen. Most of the games information and HUD
are displayed along the roll-bar
of the hyper-suit.
The game features 20 levels in six different locations, including Venus
, Mars
, Deimos
, and the moon
. There are also two locations on Earth: Australia
and NORAD.
Among its guns and missiles, the hyper-suit has unique features such as a claw
-manipulator and the ability to cast a decoy
suit, which attracts enemy attention.
Ghen War featured an early example of deformable terrain. Firing your weapons into a mountain would cause the mountain to wear away, much like explosions would cause craters and other similar effects.
.
The soundtrack of the game changes dynamically to meet the action taking place within the level.
The opening menu features a licensed song by the Bygone Dogs, who also did the soundtrack for Cyber Speedway
.
.
Game Revolution
gave it a C+.
First-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...
video game for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
console. It was developed by Jumpin' Jack Software and published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
in 1995. The game centers around a member of a mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
crew, with an artificial powered exoskeleton resembling a power-loader
Loader (equipment)
A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material into or onto another type of machinery .-Heavy equipment front loaders:A loader A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material (such as asphalt,...
. The crew, specifically the protagonist, must fight off a once-friendly alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
race known as the Ghen, who suddenly turn on the humans.
Story
The game takes place in the futureFuture
The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
, years after an armada
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
of aliens known as the Ghen made contact with human beings. The Ghen are seeking refuge from an inter-galactic war with a super race
Super race
A super race is a future race of improved humans that it is proposed be created from present day human beings by deploying various means such as eugenics, genetic engineering, yoga, or nanotechnology and brain-computer interfacing to accelerate the process of human evolution.-Aryan super race:The...
known as the Bo-Kyat.
In exchange for their aid, human beings were given major advancements in science and technology, including a device that makes them immune to all disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
. The Ghen also assist humans in locating materials on other planets through the creation of the Sunstar Solar Exploration Station.
The exploration team, composed of humans led by a man named Jenners, and Ghen led by Commander Zimon, is harvesting minerals on Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
when the story begins. For reasons unknown, Zimon orders his Ghen to enter their spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
and take off. Boxhead, a human scientist, informs Jenners that there is "stronium" activity (a presumably fictional material) nearby. After hearing that the Ghen have left, Jenner orders everyone back to the ship, including the 'Lieutenant' (the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
), in his exoskeleton.
The human team (including their pilot Gina and wise-cracking Akira) take off in their own ship, the Da Vinci, and try to make contact with the Sunstar station. The Ghen attack and destroy the station before turning their attention to the human ship. The humans manage to escape but soon begin a mission of disabling Ghen stronium reactors and thwarting their attacks, with the help of the Lieutenant and his exoskeleton.
Gameplay
Ghen War is a 3D 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...
that takes place from within a powered loader, equipped with various tools / weapons which it uses to fight off the Ghen. Most of the games information and HUD
HUD (video gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
are displayed along the roll-bar
Roll cage
A roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
of the hyper-suit.
The game features 20 levels in six different locations, including Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
, Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, Deimos
Deimos (moon)
Deimos is the smaller and outer of Mars's two moons . It is named after Deimos, a figure representing dread in Greek Mythology. Its systematic designation is '.-Discovery:Deimos was discovered by Asaph Hall, Sr...
, and the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
. There are also two locations on Earth: Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and NORAD.
Among its guns and missiles, the hyper-suit has unique features such as a claw
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
-manipulator and the ability to cast a decoy
Decoy
A decoy is usually a person, device or event meant as a distraction, to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for. Decoys have been used for centuries most notably in game hunting, but also in wartime and in the committing or resolving of crimes.-Duck decoy:The term duck decoy may...
suit, which attracts enemy attention.
Ghen War featured an early example of deformable terrain. Firing your weapons into a mountain would cause the mountain to wear away, much like explosions would cause craters and other similar effects.
Audio and Visuals
The story of Ghen War is told through a series of cut-scenes, done mostly in full motion videoFull motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
.
The soundtrack of the game changes dynamically to meet the action taking place within the level.
The opening menu features a licensed song by the Bygone Dogs, who also did the soundtrack for Cyber Speedway
Cyber Speedway
Cyber Speedway is a 1995 racing video game developed by NexTech and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn console....
.
Reception
The game received a 4.87 out of 10 from Electronic Gaming MonthlyElectronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
.
Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
gave it a C+.