Half-Life 2: Survivor
Encyclopedia
Half-Life 2: Survivor is an arcade game
based on the science fiction
first-person shooter
video game, Half-Life 2
. It was released on June 28, 2006 on Taito
's Type X+
arcade system, with a 32" widescreen high definition
LCD
running at 1360x768 resolution. The game's player character
is controlled with joysticks and floor pedals, and offers three game modes: Story, Battle, and Mission, each with different objectives. The game was met with a generally positive reception. Reviewers found it interesting to play the game in an arcade environment, and considered the shift to an arcade setting an excellent introduction of the Half-Life series of video games
to Japan.
s (one for each hand) and floor pedals. Three gameplay modes are available: Story, which approximates the events of the original game; Mission, which forces networked players to work cooperatively toward a goal; and Battle, which parallels the deathmatch content of the original game. Up to eight players—either local players or individuals in other networked arcades—can participate in the Battle and Mission modes.
In Story mode, players advance through partial combat scenes from the original game, following neon-lit guiding arrows. Each chapter has several levels with goals such as "Kill Combines" or "Find your way to the goal". When goals are completed, the player is taken to next level. When players finish all the levels of the chapter, the game ends. Progress can be saved on a removable card to allow the player to choose a new chapter at the next visit. Aside from the G-Man
introductory cut-scene, Half Life 2: Survivor does not incorporate any of Half-Life 2s story elements, levels, or physics-based puzzles.
In Mission mode, there are three objective maps with three difficulties: normal, hard, and super hard. Map goals include "Collect gems", "Destroy Zombie spawning points", and "Escape". A Battle mode is also available in the game. It is essentially four-on-four team match. Players can choose between two different factions: the Combine and the Human Resistance. Both factions have four classes of troops: Ranger, Soldier, Sniper, and Engineer.
and PC
releases, although the game focuses on the set pieces that characterized the original game. Half-Life 2: Survivor was first revealed to the public by Taito
in a private exhibition in Tokyo
on November 29, 2005. It was originally meant to be released in March 2006 but it was pushed back to June 28, 2006. The game is only available in Japan.
The game runs on a machine based on Taito's Type X
unit, an arcade system built with PC components, which runs on the Windows XP Embedded operating system. The game machine's cabinet uses a 32 inch LCD screen which runs at a resolution of 1360x768 pixels. The machine also has a 5.1-channel surround sound system, and it uses a smart card for storing player data. Because the game is network-enabled, players in different arcades are able to play with each other. A maximum of eight players can play in the same match; robots are used to fill in empty player slots if there are fewer than eight human players.
to an arcade setting was generally positive. Despite the shift from gameplay typical of the Half-Life series to a multi-point arcade control scheme, Eliza Gauger of Kotaku
said that she "kinda d[u]g the concept", even though it was somewhat "weird and disorienting". The video games review website, Video Games Blogger, considered the port to an arcade setting "interesting and totally unexpected", and concluded its review by commenting that the arcade game could possibly increase interest in first-person shooter video games in Japan, a country more interested in arcade games.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
based on the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
first-person shooter
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, Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
. It was released on June 28, 2006 on Taito
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
's Type X+
Taito Type X
The Taito Type X is an arcade system board released by Taito Corporation in 2004. Based on commodity PC hardware architecture, Type X is not a specification for a single set of hardware, but rather a modular platform supporting multiple hardware configurations with different levels of graphical...
arcade system, with a 32" widescreen high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
running at 1360x768 resolution. The game's player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
is controlled with joysticks and floor pedals, and offers three game modes: Story, Battle, and Mission, each with different objectives. The game was met with a generally positive reception. Reviewers found it interesting to play the game in an arcade environment, and considered the shift to an arcade setting an excellent introduction of the Half-Life series of video games
Half-Life (series)
The Half-Life series of video games share a science fiction alternate history. Nearly all of the games are first-person shooters on the GoldSource or Source engines, and most are linear, narrative, single-player titles....
to Japan.
Gameplay
Players control their movement using two joystickJoystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
s (one for each hand) and floor pedals. Three gameplay modes are available: Story, which approximates the events of the original game; Mission, which forces networked players to work cooperatively toward a goal; and Battle, which parallels the deathmatch content of the original game. Up to eight players—either local players or individuals in other networked arcades—can participate in the Battle and Mission modes.
In Story mode, players advance through partial combat scenes from the original game, following neon-lit guiding arrows. Each chapter has several levels with goals such as "Kill Combines" or "Find your way to the goal". When goals are completed, the player is taken to next level. When players finish all the levels of the chapter, the game ends. Progress can be saved on a removable card to allow the player to choose a new chapter at the next visit. Aside from the G-Man
G-Man (Half-Life)
The G-Man, voiced by Michael Shapiro, is a mysterious recurring character in the Half-Life series of first-person shooter video games. He is known to display peculiar behavior and capabilities beyond that of a normal human, and his identity and motives remain almost completely unexplained...
introductory cut-scene, Half Life 2: Survivor does not incorporate any of Half-Life 2s story elements, levels, or physics-based puzzles.
In Mission mode, there are three objective maps with three difficulties: normal, hard, and super hard. Map goals include "Collect gems", "Destroy Zombie spawning points", and "Escape". A Battle mode is also available in the game. It is essentially four-on-four team match. Players can choose between two different factions: the Combine and the Human Resistance. Both factions have four classes of troops: Ranger, Soldier, Sniper, and Engineer.
Development
The game uses content common to the XboxXbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
releases, although the game focuses on the set pieces that characterized the original game. Half-Life 2: Survivor was first revealed to the public by Taito
Taito
Taito may mean:*Taito Corporation, a Japanese developer of video game software and arcade hardware*Taito, Tokyo, a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan*Taito, also known as matai, paramount chiefs according to Fa'a Samoa...
in a private exhibition in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
on November 29, 2005. It was originally meant to be released in March 2006 but it was pushed back to June 28, 2006. The game is only available in Japan.
The game runs on a machine based on Taito's Type X
Taito Type X
The Taito Type X is an arcade system board released by Taito Corporation in 2004. Based on commodity PC hardware architecture, Type X is not a specification for a single set of hardware, but rather a modular platform supporting multiple hardware configurations with different levels of graphical...
unit, an arcade system built with PC components, which runs on the Windows XP Embedded operating system. The game machine's cabinet uses a 32 inch LCD screen which runs at a resolution of 1360x768 pixels. The machine also has a 5.1-channel surround sound system, and it uses a smart card for storing player data. Because the game is network-enabled, players in different arcades are able to play with each other. A maximum of eight players can play in the same match; robots are used to fill in empty player slots if there are fewer than eight human players.
Reception
Reception to the transposition of the Half-Life seriesHalf-Life (series)
The Half-Life series of video games share a science fiction alternate history. Nearly all of the games are first-person shooters on the GoldSource or Source engines, and most are linear, narrative, single-player titles....
to an arcade setting was generally positive. Despite the shift from gameplay typical of the Half-Life series to a multi-point arcade control scheme, Eliza Gauger of Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
said that she "kinda d[u]g the concept", even though it was somewhat "weird and disorienting". The video games review website, Video Games Blogger, considered the port to an arcade setting "interesting and totally unexpected", and concluded its review by commenting that the arcade game could possibly increase interest in first-person shooter video games in Japan, a country more interested in arcade games.