Broken Helix

PlayStation exclusive

Broken Helix is a third-person shooter game developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation in 1997. The game boasts "4-D" real time gameplay, allowing the player to activate and deactivate certain objects in later levels of the game. It also has four plot lines, allowing the player to finish the game in four different ways.

Released: 31 May 1997
Platforms: PlayStation
Genres: Science Third-person shooter
Developers: Konami
Publishers: Konami
Modes: Single-player
Themes: Action Science fiction
Country: United States
Age ratings: ESRB M

About

Broken Helix is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation. It was marketed as featuring "4-D" gameplay, referencing the fact that the game's events all unfold in real time (time is sometimes referred to as the fourth dimension). This allows the player to activate and deactivate certain objects in later levels of the game. It also has four plot lines, allowing the player to finish the game in four different ways.

Keywords

aliens
multiple endings
alien invasion
boss fight
voice acting
polygonal 3d
upgradeable weapons
branching storyline

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Story

The game takes place in the year 2026 in a fictitious version of Area 51. The main character is explosives expert Jake Burton of the Marine division, voiced by Bruce Campbell. His father worked at this top-secret military base when Jake was nine years old. He had "died in a plane crash on his way to work 15 years ago, along with 10 other scientists."

After Jake's father's death, the government denied any existence of Area 51. Jake got orders via telephone from a man who would not give his name, but said he knew Jake's father very well. Jake was deployed and the game begins.

Reception

Broken Helix received mixed reviews, with critics generally praising the story progression but criticizing the gameplay and graphics. The most common complaint was that the grainy polygons, poor lighting, and rigid over-the-shoulder perspective often make it difficult for players to see what they're doing. Some critics also cited control issues, and a review published in both IGN and Next Generation (with minor changes between the publications) reported that the detection on the cameras is faulty, occasionally resulting in an immediate game over without the player having made any mistakes.

Reviews generally praised the game's humor, particularly Bruce Campbell's deadpan delivery, though Next Generation and Shawn Smith of Electronic Gaming Monthly both said that all the non-Campbell voices are overacted and annoying.