Codename: Tenka

The weapon design differs from similar games of the time in that instead of the player character acquiring stronger more powerful weapons to add to an accumulated arsenal, weapon modifications are picked up and added to the same weapon (known as the "Self-Generating Polymorphic armoury", or SG-26) and switched between as necessary.

Lifeforce Tenka takes place in a future where a multinational conglomerate, Trojan Incorporated, is in the process of performing presumably unethical genetic experiments. Joseph D. Tenka, the protagonist, discovers the corporation's nefarious activities and sets about bringing them and their genetically engineered army down.

Development on the game began in earnest in January 1995. The graphics in the game were created using Softimage 3D. With Softimage as the construction tool, the programmers additionally wrote a suite of custom Softimage scene extraction utilities. Since the PlayStation cannot perform perspective correct texture mapping, what senior programmer Martin Linklater called "a dynamic multistage clipping and meshing system" was incorporated in Lifeforce Tenka's graphics engine in order to reduce the effect of warping textures.

The development team opted to make the game single-player only. Linklater explained: "The current design for the game does not lend itself to a two-player game. We have chosen to concentrate on a single-player game - which would be the most played version anyway".

The PlayStation version received above-average reviews. Many magazines, including Game Informer, gave it positive to mixed reviews while the game was still in development. Critics deemed the graphics technically impressive due to the lighting effects and polygonal enemies, but some found them overly dark, making most of the levels appear the same. Most also stated that the game simply did not offer enough new gameplay elements to make it stand out from previous first person shooters.

just when you feel like swearing, some ugly mutant charges you, and the ensuing adrenaline rush reminds you why you play video games. Tenka is trigger-happy fun." In addition, critics universally praised the bizarre and often gruesome enemy designs. Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly stated in an early review that "the spider-head bad guys will give you nightmares", though he and his three co-reviewers said the game overall lacks excitement and variety.