BioTech: Liberator is a cancelled first person action game in development around 1998 by australian studio Beam Software (AKA Infogrames / Atari Melbourne House and Krome Studios Melbourne), planned to be published on Playstation and PC. Previously the same studio developed and released KKND2: Krossfire for PC and Playstation.
BioTech: Liberator was quite original for its time, with players using morphing mechs / vehicles to resolve different missions in a strange gameplay mix between “Soviet Strike”, “Blast Corps” and Lemmings. Some details about the project can be found in an old press-release:
“You’re stuck in a steaming alien jungle with nothing but your own sweat for company. The enemy has a lock on your position and they’re rapidly closing in. Your shields are down to 14%, you’ve got just two guided missiles left in your BioTech Assault Tank, and if you stay put you’re dead meat. So, what are you going to do? Panic and start crying? Or do you get a little creative… ?
In BioTech: Liberator you take control of a single combat vehicle, but one capable of morphing into widely differing forms, providing you’re carrying the relevant Transform Pod to make the change. Each form has its own unique abilities and weapons and since you’re up against an entire planet of warmongering nasties, you’ll be needing them all if you want to get out of there in one piece.
It’s partly about blowing the enemy into gooey, bite-sized chunks, but it’s also about using the different forms of the biotech vehicle to the best effect – transformations are limited. Much as we hate to use other games as a point of reference, think Soviet StrikeTM meets Blast CorpsTM, with just a pinch of LemmingsTM. In short, a killer mix of strategic problem solving, white-knuckled action and hefty explosions!
Key Features are:
- A wide range of unique and awesome weapons, a deadly enemy and fiendish puzzles to solve
- Fully deformable true 3D landscape – if you don’t like the way something looks, blow it up!
- Multiple 2 player modes. Choose from Deathmatch, Conquer and Chase variations
- Support for force feedback devices
Some more details were found in a Russian website:
The game consists of at least 30 missions (20 standard, 5 bonus and a few secret ones), which often require not only shooting, but also finding items, saving hostages, capturing enemy bases, and much more.
BioTech: Liberator was planned to be released in 1999, but the same year the studio was sold to Infogrames. It’s possible that Infogrames decided to cancel the game to switch resources on more safe and profitable projects, as GP 500 and Le Mans 24 Hours.
If you know someone who worked on this lost game, please let us know!
Thanks to Visurox & Edward Kirk for the contribution!
Images:
What do you think about this unseen game? Give your vote!
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Some concept sketches, specs and other info at the old official website:
https://web.archive.org/web/20000306184717/http://www.melbournehouse.com:80/e3/biotech_e3.html
Sorry for the second post. The first concept sketch on the official website can be seen here:
https://web.archive.org/web/19990506114905/http://www.melbournehouse.com:80/e3/screenshots/biotech01.html
It doesn’t show up on the other link I posted.
Thank you Edward! I’m going to add them to the gallery :D