Action

Starship Troopers [PC PSX – Cancelled]

In 1997 / 1998 Spectrum Holobyte was working on an action game based on the Starship Troopers license, that would have been published by Microprose for PC and Playstation, but it was later cancelled. This project was really different from the 2000 released Starship Troopers game, that was instead developed by Blue Tongue. The producer  of the 1998 version was named Simon Finch, who is not in the credits of the 2000 game. In 1996 Microprose / Spectrum Holobyte signed a contract with Sony over the development of several games based on Starship Troopers, but in the end only one was released.

The first in the series of four games is in development under the MicroProse brand for Windows 95 which will be followed by a Sony PlayStation game console version. […]

“As we build our merchandising program for the upcoming theatrical release of Starship Troopers, we felt it would be natural to develop a thrilling multimedia game based on this high action film,” said Scardino. “Through our new relationship with Spectrum Holobyte, we are confident that they will create an innovative game which will appeal to the consumer marketplace.”

As we can read at Economypoint:

Although the [Starship Troopers license] purchase was celebrated at that time of MicroProse as large success, MicroProse drew the enterprise downward. Mismanagement and bad firm politics affected additionally creativity and work of the developers. One had to accept larger losses than before. 1997 were temporarily stabilized the financial situation by high incomes, but they came too late, in order to still save the enterprise. The enterprise was bought up 1998 by Hasbro Interactive, which fired thereafter the flight simulation team already briefly.

It seems that Hasbro decided to cancel Spectrum Holobyte’s Starship Troopers game for economic reasons.

Thanks to derboo for the scans!

Images: 

Hammer vs. Evil D. in Soulfire [Sega Mega CD – Cancelled]

Hammer vs. Evil D. in Soulfire” is a cancelled action game based on MC Hammer, an American rapper most popular during the late 1980s until the mid-1990s. The game was in development by GTE Entertainment and it would have been published by Sega for their Mega CD add-on for the Genesis / Mega Drive, but for some reasons it was never released. We don’t even know much about “Hammer vs. Evil D. in Soulfire”‘s gameplay and only a short video can be seen in the videos below (second one at 03:45). If you know someone that worked on this game, please let us know!

Thanks to myfishbone and Calvin  for the contribution! First video from GrooveRaider‘s “Sega Welcome To The Next Level 1994” video.

Videos:

 

Gunhead [X360 PS3 – Pitch / Cancelled?]

Gunhead is an action game that was in development by Electronic Arts Vancouver, but very little is known about this project other than a few concept arts that were leaked and posted in gaming forums in december 2009. It seems that Gunhead was an internal pitch at EA that will never see a release, as we can assume from the following quote published on Blue’s News:

On the off chance you were interested in more info on this EA project, the gist of it is that the main character is a guy whose head is a gun. That’s it,” he tells us. “EA has been trying to get this game made for ages now. … It was a pretty lame idea, and we had no real interest in developing it for them. Every so often, I hear it pop up here and there, and it makes me laugh that they are still trying. I really must wonder who’s baby the idea is for it to not have died a well deserved death yet…

The concept arts look really nice, so we can hope that more screens or videos could be preserved in the future.

Thanks to Hey Hey for the contribution!

Images: 

Warlock: The Game [SNES MD GEN – Beta]

Warlock: The Game was released in 1994 on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. Developed by Trimark Interactive and published by Acclaim Entertainment, an advertisement for the game found on the VHS of Warlock: The Armageddon (which the game takes most of the story elements from) shows slower game play and a smoother animated player sprite. There are some beta versions on internet.

Article by James Reed

Videos:

 

Star Wars Battlefront 2 [PSP – Beta / Unused]

A number of things were taken out of the port of the second Battlefront game to the PSP. However, game modder Broadus managed to uncover this material, which was not present in the final game, but left in the game’s coding. Seven levels were not available in the final game: Coruscant, Geonosis, Utapau, Jabba’s Palace, Felucia, Kamino and the Death Star. The last three of these are not playable, whilst Jabba’s Palace loads but remains unplayable as well.

Geonosis: available in later games such as Renegade Squadron, this vast level includes usable vehicles and gun turrets.

Utapau: again, a large and complex level, with vehicles for both sides.

Coruscant: the main Jedi temple, which is very reminiscent of the level in Force Unleashed. Playable Jedi characters were supposed to be available.

Jabba’s Palace: includes the Rancor pit.


Death Star: unusuable, according to Boardus, but the above loading screens seem to indicate the tractor beam control area.

No screens exist for Felucia or Kamino at present. Thanks to M!573R_X for the screenshots. More screenshots by Schnippshly can be found here. Article by Cybertriffid!

Some gameplay videos are on YouTube:

Geonosis:

Coruscant: