Alien Breed

Alien Breed is Team17’s 1991 top-down shooter for the Amiga, and one of the most loved action games on the system. Designed by Rico Holmes with music by Allister Brimble, it was heavily inspired by the film Aliens and later ported to DOS and the Amiga CD32.

It’s 2191, and the research station ISRC-4 has stopped responding. Officers Johnson and Stone are sent to investigate and find the station overrun by aliens.

Gameplay

Alien Breed is about tension as much as action. You make your way through dark corridors full of aliens, looking for keys, credits and the lift to the next deck, while ammo and keys always seem to run short.

• Two-player co-op: Play together on the same screen.
• Keys: Doors need keys, and you must decide which doors to open.
• Intex terminals: Buy weapons, ammo and maps, and read station logs.
• Self-destruct: Some levels force you to escape before the station explodes.
• Bosses: Huge aliens wait in enclosed areas.

The graphics are moody and detailed, and the sound is excellent, from the menacing music to the sampled warnings. The DOS version was widely criticised for bugs, but the Amiga original is a classic.

Verdict

Alien Breed is a tense, atmospheric shooter and one of the best Amiga games. It’s tough, and the key system can be frustrating, but its atmosphere and co-op mode are excellent. CU Amiga gave it 90%, and it spawned a series of sequels.