Coded Arms: Contagion
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Cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Creat Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation Portable |
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| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer (8 players) |
Coded Arms: Contagion is the 2007 sequel to Coded Arms, a first-person shooter by Creat Studios.
Gameplay
The gameplay is similar to the first game, Coded Arms. However, this time player has only 13 levels (and a training) with no random geometry, plus challenges which are available upon completion of a level. Full Motion Videos, storyline and much bigger landscapes are present. The player has to collect special point to upgrade his armor, health, and weapons. A new feature is included: the ability to hack computer panels, doors and turrets (similar to Bioshock). The game's levels are divided into three portions: Industrial Zone, Military Zone, and A.I.D.A. Core. The only step back (compared to the previous title) is the absence of ragdoll physics.
Story
Special forces major Grant is part of an elite unit brought in to test and analyze the effectiveness of the reconfigured A.I.D.A. combat simulation program. After spreading aggressively through Earth's networks, and absorbing all the information it encountered, it turned into a program that required users to completely digitize their personalities to jack in, risking their lives for access to the rich cache of data. After a massive undertaking, A.I.D.A. has finally been contained.
Its code rewritten, the program is once again restricted for use in military training exercises. Active testing is in progress as the final touches are being applied to bring the system back online. At first, everything about the operation is routine, but it soon appears that the program is not stable. Grant, trapped in A.I.D.A. and guided by General Clark, has to locate the missing Bravo Team and defeat the new menace: a viral outbreak that corrupts every date encountered, caused by a group known only as "Maelstrom".
Missions
- 0 - Tutorial
A.I.D.A. System Integration: Training for basic movement, weapons, hacking, and HUD logistics within a virtual environment. There General Clark helps Grant to get used to the virtual environment.
- 1 - Plug In
Major Grant enters A.I.D.A.'s Industrial Zone simulation to rendezvous with Bravo Team and commence testing of the system's training exercises, fighting virtual armed combatants.
- 2 - Connection Lost
Upon completing the initial training exercises, Grant proceeds to the next sector of the Industrial Zone to await further orders and meet the Bravo Team. However, Bravo Team mysteriously disappear, and Grant ventures further to locate them.
- 3 - Dead Sector
After losing communications with Colonel Thorn of Bravo Team, Grant investigates a strange anomaly detected in the Industrial Zone that may lead to Bravo team's whereabouts. The anomaly is revealed to be a major viral outbreak which corrupts A.I.D.A. and infests it with deadly insect-like enemies. A powerful Gatekeeper humanoid mech is fought there for the first time.
- 4 - Locked in
With the threat of contagion spreading through the Industrial Zone, General Clark orders the lockdown of the sector and Grant prepares for emergency extraction from A.I.D.A. However, the Industrial Zone is so corrupted that he has to make his way out of it in order to return to reality.
- 5 - Break the Defence
After a failed extraction attempt in the Industrial Zone, General Clark orders Grant to attempt an emergency extraction from the Military Zone. Disobeying General Clark's direct order to initiate extraction, Grant continues to search the Military Zone for Bravo team.
- 6 - Shutdown
Grant is finally able to locate the Team, only to discover it has become corrupted by the virus and turned to zombie-like state. With only Thorn left, they fight through their former comrades. However, Thorn soon becomes "possessed" too, and Grant has no choice but to fight him, defeating his corrupted body in a face-to-face battle. Corrupted Colonel Thorn escapes, only to return few seconds later piloting a towering Loader robot. After defeating him, Grant proceeds further.
- 7 - Transport Station
Unable to prevent the death of Bravo team, Grant moves deeper into the Military Zone to contemplate his next move, and finally recognizes the source of trouble as Maelstrom. Grant makes his way deep into A.I.D.A., fighting corrupted enemies and "bugs".
- 8 - Big Ride
Resolved to purge Maelstrom from A.I.D.A., Grant searches the Military Zone for a way into the system's Core.
- 9 - Virus Lock
Grant enters A.I.D.A.'s Core sector and prepares for the last leg of his battle to purge Maelstrom from the system. He has to battle his way through the outer sectors first, shutting down three virus sources and defeating powerful security systems on his way. The task culminates with battle against a powerful portal guardian.
- 10 - Hack Successful
After clearing the outer sectors, Grant makes his way deeper towards the inner sectors of the Core, facing heavy resistance from "bugs", corrupted soldiers, and finally, the heavily armed Maelstrom hackers.
- 11 - Hard Core
Having broken Maelstrom's hold of the assembly line, Grant continues his search for the way to the Central Processor, battling Maelstrom units on his way.
- 12 - Free Your Mind
Grant enters the portal to the Central Processor, but ends up on an arena where he has to face the Maelstrom Commander (with whom he has some chats on the radio). After a hard battle against the powerful enemy, Grant finally gain access into the Central Processor.
- 13 - Reload
Grant arrives at the Central Processor and shuts down four nodes, destroying the security system robots on the way. With A.I.D.A. rebooted and all presence of Maelstrom eliminated, Grant finally returns to the real world.
Characters
- Major Jacob Grant - Main protagonist of the game. Resourceful and intelligent special forces member, trained in various weapon skills and specializing in computer systems and hacking. Grant's mission requires him to enter the A.I.D.A. battle simulation and assist in the testing of combat training programs and internal security systems.
- General Peter Clark - Battle hardened war hero, now assigned the task of overseeing A.I.D.A.'s reactivation. The general's skeptical attitude and no-nonsense philosophy play a serious role in his decision making when his troops are sent into potentially volatile combat simulations. He assists Grant throughout his journey through A.I.D.A.'s virtual reality.
- Colonel Thorn - The leader of Bravo Team, which Grant is sent to locate. Bravo Team becomes the first human victims of Maelstrom, who used the virus against them. All of the team members become "possessed", and while Thorn resisted the corruption long enough to put an end to monsters which once were his former comrades, he soon nevertheless succumbs to it, becoming a powerful enemy.
- Maelstrom Commander - The main antagonist of the game. The leader of a group of hackers which infiltrated and rewritten the code of A.I.D.A., spreading terrible "bugs" and corruption all around. Grant will have to enter A.I.D.A.'s Core in order to put an end to Maelstrom's control over A.I.D.A., and fates of those who enters it. There he finally comes face to face with the Commander with whom he already had a lot of chats on the radio. The commander is the most powerful enemy Grant faces in battle.