Review
Area 51 is a port of the popular arcade shooting game. Almost all of the action from the arcade made it into this version with the exception of a few frames of animation and some minor sound effects.
There are a ton of secrets in the game and the hidden option of playing as an alien instead of a member S.T.A.A.R. really adds to the replay value of the game.
The game's graphics are rather good for a full motion video style shooter on the Sega Saturn. Most of Area 51's effects are full motion video overlays of aliens against a background that moves on rails. These types of effects were featured in another arcade game, Lethal Enforcers, and the result is some great shooting action.
Sound and music are also great in this game. Almost all of the explosions and sounds from the arcade made it into the Saturn version. Some minor barrel explosion sound effects are missing but if you have not played the arcade version then you will never know they are gone.
Using the gamepad as your primary controller can be a challenge. Moving a cross hair is always much slower than using a light gun as the gun can find its target in a split second. If you don't own a light gun then you will certainly lose some of the enjoyment but the game is still playable. To remove some of the difficulty the gamepad adds, grab a friend to help you take out the enemies.
Overall, this game is extremely fun to play and even better when played with another person. Plenty of secret rooms, pathways, and hidden power-ups add to the depth and replay value. Simply put, blowing away some alien scum is always enjoyable.
