| Ultra Vortek | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Beyond Games |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Platform(s) | Atari Jaguar |
| Release date(s) | 1995 |
| Genre(s) | fighting |
Ultra Vortek is the title of an ultra violent fighting game developed by Beyond Games and published by Atari for its Atari Jaguar home console system in 1995. The game's design followed the 90's fighting game trend and attempted to capitalize on the popularity of such games. Like many ultra violent titles, the game received a "Mature" (17+) rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. There is also an unreleased version for the Atari Lynx which is being finished and published by Songbird Productions.
Contents |
The game is set in a dystopia where civilization has been reduced to a Mad Max inspired world of warlords. After the discovery of a mystical artifact, humanity declined and nations across the world fell apart.
During the world's decline, science and technology has advanced far enough for humans to develop creations of their own. The first was the robot, designed to replace human manual labor for cost effectiveness, and with their own ability to reason. However, after being enslaved for more than 50 years, the robots became self-aware and formed the Society of Machines, Androids, and Cyborgs, or the SMAC, which petitioned for equal rights in human society. As a result, conflict between humans and robots developed.
The second creation humans developed was a group of human clones known as Specially Qualified Unique Engineered Eugenic Biounits, or SQUEEBs. Designed by the Military Industrial Complex, ltd. with survival capabilities that surpassed humans, SQUEEBs would eventually replace soldiers, and were used heavily during war. Eventually, during a great conflict in the year 2112, some SQUEEBs escaped and formed a collective underground gang called the Powershifters. Unlike the other gangs, the Powershifters have no true leader. As a result, very few gangs offer any allegiance to them, as their opinions and views change.
As society crumbled, many humans joined gangs to rebel against the corrupt government and the rival gangs. The largest known gang in the underground is the MeatHackers. Unlike the other gangs, the MeatHackers have developed into two different factions. One using their Vortek derived powers and tools of combat, and the other using hand-held weapons. This has created friction between them, with the older members that favor their Vortek derived powers often regarding hand-held weapons as poor substitutes.
After a certain point, a mysterious creature, satanic in appearance called the "Guardian," appears before humanity and announces that he will destroy the world, unless a warrior can defeat him in violent combat. The Guardian has allotted a specific amount of time for humanity to select seven of their best fighters and have them compete with one another. Once the fighter defeats the other warriors, he will open the "Ultra Vortek", combat the Guardian, and if victorious, may then use his newly acquired power to determine the fate of the Earth.
Ultra Vortek spent well over a year in development, and missed its original February 1995 release date. There were a series of delays for the game, with the release being pushed back month after month. There was never an explanation given for the delay.