BoomBots

BoomBots
Developer(s)	The Neverhood Inc. DreamWorks Interactive
Publisher(s)	SouthPeak Games
Designer(s)	Doug TenNapel
Platform(s)	PlayStation
Release date(s)	NA October 31, 1999 EU December 2, 1999
Genre(s)	Fighting game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

BoomBots is a fighting game released in 1999 for PlayStation.^[1] It was created by Doug TenNapel, best known as the creator of Earthworm Jim, and it was developed by The Neverhood Inc. and DreamWorks Interactive.^[2][3] Moreover, it was published by SouthPeak Games.^[2][3] Like other games developed by The Neverhood Inc., (The Neverhood and Skullmonkeys), BoomBots features distinctive claymation visuals and various amounts of toilet humor.^[3] The game was both a critical and commercial failure.

Gameplay

BoomBots is a 3D arena fighting game in which the player has the choice of ten characters (boombots) for either single player or multiplayer.^[4][5][6][7]

In single player, the objective is to beat recolors of the ten boombots (which includes a recolor of the player's boombot if they aren't a secret boombot) to progress through the story and win the game.^[2][7] If the player remains undefeated, they get to fight recolors of secret boombots in secret stages during the story, unlocking those boombots and stages upon victory.^[8][5][9] In total, the game features 15 boombots along with 15 stages.^{[8][4][6][10][2][7][5]}

Multiplayer is similar to single player, except that the player faces off in a round against a human opponent rather than an AI-opponent.^[2] In addition, the player can pick the stage to fight on.

Plot

In the year 15 million, a spaceship interrupts picnickers in an American park.^[11] The ship belongs to aliens, resembling cats, called the Feline Alien Research Troop (FART), led by alien cat Mandu.^[3][11][5] They begin abducting Earth's common household cats, using robots known as Boombots, and almost destroy Earth in the process.^[11] To stop the world from being destroyed completely, the scientists Dr. Doe, Dr. Pick, and Dr. Newton come up with the idea of just sending the cats to the aliens in a giant rocket.^[11] However, what humans do not know is that the cats have been protecting them from another race, the United Rat Infestation Nation.^[11] To bring the house cats back and to stop the rats from taking over, the humans team up with feline-alien double agent Paul to create the Boombots Underground Technology Team.^[11]

Development

Development for the game started in January of 1998, when Doug TenNapel designed ten of the robots for BoomBots.^[12] Eventually, in March 1998, TenNapel managed to show the designs to Steven Spielberg of DreamWorks Interactive.^[12] He then received his approval to have The Neverhood Inc. develop the game alongside DreamWorks.^[12] During February of 1999, SouthPeak Games showed interest in publishing BoomBots.^[12] When BoomBots became a 'hit' during the May 1999 E3 trade show, SouthPeak Games decided it would publish BoomBots.^[12] BoomBots then entered alpha development stage on July 15, 1999 reaching beta development stage on August 15, 1999 before its US release in October.^[12]

Reception

Reception for the game has been generally negative. Although, the game has received some praise for its claymation cutscenes,^[5][8][6] it has been noted to be otherwise lacking graphically.^{[15][10][4][7][14]} Primarily, criticism has been on the graininess and lack of detail of the characters and stages.^{[7][4][14][15][10]} In addition, although there has been praise for the thematic diversity of characters and stages, the game has been criticized in ultimately lacking replay value due to missing variety within character movesets.^{[10][4][7][8]} Furthermore, the criticism of replay value has also been fueled by lack of gameplay elements within stages, and repetitiveness in character storylines.^[15][10][8]

References