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E3 2005: Destroy All Humans!
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game: E3 2005: Destroy All Humans!
posted by: Eric Bodrero
publisher: THQ
developer: Pandemic Studios
ESRB rating: T (Teen)
platform:
keywords:
date posted: 12:00 AM Thu Jun 2nd, 2005
last revision: 12:00 AM Thu Jun 2nd, 2005


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Click to read.While at E3 I got to play a lot of games, some very good and some with many months of work yet to be done, but one of the most unique and complete games I experienced was Destroy All Humans! by THQ. I've had my eye on this game for about a year now, so when I saw it on the show floor ready to be played, I could hardly contain myself.

In Destroy All Humans! you take control of an alien warrior by the name of Crypto who has been sent to Earth to clear the way for a Furon invasion, which includes harvesting human brain cells for DNA and scientific research. As Crypto you can use such psychic powers as reading minds, hypnotizing people, and levitating objects, animals, and people.  You can do with them what you will, such as dropping cows into lakes or violently slamming them into windmills and trees. After zapping a human to his or her death, you can use your psychic abilities to violently rip their brains from their puny skulls, which adds to your DNA. If that isn't violent enough for you, you can incinerate them and watch their skin fall from their bodies and their bones turn black and crumble to the ground.

You'll have access to all kinds of alien weaponry such as the Zap-O-Matic, Ion Detonator, Sonic Boom, or the Quantum Deconstructor to obliterate, incinerate, and destroy all humans! Another interesting aspects of the game is that after telepathically capturing humans, each NPC will spout off one of about a dozen hilarious lines, and every one out of ten humans you anal probe will actually enjoy it. Anal probe? Has that ever been done in a video game? Has anyone ever wanted to? Okay, that could get a little weird.

I had a chance to play both the PS2 and Xbox versions, and I must say there is a huge graphical boost in the Xbox version over the PS2 version, as is usually expected. The particle effects were neat, animations were very good, and things like incineration and explosions looked great. Things like sound effects and voice acting had a humorous approach to them, as Crypto sounded like a decent Jack Nicholson impersonation. However, if there is one thing E3 isn't short on it's noise, and it was really pretty difficult to hear anything more than that.

Crypto can take to the skies in his trusty flying saucer, which of course enables you to fly around the neighborhood directing a red laser beam at anything that looks remotely close to man made, causing explosions and general disarray. With all this destruction, you can bet that the military will catch wind of your razing party, and you will soon be dealing with tanks and other military vehicles.

You start out in a stereotypical countryside neighborhood complete with farms, barns, windmills and dirt roads, but eventually work your way into busier parts of the country, including Washington D.C. The game consists of five main worlds with each world containing around four to five levels each, equaling somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 levels. However, according to sources at E3, one big drawback to the game is length.  Buzzing through the main story only takes around seven to eight hours to complete. If you take time to stop and crush the roses and complete all the side quests it should add another five to ten more.

Regardless, Destroy All Humans! looks to be a quirky, unique gaming experience with a heavy dose of humor that doesn't come around every day. The game is completely done, so look for Destroy All Humans! to finally be released on June 21st.

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