Extractors

A version for the Amiga CD32 was produced but never released.

• Title — Extractors • Developer — Millennium Interactive • Platforms — DOS • Released — 1995 • Genre — Puzzle • Modes — Single-player

Extractors is a science-fiction puzzle game in which three different races seek to overthrow the evil Quarriors.

Extractors was developed by the Cambridge-based studio Millennium Interactive. Work was initiated in September 1993, shortly after the release of the game's predecessor Diggers. Initially announced as Diggers 2, the project was led by designer and programmer Toby Simpson, who served the same role on the first game. Simpson wished to distinguish Extractors from just being a simple sequel to Diggers by establishing a more complex lore and storyline. Graphically, Extractors utilized over 300 colors on the main interface with the "base" graphics, panels, and backgrounds all having unique pallettes of 256 colors each. While digging was the primary gameplay focus of Diggers, Simpson felt players overlooked its "really stunning" maps by completing objectives too quickly. He described digging in Extractors as "a side thing" to locating fuel and deactivating machines, which the designers placed the fuel and machines on opposites ends of its maps to effectively force players to fully appreciate them. The CD32 version was set to be released in March 1995. However, despite being completed and receiving numerous final reviews, it was cancelled. While there were rumours that the cancellation was due to RAM issues, the actual reason, according to Simpson, was the declining market.