Necrodome

Upon release, Necrodome received a mixed reception; critics praised the integration of its hybrid combat into its multiplayer, which supported DirectPlay and Total Entertainment Network services, but disagreed on the execution of the gameplay and vehicle controls, the design of its levels, and the quality of its graphics. Remastered and re-released by SNEG for GOG.com in 2023 alongside other titles from the publisher.

• Title — Necrodome • Developer — Raven Software • Director — Steve Raffel Michael Raymond-Judy • Designer — Christopher Foster • Programmer — Patrick J. Lipo • Composer — Kevin Schilder • Platforms — Windows • Released — 30 October 1996 • Genre — First-person shooter, Vehicular combat • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer

• Illustration — Players engage in vehicular combat inside a Raider, which can be exited by the player. Set in a near post-apocalyptic future in North America, Necrodome is set in Arenas where vehicular combat provides televised and violent entertainment to the public of the New World. Each society across the world has their own Arena within their own city-like states. Players are a driver operating an armoured car named a Raider, and set out to complete The Circuit, a layered stack of Arenas of increasing difficulty leading to the final challenge, named the Necrodome. No one driver has ever survived the entire Circuit, and only one has made it to the Necrodome. The gameplay objective of Necrodome is to navigate a series of 30 levels in an armoured car known as a Raider, capture a flag, and return it to the player's starting point to complete the level. Returning the flag completes the arena, and unlocks additional levels that players can complete in a non-linear progression by selecting from a map. To navigate across arenas, players must exit the vehicle to operate switches which can unlock doors to new parts of the level. Levels are designed as flat, open areas, with terrain effects such as slippery ice or lava and toxic waste that damages the vehicle. Controls support the use of the computer keyboard, mouse or joystick. Combat against enemies in the level is undertaken across three modes: in the 'Raider mode', players operate their vehicle and can steer and fire its weapons; a 'turret mode' also allows players to climb into their vehicle's turret to use crosshairs to target lasers at enemies. If the player ejects from their vehicle, or their vehicle is destroyed, 'runner mode' allows players to continue on foot with a shotgun. If players' vehicles are destroyed, a new one spawns at the starting point. Players can fire several weapons from their Raider, with guns that auto-aim and lock on to nearby targets, including lasers, explosives and nukes that can be restocked by collecting ammo dispersed throughout the level. Necrodome supports networked multiplayer, and could be played over DirectPlay or the online gaming service Total Entertainment Network. Multiplayer modes include co-operative play for two players, where a vehicle is shared with one player driving and the other operating the turret, and two-on-two competitive play for four players.

Developer Raven Software created Necrodome on an engine first developed as a planned sequel to the game CyClones; its 'Vampire Engine' would later be used in titles such as Take No Prisoners and MageSlayer, also released in 1997. Smacker was used for the cinematics. A prototype for the PlayStation was previewed in 1995 and advertised for release in 1997, and a 3DO port was also considered. Publisher Mindscape also announced the game as part of its lineup at E3 in 1996. A shareware game demo version of Necrodome was also published on the Raven Software website. Necrodome was released on 30 October 1996. In 2023, the game was remastered by SNEG for GOG.com, alongside other SSI and Mindscape titles including Take No Prisoners and CyClones.