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Fix Linter errors.

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{{more citations needed|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Short description|1991 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Alien Breed
| image = Alien Breed cover art.jpg
| alt = Alien Breed box cover
| developer = [[Team17]]
| publisher = Team17<br>[[MicroLeague]]
| designer = Rico Holmes
| artist = Rico Holmes
| programmer = Andreas Tadic<br>Peter Tuleby
| producer = Martyn Brown
| composer = [[Allister Brimble]]
| engine =
| released = '''1991:''' Amiga<br>'''1993:''' MS-DOS
| genre = [[Run and gun video game|Run and gun]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[Amiga]], [[Amiga CD32|CD32]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[PlayStation Vita|Vita]], [[PlayStation Mobile]]
}}

'''''Alien Breed''''' is a top down [[run and gun video game]] released in 1991 by [[Team17]] for the [[Amiga]] and later in 1993 by [[MicroLeague]] for [[MS-DOS]]. The game is the first in the [[Alien Breed|''Alien Breed'' series]].

''Alien Breed'' is based on the ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'' films, specifically ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'', and also on the [[8-bit]]-era games ''[[Laser Squad]]'' and ''[[Paradroid]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iwantfish.gazchap.com/iam10.php |title=Interview with Rico Holmes of Team 17 |access-date=16 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109030539/http://iwantfish.gazchap.com/iam10.php |archive-date=9 January 2008}}</ref> as well as the ''[[Gauntlet (arcade game)|Gauntlet]]'' arcade game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/alien-breed__/reviews/reviewerId,3250/ |title=Review of DOS version of ''Alien Breed'' at Mobygames |access-date=16 April 2007}}</ref>

== Gameplay ==
[[File:Alien Breed Amiga screenshot.png|thumb|left|The [[flamethrower]] can be purchased with collected credits. On the top right is an ''Intex'' terminal, and two keys and an ammunition clip are scattered in the rooms on the right and above.]]

Players must find the lift down to the next level, occasionally setting the self-destruct sequence to blow up the level above them. The players collect or purchase a variety of weapons from the space station's computer terminals. In some versions of the game, these so-called ''Intex'' terminals provide additional features such as a clone of the classic video game ''[[Pong]]''. Credits found on the ground have to be saved for these weapons and other enhancements, each giving the players an edge over the gradually more and more powerful alien forces. In advanced levels, players are occasionally trapped in enclosed spaces with huge [[boss (video game)|boss]] aliens.

== Release ==
Team17 made an "intro disk" available, containing a short animated introductory sequence with on-screen narration which follows events leading into the start of the game. After the introduction is finished, the player is prompted for disk one of the game, effectively making the introduction disk "disk zero". Team17 produced a similar introduction disk for ''[[Superfrog]]'', animated by Eric W. Schwartz, although this was included with the retail edition of the game.

== Reception ==
=== Amiga ===
{{Video game reviews
|ACE=875/1000<ref name=ACE/>
|AmAction=87%<ref name=Amiga-Action/>
|AmComputing=91%<ref name=Amiga-Computing/>
|AmFormat=74%<ref name=Amiga-Format/>
|AmPower=82%<ref name=Amiga-Power/>
|CVG=91% (Amiga)<ref name=CVG/><br>40% (DOS)<ref name=CVG-DOS/>
|GMaster=70%<ref name=GamesMaster/>
|GX={{Rating|5|5}}<ref name=Games-X/>
|PCGUS=75% (DOS)<ref name=PC-Gamer/>
|Zero=91%<ref name=Zero/>
|rev1=''[[CU Amiga]]''
|rev1Score=90%<ref name=CU-Amiga/>
|rev2=''[[The One (magazine)|The One]]''
|rev2Score=90%<ref name=The-One/>
}}

''Alien Breed'' was released to generally favorable reviews. ''[[CU Amiga]]'' wrote that "Team17 have come up with a winner".<ref name=CU-Amiga/>

=== MS-DOS ===
The MS-DOS port's reception was mixed. ''[[PC Gamer US]]'' described the gameplay's variety as lacking and the sound effects as "shallow and tinny", with problems using the [[Pro Audio Spectrum]] sound card to be expected, but favorably compared it to [[Sega Genesis]] games and called it a "solid shooter [with] plenty of high-octane fun."<ref name=PC-Gamer/> ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' criticized the "asinine" [[copy protection]], but said that it is still a good action title for those who like their play quick and simple".<ref name="cgw199403">{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=March 1994 |title=Taking A Peek |department= |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=116 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=174–180}}</ref> The magazine stated in the next issue that while "right at home at the local arcade or any cartridge game machine", the DOS version of ''Alien Breed'' "has fallen behind in the tech race". Citing the "European" use of [[password (video gaming)|mission codes]] instead of [[save game]]s and "pretty" but shallow gameplay, the reviewer unfavorably compared it to ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'', with "an almost identical (somewhat tired) premise" but of which "the execution makes all the difference". Despite the good graphics and "fast-paced" action, he concluded that ''Alien Breed'' was "not suitable for the average computer gamer on this continent", but might be for the "less demanding player" or one who wanted a Nintendo.<ref name="cirulis199404">{{Cite magazine |last=Cirulis |first=Maritin E. |date=April 1994 |title=Yet Another Bug Hunt |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=117 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=90}}</ref>

In a critical review, ''Computer and Video Games'' pointed to the port's bugs such as the screen flickering. The more serious bugs included not being able to buy weapons from any ''Intex'' terminal and the game crashing nearly a quarter of an hour into it. The reviewer concluded that the bugs overshadowed what was otherwise a faithful conversion of an Amiga classic.<ref name=CVG-DOS/>

James V. Trunzo reviewed ''Alien Breed'' in ''[[White Wolf (magazine)|White Wolf]]'' #45 (July, 1994), giving it a final evaluation of "Good" and stated that "''Alien Breed'' isn't the cutting edge of science fiction action gaming, but I don't think it's trying to be. It's like a watered-down version of EA's superior ''Space Hulk''. For the money, it's a fun beer 'n' pretzels game that lets you vent hostilities on nasty critters - and you can even do it with a friend!"<ref name="WW45">{{Cite magazine |last=Trunzo |first=James V. |date=July 1994|title=The Silicon Dungeon |magazine= [[White Wolf Magazine]] |number=45 |page=50-51 |url=https://imgur.com/a/gk2tHHM}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
''Alien Breed Special Edition '92'' was an expanded version, published in 1992, at budget price. It was hugely popular, staying in the British software charts for more than a year. It also featured a [[film trailer]]-style advert for Team17's upcoming ''[[Superfrog]]'', which was unusual at the time. As well as being released on the Amiga, this version of the game was also released on the Amiga CD32 in a double-pack with ''[[Qwak]]''.

Both the original and the ''Special Edition'' did well enough to merit further sequels, almost all of which have been commercial and critical successes.

The player characters in this game and its sequel were named Johnson and Stone. By the third game (''[[Alien Breed: Tower Assault]]''), the player characters were named John and Nash. In keeping with the ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' theme, a female voiceover (the voice of Lynette Reade) provided warnings and other messages to the players.

In 2012, a port of ''Alien Breed'' for smartphones and tablets was released for iOS<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/alien-breed-hatches-on-ios-this-august/ |title=Alien Breed hatches on iOS this August | Joystiq |access-date=18 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725163115/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/alien-breed-hatches-on-ios-this-august/ |archive-date=25 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and Android,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Alien+Breed/news.asp?c=48646 |title=Team17's top-down Amiga shooter Alien Breed blasts onto Android|date=18 February 2013 }}</ref> to very favourable reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/alien-breed/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad |title=Alien Breed |website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=ACE>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_50_1991-11_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n75 |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Upchurch |first=David |magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]] |date=November 1991 |access-date=3 April 2022 |issue=50 |pages=76–81}}</ref>
<ref name=Amiga-Action>{{cite magazine |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Bunker |first=Alan |magazine=[[Amiga Action]] |date=December 1991 |issue=27 |pages=106–107}}</ref>
<ref name=Amiga-Computing>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-044/page/n71 |title=Gamer: Alien Breed |last=Whitehead |first=Daniel |magazine=[[Amiga Computing]] |date=January 1992 |access-date=3 April 2022 |issue=44 |pages=72–73}}</ref>
<ref name=Amiga-Format>{{cite magazine |title=Spoutro – Alien Breed |magazine=[[Amiga Format]] |date=December 1991 |issue=29 |page=126}}</ref>
<ref name=Amiga-Power>{{cite magazine |title=Game Reviews – Alien Breed |last=Pelley |first=Rich |magazine=[[Amiga Power]] |date=December 1991 |issue=8 |pages=52–53}}</ref>
<ref name=CVG>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-120/page/n19 |title=Review: Alien Breed |last1=O'Connor |first1=Frank |last2=Boone |first2=Tim |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=November 1991 |access-date=3 April 2022 |issue=120 |pages=20–21}}</ref>
<ref name=CVG-DOS>{{cite magazine |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Rand |first=Paul |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=February 1994 |issue=147 |page=82}}</ref>
<ref name=CU-Amiga>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/CUAmigaIssue020Oct91/page/n95 |title=Screen Scene – Alien Breed |last=Slingsby |first=Dan |magazine=[[CU Amiga]] |date=October 1991 |access-date=3 April 2022 |issue=20 |pages=96–98}}</ref>
<ref name=Games-X>{{cite magazine |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Sharp |first=Brian |magazine=[[Games-X]] |date=31 October – 6 November 1991 |issue=28 |page=17}}</ref>
<ref name=GamesMaster>{{cite episode |url=https://archive.org/details/gamesmaster_s01e06 |title=Reviews – Alien Breed |series=[[GamesMaster]] |date=11 February 1992 |access-date=3 April 2022 |series-no=1 |number=6 |time=6:55}}</ref>
<ref name=PC-Gamer>{{cite magazine |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Firme |first=Matthew A. |magazine=[[PC Gamer US]] |date=May 1994 |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=88}}</ref>
<ref name=The-One>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/The_One_Issue_037/page/73 |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Presley |first=Paul |magazine=[[The One (magazine)|The One]] |date=October 1991 |access-date=3 April 2022 |issue=37 |pages=73–74}}</ref>
<ref name=Zero>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/Zero_Issue_27_1992-01_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n54 |title=Review: Alien Breed |last=Finlay |first=Toby "Doctor" |magazine=[[Zero (video game magazine)|Zero]] |date=January 1992 |access-date=3 April 2022 |issue=27 |page=55}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
* {{abime|id=3230}}

{{Team17}}

[[Category:1991 video games]]
[[Category:Alien Breed]]
[[Category:Amiga CD32 games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Games commercially released with DOSBox]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:MicroLeague games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 3 games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Network games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Vita games]]
[[Category:Run and gun games]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Allister Brimble]]
[[Category:Video games with cross-platform play]]
[[Category:Video games set in the 22nd century]]

Alien Breed (video game) - Revision history

imported>Jonesey95: Fix Linter errors.