Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold

Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold is a 1993 shooter in which the player, as a secret agent, infiltrates the complexes of mad scientist Dr. Pyra Goldfire and foils his plan to conquer the world with an army of genetically engineered creatures. The campaign is split into six episodes, and progress takes you through laboratories, mines, and research stations, opening doors, finding elevators, and clearing floor after floor. The foundation is clearly inspired by id Software's earlier hit, whose technology the game uses, but the additions on top are its own and often surprisingly well thought out.

The most interesting element is how the base's civilian population is handled. The scientists and technicians the player encounters aren't just scenery — some act as informants and offer useful hints about how to proceed, while others immediately raise the alarm or attack outright, so pulling the trigger after every encounter doesn't pay off. On top of that come an automap that greatly helps with orientation, access cards, vending machines dispensing food and extra health, and recharge stations for energy weapons. Visually, the game leans on richly colored, technical-looking environments and digitized characters with a period B-movie sci-fi flavor.

The timing, however, wasn't kind to it. It came out just a few weeks before Doom arrived and instantly pushed it into the technological past, so it received less attention than it deserved. Still, it retained a loyal following, and a sequel wasn't long in coming. Today it's a very pleasant classic for anyone who enjoys the rhythm of Wolfenstein 3D but appreciates the automap, more varied environments, and the idea of characters you can talk to instead of shoot. Its length is generous, so the game lasts longer than most of its contemporaries. In the end, it's one of the few imitators that actually added something to the formula it borrowed, rather than just swapping textures. Players who appreciate a calmer pace and floor-by-floor exploration will find a surprisingly cohesive and well-paced campaign here.