Shellshock: Nam '67
Shellshock: Nam '67 is a 2004 third-person shooter video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
| Shellshock: Nam '67 | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Guerrilla Games |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos Interactive |
| Director(s) | David Bowry |
| Designer(s) | Douglas Walker |
| Programmer(s) | Jorrit Rouwé |
| Artist(s) | Mathijs de Jonge |
| Writer(s) | Matthew J. Costello |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Plot edit
The game starts in January 1967 in Saigon, South Vietnam. A CH-47 Chinook containing Caleb "Cal" Walker, the game's protagonist, and other G.I.s, lands at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in southern Saigon. Walker, along with his squad mate, Private "Psycho" Kowalski, are chosen by Colonel Salter, the CO, to participate in an air assault on a Viet Cong encampment within Kon Tum province. Walker and Kowalski are put under the command of Lieutenant O'Brien along with another G.I. nicknamed "Short Timer". As Caleb and his squad proceed through the area, a friendly fire incident, involving flawed mortar coordinates, forces another G.I. named Tompkins, to join the squad. Along with the help of a special operations squad made up of Sergeant Ramirez, "Tick Tock" and "Eyeball", they help Walker and the others clear out the VC encampment. The encampment is soon after converted to a fire base, which serves as a headquarters for Walker and his unit.
Soon after, Walker's squad is tasked with investigating VC activity in a nearby village. The squad is also charged with finding a journalist who had recently gone missing in the village. After learning about the dangers of booby traps, the squad proceeds to the village. However, when the squad is ambushed in the rice paddies just outside the village, it becomes very clear that the villagers are aiding the VC. After clearing out the VC, Walker begins the task of searching for weapon caches within the village. After finding numerous hidden weapons and supplies, the squad begins searching for the missing journalist, and shortly thereafter find him being held hostage by several VC.
They jump to the next task of seizing an old French fort being used as a POW camp. After fighting through the valley entrance, and clearing out multiple bunkers after an ineffective napalm strike, they assault the fort. Walker explores the basement and finds the POWs; after freeing them from their cells, he discovers one tied to chair with obvious signs of torture. He tells Walker that the NVA has planted explosives in the basement in an attempt to demolish the fort. He escapes with seconds to spare. The squad is then given orders to defend the fort from NVA and VC attacks. Later that night, the enemy attacks. Tompkins is sniped at the start of the attack and O'Brien is hacked to death with machetes in full view of Walker's squad. The attackers are finally repelled after Special Forces arrive.
The next morning, Walker is told to report to Sergeant Ramirez and joins Special Forces. They take on subversive, rescue, and assault missions. Walker's final mission is to defeat General Diem, the game's main antagonist. He succeeds and delivers Diem's severed head to the base. Afterwards, Walker's chopper is shot down en route to China Lake. Walker escapes from NVA captivity and helps fend off a massive attack on base camp by both NVA and VC forces. Finally, an air strike is called in, leaving Walker and Monty, a friendly South Vietnamese soldier, as the only survivors.
Reception edit
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
| Edge | 4/10[4] | 4/10[4] | 4/10[4] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | N/A | 5.67/10[5] | 5.67/10[5] |
| Eurogamer | N/A | 6/10[6] | N/A |
| Game Informer | N/A | 6/10[7] | 6/10[7] |
| GamePro | N/A | [8] | [8] |
| GameSpot | 5.4/10[9] | 5.4/10[9] | 5.4/10[9] |
| GameSpy | [10] | N/A | N/A |
| GameZone | N/A | 6.8/10[11] | 6/10[12] |
| IGN | 5.8/10[13] | 5.8/10[13] | 5.8/10[13] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | N/A | [14] | N/A |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | N/A | 6.4/10[15] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 15%[16] | N/A | N/A |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [17] | [17] | [17] |
ShellShock: Nam '67 received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[18][19][20]
IGN found the game to have "many faults" and criticized the presentation of war as tasteless.[13] Eurogamer also noted that the game was "a trivial representation of a bloody conflict for our personal entertainment" but thought that "when it hits the spot it's briefly thrilling" and admired the creators' ambition in at least attempting to make a game which was not bland and sanitized.[6]
The game sold 800,000 copies.[21]
A sequel entitled Shellshock 2: Blood Trails was released in 2009.
References edit
- ^ "Shellshock: Nam '67". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 82. p. 3.
- ^ van Leuveren, Luke (August 30, 2004). . PALGN. PAL Gaming Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ Nguyen, Thierry (December 2004). "ShellShock: Nam '67" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 245. p. 96. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b c Edge staff (August 2004). "ShellShock: Nam '67". Edge. No. 139. p. 96.
- ^ a b EGM staff (November 2004). "ShellShock: Nam '67 (PS2, Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 184. p. 130.
- ^ a b Eurogamer staff (September 8, 2004). "Shellshock: Nam '67 (PlayStation 2)". Eurogamer. from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b Kato, Matthew (October 2004). . Game Informer. No. 138. p. 129. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "ShellShock: Nam '67 (PS2, Xbox)". GamePro. November 2004. p. 112.
- ^ a b c Wolpaw, Erik (September 16, 2004). "ShellShock: Nam '67 Review". GameSpot. from the original on November 21, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ Madigan, Jamie (October 4, 2004). "Shellshock: Nam '67 (PC)". GameSpy. from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ Tha Wiz (October 12, 2004). "ShellShock: Nam'67 - PS2 - Review". GameZone. from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ Zacarias, Eduardo (October 14, 2004). "ShellShock: Nam'67 - XB - Review". GameZone. from the original on May 24, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Sulic, Ivan (September 20, 2004). "Shellshock: Nam '67". IGN. from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ "ShellShock: Nam '67". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. October 2004. p. 88.
- ^ "ShellShock: Nam '67". Official Xbox Magazine. October 2004. p. 84.
- ^ "ShellShock: Nam '67". PC Gamer. December 25, 2004. p. 100.
- ^ a b c Ring, Bennett (September 18, 2004). "Governor's pleasure". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "ShellShock: Nam '67 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "ShellShock: Nam '67 for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "ShellShock: Nam '67 for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on December 26, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
- ^ Davidson, Neil (November 29, 2004). "The Incredibles video game brings the hit movie home in a box". Whitehorse Star. p. 31. from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
External links edit
- Shellshock: Nam '67 at MobyGames