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The 10th Planet
Bethesda Softworks

The 10th Planet is based on a rather disturbing premise: we are not alone in our own solar system. Beyond distant Pluto, there exists a hidden, 10th planet on which lives a civilization of beings more advanced, and warlike, than that of Earth. They have lain dormant for a thousand years, but the time has come for them to awaken. And our neighbors are none too happy waking up to find the people of Earth have extended their reach throughout the solar system, and claimed the other planets as their own. In fact, they express their immense displeasure by obliterating the defenseless human research base on Pluto. Yesterday, we were alone in the galaxy. Today, we are at war.

With The 10th Planet, Bethesda hopes to take 3D space combat to a whole new level. More than just a rehash of the Wing Commander series or the Star Wars space simulators, their game combines the best of all the science fiction game genres. It is as much Master of Orion as it is Tie Fighter, and because of this depth, The 10th Planet will likely appeal to a wide range of audiences. Although space combat will be the heart of The 10th Planet, expect the game to have the trademark Bethesda role-playing feel, as well as several strategy elements. Gameplay will be open ended, so there's no telling what pocket of space might hold an enemy fleet, or where your opponents might strike next. The solar system has been fully modeled, and there are over eighty orbiting planets and moons. The game even has elements of X-COM; in order to continue to successfully combat the alien menace, you'll have to research and develop advanced alien technologies, and build and manage bases. Ships are fully customizable -- there are over one hundred specialized components, from weapons (including missiles you design yourself!), to engines and shields.

Naturally, the real blood and guts of The 10th Planet lies in the beautifully rendered 3D combat sequences. Battle everything from enemy fighters to enormous motherships, all the while avoiding deadly asteroids or defending your precious battlestations. Because The 10th Planet supports 3D acceleration, the game is capable of some really spectacular visual effects, like realistic light sourcing and flying debris and particles. And if battling it out among the stars isn't enough of a challenge, you can even take the fight down to the planets' surfaces and do a little terrain skimming.

Even though The 10th Planet will have solid single-player action with hundreds of missions and battles, multiplayer support will add even more mayhem to the mix. Up to eight people can compete over a network, or two friends can beat the stuffing out of each other in head-to-head, modem-to-modem mode. It's good to know the developers of The 10th Planet see the value in both types of gameplay, and have devoted just as much time to each.

As the science fiction genre grows in popularity, so does the pile of games on store shelves. Unfortunately for gamers, many of these games are simply trying to cash in on the craze without offering anything new or original. The 10th Planet looks like a pleasant breath of fresh air. It's really surprising to me that no game has yet succeeded in combining all of the best elements of the various science fiction games. But The 10th Planet's got it all -- 3D space fights, research and development, strategic deployment of ships, and on and on. If this game doesn't satisfy those hard-core sci-fi cravings, nothing will.

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