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The X-Files Game

 
Games: The X-Files Game
 
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The X-Files Game
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Game Description

The X-Files is a movie-style interactive game developed by HyperBole Studios, with an original story created by The X-Files creator Chris Carter and writer Frank Spotnitz. The moody musical score is by composer Mark Snow, the same as the television series. The game offers a live-action cinematic presentation, with Hollywood-quality film clips woven throughout a first-person plot-line.

This dark mystery-adventure places you in the role of Special Agent Craig Willmore, an FBI operative charged with the mission of finding missing agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. You run the investigation and will search all over Seattle and the Pacific Northwest for information and clues.

As the story progresses you will interact with X-Files characters like Skinner and the Cigarette Smoking Man. Series regulars David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, Steven Williams, Dean Haglund, Brenden Beiser, Tom Braidwood, and other regular cast members are all featured within the game.

Interaction is limited to pre-defined speech options; the game gives you a list of questions to ask each character depending on the situation. At times, you get your choice of emotional responses, from angry to humorous, depending on how you want to play the character. In essence, the game plays like a movie where you read from a script but get only one page at a time -- what's on the next page depends on your choice of dialogue.

You interact with the cinematic environment, investigating the docks, visiting the hotel where Mulder and Scully were last seen, collecting small bits of evidence, even partaking in the ubiquitous standards of X-Files shows: investigating abandoned warehouses and exchanging gunfire with mysterious bad guys.

When you're not interacting with the cinematic presentations, you work with a "personal data accessory" (PDA) to take notes, review clues and contact people who can help you with the investigation. Icons at the bottom of your screen represent equipment you need, such as night-vision goggles, your FBI badge, and other inventory items.

Because of the high level of cinematic presentation used in the game, The X-Files ships on seven CD-ROMs.
~ Scott Sigler, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

The X-Files Game features all the characters from the television series, including David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. The game is a cross between an interactive movie and adventure, with extensive full-motion video and a plot written and supervised by The X-Files creator Chris Carter.
~ Matthew House, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

The The X-Files is a really remarkable piece of entertainment software. You play the role of Craig Willmore, an FBI agent assigned with the urgent task of tracking down missing agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The entire game is played via video footage that has the same quality look and feel as The X-Files TV show. You choose lines for Agent Willmore to say and decide how he interacts with his environment.

The game is literally like watching an episode of The X-Files unfold with the exception that you're the one doing the unfolding. If you're an X-Files fan, you can't go wrong with this. If you're a pure gamer, however, this thing is as wrong as a cigarette butt in your Cheerios.

The game bogs down considerably as you hunt for clues. Remember that high-quality live-action video footage I told you about before? Well, it's not high enough quality for you to see a cigarette butt on the floor of a huge, dirty, empty warehouse, or sharp enough for you to see -- I'm not making this up -- a bullet embedded in one of a dozen wooden beams in that same warehouse. Spotting those two things makes finding a needle in a haystack seem easy. The problem is that the "help" offered by other characters is completely useless. The cigarette is a prime example -- until you find it, you're at a complete dead-end. The only help you get is your boss telling you to "I'd go back to the warehouse."

And, it's not like you're supposed to know to look for a cigarette butt -- you have no idea what you're looking for or where to find it. Your character stumbles around the Seattle area without a clue, literally hoping to bump into the appropriate piece of evidence needed to move the plot forward. If you want to finish the game, be prepared to go online and find The X-Files cheat sites.

This concept is carried to absurd extremes. You can't even log onto your computer -- the computer that is owned by your character (and is in your character's apartment, mind you) -- until you "discover" his secret password. As unbelievable as it sounds, you literally have to wander around your own apartment trying to find out what your password is. Hello? Don't the programmers think the main character might know their own password? (Hint: Willmore's password can be found at www.foxinteractive.com/xfgame/cheats.html). So, if it takes you 10-20 minutes just to turn on the bloody computer, how long do you think it's going to take you to track down Mulder and Scully? When it comes to that question, I -- like my character in the game -- didn't have a clue.
~ Scott Sigler, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

Cumbersome game play, non-intuitive concept and to get "help" you have to find it on the Internet.
~ Scott Sigler, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

Sensational presentation and character interaction -- it's literally like watching a show on television.
~ Scott Sigler, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

Atmospheric music and authentic voices
~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

It's a one-shot deal. Once you've figured out the master plot, there's no point in going back -- unless, of course, you like {#The X-Files} re-runs.
~ Scott Sigler, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

The packaging is really well done and the manual is fairly helpful.
~ Scott Sigler, All Game Guide

Production Credits

Producer: Gary Sheinwald; Associate Producer: Luke Letizia; Quality Assurance Manager: Mike Schneider; Lead Tester: Michael Dunn; Tester: Eric Asevo, Peter Cesario, Jennifer Kelly, Erik Larson, Allyson Lund, Bruce Maksin, Chris Miller, Paul Pawlicki, Harish Rao, Theresa Rizzo, Victor Rodriguez, Seth Roth, Elizabeth Strozewski, Sung Yoo; Role of Dana Scully: Gillian Anderson; Role of Fox Mulder: David Duchovny; Role of Craig Willmore: Jordan Lee Williams; Role of Mark Cook: James Lynch; Role of Walter Skinner: Mitch Pileggi; Role of Armistead Shanks: Sean Griffin; Role of Mother: Suzanne McGaffey; Role of Child: Zoe Warner; Role of Motel Clerk: Lisa Estridge Gray; Role of James Wong: Robert Lee; Role of NSA #1: Nick Eldridge; Role of NSA #2: Richard W. Daley; Role of John Amis: Reginald A. Jackson; Role of Pendrell: Brendan Beiser; Role of Mendoza: Nick Granado; Role of Stearns: Chuck McQuary; Role of Arley: Mike Farrell; Role of Mary Astadourian: Paige Witte; Role of Harbor Master: John Gilbert; Role of Joan Truitt: Lauren Tewes; Role of Crew-cut Man: Eli Lockwood; Role of Dr. Rauch: Randy Hoffmeyer; Role of Cigarette Smoking Man: William B. Davis; Role of Smolnikoff: Ted D'Arms; Role of X: Steven Williams; Role of Dr. McIntyre: Jimmi Parker; Role of Homeless Man: Clifford Paul Fetters; Role of Frohike: Tom Braidwood; Role of Byers: Bruce Harwood; Role of Langly: Dean Haglund; Role of Colonel Wallace: Wally Dalton; Role of Key Guard: Harris Smith; Role of NSA Man: Brad Curtis, Steve Keller, Brian Kilcup, Whitey Shapiro, Joe Willis, Jr.; Role of Pretty Woman: Laurel McConnell; Role of Air Base Guard: Alvin Castle, David Oppenheim, Raymond J. Reehill; Executive Producer: Halle Eavelyn; Producer: Phil Peters; Director: Greg Roach; Design: Greg Roach; Story Concept: Chris Carter; Story Editor: Frank Spotnitz; Writer: Richard Dowdy, Greg Roach; Game Design: Cassandria Blackmore, Paul Hiaumet, Phil Peters, Greg Roach; Director of Photography: Jon Joffin; Production Designer: Phil Peters; Music: Paul Hiaumet, Mark Snow; Production Manager: J. Daniel Dusek; Production Coordinator: Heather K. Murphy; Talent Coordinator: Jayma Cohn; Production Assistant: Phil Hadler, Basilio Holder; Production Intern: Irene Barnett, Carmen Best, Patti Guarino, Christopher Revon, Yvonne Walker; First Assistant Director: Wendi Lampassi; Key Second Assistant Director: Jonas Batt; Second Assistant Director: Darin Mercado; Set Production Assistant: Rylee Newton; Assistant to David Duchovny: Katherine Durish; Set Intern: Jeff Carpenter; Art Director: Jeanne Franz; Set Decorator: Michael Moran; Art Department Coordinator: Michelle Daniels; Key Set Dresser: Timothy D. Whidbee; Set Dresser: Natalie Beauchene, Brady J. Condit, Dan Crow, Catherine Kent, Rebecca Roch, David Shadle; On Set Dresser: Rachel M. Thomson; Script Supervisor: Rebecca DeGeorge, Tina Frolund, Jennifer Hinkey; Costume Designer: Lisa Kohl; Wardrobe Supervisor: Sarah Isakson; Wardrobe Assistant: Julie Puterman, Kari Rittenour, Sally Roberts; Property Master: Kathleen Kasinger; Assistant Prop Master: Robert Leisle; Prop Assistant: Jennifer Hunt, Joyce McAndrews, Gretchen Warthen; Location Manager: Peter Allen; Assistant Location Manger: Maggie Bassetti; Location Assistant: Annette Hawley, Leanna Alicee Redmond, Brook Simmons, Somsy Vejsiri, Sarah Wright; Key Hair and Make-Up: Omi; Assistant Hair and Make-Up: Shelley Clark, Robin I. Knutson, Carolynn Weast; Hair for David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson: Laverne Basham; Make-Up for David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson: Anji Bemben; Special Effects Make-Up: Michael Christ; Camera Operator: Mark L. Anderson; First Assistant Camera: Ross Howsmon; Second Assistant Camera: Marne Cohen, Mami Morisaki; Camera Assistant: Derek Hay, Mike McIntyre; Gaffer: Giovani Lampassi; Best Boy Electric: Eric Moore; Electrican: Michael Baird, Mark Canniff, Steve Colgrove, Cole Drumb, Scott Harbine, Chad Harrison, Michael LePard, Kevin T. O'Connell, Myron Partman, Laura Chanel Reynolds, Mark Simon, Scott Todd, Martijn Veltman, Charlie Waldron; Key Grip: Jon LaFollette; Best Boy Grip: Lance Robinson; Grip: Craig Bilodeau, Jeff Carpenter, Tony Ghiglione, Petey Johnson, Kirk Miller, Caleb R. Nelson, Jimmie R. Owens; Rigging Gaffer: James O. Rosel; Rigging Key Grip: David C. Darrow; Rigging: Keith Bronsdon, Kathryn Burbank, Lisa Gates, George Hicks, Chris Kovalski, Erik Loysen, Robert Platt, Daniel Reyes; Special Effects Coordinator: Michael Christ; Pyrotechnician: Mark McDaniel; Special Effects Assistant: James Etue, Tony Guaranscio, Brian Puterman; Stunt Coordinator: David Boushey; Stunt Performer: Ian Boushey, Steve Curran, Ron Garner, Jolene Hjerleid, Eric Michael Johnson, Robert McDougal, Bill Shaw, Kerry Skalsky, Bill Whittaker; Casting Director: Halle Eavelyn; Casting Assistant: Darin Mercado; Transportation Coordinator: Dan Fisher; Transportation Captain: Jon R. McCarthy; Transportation Driver: Virgil Dosher, Keith Dosher, David Guppy, Ron King, Sharon McCarthy, Sherri L. McCarthy, Joel McCarthy, William R. Powell, Joe Soleberg, Bob Sullivan, John Wolfe; Construction Coordinator: Kenneth J. Berg; Construction Foreman: James Foley; Lead Scenic Artist: Lisa Bellero; Scenic Artist: Dean Hitchcock, Michael Stencil, Catherine Trzybinski, Nick Worsfold; Carpenter: Robin Cady, John Wayne Cyra, Alex Danilchik, Wayne Foster, Catherine Kent, Jeffrey Kohl, Norm Spencer, Martin Thrussell; Audio Engineer: Paul Hiaumet; Boom Operator: Mickey mcMullan; Audio Assistant: Terri Eberlein, Candace Schecter; Audio Intern: Morgan Kohler; Stand-In: Craig Gatch, Eero Johnson, Jenifer O'Shields, Robert Shane Srogi, Jason Webber; Medic: Douglas Dahl, Fred Jaross, Peter Knudson, Todd Q. Smith; Security: Future Security Services; Catering: Premiere Catering; Craft Services: Sandra MacLean; Director of Photography, Second Unit: Theodor Angell; Assistant Director, Second Unit: Sandra Hunter; Script Supervisor, Second Unit: Cedric A. Prim, Natalie Beauchene; Props, Second Unit: Shawn Connaway; Location Manager, Second Unit: Maggie Bassetti; Location Assistant, Second Unit: Leanna Alicee Redmond; Camera Assistant, Second Unit: Pauls Zommers; Gaffer, Second Unit: Bjorn Boisen, Krist Hagar, David K. Potter; Best Boy Electric, Second Unit: Matthew Quinn; Grip, Second Unit: Matt Baker, Keith Bronsdon; Electric, Second Unit: Matt Baker, Keith Bronsdon; Catering, Second Unit: Christine's Catering; Craft Services, Second Unit: Helen Morgan; Gaffer, Vancouver: Paul Slatter; Best Boy Electric, Vancouver: Jeff O'Brien; Key Grip, Vancouver: Ryan Monro; Best Boy Grip, Vancouver: Herb DeWaal; Lead Editor: Greg Roach; Editing Coordinator: Kara Costa; Editor: Kara Costa; Technical Editor: Jeni Sadler; Assistant Editor: Eric Anderson, Laura Clemons, Derek Dexheimer, Scott Harbine, Katy O'Kelley Joyner, Matthew Lease, Brandon McWhorter, Mark O'Connell, Jason VandenBerghe; Editing Intern: John Joseph Kniffen III, Frazier Mills, Misumi Tanaka; Lead Engineer: Pete Isensee, Melanie McClaire; Software Engineer: Derek Rhys Creech, Matthew Lease, Alex Smits, Patricia Snow, Jason VandenBerghe; Asset Wrangler: Joseph Kim; Assistant Asset Wrangler: Virginia Apicella, Maggie Bassetti; Optimization Programmer: Geoffrey P. Coco; Windows Install Programmer: Charles Egerton; Macintosh Install Programmer: James Scott Mitchell; User Tester: Paul W. Taylor; Quality Assurance: Kalindi Adler, Dane Doerflinger; VirtualCinema Concept and Design: Greg Roach; VirtualCinema 3.0 Architecture: Pete Isensee, Melanie McClaire; Network Manager: Joseph Kim; Closed-Captioning: Carl Mollnow II, Christa Wells; Honorary Programmer: Aaron Halon; Lead Graphic Artist: Cassandria Blackmore; Best Boy Graphic Artist: Aaron Halon; Assistant Graphic Artist: Elaine Mattson, Aaron McQ, Sun Kim, Christine Lee, cynthia Sowder; Storyboard Artist: Aaron Halon; Graphic Intern: Raif Copeland, Robert Corbett, Jarret Katter, Anton Korshunov, Robert Shane Srogi; Production Accountant: Deborah L. Rathbone; Accounting Assistant: Helen Dusek; Staff Accountant: Suzan Kearns, Carmen Swannack
~ Matthew House, All Game Guide
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Wikipedia: The X-Files Game
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The X-Files Game

Developer(s) HyperBole Studios
Publisher(s) Fox Interactive, Activision
Designer(s) Greg Roach
Engine VirtualCinema
Platform(s) PlayStation, PC, Macintosh
Release date(s) May 31, 1998 (PC, Mac)
November 13, 1999 (PS)
Genre(s) Adventure
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: Teen (T)
Media CD-ROM (7), Playstation CD-ROM (4)

The X-Files Game is an adventure game for the PlayStation video game console, PC, and Macintosh and is based on the television series The X-Files. The series would inspire a second game, The X-Files: Resist or Serve.

Contents

Plot summary

The game takes place somewhere within the timeline of the third season of The X-Files series. The story follows a young Seattle-based FBI agent named Craig Willmore (played by Jordan Lee Williams) who is assigned by Assistant Director Walter Skinner to investigate the disappearance of agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who were last seen in the Everett, Washington area. Agent Willmore must use his state-of-the-art spy tools: night vision goggles, a digital camera, PDA (an Apple Newton), lock picks, evidence kit, a standard issue handgun, handcuffs and badge, to follow their trail. Along the way, he is partnered with a Seattle Police Department detective named Mary Astadourian (played by Paige Witte) and a minor subplot involves a relationship developing between the two.

Several of the actors from the TV series reprise their roles in the game, including David Duchovny (Mulder), Gillian Anderson (Scully), Mitch Pileggi (Skinner), Steven Williams (X) and - very briefly and depending upon the outcome of the game, William B. Davis (Cigarette Smoking Man). The game is set and was filmed in Seattle. The TV series actors filmed their relatively brief appearances in the game just before entering production on the feature film. The game's plotline involves aliens taking over the bodies of humans and contains many references to the show's mytharc. During the course of the game the "present day" date of April 1996 is displayed alongside certain locations, placing this "episode" before the season three episode "Wetwired" and after " Avatar", which take place April 27th and March 7th respectively. This time is also after the first incident with the alien black oil in the "Piper Maru" episode of Season Three.

The screenplay for X-Files The Game was written by Richard Dowdy, from a story by Chris Carter.

Game play

The game uses a point-and-click interface, uses full motion video technology called Virtual Cinema, and includes a large number of cut scenes. Included in the gameplay are numerous occasions in which the player can alter other character's attitudes and reactions depending upon responses and actions (or inactions). Dubbed "UberVariables", certain decisions made by the player can set them along one of three tracks: Paranoia (Willmore will start seeing things like twitching corpses and shadowy figures), Loss (messages from his ex-wife are kinder), and "The X-Track" (more details are revealed about mytharc-related conspiracies). The player can also affect Willmore's relationship with Astadourian positively and negatively based upon how he responds to her suggestions and ideas.

Production

  • The games developer, HyperBole Studios, had initially rejected the project when Fox approached them. They later became interested when they started to watch the show for themselves[1].
  • The title's design document/DB was over 1000 pages, while the shooting script was 250+ pages.
  • It was filmed between seasons of The X-Files and just before the feature film. Anderson and Duchovny were of course very busy, thus requiring the disappearance of Mulder and Scully and the introduction of the Willmore character.
  • Around 6 hours of footage was filmed for the game[1].
  • A former U.S. naval base, Sand Point, was used as the setting for the NSA facility at the end of the game[1].
  • The boat used as the Tarakan is a training ocean going tug, which had previously been used in a drug smuggling plot[1].
  • The 'melted blast effects' on the Tarakan were made using water-soluble paint, which caused havoc when it began to rain during filming[1]."Tarakan" is Russian for cockroach.
  • The game was filmed on Digital Betacam tape with Sony cameras and captured using Power Macintoshes running Adobe Premiere and Media 100[2].

Response

Reviews of the game were mixed, with many critics complaining about the large number of discs required to load the game (7). For the follow-up game, The X-Files: Resist or Serve, a more conventional videogame playing style was employed, similar to the Resident Evil games.

The response from the mainstream and non-computer game press was quite positive, while many hard-core computer publications took the design to task for not allowing the player to control Mulder or Scully or for allowing a "more gameplay." Note the difference in these review scores:

  • Science Fiction Weekly • Windows • Aug 26, 2002 • A out of A+ • 100
  • Adventure Gamers • Windows • Mar 19, 2004 • 80
  • PC Player (Denmark) • Windows • 1998 • 8 out of 10 • 80
  • WomenGamers.com • Windows • Jul 02, 1999 • 5 out of 10 • 50
  • GameSpot • PlayStation • Jun 19, 1998 • 5.1 out of 10 • 51

References

  1. ^ a b c d e An Interview with Greg Roach, Prima's Official Strategy Guide, The X Files Game
  2. ^ X Files: The Game - Read Me file

External links

v • d • e
The X-Files
Franchise
The X-Files
Awards · Characters · Episodes (Season 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9) · Fight the Future · I Want to Believe
Millennium
Awards · Characters · Episodes (Season 1 · 2 · 3)
Lone Gunmen
Soundtracks
Video games
The X-Files Game · Resist or Serve · Unrestricted Access
Mythology

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

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Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The X-Files Game".  Read more

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