Extermination

Extermination attempted to take the more ardent concepts of previous survival-horror titles and fuse them with the boiled direction of an action movie.

Overview

Extermination is a survival horror title that was among the most original of the genre to be released early in the sixth console generation. Developed by Deep Space and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, the game has Special Forces Marines delving deep into the arctic cold in order to answer an S.O.S. call from a top-secret research facility. The game plays much like preceding titles, such as games in the Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises, as well as the feature film The Thing.

Plot

Players take the role of Dennis Riley, one of the younger members of Team Red Light. As he and his fellow Marines parachute into Fort Stewart, they discover all is not well. His closest ally, a seasoned veteran by the name of Roger Grigman, pairs with him as they encounter a corrosive bacteria by the name of HO-213. It is this bacteria that is responsible for infecting the inhabitants of the research center and creating an evil the Special Forces never expected.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Extermination is categorized by its infection system. The player is susceptible to both physical and bacterial damage, but it is the bacteria that poses the greatest threat. As the infection rate rises, so does Dennis' susceptibility to the virus. As such, his body begins to weaken gradually, which causes the environment to become as much a threat as any enemy.

A key mechanic of the gameplay involves managing your infection levels. If it were to be completely filled, the player loses the majority of their health and has the rest depleted for the remainder of their life. Thus, it is key to manage your exposure to the bacteria, utilizing MTS Beds to subdue the infection. These not only dilate the virus completely, but also restore Dennis' health.

Much of the game has the player battling enemies with extravagant amounts of health. Boss battles are usually characterized by standard procedures, but some require drastic measures in order to deal with more powerful foes. The default weapon is an SPR-4 assault rifle, which can be retrofitted with scopes, grips and a variety of weapon add-ons--ranging from rocket launchers to flame throwers.