Extra Life: Future Tactics: The Uprising (PS2, Xbox, GC)
Future Tactics: The Uprising
Released: May 10, 2004
Zed Two
Now here’s one I can almost guarantee that you’ve never played. As a former employee at a large nationwide video game retailer, I literally could not give this game away, even at the more than reasonable price of 99 cents. Future Tactics: The Uprising is unfortunately the red-headed stepchild of the bargain bin, and my condolences go out to all people young and old that no doubt received this from confused grandparents instead of the game that you actually wanted.
However, this is Extra Life after all, and quite frankly, this game deserves one. Let’s find out, and while we’re at it, find out why this game gets such a bad rap.
Why you probably missed it:
The suggested retail price of Future Tactics was $20, making it one of those dreaded “budget titles” that no one ever pays attention to. It was developed by a bunch of unknowns with the now defunct Zed Two studio, previously only having developed one title of note: Wetrix, on the N64 (don’t worry, I’ve never played it either). Six years later, after developing a slew of handheld games based on children’s television franchises, Future Tactics had been stuck in development for a while and had no publisher. That was until Crave Entertainment, publisher of such blockbuster hits as NRA Gun Club and Purr Pals, flew in like some sort of one-winged guardian angel on meth and punched the game’s ticket to store shelves everywhere.
Well, maybe they were less "shelves" and more "bins". But you get the idea.
What you may or may not have known:
“What you didn’t know” may be a more appropriate header here, but I swear I’m done badmouthing the game and its staff now. Future Tactics brings us into a post-alien invasion planet where human life is just as sparse as the the alien occupation is expansive. You play as a ragtag band of freedom fighters searching for a way to liberate their planet of the invaders against all odds. The gameplay is akin to that of the Worms series, especially Worms 3D, though today’s gamers will recognize several similarities to the PS3 hit Valkyria Chronicles. Also, for some unexplained reason, a great deal of the voice cast is Australian,despite the game being developed in the UK and there being no mention of Australia at all in the game itself.
Why it deserves a second look:
Because it’s fun! That’s really all there is to it. Sure, there’s only about 3 music tracks spread out across 19 levels. At least they’re catchy. Sure, the voices sound like they were recorded over tin cantelephone in a wind tunnel. The mysterious tin can Australian voices just add to the game’s mysterious atmosphere. Sure, the game is full of bugs and your characters fall through the landscape quite frequently. There’s quite a lot of fun to be had in shooting enemies through the ground and watching the crummy AI kill itself as it throws grenades at the ground in a hilarious attempt to get to you.
Future Tactics works because it never tries to be anything other than what it is: a cut-rate title with a colorful cover and a lot of heart. It knows that it’s a budget game, it embraces that title and delivers a tremendous amount of fun and inventiveness to those that are brave enough to drop a buck on it and give a shot.
In my opinion, having characters that sometimes walk in the air instead of the ground for no reason is the mark of a great game.
Where are they now?
Brothers John and Ste Pickford, director and executive producer respectively, quit Zed Two in 2004, the same year that Future Tactics was released; something tells me that this was not a coincidence. They formed their own studio and now develop handheld games, with the most recent being Magnetic Billiards on iOS. I’ll never own a device that runs it so I’ve never played it, but it’s free, so go and download it if you get the time.
Paul Rose wrote the game’s story, which was in my opinion was highly imaginative and one of the stronger points of the game. He would later go on to enjoy much success as a writer for children’s television shows in the UK, even garnering a BAFTA nomination.
After somewhat extensive research, I was unable to find any former member of the game’s staff that went on to do anything notable. With the lone exception of graphic artist Steve Thomas, this game appears to have been the last project for a majority of the development team. Zed Two was purchased by Warthog Games in 2002 and eventually ceased to be an individual entity. Warthog last produced a game in 2005, so it seems we’ve heard the last of them. The Pickford brothers have since established Zee-3, a direct successor, as publishing company to distribute the games they develop.
Where can I get it?
Amazon has it for the cost of shipping, so for about $3.50 this game could be yours at the end of the week. But why wait? Your local Gamestop may have this pre-owned at the current listed price of $0.99.
Any purchase of Future Tactics: The Uprising after reading this article comes with my personal money back guarantee: If you don’t end up enjoying it, I will personally refund every cent of the original purchase price, all 99 cents of it.
I’m not joking.
