Software:Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now

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Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now
European cover art
European cover art
Developer(s)Stainless Games
Aqua Pacific (PS1/GBC)
Software Creations (N64)
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Darren Barnett
Designer(s)Patrick Buckland
Neil Barnden
Programmer(s)Patrick Buckland
Artist(s)Neil Barnden
Composer(s)Iron Maiden
Sentience
Allister Brimble (GBC)
EngineBlazing Renderer
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color
Release
Genre(s)Vehicular combat, racing
Mode(s)Single-player

Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now is a vehicular combat video game, the sequel to Carmageddon, and released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows. The game was developed by Stainless Games and published by Sales Curve Interactive in Europe and Interplay Entertainment in North America. Ports for Mac OS, PlayStation and Nintendo 64 (the latter as Carmageddon 64) were released in 1999. A 2D version for the Game Boy Color was released in Europe in 1999, and in North America in 2000.

Gameplay

On the starting grid of the first level (Windows version)

Like its predecessor, Carmageddon II was subject to criticism for the level of violence portrayed in the game. It is rated 15+ by ELSPA. In some countries, the pedestrians (and animals) are zombies, and blood is turned to green slime, while in Germany, aliens replaced the pedestrians. Internet-released 'blood patches' restore the original human pedestrians. The blood pack was later released in the United Kingdom in 1999, earning the game an 18 certificate.[3]

Carmageddon II was the first Carmageddon game to feature hardware acceleration, this was used for the higher quality damage models and higher quality levels.

Carmageddon II features new damage models for the vehicles, this includes car bodywork damage such as fenders and vehicle spoilers. Cars can also be split in half, instantly wasting them, but only if it is not repaired before it touches terrain.

Unlike the first game, Carmageddon II does not have "stealworthy cars", which are cars that have a chance to be taken if wrecked in a race and instead any car wrecked can be purchased.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GBCMacintoshN64PCPS
AllGame3/5[8]4/5[9]3.5/5 stars[10]4/5[11]N/A
CGSPN/AN/AN/A4.5/5[13]N/A
CGWN/AN/AN/A3/5[14]N/A
GameFanN/AN/A40%[15]N/AN/A
GameRevolutionN/AN/AN/AB+[16]N/A
GameSpot3.1/10[17]N/A2.1/10[18]7.8/10[19]N/A
IGN3/10[20]N/A1.3/10[21]7/10[22]N/A
N64 MagazineN/AN/A8%[23]N/AN/A
Nintendo PowerN/AN/A5.7/10[24]N/AN/A
OPM (UK)N/AN/AN/AN/A3/10[25]
PC Gamer (US)N/AN/AN/A83%[27]N/A
Aggregate score
GameRankings44%[4]N/A29%[5]80%[6]34%[7]

The PC version received "favorable" reviews according to video game review aggregator GameRankings, while the console versions received much lower scores.[6]

Official UK PlayStation Magazine was scathing of the gameplay of the PlayStation version, saying that "no amount of pureed pedestrian can cover its faults."[25] The Nintendo 64 port was ill-received, being N64 Magazine's lowest rated game at 8% from 1999 till 2004.[23] Hyper, on the other hand, gave the same port 85%, calling it "a success, and probably more suited to the Nintendo 64 than it ever was on the PC, as this is big arcade-style silly action."[28]

Carmageddon 64 was nominated for the "Worst Game" award at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2000 Awards, which went to Spirit of Speed 1937.[29] Carmageddon II (PC) was included in the retrospective book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die, which was originally published in 2010.[30]

Music

The game features a heavy metal soundtrack. Four original songs by Iron Maiden are included:

  • "The Trooper"
  • "Aces High"
  • "Be Quick or Be Dead"
  • "Man on the Edge"

Music by Sentience is also used.[31]

References

  1. IGN staff (November 24, 1998). "News Briefs". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/11/25/news-briefs-241. "Now Shipping: Interplay is now shipping Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now..." 
  2. IGN staff (July 26, 2000). "Carmageddon 64 Ships?". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/07/27/carmageddon-64-ships. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  3. Burgess, Andrew (November 16, 1998). "But it's only a game...". The Independent (Independent Digital News & Media Ltd). https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/but-it-s-only-a-game-1185292.html. (Subscription content?)
  4. "Carmageddon for Game Boy Color". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/250570-carmageddon/index.html. 
  5. "Carmageddon 64 for Nintendo 64". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/196871-carmageddon-64/index.html. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now for PC". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/89957-carmageddon-2-carpocalypse-now/index.html. 
  7. "Carmageddon for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/577328-carmageddon/index.html. 
  8. White, Jason. "Carmageddon (GBC) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20663&tab=review. 
  9. Ottoson, Joe. "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now (MAC) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=22618&tab=review. 
  10. Ottoson, Joe. "Carmageddon 64 - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=22748&tab=review. 
  11. Allen, Christopher. "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now (PC) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14729&tab=review. 
  12. Mahood, Andy (January 21, 1999). "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-2424,00.html. 
  13. Bauman, Steve (January 12, 1999). "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/142/carmageddon2_review.html. 
  14. Brown, Ken (April 1999). "Main Street, USA (Carmageddon 2 Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (177): 170. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_177.pdf. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  15. "Carmageddon 64". GameFan (Shinno Media). July 27, 2000. 
  16. Dr. Moo (February 1999). "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32987-carmageddon-2-carpocalypse-now-review. 
  17. Provo, Frank (April 3, 2000). "Carmageddon Review (GBC)". Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/carmageddon-review/1900-2536160/. 
  18. Lopez, Miguel (August 15, 2000). "Carmageddon 64 Review". Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/carmageddon-64-review/1900-2616087/. 
  19. Kasavin, Greg (January 6, 1999). "Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now Review". Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/carmageddon-ii-carpocalypse-now-review/1900-2538300/. 
  20. Nix, Marc (April 11, 2000). "Carmageddon (GBC)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/11/carmageddon. 
  21. Casamassina, Matt (July 28, 2000). "Carmageddon 64". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/07/29/carmageddon-64. 
  22. Merriweather, Kip (April 8, 1999). "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/04/09/carmageddon-2-carpocalypse-now-3. 
  23. 23.0 23.1 Weaver, Tim (Christmas 1999). "Carmageddon 64". N64 Magazine (Future Publishing) (36): 62. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-517-62.jpg. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  24. "Carmageddon 64". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 133. June 2000. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-375-118.jpg. 
  25. 25.0 25.1 Wilton, Pete (January 2000). "Carmageddon". Official UK PlayStation Magazine (Future Publishing) (54): 125. https://archive.org/details/opm054/page/n123/mode/2up. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  26. Egger, Dan (February 1999). "Carmageddon 2 [sic"]. PC Accelerator (Imagine Media) (6): 100. https://archive.org/details/PCXL06Feb1999/page/n99/mode/2up. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  27. Durham Jr., Joel (April 1999). "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 6 (4): 96. https://archive.org/details/PCGamer199904/page/n103/mode/2up. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  28. Dry, Frank (July 1999). "Carmageddon 64". Hyper (Next Media Pty Ltd) (69): 45. https://archive.org/details/hyper-069/page/44/mode/2up. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 
  29. GameSpot staff (January 5, 2001). "Best and Worst of 2000 (Worst Game Runners-Up)". CNET. http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2000/p5_04.html. 
  30. Mott, Tony (2010). 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. p. 356. ISBN 978-0-7893-2090-2. 
  31. "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now". Valve Corporation. https://store.steampowered.com/app/282030/Carmageddon_2_Carpocalypse_Now/. 

External links