Hybrid Heaven

Nothing is what it seems in this edgy thriller that mixes action, RPG and fighting elements with a dizzying storyline.

Deep below the mean streets of Manhattan, humans and genetically enhanced clones battle ruthlessly as the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Moving quickly from explore-and-interview mechanics to a unique turn-based hand-to-hand combat engine, Hybrid Heaven delivers the gaming goods to RPG-starved N64 fans not afraid to try something out of the ordinary.

The action begins in December 2000, when the U.S. and Russian presidents are on the verge of signing a historic peace agreement. A clone of Secret Service agent Johnny Slater -- or is it the real Johnny? -- has been assigned to switch the U.S. pres with a hybrid double. Things go badly awry, though, when a muscle-bound co-conspirator, responding to a garbled telepathic signal, guns down Slater.

Whisked off on a high-speed elevator for reprogramming at the hybrids' subterranean facility, the enigmatic gunman -- known only as Mr. Diaz -- escapes his guards. Starting out as Mr. Diaz, you must slowly descend through the concrete and steel labyrinth. A cloning facility, a weapons factory and a high-tech lab are but stops on a your way to the secret center of the conspiracy.

As you penetrate the nine nether-stages of Hybrid Heaven, you'll slowly discover who Mr. Diaz is and who he works for. You'll find out who gave humans the ability to clone their fellow man and, most importantly, what these shadowy beings plan to do with their freshly generated army.

Meanwhile, Johnny Slater has a date to meet his girlfriend on Christmas Eve back in Washington, D.C. Don't be surprised if you meet him -- or his double -- before then.

Mutants, robots and hideous beasts, not to mention a few traitorous humans, will hunt you down. Though Mr. Diaz is equipped with a phaser, most of the fighting is hand-to-hand combat. Unlike a tournament fighter, though, Hybrid Heaven employs a unique turn-based fighting engine that lets you choose from a wide variety of punches and kicks.

When fighting, wait until your power meter is powered up before striking a blow. As your body gets stronger and you level up, you'll be able to launch devastating combos. If your enemy is about to attack, you'll be given a choice between stepping away, guarding yourself or countering the attack.

At adventure's start, you have only a few basic moves, but when you defeat an enemy, you'll acquire its moves. By the time you reach the sinister center of Hybrid Heaven, you'll have acquired an impressive arsenal of moves with names like Boston Crab, Soccer Kick and Brainbuster.

Defeated hybrids often surrender items that enhance your health, stamina, speed and offense. You'll also win weapons upgrades, including the Ice Shot, the Ion Shot and the Hurricane Shot.

A two-player Battle mode lets you prove to a pal that you've mastered Hybrid Heaven's intricate fighting engine. The fighters can be handicapped. Creature Battle lets you fight a CPU-controlled opponent.

This is definitely not a game for players who only want the same-old same-old. The unusual mix of fighting, action, RPG and puzzle elements, not to mention the main characters' shifting identities and a plot line with more twists than the Snake River, will doubtless annoy many gamers. But if you're open to a dark new challenge, you just might find Hybrid Heaven, well, heavenly.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo 64

A gunshot echoes through the tunnels of the New York subway system. A secret service agent lies dying, and Diaz, with a gun gripped tightly in his hand, flees and stumbles into a strange underground world where a secret society of genetically engineered hybrid clones threaten to subvert the population of the outside world.

Experience New York City's secret night life in Hybrid Heaven, a unique fully-immersive action RPG that combines fighting, action, and role playing into a story of alien invasion, scientific experimentation, and murder. Unravel the secrets of the hybrid society, the future of humanity, and the true identity of Diaz. * Learn new moves from your opponents, and develop and edit your own deadly combos. * Encounter over 30 different sinister creatures and battle them to the death. * Individually develop characters and adopt different fighting styles. * Challenge your friends inside the arena with the intense 2-player vs. mode.

AS SEEN IN JULY 1999 *## GamePro

The World's Largest Multiplatform Gaming Magazine*

GRAPHICS: 4.5

SOUND: 4.0

CONTROL: 4.0

FUN FACTOR: 4.5

Source:

Back of Box - N64 (US)