Hidden & Dangerous

Hidden & Dangerous is a 1999 World War II video game developed by Illusion Softworks and published by Take-Two Interactive and TalonSoft for Windows, Dreamcast, and PlayStation. The PlayStation port of the game was developed by Tarantula Studios. It is regarded as one of the pioneering tactical first person shooters. A sequel, Hidden & Dangerous 2, was released in 2003.

Hidden & Dangerous
European Windows cover art
Developer(s)Illusion Softworks
Tarantula Studios (PlayStation)
Publisher(s)TalonSoft
Take-Two Interactive (PlayStation)
Designer(s)Michal Bačík
Radek Bouzek
Programmer(s)Michal Bačík
Composer(s)Jim Rose
Platform(s)Windows, Dreamcast, PlayStation
ReleaseWindows
Dreamcast
  • NA: 1 August 2000[2]
  • EU: 8 September 2000
PlayStation
  • EU: 23 November 2001
Genre(s)Tactical shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The player controls a four-man British Special Air Service (SAS) team executing a number of important missions during World War II. The game features soldier selection prior to each mission. A comprehensive load-out sequence is also available where players have access to a variety of weapons and equipment. Mission briefings outline objectives, intelligence on enemy strengths and recommended plans of advance. During missions, players can command directly by toggling through the soldiers in their squad, voice commands or a tactical map which allows for real time control or planned maneuvers once the map is exited. Missions include, sabotage, search and destroy, POW rescue and resistance aid. The game features missions in Italy, Yugoslavia, Germany, Norway, the North Sea and Czechoslovakia. Despite certain historical liberties taken with actual SAS missions and time-lines, the game retains a degree of historical accuracy and intense atmosphere, including realistic wounding as squad members can be heavily wounded or killed by even brief enemy contact.

Reception
Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
DreamcastPC
AllGameN/A[3]
EdgeN/A9/10[4]
Game Informer7/10[5]N/A
GameFanN/A78%[6]
GamePro[7][8]
GameSpot6.3/10[9]7.1/10[10]
GameSpy5.5/10[11]N/A
IGN6.2/10[12]7.6/10[13]
Next Generation[14]N/A
PC Gamer (US)N/A55%[15]
Aggregate score
Metacritic72/100[16]74/100[17]

Hidden & Dangerous was a commercial success, with 350,000 units sold globally by May 2000.[18] Sales had surpassed one million copies by 2007.[19] It was particularly popular in the United Kingdom.[20] According to PC Gamer US, most of the game's success derived from European markets. A writer for the magazine reported, "The game wasn't so fortunate in the States, where it received warm reviews but endured poor sales — partly because of intense competition from Rainbow Six, a lack of multiplayer options, and relatively little marketing exposure."[21]

Garrett Kenyon reviewed the Dreamcast version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "While the minor bugs and graphic shortcomings keep this game from being a classic, TalonSoft has done an excellent job presenting a solid game with enough missions, options, and surprises to keep you coming back for more."[14]

The PC and Dreamcast versions received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[16][17]

Hidden & Dangerous: Fight for Freedom

An expansion was released in 1999, titled Hidden & Dangerous: Fight for Freedom in the UK and Hidden & Dangerous: Devil's Bridge in the US in 2000. This added new soldiers, weapons and missions in new locations including Poland, the Ardennes and postwar Greece.

Hidden & Dangerous Deluxe

A fully updated version of the game, Hidden & Dangerous Deluxe, was released for free as a commercial promotion for the sequel Hidden & Dangerous 2.[22] It is still available as freeware.

References
  1. "Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. Subsidiary TalonSoft to Ship "Hidden & Dangerous"". Business Wire. 26 October 1999. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018 – via TheFreeDictionary.com.
  2. Justice, Brandon (31 July 2000). "Hidden and Dangerous Deployed". IGN. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  3. Redwood, Stephen. "Hidden & Dangerous (PC) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  4. Edge staff (July 1999). "Hidden & Dangerous (PC)". Edge (73).
  5. "Hidden & Dangerous (DC)". Game Informer (90). October 2000.
  6. "REVIEW for Hidden & Dangerous (PC)". GameFan. 20 September 1999.
  7. Cheat Monkey (23 August 2000). "Hidden & Dangerous Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on 7 February 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  8. Olafson, Peter (1999). "Hidden & Dangerous Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on 11 February 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  9. Davis, Ryan (30 August 2000). "Hidden and Dangerous Review (DC)". GameSpot. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  10. Kasavin, Greg (16 August 1999). "Hidden & Dangerous Review (PC)". GameSpot. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  11. Mad Carl (15 August 2000). "Hidden and Dangerous". PlanetDreamcast. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  12. Dunham, Jeremy (15 August 2000). "Hidden & Dangerous (DC)". IGN. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  13. Blevins, Tal (11 August 1999). "Hidden & Dangerous (PC)". IGN. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  14. Kenyon, Garrett (November 2000). "Finals". Next Generation. Vol. 3 no. 11. Imagine Media. p. 118.
  15. Williamson, Colin (November 1999). "Hidden & Dangerous". PC Gamer: 180. Archived from the original on 15 March 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  16. "Hidden & Dangerous for Dreamcast Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  17. "Hidden & Dangerous for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  18. Olafson, Peter (May 2000). "Reviews; Hidden & Dangerous: Devil's Bridge". PC Accelerator (21): 74.
  19. Kim, Tom (14 November 2007). "The Strange History Of Gamecock's Mike Wilson". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 25 March 2008.
  20. Allan, Darren (July 2001). "Gaming Goes Global". PC Gamer US. 8 (7): 44–47, 50–52.
  21. Staff (February 2001). "World War 2.0 Covery Story; Hidden and Dangerous 2". PC Gamer US. 8 (2): 37, 38.
  22. "Free Full Game: Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe". GamersHell. 9 October 2003. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
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