User:Namcokid47/Viewpoint 2064

Viewpoint 2064 (ビューポイント2064) was an isometric-scrolling shooter video game in development by Sammy Corporation for the Nintendo 64. It was intended as the sequel to Viewpoint, a 1992 arcade game published for the Neo Geo AES arcade system board. Gameplay involved controlling a spaceship from a third-person perspective and destroying waves of enemies and massive bosses, with the aid of power-ups and small drones named "Options" that provided additional firepower.

Gameplay
Viewpoint 2064 is a third-person scrolling shooter, having been described as a cross between Star Fox 64 (1997) and the classic arcade game Zaxxon (1982). The player controlled a spaceship through each level, destroying waves of enemies and avoiding collision with opposing projectiles and obstacles. 2064 featured multiple changes and additions to the gameplay of its predecessor. The most notable was a lock-on targeting system, which replaced the original's charge shot. The player could lock onto 8 targets and fire heat-seeking missiles at them to destroy them. Power-ups could be collected that granted different and unique abilities, including a one-hit shield, a wider shot, and temporary invincibility. Small craft known as options could be collected that provided additional firepower.

The plot of 2064 involved a space soldier with no memory of his past, fighting in a war against insect-like aliens, while simultaneously searching for a stone that claims to evoke their memories. The game is divided into several branching level paths with a total of 15 stages; completing them unlocks one of several endings known as Memory Files, which slowly piece together the story as more were collected. In the prototype, only three of these can be obtained, and must be earned in a specific order; otherwise, the game crashes or randomly plays cutscenes from earlier portions of the game.

Development and promotion
Viewpoint 2064 was to be the sequel to Viewpoint from 1992, a moderately-successful Neo Geo arcade game from Sammy Corporation. Viewpoint was well-received for its isometric perspective and visual style, and was the impetus for Sammy's decision to continue pursuing game publishing. Development of the sequel was being handled by Racdym, a Japanese studio that had previously worked on the Snowboard Kids series for Atlus. The game was designed to take advantage of the Nintendo 64's hardware capabilities, namely its support for 3D graphics, in order to create a unique and diverse scrolling shooter. Whereas the original Viewpoint utilized an overhead isometric angle, similar to games such as Sega's Zaxxon, 2064 used a third-person perspective where the camera is displayed behind the player's ship.

Sammy demonstrated Viewpoint 2064 at the Nintendo Space World tradeshow in August 1999, and later the Tokyo Game Show in September. In brochures for Space World, the game was listed as being 100% complete and due for release in Japan on November 11, 1999. IGN reported that Sammy was instigating talks with international publishers over releasing 2064 in the United States, though no release date was announced. Critics reacted positively towards the game during both its showcases. GameSpot's Sam Kennedy said it was one of the best titles shown at Space World, being impressed with its graphical style, screen-filling bosses, and intense gameplay. A writer from the German magazine Video Games was equally impressed, and appreciated Sammy for choosing to bring what they considered one of the best Neo Geo games to a new console. Peer Schneider, a writer for IGN, compared it favorably to Nintendo's Star Fox 64, and liked the lock-on targeting system.