Right off the bat, I will get this out of the way - I enjoy this game. A hell of a lot. I've played through and beaten this very game once before, about a couple of years back, and it held my attention the whole way through, but... there are still issues which many may not like. For its time, the graphics are impressive - 2D sprites of the enemies you face in an actual 3D environment with room-over-room, in a manner, a true successor to Ultima Underworld as opposed to the orthagonal-only maps of Wolf3D and the improved, but still ultimately two-and-a-half dimensional maps of Doom. Level textures are simplistic but also detailed enough, to the point of telling the story of Citadel Station even just through the visuals. Cyberspace sections are even more simplistic, eschewing textures for simple wireframe polygons and abstract, but still recognizable, hazards. Sounds are absolutely vital - although rather 'low fidelity' for today, enemies of all kinds can easily be heard before they're seen, letting you know what to expect - a simple security cyborg, a floating Zero-G mutant, or the dreaded Cortex Reaver. Music is randomized in a manner very reminiscent of LucasArts' later iMuse system, and each floor adds a different feel to the music, as well. The difficulty settings give a good amount of replay to the game as well as determining the score you end with, as if you need 'score' for a game like this. Four options of difficulty allow you to choose how aggressive enemies are, how much of the plot of the game you can, or are even forced to, experience, how difficult Cyberspace is, and even how easy or difficult the various circuit puzzles are you'll find amongst the ruins of Citadel. However, the game wears its age on its sleeve - the control scheme is unlike any other you may have experienced, and even the mouselook of Enhanced isn't perfect. This is NOT a game for everyone, but if you're willing to learn, prepare for a riveting good time.
Despite my initial impressions from seeing this game occasionally played by my father, Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold is simply another first-person shooter in the vein of Wolfenstein 3D - 90 degree walls, no height differentials, hidden pushwalls everywhere. There's a limited selection of weapons, but the addition of an explosive weapon is a nice choice. There are enemies of course - human, robotic, mutated - but the concept of friendly fire's introduced by informants, killing them hurts your score. And, finally, the game's separated into episodes, ten levels to each. It's Wolfenstein 3D goodness all over again, with a futuristic paintjob, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
