Throwback Thursday: Die Hard Trilogy – Action Games With A Vengeance
On August 31, 1996, Die Hard Trilogy released for the original PlayStation. Based on the action-packed Die Hard films, the three games aimed to emulate the explosive blockbuster franchise, each featuring distinct genres and unique play styles. Die Hard Trilogy became a popular seller for the Sony console, offering a rarely unique movie-licensed game in the process.
Background
Coming from British studio Probe Entertainment, the trio of adventures began life as a single Die Hard with a Vengeance tie-in game. The rest of the trilogy became involved after publisher Fox Interactive put their foot down and insisted more movie elements be added to the final product. Rather than alter their original creation, Probe landed on the idea of producing two additional Die Hard segments, following the lead of their sister project Alien Trilogy.
As each segment follows the premises of the films, developers saw fit to feature separate gameplay for Die Hard Trilogy. The driving section of With a Vengeance was originally designed to include a scale replication of New York City streets. This didn’t come to fruition as it quickly became apparent how difficult it would be to navigate such congested roads at high speed.
Gameplay
Each game features the wisecracking hero John McClane as the central character, playing out the scenarios of the first three films. The first Die Hard takes place inside the familiar setting of Nakatomi Plaza, where the high-rise is under siege by terrorists on Christmas Eve. Players run and gun through the third-person shooter, battling baddies and rescuing hostages with the help several weapons, including a trusty machine gun. Ho, ho, ho.
Die Hard 2: Die Harder is even more fast-paced than the first game, presenting itself as an on-rails, first-person shooter. As with the movie, McClane engages in bullet warfare with a new slew of terrorists that have taken control of Dulles International Airport. The ensuing game features support for light-gun peripherals for PC and consoles, for those wanting a bit more arcade authenticity.
In a departure from previous sections, Die Hard with a Vengeance takes the form of an intense driving game where players transport McClane through the bustling New York cityscape in effort to find hidden explosives. Failure to disarm the danger in time triggers a devastating explosion that engulfs all available surroundings. It should be stated that each Die Hard section also features a similarly explosive “game over’ screen.
Legacy
In the same year of Die Hard Trilogy, Probe Entertainment also launched Alien Trilogy, following a similar formula to adapt the long-running sci-fi series. The developer would go on to complete few projects before being shut down by parent company Acclaim in 2004. A full sequel titled Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas was released in 2000, but offered little in similarity to the first game. Several other games starring John McClane would surface in subsequent years, with 2002’s Die Hard: Vendetta being the most major release.
What’s your opinion of Die Hard Trilogy? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! Also, be on the lookout for the next Throwback Thursday where we’ll highlight yet another title from gaming past. For entries from previous weeks, check out these next few links below:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
