Defender

aka: Defender for all Mankind
Moby ID: 7776
PlayStation 2 Specs
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Description official descriptions

Defender is an updated version of the classic arcade game of the same name. The Manti bugs have invaded earth and the remaining human survivors now live in colonies throughout the solar system. As more swarms of Manti arrive, even the colonies are now in danger of being wiped out. You've been enlisted to help save the remaining colonists and destroy the Manti bugs! There are a total of six different ships to fly, each with its own flight characteristics and special weapons. Weapon and shield power-ups can also be found throughout the various missions. As in the original version of Defender, the Manti will try to capture any humans they can find to change them into mutants to increase their attack force. To increase chances of success you will need to rescue captured humans before this happens and bring them to a safe landing zone. Saving colonists will also earn you some credits, which can later be used to buy improved weapons or shields for your ship. Also included are several video extras detailing the historical perspective of and the making of Defender.

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Screenshots

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Credits (PlayStation 2 version)

167 People (100 developers, 67 thanks) · View all

Producer
Associate Producer
Assistant Producer
Test Manager
Test Supervisor
Lead Product Analyst
Product Testing Analyst
Technical Standards Analysts
Technical Director
Art Director
Product Manager
Senior VP, Publishing
VP, Marketing
Director, Entertainment Marketing
Director, Public Relations
Public Relations Manager
Print Design and Production
  • Midway Creative Services - San Diego
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 70% (based on 21 ratings)

Players

Average score: 2.8 out of 5 (based on 12 ratings with 1 reviews)

An amazing advance on the classic Atari game.

The Good
This game has amazing graphics, phenomenal gameplay and control, and is overall stunning. I love the advanced storyline and graphics. The sound is amazing as is the levels and missions. There are tons of new enemies and it's in 3-D. No more side scrolling or fake 3-D. This is really, 3600 degree action. No I don't mean 360 degrees. There are some stunning ships. In this game you can save your game and change the difficulty. Play by yourself or against a friend. This game has everything! This is a perfect example of an amazing and challenging game.

The Bad
There is nothing in this game I didn't like. If I could speak for other people though, I'd say the final story sequence is kinda weird when memory crashes the Moon into the Earth. And the commentator can be pretty annoying.

The Bottom Line
Defender is an amazing improvement on the Atari game. It has the most amazing graphics, storyline, sound, and gameplay in any game I've ever played. This is a game that anyone who likes action or sci-fi, games should play. No, everyone should play this game. It's truly the most perfect game ever.

PlayStation 2 · by Dark Lord (31) · 2005

Trivia

Novel

The game was adapted into a cross-promotional novel by Tim Waggoner in September of 2004, Defender: Hyperswarm, published by ibooks, Inc. and distributed by Simon & Schuster. The back cover reads...

The aliens known as the Manti have been destroyed by Defender pilot Mei Kyoto when she helped the AI called Memory crash the moon into Manti-occupied Earth. The remnants of humanity that live on the Solar Colonies have been saved, but at the cost of their homeworld. Several years have passed, and Kyoto has become a controversial figure. While some view her as a hero, others demonize her as the destroyer of Earth. Kyoto would like nothing better than to be an anonymous rookie pilot again, but without the Manti threat to keep the Solar Colonies unified, friction has developed between the human outposts.

Detroit Adams -- now a general and head of the Galactic Stargate Authority -- has convinced Kyoto to use her celebrity status as a goodwill ambassador to the Colonies, in the hope of keeping them unified... or at least prevent open hostilities from breaking out...

References

In several of the missions, there is a mad scientist named "Dr. Mudo". This is a reference to the mad scientist "Dr. Muto", who was in the game of the same name, which was also released by Midway at roughly same time as Defender.

Information also contributed by Pseudfo_Intellectual

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Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 7776
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Servo.

Xbox, PlayStation 2 added by Corn Popper.

Additional contributors: Kalrac, Patrick Bregger, Charly2.0.

Game added November 19, 2002. Last modified February 22, 2024.