Press release: 1997-11-24: Open Fire! Virtua Squad 2 Shoots To PC From Sega Entertainment

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega.com (archived)

OPEN FIRE! VIRTUA SQUAD 2 SHOOTS TO PC FROM SEGA ENTERTAINMENT

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- (November 24, 1997) --
Kick butt, take names and pack heat! Sega® Entertainment, Inc. (SEI) announced today the release of "Virtua Squad 2TM" for the PC. Based on the arcade hit, "Virtua CopTM2," "Virtua Squad 2" lets gamers feel the danger and excitement of being a hard-core officer of the law without going through the police academy. Shoot-outs in high speed car chases and in moving subway trains will put your sharp shooting skills to the test. With two-player network play, high resolution 3D graphics and features exclusive to the PC version, "Virtua Squad 2" packs all the punch of the arcade classic without the quarter drop.

Set in the streets of Virtua City, gamers assume the role of the first cop on the scene of a jewel heist struggling to gain control and rescue hostages from evil gun-runners. Gamers take on the bad guys alone or team up with others on the force with network play via the Internet, LAN, modem or serial link and fight through various obstacle-filled locations including cruise ships, warehouses and city streets. With new features and modes such as Proving Ground, Big Head Mode and Random Enemy Mode which make gameplay exciting and unpredictable, "Virtua Squad 2" is guaranteed to blow you away.

"`Virtua Squad 2' stretches way beyond the arcade and Saturn version of this game," said Jill Braff, director of marketing, SEI. "With the unusual new modes and network play, `Virtua Squad 2' gives gamers great replay value and an expanded arcade experience for the PC."

"Virtua Squad 2" has numerous playing modes to keep gamers constantly on their toes. Gamers can test their shot in the Arcade Mode using all six pieces of hard-core fire power, ranging from machine guns to a magnum. Advanced players will want to try a head-to-head challenge in the Proving Ground mode, in which you must hide and shoot through a round of gun runners before the time runs out. Remember, the last person standing wins.

Gamers who complete all levels are rewarded with access to the Big Head Mode and Random Enemy Mode. In Big Head Mode players can get a laugh and test their shot on criminals and hostages with gigantic heads. Those who like surprises will want to try Random Enemy Mode, where criminals appear in different locations each time you play. Only the most accurate shooters have a chance at winning the "gun select cheat," in which they can choose the most powerful weapons to use for the rest of the game.

"Virtua Squad 2" is optimized for Pentium and MMX allowing for crisp character images and fast frame rates normally seen only in the arcade. "Virtua Squad 2" also supports Direct 3D for intense 3D graphics so close to reality, gamers will think they're actually on the streets.

"Virtua Squad 2" operates on a minimum specification of a 90 MHz Pentium with memory of 16 MB and supports play on a keyboard or a mouse. "Virtua Squad 2" also supports 3Dfx Voodoo, Rendition Verite, 3D Labs Permedia and nVidia RIVA128 chipsets.

Sega Entertainment's PC games allow players to adjust their PC screen settings including resolution, color depth, screen size, background textures, motion type and field graphics for maximum performance.

Sega Entertainment, Inc. was founded in April of 1996, and aims to bring 3D polygon-based action/arcade, racing and sports gaming to the PC. Leveraging Sega's arcade leadership and library of game content, the company is committed to redefining the PC gaming experience with titles featuring high frame rates, 3D characters and environments, high polygon counts, detailed texture mapping, multiplayer online gaming and emotion-triggered gameplay that is unmatched by competing action/arcade PC games. Sega Entertainment, Inc. was formed through a joint venture between Sega of America and SOFTBANK Holdings, Inc.