Fusion (video game)
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Founder | Peter Molyneux |
| Products | Fusion, Druid II: Enlightenment, Populous, Magic Carpet |
Fusion is a multidirectional scrolling shooter created by Bullfrog Productions and released by Electronic Arts in 1988 for the Atari ST and Amiga platforms.
Gameplay
This title features multidirectional scrolling shooter mechanics combined with parallax scrolling. Players navigate through thirteen stages, piloting either a ground crawler or a spacecraft.
Development
Developed by Bullfrog Productions, a company established by game designer Peter Molyneux, Fusion represents their first original creation and second overall project following the port of Druid II: Enlightenment. The majority of the graphics and animations were produced by artist Glenn Corpes, while Molyneux handled programming and design responsibilities. The game was programmed in assembly language, with the Atari ST version specifically built using HiSoft Systems' Devpac II assembler. Composer David Hanlon provided the soundtrack, which was included on the double-sided disk release. The game debuted in 1988.
Reception
Matt Fox, writing for The Video Games Guide, characterized Fusion as a "run-of-the-mill shoot 'em up" that failed to leave a significant impression upon release. Glenn Corpes noted that the title did not achieve commercial success and, along with Druid II, only generated a small portion of the revenue required to cover development costs.
A UK publication awarded the Atari ST version a score of 9 out of 10, remarking that although it was "yet another vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up," it provided "enough variation" to stand out. Bullfrog later earned acclaim for other games such as Populous and Magic Carpet.