Forsaken

Forsaken is a first-person vehicular combat game developed and published by Acclaim Entertainment, released in 1998 for Windows 95/98. It places players in the cockpits of futuristic hoverbikes known as pioncycles, navigating labyrinthine underground tunnels and caverns in six degrees of freedom. The setting is a post-apocalyptic solar system where humanity has been wiped out by a failed fusion experiment, leaving the shattered Earth to be scavenged by bounty hunters, mercenaries, and pirates. Players choose from a roster of eccentric characters, each with a uniquely balanced bike, and engage in high-speed dogfights using an extensive arsenal of primary and secondary weapons, including beam lasers, flamethrowers, and guided missiles. The single-player campaign pits the player against robotic sentinels and rival scavengers across a series of tightly designed levels, while multiplayer offers classic deathmatch over LAN or internet. Heavily optimized for 3dfx graphics hardware, Forsaken was one of the showcase titles for the Voodoo series, featuring real-time colored lighting, particle effects, and reflective surfaces that were considered cutting-edge at launch. It also supports software rendering for systems without 3D acceleration. Praised for its blistering speed, deep control customization, and satisfying combat, Forsaken quickly earned a devoted following and remains a touchstone for the 6DOF vehicle combat genre.