History VideoGame / BioMenace

''Bio Menace'' is a 2D side-scrolling PlatformGame both developed and published by Creator/ApogeeSoftware in 1993 for DOS. It was built on a licensed version of Creator/{{id Software}}'s ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' Platform/GameEngine, and was known as ''Bio Hazard'' during production. Apart from the engine and Bobby Prince's musical score, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.

''Bio Menace'' is a 2D side-scrolling PlatformGame both developed and published by Creator/ApogeeSoftware in 1993 for DOS. It was built on a licensed version of Creator/{{id Software}}'s ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' UsefulNotes/GameEngine, and was known as ''Bio Hazard'' during production. Apart from the engine and Bobby Prince's musical score, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.

The game can be downloaded from [[https://3drealms.com/catalog/bio-menace_42/ 3D Realms' game page]], [[https://www.gog.com/game/bio_menace GOG.com]], or [[https://archive.org/details/msdos_Bio_Menace_1993 The Internet Archive]].

* AuthorAvatar: Jim Norwood, George Broussard and Scott Miller can be found in a ShoutOut to Apogee Software's earlier works in Episode two.

* TheCameo:
** VideoGame/CommanderKeen is one of the hostages that Snake rescues in the second game. To Keen's chagrin, Snake mistakenly [[RunningGag calls him "Captain" Keen]].
** In Episode 2, Level 10, [[spoiler:[[AuthorAvatar Jim Norwood, George Broussard and Scott Miller from Apogee]] are hiding in a secret room]].

* EasterEgg: In Episode 2, Level 10, there is a secret room where the developers of the game are located, and filled with memorabilia from other games produced by id and Apogee.

* SecretLevel: There are [[spoiler:four]] secret levels in every episode. Access to each level requires collecting a secret level warp gem in the preceding level.

* ShoutOut:
** Commander Keen is one of the hostages.
** Episode 2, Level 10 has a statue of Yorp, an enemy character from the first ''Commander Keen'' game.
** A secret room in Episode 2, Level 10, has lots of shout-outs, including [[spoiler: characters and items from ''Commander Keen'', ''Monster Bash'' and ''Duke Nukem'', logos of Apogee Software and id Software, as well as cameos of three Apogee staff members]].
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Bio Menace'' feels very similar to ''VideoGame/DukeNukemI'', an earlier shoot-em-up platformer that was developed by the same company.

* InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: There are locked closets and doors on most levels, and ''all'' of them can be opened with identical yellow keys that are scattered throughout the level and disappear after one use. The only {{aver|tedTrope}}sion is the Secret Door on a handful of levels, which requires a unique key.

** In Episode 2, Snake runs a solo operation to confirm the lead he received from an agent in Alaska, but in the course of his investigations, realises that he cannot wait for a GunshipRescue, so he proceeds to fight his way through the mutants (again).
** In Episode 3, Snake chooses to infiltrate Master Cain's fortress alone to prevent the latter from running away.

* LifeMeter: Bosses have this in the bar format on the in-game HUD. Even if the bar is reduced to nothing, you still need to pump in a few more hits before the boss actually dies.

* LudicrousGibs: ''All'' organic objects in the game, including the player, die this way, [[CriticalExistenceFailure regardless of whether the killing blow was a plasma bolt or sting from a tiny flying ant.]]
* MadScientist: Dr. Mangle, [[spoiler:or so the backstory for episode 1 would seem to imply. After he is fatally wounded, Mangle reveals that Master Cain would have killed him if he did not agree to produce an army of mutants to do Cain's bidding, ultimately making Mangle a ReluctantMadScientist.]]

* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Dr. Mangle and Master Cain. The former fights Snake as a toad-like mutant, while the latter may occasionally turn into a blue phantom that performs a OneHitKill on Snake if he touches him]]

* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: [[spoiler:Yay! Dr. Mangle's dead! But why did the developers have the guy who is ''clearly'' the BigBad die in the first episod-[[OhCrap Oh...]]]]

* AttackDrone: Robo-Buddy serves as one, complementing Snake's rifle fire with a {{bottomless|Magazines}} supply of medium-yield rockets. It also teleports to Snake every few seconds and normally dissipates whenever Snake takes any damage, unless it also happens to be teleporting at the point.

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[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Bio_menace_screenshot_8375.gif]]

* MadScientist: Dr. Mangle.

* NonStandardGameOver: If you complete episode 2 without [[spoiler:planting the nuclear bomb in its designated housing just before the final level exit]], the post-game narrative mentions that Snake died in a LastStand with the mutants from the lab while waiting for TheCavalry, and the BigBad ultimately achieves his goal of taking over the world with his mutant army.

* SecretLevel: At least one in each episode, the player must collect special Secret Level Gems to access these.
* {{Shapeshifting}}: Snake is able to transform into a mutant in the second game in order to solve a specific puzzle (and then transform back once said puzzle is solved).

* LifeMeter: Both the player and the bosses have this in the bar format. On the easy difficulty, you get eight hit points. Normal and hard only give you four.

* AttackDrone: Robo-buddy serves as one, providing a substantial increase in DPS whenever you are firing.

* NonStandardGameOver: If you try to leave the final level of the second episode without [[spoiler:acquiring the nuclear bomb and planting it in the spot just before the exit]], Snake will be killed and the BigBad will win.
* NoSell: The small red devil-like enemies will sometimes turn into a moving flame that's immune to all damage.

* RobotBuddy: It's even called "Robo-Buddy" in some versions.

* LudicrousGibs: ''All'' organic objects in the game, including the player, dies this way, [[CriticalExistenceFailure regardless of whether the killing blow was a plasma bolt or sting from a tiny flying ant.]]

''Bio Menace'' is a 2D, side-scrolling, PlatformGame both developed and published by Creator/ApogeeSoftware in 1993 for DOS. It was built on a licensed version of Creator/{{id Software}}'s ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' UsefulNotes/GameEngine, and was known as ''Bio Hazard'' during production. Apart from the engine and Bobby Prince's musical score, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.

* LudicrousGibs: '''Every'' organic object in the game, including the player, dies this way, [[CriticalExistenceFailure regardless of whether the killing blow was a plasma bolt or sting from a tiny flying ant.]]

''Bio Menace'' is a 2D, side-scrolling, PlatformGame both developed and published by Apogee Software in 1993 for DOS. It was built on a licensed version of Creator/{{id Software}}'s ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' UsefulNotes/GameEngine, and was known as ''Bio Hazard'' during production. Apart from the engine and Bobby Prince's musical score, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.

The player controls the protagonist, Snake Logan, a top CIA operative. Upon receiving reports of Metro City being invaded by mutants, Snake is ordered to fly recon over the city. However, after crash landing in Metro City, Snake is forced to complete his mission on foot.

Sales of the game were discontinued in 2000 due to problems with more modern operating systems.

Apogee released the game as freeware on December 23, 2005 as a "Christmas present" and [[https://3drealms.com/catalog/bio-menace_42/ the full game can be downloaded from the Apogee website.]] It is likely that this decision was made due to the results of an earlier poll on the 3D Realms forums, where visitors could pick a game they would like to see released as freeware from a list of discontinued Apogee games.

* EightiesHair: Snake's permed mullet in all its eighties glory, combined with a mustache, gives him a cheesy eighties ActionHero look.
* AdorableEvilMinions: Most of the mutants are oddly cuddly looking with big cartoony eyes.
* AttackDrone: Robo-buddy serves as one.
* BigBad: [[spoiler: Master Cain]]
* BossOnlyLevel: Applies to most of the bosses. The Enforcer, the last boss of Episode 2, is an exception.
* BoundAndGagged: The Hostages in the 2nd and 3rd games (except for Commander Keen)

** In Episode 2, Level 10, [[spoiler: Jim Norwood, George Broussard and Scott Miller from Apogee are hiding in one secret room]].

* DiscOneFinalBoss: [[spoiler:Dr. Mangle, who is the BigBad of the first game, but - in a surprise twist - not of the series]]

* EasterEgg: In Episode 2, Level 10, [[spoiler: there is a secret room where the developers of the game are, as well as characters and items from some ''id'' and ''Apogee'' games]].
* EnterSolutionHere: Some levels have puzzles where five switches must be pressed in the correct order to get bonus items. This right combination is revealed in another part of the level. The player has only one attempt to solve the puzzle. If they fail, there's sometimes a punishment. For example in Episode 1, Level 4, the platform Snake stands on (when pressing the switches) will disappear and he will fall into a pit full of spikes.
* FallenHero: [[spoiler:Master Cain was once a secret agent, who went rogue after he believed he was abandoned]].

* InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: There are locked closets in many levels, each of which opens with any single-use key. Most of them contain bonus item but some may have shards that are needed to open locked doors or turn off force-fields that block the path of the player.

* LighterAndSofter: In a sense, the second and third games. The first game was set in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, and the levels included dead (and in some cases, ''' scorched and decaying''') bodies scattered throughout several levels. The second and third games were infiltration missions to prevent further terrorist attacks and, thus, Snake doesn't stumble upon any corpses. Of course, the second game also includes an attack that is done by the BigBad as retribution for Snake's interference, which is said to have killed thousands.
* LockedDoor: Most levels have at least one door or force-field that must be opened or turned off with a crystal shard or a keycard.
* LudicrousGibs - The mutants die this way.

Apogee released the game as freeware on December 23, 2005 as a "Christmas present" and [[https://3drealms.com/catalog/bio-menace_42// the full game can be downloaded from the Apogee website.]] It is likely that this decision was made due to the results of an earlier poll on the 3D Realms forums, where visitors could pick a game they would like to see released as freeware from a list of discontinued Apogee games.

Apogee released the game as freeware on December 23, 2005 as a "Christmas present" and [[http://www.3drealms.com/menace/ the full game can be downloaded from the Apogee website.]] It is likely that this decision was made due to the results of an earlier poll on the 3D Realms forums, where visitors could pick a game they would like to see released as freeware from a list of discontinued Apogee games.

* LifeMeter: Both the player and the bosses have this in the bar format.

* EightiesHair: Snake's permed mullet in all its eighties glory, combined with a BadassMustache, gives him a cheesy eighties ActionHero look.

Apogee released the game as freeware on December 23, 2005 as a "Christmas present" and [[http://www.3drealms.com/menace/ the full game can be downloaded from the Apogee website.]] It is likely that this decision was made due to the results of an earlier poll on the 3D Realms forums, where visitors could pick a game they would like to see released as freeware from a list of discontinued Apogee games. See also list of commercial games released as freeware.

* TheCameo: VideoGame/{{CommanderKeen}} is one of the hostages that Snake rescues in the second game. To Keen's chagrin, Snake mistakenly [[RunningGag calls him "Captain" Keen]].

* [[spoiler:DiscOneFinalBoss: Dr. Mangle, who is the BigBad of the first game, but - in a surprise twist - not of the series]]

''Bio Menace'' is a 2D, side-scrolling, PlatformGame both developed and published by Apogee Software in 1993 for DOS. It was built on a licensed version of Creator/{{id Software}}'s ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' GameEngine, and was known as ''Bio Hazard'' during production. Apart from the engine and Bobby Prince's musical score, all in-game content was created by the game's designer, Jim Norwood.

* LockedDoor:
** Most levels have at least one door or force-field that must be opened or turned off with a crystal shard or a keycard.
** An interesting variation: there are locked closets in many levels which are opened with keys. Most of them contain bonus item but some may have shards that are needed to open locked doors or turn off force-fields that block the path of the player.