Area 51 Weapons Profile

Area 51 is Midway's cracking update of the old-school arcade classic that pitted you against the menace of large pixilated sprites. Now that the era of the polygon has hit, Midway has upped the ante for the franchise's console makeover. As a result, say good-bye to the slightly unsettling monsters, and say hello to some genuinely creepy aliens that are in need of some killing. Producer Zack Wood, veteran of both game development and alien extermination, offers his thoughts on the best weapons to use when squaring off against alien forces.

1. Contagion Mutation Ability: This ability becomes available to Cole about three-quarters through the game, but it's well worth the wait. It's an advanced level of the parasite attack. It lets you fire a projectile out of your flesh that infects a single enemy in a room and causes it to switch its faction to fight for you. It's an awesome sight to behold. Try it out with various enemies. It's most fun against the massive Theta. Use it wisely though, as it takes 70 percent of your mutation ability.

2. Meson Cannon: This is an alien-engineered weapon that fires a projectile that wreaks some serious havoc. The projectile fires in a straight line and attaches to a world object. Once grounded, the projectile births alien tendrils that attach to up to four enemies, causing a very painful death. It's enjoyable to fire, duck, and watch.

3. BBG: Another weapon with alien technology. This weapon has an optional laser sight that can be used for banking shots off walls and objects. It's great for BlackOps taking cover. It's an energy weapon that recharges over time and releases short bursts of glowing death.

4. Parasites: The second-level mutation ability allows you to shoot organic parasites from your flesh. These parasites are homing and suck health from your enemies, returning it as a gift to you. The death looks quite painful too. It's great for large battles where health pickups are scarce.

5. Shotgun: Yes, the shotgun! Oh, it's so much fun when you're wielding two. This is my favorite weapon against mutants. It packs a big punch and shows off our wonderful rag-doll physics.