Multiple mutants mutual multiplayer
The multiplayer mode in Area is all pretty standard fare. Supporting up to 16 players (surely a bit low in these broadband enabled times?) there’s solo and team deathmatch, capture the flag and infection games. The first lot are all your standard stuff but infection is slightly different adding the twist of being able to play as either soldier or mutant and switching between them at will.
The infection mode has the most potential but sadly just hasn’t been balanced well enough. In AVP you stood a chance playing as an Alien as you could move rapidly and climb walls and ceilings… in Area 51 you move slower and though you take more damage you’ll still be mutant nuggets before you get near the enemy. Much more could have been made of the mutant powers and perhaps adding a few online-only enhancements to make the mutant mode more viable would have given the whole game more to recommend it… but it’s not to be.