The Divide: Enemies Within

The Divide: Enemies Within
DeveloperRadical Entertainment
PublisherViacom New Media
DesignerIan Verchere
ComposerPaul Ruskay
PlatformsPlayStation, Windows
Release
GenresAction-adventure, Metroidvania[1]
ModeSingle-player[2]

The Divide: Enemies Within is a 1997 action-adventure video game for the PlayStation and Windows.

Development

The Divide: Enemies Within was developed by the Canadian-based company Radical Entertainment and published by Viacom New Media.[3][2]

Director and designer Ian Verchere was a Metroid fan. He purposely designed The Divide to be a Metroid clone, knowing there could never be an official Metroid game for the PlayStation because it was a Nintendo series.[4]

Release

The Divide: Enemies Within was completed for the 1996 Christmas season but changed publishers during development.[5]


While magazine Videogame Advisor and The Province had the game set to publish in November 1996, by December 1996 it was set for release in early 1997.[6][7][8]

Reception

The Divide: Enemies Within received mostly negative reviews. Scary Larry of GamePro, reviewing the PlayStation version, wrote, "If you do the math, you'll find that the Divide comes up short in all areas." He cited the blocky graphics, dull level design, and shaky controls which make the player's mech often aim incorrectly.[11] Dan Hsu of Electronic Gaming Monthly said the story is "deep and involving", but that this does not matter in an action game. He and his three co-reviewers found the game generally average due to the low frame rate, uninspired graphics, and inaccurate aiming.[9] A reviewer for Next Generation criticized the dark, grainy graphics, last generation gameplay, and difficulty with moving diagonally. He concluded that "The Divide: Enemies Within plays just well enough to avoid being insulting, but leaves the distinct impression it was thrown together using a recipe from some 'How to Make a Videogame' book. It's uninspired and lacking."[3] In contrast, Victor Lucas of The Electric Playground called it "one of those consummate gamer's games. You know, the kind that will be talked about (and played) for a long, long time." While he agreed that the gameplay is last generation, he found it excellent due to the level design, massive length, and ongoing exploration of new and hidden areas. He also praised the game's cinematic intro, graphic design, and music.[10]

References

  1. ^ Szczepaniak, John. "Backtracking: The History of Metroidvania". GamesTM. No. 116. Imagine Publishing. pp. 148–53.
  2. ^ a b Mowatt, Todd, ed. (November 1996). "Now Playing". PSX. Ziff-Davis. p. 72. ISSN 1083-1088.
  3. ^ a b c "The Divide: Enemies Within". Next Generation. No. 28. Imagine Media. April 1997. p. 118.
  4. ^ "The Divide: Enemies Within: Sc-Fi Platform Action in Full 3-D". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 94. Ziff Davis. May 1997. p. 110.
  5. ^ "The Divide: Enemies Within". Radical Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 27, 1998. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  6. ^ "Yet Another Machine Due". The Province. November 28, 1996. p. B20. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Release Schedule". Videogame Advisor. Vol. 2, no. 10. United States: Cyberactive Publishing Inc. October 1996. p. 48. ISSN 1085-5130.
  8. ^ McCkay, John (December 18, 1996). "Top Games from the West coast". Fort McMurray Today. p. A8 – via Newspapers.com. Radical specializes in sports games such as NHL Powerplay and action-adventure titles such as newly released Gridrunner - a kind of capture the flag game - and The Divide: The Enemy Within, a sci-fi adventure due early next year
  9. ^ a b Smith, Shawn; Hsu, Dan; Boyer, Crispin; Sushi-X (May 1997). "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly. United States: Ziff-Davis. p. 60. ISSN 1058-918X.
  10. ^ a b Lucas, Victor (November 15, 1996). "The Divide: Enemies Within Review". The Electric Playground. Archived from the original on May 1, 2001.
  11. ^ "ProReview PlayStation: The Divide: Enemies Within". GamePro. No. 100. IDG. January 1997. p. 104.
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