Scorched Planet

Scorched Planet is a vehicular combat game developed by Criterion Studios and published by Virgin Interactive. It was released in 1996 for DOS and Windows. The game takes place in the year 2230 on the fictional planet Dator 5, which is under attack by an alien race called the Voraxians.
The player controls Alex Gibson, an ex-fighter pilot tasked with saving the colonists on Dator 5. Players navigate 19 missions across seven different landscapes. A key mechanic is the player's Type 16 fighter, which can morph between a heavily armed tank and a spacecraft form, each with its own unique abilities and weapons. The tank mode is always available for driving, while flying requires fuel. Players have the choice to directly attack the enemy or set up defenses before engaging. A crucial element involves evacuating settlers located across the continents. The player needs to land near them, pick them up (up to five at a time), and transport them to a dimension gate for rescue.
The Voraxians actively try to capture the colonists using freighters and also deploy giant spiders that can infect humans, turning them into zombie-like creatures that explode after a short time. An antidote can be obtained by destroying the spiders. There's a tactical component involving a city emblem and soldier emblems that can be picked up and placed to direct the colonists and friendly AI soldiers. Levels often include secondary objectives, such as repairing bridges or deactivating enemy cannons. Every three levels, the player faces a boss enemy.

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