Acclaim Entertainment, a prominent video game publisher in the late 1990s and early 2000s, faced a downturn in 2004 and subsequently closed its doors. While the company saw a partial revival in 2025, its peak years appear to be in the past.
The company enjoyed a notable run of nearly a decade, releasing a number of beloved games. Though many of these titles have faded from mainstream attention, their quality and value remain undiminished. The resurgence of interest in retro gaming has brought renewed attention to developers like Acclaim, highlighting their contributions to the industry’s evolution.
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
The phrase “Cerebral Bore” instantly transports any gamer who experienced the late 1990s back to 1998. This iconic weapon from Turok 2: Seeds of Evil was one of the most audacious and innovative in the history of first-person shooters. The projectile launches towards the enemy’s head, embedding itself before delivering a shocking and unforgettable scene. This moment proved pivotal, cementing the game in players’ memories. Yet, the game’s merits extended beyond this spectacle; it featured advanced artificial intelligence compared to most Nintendo 64 titles of the time.
Turok 2 similarly offered expansive environments and intricate level design that encouraged exploration and revisiting previous areas. While distance fog was used to mask hardware limitations, the overall atmosphere and variety of weapons and enemies created an immersive and challenging experience. Its success helped establish Turok as a prominent brand in the gaming market. Even though subsequent installments didn’t reach the same level of acclaim, the 2018 remastered version allowed a new generation to experience the classic game with its original spirit and improved technical quality.
Burnout 2: Point of Impact
When discussing the Burnout series, conversation often centers on Burnout 3 or Burnout Paradise as the pinnacle of the franchise. This focus often overshadows Acclaim’s role as publisher during the series’ early stages, as Electronic Arts didn’t take the reins until the third installment.
Burnout 2: Point of Impact, released in 2002, represented a true culmination of an important phase in the series’ evolution. The game delivered a fast-paced arcade racing experience that emphasized speed and constant risk-taking, rewarding players for aggressive driving and close calls with other vehicles. The Crash mode was a standout feature, allowing players to design massive collision scenarios with the goal of maximizing destruction and points. This concept gave the game a distinct character, differentiating it from traditional racing simulations. The 2003 Xbox release added online multiplayer support, enhancing competition and extending its lifespan. While Burnout 3 later surpassed it in ambition and scope, Point of Impact remains a pivotal installment that proved the series’ strength before its transition to a new era.
