Aliens vs. Predator

I have been an Alien and Predator fanatic since I was about 8 years old. I still remember how I got into the films (the details I won't bore you with). But when this game came out, our family had just got our first really good computer at the time (a whopping 6GB hard drive at the time. Which makes me laugh, seeing as how I have more than that on my PHONE now). I had just started getting into computer games, with Unreal Tournament, Counter-Strike, Half-Life, nerdy stuff like that. Anyways, it was 1999 when this game was released, I was about 13 when it was released; and wow. I was in a state of awe, the graphics were phenomenal for it's time (still tolerable today) and never had I seen any video game capture the atmosphere of a film so well. It feels like you are actually in the movie. While playing as a marine; the flashing emergency lights in an otherwise dark environment, not sure if you see what you think you see in the distance, and before you can blink there's an alien charging at you! As a Predator, cycling vision modes with that heart-beat sound. Being cloaked, looking down on unsuspecting marines before you vaporize their torsos. Last but not least; the Alien. Lightning fast, vicious tail and claws, scale any surface, drop from any distance, see in any spectrum of light. This game nailed everything! The only complaint is that the predator's arsenal was fairly lacking, so it gets boring to play as one fairly fast. So, after all this time and it's aging graphics, it's still the first game I load onto my computer when I reformat or buy a new computer, it's always good and I never get sick of it. AvP 2 was fun and all, but it seemed a cheap arcade version of the first.

P.S. The online was also incomparable for it's time, the game modes, the levels, the overall fun of it all. It'd probably be near impossible to find any servers to play on nowadays, but if you can convince a friend to play this, the co-op mode is lots of fun!

This is an absolutley great game, i have been playing it for about 2 years, though it lacks in detailed models, you can make or download custom skins or just use the original, it has fast multiplayer gameplay, the 3 species are extremely diverse but well balanced through weapon sets, speed and health. I recommend this game to anyone who like first person shooters.

This is one of those rare occasions where you can play the AVP game, and still enjoy it. In my opinion, it was kinda enjoyable, but the bad things is... it sucked for me.

Now, let me explain. The idea to create a new AVP game (even in 1999) was a good thing. The design in the game is good. When it comes to the final look of marines, aliens and predator. Of course, it was taken from the films, so basically, the design from the movies was well adapted into the game. Seriously, the developers did a good job of putting exterior and interior design, which is inspired by the films. The graphics, for 1999, were swell. To mention that Half-Life was released a year earlier, or so, you can clearly see that the graphics are pretty much the same. The sound effects were great and the music score - I think that was the best. A really high-voltage in action sequences with Predator and Marine, and very creepy and atmospheric with Alien. But, that is why I only give it 5 stars.

Here's why it sucked. The controls. The controls are unbearable! When you, for example, run so fast (with all three campaigns), the entire situation of your character becomes uncontrollable. The enemies, sometimes jumps out so fast, so you collide with them first, before you open fire. On occasion, you can't even see who, or from where, is attacking you. Even when you are walking, you basically slip. Yep, the surface is pretty slippery. And when you are running... that's even more terrible. This is one reason to get your frustration high. The next is limited game saving. Why can't I save my game normally? I never found it normal to have limited saving slots. That makes the game intense, sure. But not in the gameplay or atmosphere, but rather in frustrating way that you have to count your saves. And all that while you are moving like a Road Runner on a slippery surface. The atmosphere was not that good. I mentioned that the design is good and well adapted, but when it comes to the switches and buttons, or maybe vent opening that you need to brake to proceed... there were moments when you just can't distinguish one from another. Especially in Alien missions. That was even more frustrating. The game has a lack of story, but I can understand it, in a way. And you can clearly see that the developers wanted to devout themselves to other stuff, but not in the story. It was an older game and maybe, they didn't have enough time, or resources to put a more complex story. The plot, or missions are given in marine (and Predator) missions from a computer screens where you can hear and see your superiors spewing commands and giving you guidance through level. Pretty solid idea, but in all three campaigns , those dudes on screen were such a bad actors, and with their weird accents, it just makes it more funnier.

At least I won't deny that game play is pretty cool with all three campaigns. You really feel like a Predator, or Alien... but not that much. Because sometimes melee attacks, or some of the weapons are bad, the targeting is bad with Predator, for example.

So, to conclude, the game has a lot frustrating moments, and it basically repels you. I remember the first time I tried to play it... I was instantly repelled. But, years later I decided to give it another shot and I beat it. But, I wasn't satisfied enough. So, if you are the fan of the games and movies, this is your thing. But I would rather recommend AVP 2 (2001) and AVP (2010).

Obviously a lot of love and work went into this game, so it's not easy to diss it. Still, compare the gameplay of this FPS to any modern FPS and it'll leave you hollow.

A valiant effort, and honestly, kinda fun for a while. It'll be more fun for the roleplaying aspect than gaming.

It is crippled by an inflexible and cumbersome multiplayer system (you have to go to some third party gamer site) and probably limited in various ways by myopic gamer company exec's numbskull ideas (e.g. "Let's make it so you can't save your game! It'll add to the 'pain' of dying!")

If yer bound and determined to buy it, get the Gold Edition, or better yet, wait for the sequel, which should be coming out Real Soon Now.

«Aliens vs. Predator, developed in 1999 by Rebellion Developments for PC, is an ambitious attempt to combine the universes of two iconic franchises - Alien and Predator. The game offers a unique experience, allowing players to complete three different campaigns: for Alien, Predator and Marine. This concept was one of the most interesting features of the game, offering different styles of play and approaches to missions, which set it apart from other shooters of the time.

Each of the three campaigns offers its own unique game mechanics so that the player can feel like a representative of each of the three worlds. The player who chose a Stranger received incredible speed, the ability to climb walls and use surprise attacks to fight enemies. The Predator campaign gave players the opportunity to use a diverse arsenal of high-tech weapons and devices, including invisibility and thermal vision. Finally, the Marine campaign offered a more traditional approach to first-person shooters, with an emphasis on firepower and the use of various types of weapons. It's fresh, really fresh.

However, despite the interesting idea, the implementation of the game was not perfect. One of the main problems of "Aliens vs. Predator" was her graphic. Even by the standards of 1999, the visual design looks outdated and "square". The textures turned out to be simple, the surroundings were monotonous, and the character models were angular. This significantly affected the perception of the game, making it visually less attractive and immersive. I remember the game for its dark locations, where sometimes I had to turn the screen illumination settings to the maximum, which also did not have a very good effect on the display. The graphics clearly turned out to be the weak link of this project.

Another difficulty was the passage of the game itself. Some levels were confusing, and often had to spend a lot of time searching for the right path. This aspect was especially noticeable in the campaign for Alien, where a large number of vertical surfaces and invisible walls could easily be confusing. The lack of a clear, let's say, tunnel progress often led to the fact that you had to get stuck in one place, not knowing where to move next. It was frustrating (obscenely) and could spoil the impression of the game (also obscenely).

In addition, the difficulty of the game sometimes seemed unreasonably high, especially in the campaign mode for the Marine. Enemies often appeared suddenly and in large numbers, which made the game extremely stressful and difficult. The inability to save at any time also added points to the total, which negated the impression of the game. I remember when I found out that I had a limited number of saves, I was upset once again (once again swearing). Getting used to more modern and less hardcore games had an effect.

In comparison with the subsequent sequels of the series, "Aliens vs. Predator" from 1999 looks like a more primitive and less polished project. Although the game has laid the groundwork for future sequels, it feels more experimental and raw. Nevertheless, it was significant for its time and offered a unique experience, combining elements of two popular franchises.

As a result, "Aliens vs. Predator" is a good but ambiguous project. The game offers an original concept with three different campaigns. However, the drawbacks in the graphics, the difficulty of navigating the levels and the general hardcore may disappoint some players. Despite its shortcomings, the project remains important in the history of the genre and the franchise, and may be of interest to fans of Alien and Predator, as well as those interested in the history of video games. After all, we must not forget that the toy was released before the diverse crossover films with Aliens and Predators in one frame fell down. And this made the game very interesting and in demand in 1999.

6 out of 10.