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 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).

Three personalities, three different views, three different ways to kill and to try staying alive. This game delivers excellently what it is about. I won't talk about graphics since I write this in 2018, but generally to sum it up:

There is very little scripted storyline around. You obtain the aim and you are left alone, on your own. This makes you feel lonely and adds strong atmosphere, in very different way for each species.

Predator is true hunter here and loneliness is a must, because each hunter has to prove it can do everything by himself. You start passing through marine base, first with distant kills and as your skills evolve, you will be proudly killing your prey as close as possible. Then you get to alien part and this is true test of survival. I remeber myself first running for my life scared and killed so many times in level 3 while ultimately finding myself waiting for tons of aliens to be killed with my wristblades. There are so many excellent waepons that has each different range and different power and will give you pleasure from killing in many different ways. Hunter is what you are and you wil find a lot of pleasure in this game. Although, you will definitely aim to become excellent wristblade user, because facing your enemy is the ultimate destiny of the predator. The only creature in the game I haven't killed with wristblades is the queen. Now I think... I haven't tried.

Marine is trying to stay alive and this makes him just the most scared out of three when being on his own. Alien as your main enemy is the nightmare but what Marine has is hell a lot of firepower. So many waepons that you can literally keep shooting and screaming and shooting and screaming. Well, watch for ammo... You will learn where to rest and stay and which places are death trap. Marine gets killed easily and the recipe here are your reflexes, knowledge of where to aim and what angles to cover, where to expect complications when to run, when to run and shoot, which place to pick as the best battle arena and the most important, watch what is behind you.

I have left the alien as the last one to describe. This is the last one I have passed and it gives you feeling of lonely animal saving its hive. The most intense is the terror you bring to those you meet. You'll fall in love with darkness, there were parts where I destroyed the lightning and killed in complete darkness, using sounds to terrorize my prey as much as I could, approaching it with final headbite. Do you remeber the scary moment from original alien movie, where nostromo captain is suprised by alien in ducts? This is what you can give your preys. You'll love to hide, you will love to bite, you will love to make terror, scare enemies with the sound of the alien presence and welcome them with darkness. Out of all alien games, this one is the best, never alien campaign was made that intense and interesting.

This is the best balanced AVP game I have ever played with all three characters feeling like "them". Classics which - I am afraid - will never be repeated, just like noone repeated what original Alien or original Predator movie was about. But this is exactly why the game is called exceptional, isn't it?

I give this game a 10/10 but with one caveat: it is not for everyone. Fortunately, if you are considering playing this game then you are probably part of the demographic this game was geared for- i.e. you are a fan of the movies, the characters or atmospheric, frightening games that suck you into their world.

If you fit the above, then this game has what you are looking for in spades. The only other game to so perfectly create a world and suck you in would be Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.

This game has descent graphics, but the PERFECT game design does an amazing job of hiding the engine's limitations and making everything seem very realistic. Of course it helps that all the iconography from the movies is present and the sounds were taken from the films (and used to amazing effect). There is fear and tension which is compounded by the difficulty and the randomizer which keeps enemies cropping up all over the place -though they do not always storm right at you but rather ambush you later on.

The feeling of the three characters is presented very well too. The marine's campaign and the marine's controls gives the player the feeling of constantly running for one's life while playing the predator makes one feel like a badass and playing the alien feels very strange and well.... alien.

Some people have complained that there is no story and the missions/objectives are obtuse. This is a GOOD thing. While it can be frustrating at times, it is in keeping with the atmosphere and the character's situation. Afterall if one really did have to fight their way to safety through an alien infestation, there wouldn't be a proper story would there? There wouldn't be cut-scenes or character development! There would be nothing but bullets, running, tension and blood --which is exactly what this game delivers.

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.