Aliens vs. Predator

I'm not really a big fan of First Person Perspective games. I do think that Aliens vs Predator would have been better as an over-the-shoulder third-person actioner, even the 1994 side-scrolling beat-em-up version was better than this. But for what it is, it's still a worthwhile game.

I wasn't immediately hooked, to be honest. I found the combat system to be clunky and difficult, though once the first level was cleared things got better (this applies to all three campaigns). Some of the gameplay and tense moments actually reminded me a lot of Condemned 2: Bloodshot. You play as either the Predator, Colonial Marines, or an Alien in three individual stories that all tie together, each with their own set of pros and cons.

The story follows on from those utterly awful AvP movies, but connects it with the Alien and Predator franchise in a more cohesive way than those cinematic travesties managed. But the video game franchise of this particular crossover has been stuck as a First Person actioner since 1999 and with this next-gen incarnation I think that Sega and Rebellion should have tried a new approach.

Despite the flaws, it's an enjoyable game that's very easy to play, if not finish, with plenty of trophies available.

Graphics B Sound B Gameplay B- Lasting Appeal B-

I heard about this game before it went into production. But it seemed like no time passed at all from Pre-Production to release. When I heard Rebellion was making this one as they did the original (still my all time favourite game) I was very excited. The trailers for it made me all the more optimistic. When it was released, it was very close to what I imagined, though it was clear that the time-frame and/or budget they had for this game was lacking what they needed. The graphics were decent, but seemed unpolished and other than the execution kills, they seemed rather cartoonish. especially during the cutscenes. As for the multiplayer, that's where it got really frustrating. if you try joining a quick match sometimes you'd be waiting 10 minutes before it found a game. Also, if you tried to join a specific game type (say Predator Hunt) it would often join a death match or Infest game. On the rare occasion you could join a Predator Hunt game, you'd only get a maximum of 4 people playing which got very boring. When it's supposed to be up to 18 people in a match, I don't think I once played with more than 10 people. Also the campaigns were wayyyyy too short. I think you got like 8 hours of game play from all 3 campaigns? I'm not sure but I beat all of them ridiculously fast.

I heard rumours that Sega pushed Rebellion to develop the game quicker than they wanted to and practically forced it out before it was finished. I also heard a rumour that Sega was pulling their support for the game (meaning no game servers) if this is the case, I don't blame Rebellion, I blame Sega. I hope that Rebellion is given another chance to make a sequel to this game and are given the proper respect and tools to do their job properly.

I still gave this game a 10 because I was completely disappointed in the Sierra-Developed AvP 2 that pretty much removed everything I loved about the original 1999 AvP game. So this game, was definitely trying to go back to its roots and properly capture the atmosphere of the original films and for the most part I think it was a success and I look forward to the sequel...as long as Rebellion makes it.

"Aliens vs. Predator" (2010) is a game that knows how to keep you on edge - and doesn't let go until the very end. It's a mix of horror, action, and brutal close-quarters combat with claws, teeth, and all sorts of firearms. A perfect package for fans of the Alien and Predator universe - like I once was.

The game features three separate storylines, allowing you to explore the unique abilities and perspectives of all three factions. You can play as a regular Colonial Marine, a deadly Xenomorph, or a high-tech hunter - the Predator. This approach sticks to the familiar formula from previous entries. In the end, it's all about bloodthirsty Aliens, aggressive Predators, and unfortunate Marines who are just trying to survive - or at least die with some dignity.

Playing as a Marine is probably the scariest experience. It feels like a full-on horror shooter where you're just a small fish in a sea of monsters. Ammo is always scarce, it's dark all around, and the Xenomorphs come at you lightning-fast. You empty a full clip into one's face - and they just keep coming! Sooner or later, you'll find yourself yelling at the screen something like, "Just die already, you freak!" - trust me, I've been there.

Playing as the Alien is a completely different experience - you crawl along walls and ceilings, hide in shadows, and set up ambushes. It's easy to lose your sense of direction and forget where the floor or ceiling is. But there's nothing quite like leaping onto the head of an unsuspecting human and delivering a quick, terrifying death.

And playing as the Predator? That's just pure joy. You're a high-tech monster loaded with awesome gadgets: cloaking, a plasma caster, a disc, a spear, wrist blades - the works. You truly feel like a hunter. You can sneak up on your prey or go in loud and brutal - your choice. The finishing moves are especially satisfying - brutal, cinematic, and very much in line with the movies. The Predator leaps far and high, switches between different vision modes using his mask, and wreaks havoc. But even he's not invincible. The game stays pretty balanced in that regard.

The graphics are solid too. The corridors, buildings, and natural environments all look good. What really stands out are the creature models - both Aliens and Predators are incredibly detailed, like nightmares brought to life.

Special praise goes to the game's sound design. It's fantastic and adds a ton to the atmosphere. When you're playing as a Marine, sound becomes crucial - you'll find yourself listening intently to every creak, hiss, or rustle in the dark. And when the motion tracker starts beeping like crazy, you just want to curl up in a corner, whisper your goodbyes, and take down as many monsters as you can on the way out. The soundtrack also delivers - tense, dark, and packed with adrenaline during every encounter.

Of course, it's worth noting that the game might feel a bit old-school by today's standards. The controls aren't always smooth, and the levels could've been more diverse. But these are minor issues in the grand scheme of things. What matters is that the game respects its source material. The developers clearly understood what made the films beloved and did their best to let players "feel" like they're part of this dangerous, insane, and wonderfully atmospheric world.

In the end, "Aliens vs. Predator" is a fast-paced, intense game that knows how to scare and surprise. You truly get to experience what it's like to be a vulnerable Marine, a ruthless Alien, or an elite Predator. With great atmosphere, thrilling combat, and solid visuals - it hits the mark. At least for me. For fans of the universe - a must-play.

9 out of 10.

I'm sure by now every one knows of the Alien vs Predator series. Either by the mediocre movies, the comic books, or the games that came out in the late 90's and early 2000's. And if you're like me you've been eagerly awaiting their return. Well I'm happy to say that the series is back.

Aliens vs Predator gives you 3 different campaigns and an excellent multiplayer experience. The 3 campaigns are: alien, predator, and marine, and each one is different and satisfying. The marine plays like your standard first person (but with a larger focus on melee combat) anyone from the Halo of Call of Duty series should feel at home here. The marine campaign focuses on action and scares.

The predator campaign's a little different. It focuses on stealth with humans and hand to hand combat with aliens. The flow is simple, you'll enter any area with marines, isolate one, preform a stealth kill, and repeat the process. The twist is the environmental factors, such as sentry guns that will lock onto you even if you're cloaked, water which will disable your cloak or even rival species.

The alien campaign is the most drastic change from the standard first person shooter. For starters all of the aliens attacks are melee based, meaning you'll need to get close to enemies to attack. So it's a good thing the controls are up to it. You have 3 attacks: light, heavy and block. Light is quick and can be used to form a combo, but can be blocked. Blocks can be broken by a heavy attack, but they take time to use, so it's possible to interrupt it with a light attack. As an added bonus if you succeed in your heavy attack, the enemy will be stunned long enough to preform a brutal finisher. The alien and predators share the same melee moves, but unlike the predator the alien has no long range attacks, making its gameplay even more stealth oriented. The aliens can crawl on any surface, so stealth parts involve hoping off from the ceiling to execute a marine, similar to the predators. The twist is that their are sentry guns that will gun you down, or that their are civilians that you'll want to harvest, however they usually have armed guards and will kill themselves if you're not quick enough.

The final component is the multiplayer which is very well done. There's something for everybody. There's a free for all, team death match, species team death match, territories, a version of Halos infection and juggernaut, and a Gears of War 2 style horde. The only thing that keeps this from a 10 star rating are the length of the campaigns and the kill trains in multiplayer. Happy hunting

Compared to Colonial Marines: this looks like goddamn Bioshock. It's got problems in terms of visuals (at times they look okay, other times they're hideous), the focus on melee combat takes much of the suspense out of the game as you can simply push yourself up against a wall and hold the "block" button, and the story leaves a bit to be desired. But this truly captures the aesthetic of the universe: no other game makes you truly feel like you're playing as the Predator or the Xenomorph like this one does. It's so much fun to play as the alien terrorizing colonist and helpless marines: only wish the campaign was a bit longer. The survival mode is also a fun time waster. Overall: give this one a try if you're a fan of the franchise. It's available on the Xbox store and is backwards capatible, it's worth it if you love these movies like I do.