Aliens vs. Predator

It's good, it's pretty good. I am glad that somewhat in 2010... we put back some things on the right path. After AVP (2004) and AVP Requiem (2007), which I didn't like at all... I thought that all that alien & predator thing is going down the drain. But, thanks to this new video game, and film "Predators", we got some interesting stuff here. Now, let's get back to the game. Graphics - incredible, gameplay - amazing, what can I say, atmosphere and music were great too. And still it kept good impression when you are playing with Alien, or predator, or the marine. Again you feel cool when you are playing with each of them, and their stories are connected, just like in AVP 2 (2001) video game. Though, I don't think that the action scenes, or some moments in the game were not that much tense and not very high voltage. It's kinda slow. This game rules because of good graphics and gameplay, but the plot is weak. Never, during gaming, I have never felt anything exciting in the plot, it's pretty simple, and I feel sorry for that. The intros for all three campaigns were good, but as the plot moves on... something was missing. Maybe it was about these changes that occurred within Alien and Predator canon/universe. You can see that in the game, and there are pretty cool moments with those changes. Like, for example, giving predators much more deeper hunter culture. But, I like things simple. That's just me. When I heard so much about this game, and I expected to be something big, yet simple, and it wasn't ... It was really good, but without the plot... 60% of it is good. But, still highly enjoyable.

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.

Predator - The game developers were clearly inspired by the settings and ideas AVP (2004) helped established, which is why much of it's design in this game resembles those from the actual film, which in IMO was a bad route take. Now it's not all bad, as a matter of a fact, some of the concepts are actually quite interesting, like for example the ability to jump across long distance, from platform to platform, and the fact that the disc actually requires skill to eliminate your opponent unlike it's predecessor which featured a lock-on tracker system allowing killing Humans and Aliens to be far to easy. The sound bites were arguably the biggest disappointment about playing as the Predator, because literally all the sounds the Pred makes have been re-recorded, leaving the player with no famous roar, or screech but instead a mutated horse which doesn't in the slightest sound anything like a Predator should. The single-claw approach along with the updated sound effects almost makes for a different creature, and therefore doesn't leave you feeling like your controlling a Predator, which overall is rather disappointing. The campaign was rather flat story-wise, but I did enjoy the expansion of the Predator culture, and slashing Aliens never gets old especially since there's many trophy kills and normal strikes to choose from. The lack of the combi-stick and/or net gun was also disappointing..

game-play - 8/10 story - 6/10

Alien - One thing I must say that they improved on with the Alien game-play in terms of realism, was that they finally fixed the heat bite feature. In all 6 of the Alien films, it's clearly established that the 'little mouth' pokes a hole right through the center of the human forehead, which is exactly what the Alien does here. In lets say, AVP2; the Alien completely bites the head off, which whist looks cool doesn't fit in with the logic of the Alien's capabilities -- so I was glad to see this fixed up. The controls look and fell accurate to how the Alien moves and behaves, but having said that the pounce is no longer in tact which I found disappointing considering stunning enemies and then attacking them when there most vulnerable in terms of movement, was one of the funnest things to do in AVP2. The sounds have once again been modified, and apart from a death scream, all the original sounds have been replaced, but in this case, I actually don't mind 'em as much as the awful re-made roars the Predators make. I'm about half-way through the single player campaign and while I heard a lot of positive reviews about it, I was quite underwhelmed; mainly due to the fact that you don't start as a face hugger and work yourself up through the life cycle which I really enjoyed in the AVP2 Alien campaign.

game-play - 7.5/10 story - 4/10 (so-far)

Marine - Quite possibility the most underrated single-player campaign out there. I really enjoyed the dark and creepy atmosphere of the Marine, and IMO, it really captured the fear of the Aliens again, since there really wasn't much light and you had to use your motion tracker and flares to get an idea of where they were located. The weapon selection was a bit of a let down considering there was no rocket launcher or mini-gun to choose from, and the sniper whist understandably toned down from its 'overpowered' approach in AVP2, doesn't do near enough damage as it should. Overall I found the Marine to be quite entertaining; and it was easily the best single-player experience in the game.

game-play - 8/10 story - 9/10

Being a fan of both universes, it was a pleasure to play this game. I didn't play the old version of Aliens vs Predator, so I'm only evaluating this one.

The plot here is banal, and not particularly important, you get high from the gameplay itself.

There are 3 campaigns here - for a human, a predator and an alien (I will write in the sequence of my walkthroughs)

A human (paratrooper) is the very first and most interesting campaign among all. At first, there was even horror in the very first chapter, then, although there was a sense of danger (there would be constant sounds of monsters nearby, both alien and sometimes predator), it was not so scary anymore because you found a weapon and got used to throwing flyers in the dark. There is some kind of plot here too (unlike the trail campaigns). Well, his episodes are the longest in the game. Rating : 7/10

Predator is a pretty interesting campaign. Here you will feel like a real omnipotent hunter (and this is cool, because the Predator is one), there are no special difficulties (but there are challenging levels), you have a large arsenal and many enemies, in general, it's a complete action movie. It will take less time to complete than a human. Rating : 6/10

Alien is the shortest campaign, which is no worse than Predator episodes. There is a very interesting gameplay here, you will finally be able to feel yourself secretive (because everything here is based on stealth) and a nasty enemy for humans, just like a predator does not have a special plot, and it is not needed. Rating : 6/10

Overall, it's a very good game to play once (but with a buzz), where everything is built on - go from point A to point B, break it and so in...

"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.