Aliens vs. Predator Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 19 February, 2010

Killer bites.

Version tested: Xbox 360

I'm trying very hard to suppress a Pavlovian instinct over 20 years in the making. As a teenaged boy in the eighties, Aliens and Predator pretty much defined the word "awesome", an ingrained response that has endured ever since.

Even in adulthood, both Cameron and McTiernan's movies stand the test of time. Each is assembled from unforgettably taut set-pieces, incredibly quotable dialogue and pacing that leaves breathing room for both character and mayhem to grow and evolve.

For nearly 20 five years we've absorbed every nuance of these iconic creature designs, every sound effect and music sting, every subtle environmental cue that tells us we're back in a place where acid-bleeding bugs and dreadlocked hunters are waiting to demolish our fragile fleshy bodies.

Rebellion understands this connection, and has laced this remake-cum-reboot of its 1999 hit with a seductive amount of note-perfect fan service. The lonely high-pitched ping of a motion tracker. The falsetto sputter of a pulse rifle. The guttural clicks and growls of a Predator. The swoosh that accompanies the shift to thermal vision. The malevolent hiss of an Alien, the elephantine scream as it dies in a hail of bullets. It's all here and, like Pavlov's pooches, we start to drool.

However, as with all games that dazzle us with beloved characters, it's a good idea to wipe your chin and take a closer look. While the surface details go out of their way to pleasure the fanbase, the game underneath is trudging along, content to let a quarter century of accumulated passion do the hard work.

'Aliens vs. Predator' Screenshot 1

The Predator's one-hit-kill combistick spear is one of several overpowered weapons.

As with the 1999 game, play is divided between three species-specific solo campaigns and a chunk of multiplayer modes. All are hobbled in some way by hurried design choices, with the single-player coming off worst.

Playing as the Marine is an uninspiring introduction. It's not Rebellion's fault that Aliens was such a heavy influence on the FPS genre, but the eagerness with which it embraces outdated clichés doesn't do much to differentiate this from everything that came before. There are some nice scripted scares along the way, and a couple of reasonably intense battles against swarms of Aliens, but it's not enough to disguise the lifeless padding in between.

Creeping down gloomy corridors, finding terminals to open doors, there's not a single memorable moment. There's no iron-sight aiming, no duck or cover capability, and no reason to venture from the linear path other than - oh, surprise - collectible audio logs. Alien encounters quickly exhaust their initial thrills and the game resorts to using combat androids to offer more varied foes. Take away the movie topping and you've got a drab, anonymous shooter with low ambition.

The Predator fares better in the innovation stakes, simply because it comes with a suite of powers that shake up shooter stereotypes. You play through the same locations, albeit occasionally taking the roof rather than the ground route, but the shift away from straight blasting doesn't do the creaky FPS engine any favours.

Battling Aliens is an often bewildering swirl of close-up grappling based around a stiff block-and-counter mechanism, while taking down Marines relies on the game's woolly sense of stealth. You can turn invisible (although doing literally anything else inexplicably drops your cloak) and use your extra-terrestrial ventriloquism skills to distract unwary enemies.

The AI is so poor that such theatrics are rarely required though. Never mind the fact the Marines happily snap to attention and walk to the exact spot you specified, just on the command of an eerie voice that gargles "Over here, MOTHERF***ER", even during combat their response is to simply pop in and out of one spot or to rush towards you, firing. Hardly opponents worthy of the galaxy's greatest hunter. The trophy kills are gruesomely satisfying, at least, but that's provided you can creep into the fussy hotspot required to trigger them.

This is a problem that recurs throughout the game, across all modes. There's a lot of reliance on context-sensitive prompts, but the game is needlessly picky about when you can do them. Shuffling about behind an enemy, trying to get the big button prompt to appear is hardly immersive.

It's even more damaging in the clumsily implemented jumping ability. Hold down the left trigger and you enter "focus mode". This highlights items and objectives, and also places you can leap to reach. Getting the jump marker in the right place is an enormous fiddle, and while this isn't an issue when you're playing stalker, it can be fatal when you're trying to escape from a sticky situation. Health draining away as you grapple with multiple buttons, trying to find a safe vantage point that the game will actually let you jump to, is no fun at all.

As an Alien, you scamper through the same maps for a third time, now able to stick to walls and ceilings, lashing out with tail and claws. It's a stripped-down control scheme that is actually quite refreshing after the over-complicated Predator mode. Sticky responses and clumsy interactions still blight the play, however.

It's easy to get confused while upside down, but that's something you can learn to overcome. Less forgivable is the way the game decides which surfaces you can scuttle up immediately, and which need you to hold down a trigger. Passing through doorways, for example, can leave you halfway up a wall. Equally, trying to escape down the side of a jungle temple can leave you exposed when the game suddenly decides that you need to hold a trigger to pass over an outcrop.

'Aliens vs. Predator' Screenshot 2

Harvesting colonists as an Alien is perhaps the game's most entertaining distraction.

The same fussiness regarding stealth kills also proves problematic, though the ability to whip enemies off their feet with your tail alleviates the hassle somewhat.

All three campaigns have their moments of strength, usually when the flimsy story wiggles itself into something that looks a bit like a scene from one of the original movies, but on the whole they're all held back by bland design, dull maps and fussy control.

Too many functions require you to hold down a button rather than simply press it, usually triggering a long and uninterruptable animation that leaves you open to attack. For both Marine and Predator, the game actually gets easier as you go along, as your arsenal expands with powerful insta-kill weaponry while the enemies remain tethered to movie lore.

And that's without mentioning the weird little fumbles, such as the way the game swaps the Marine's weapons between levels. I found the combination of scoped rifle and shotgun worked best, yet time and again the game made an executive decision and started me in the next stage with the inaccurate and frankly rubbish pulse rifle.

It also makes poor use of the Predator, a creature clearly too overpowered to fit comfortably into this rickety shooter shell. Both the Marine and Alien rarely encounter their third stablemate, and when they do the battle is disappointingly flat. In fact, all the clunky and tiresome boss battles are just another weak link in a game already held together more by good faith than strong design glue.

Visually it's all nothing special. There are some appealing lighting decisions, particularly the use of shadows to amp up the creep factor, but textures are muddy, human character models are stiff and unconvincing and animation often seems jittery, as if frames have been chopped out to get the skittering bugs up to the required lunge speed.

At least the audio is bang on the money, effortlessly evoking the movie atmosphere, even if the use of random music stings to put you on edge is overused. Eventually, you realise the game is just crying wolf and wait for the telltale screech of an Alien to tip you off instead.

All of which adds up to three short and uneventful solo campaigns, blighted by stodgy control and with little to offer beyond inherited iconography. There is the multiplayer side of things, of course, and it's here that the game claws back some of its credibility.

The standard Deathmatch, as inexplicably used for the demo, is rubbish. Completely missing the point of both creatures and concept, it quickly devolves into laughable conga lines of Aliens and Predators performing one-hit stealth kills on each other.

Domination is equally perfunctory, trying to cram a base-capture mechanism into a game where two thirds of the characters have no real reason to defend a meaningless glowing MacGuffin. Team Deathmatch is a lot more fun, in that it allows the sort of freeform teamwork that enables each species to play to its strengths, but even this pales alongside the other modes available.

'Aliens vs. Predator' Screenshot 3

Lance Henriksen does one of the voices. That's not him though. Obviously.

Survivor, for example, is Aliens by way of Left 4 Dead. Four human players, one relentless swarm of AI Aliens. Last for as long as you can. With only two maps, neither of which are very exciting, it's a tantalising taster but is automatically more fun than the solo game purely for the human factor.

It gets better though. Infestation sets a small group of Marines against a lone Alien. Each player picked off by the xenomorph becomes an Alien. Whoever gets wiped out first loses. It's deliciously simple, yet digs right into what makes both monster and movies so popular.

Predator Hunt is pretty much the same thing, but with players taking turns as a Predator on the prowl for trophies. Again, the Ten Little Indians format is absolutely ideal for the licence and the thrill of the hunt, even in this truncated form, provides a solid example of the more interesting avenues left unexplored by the rush to copy a 10-year-old game template.

Strong multiplayer just isn't enough to make Aliens vs Predator a worthwhile endeavour though. It still struggles with the same fudgy controls as single-player, the rudimentary lobby offers only limited options (there's no host migration, for example) and with only six maps, all of which are locations you'll have explored thrice in solo play, it won't take long for dedicated players to reach saturation point and start craving some DLC map packs.

The online portion is enough, at least, to rescue the overall package from the utter mediocrity of the rest of the game but it remains, on balance, a deeply disappointing effort. Scrappy where it needed to be polished, clumsy where it needed to be nimble, the game wears its iconic characters as a shield, happy to serve up scripted shocks but offering nothing that might actually surprise.

6 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Dan.

About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (237) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • decibel #1 2 years ago

    Shame.

  • HoriZon #2 2 years ago

    For shame ;/

  • UncleLou #3 2 years ago

    That sounds like a wasted opportunity. :-/

    Shame they cancelled the RPG.

  • Hunam #4 2 years ago

    At least we got AvP Classic 2000 out of it all.

  • muscleblade #5 2 years ago

    The game has it faults for sure but i think the setting and atmosphere makes up for the lack of enemy AI among other things.

    They cut the power? What do you mean they cut the power? Theyre animals man.

  • mcmonkeyplc #6 2 years ago

    Burn! Acid Burn.

  • thewool #7 2 years ago

    Not being able to duck seems very weird after all these years...

  • systems #8 2 years ago

    About right I suppose. I played it last night and I agree with pretty much every word. A 7 for fans of the films, a 6 for everyone else. There's no ambition at all, it's as if the last 10 years of games never happened. Rebellion really have lost the plot.

    Survival mode will be what everyone plays for a month or so, then it'll fill up the pre-owned sections. I'd say buy it if you can get 4 mates together, but rent it otherwise.

  • muscleblade #9 2 years ago

    "both Cameron and McTiernan's movies stand the test of time"

    Ridley Scotts Alien is best though.

  • MrE26 #10 2 years ago

    The game has it's faults for sure, it's essentially Doom 3 with Aliens, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. I am a complete Aliens fanboy though.

  • kaya08 #11 2 years ago

    I wish they'd stop milking these franchises. The recent movies where dire and this being poor and rushed is really unsurprising

  • schnide #12 2 years ago

    WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE GONNA DO NOW?!

  • schnide #13 2 years ago

    They mostly just made it alright. Mostly.

  • thewool #14 2 years ago

    Isn't there another Aliens game on the way that was being developed by Gearbox?

  • CaptainQuint #15 2 years ago

    I was gonna buy this until the mixed (but mainly bad) reviews turned up, and now EG has settled it for me. A defo rental though, indeed I'm hoping it will be waiting at home for me, m courtesy of LOVEFiLM.

  • Weezer #16 2 years ago

    Anyone want to place bets on the longevity of Rebellion after this? They've not had a major success for some time...


  • MaFlippinHeadHurts #17 2 years ago

    About time this review was posted.

    Disappointed this wasn't at least an 8 but I kind of predicted it would get a 6.....hoped for a 7 though!

    You give people some great material to work with and they just go and mess it up - why for flip sake?!
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 14:17

  • thewool #18 2 years ago

    @schnide

    Are you finished?

  • muscleblade #19 2 years ago

    "Isn't there another Aliens game on the way that was being developed by Gearbox?"

    It sure is. Hope this sell allright to convince SEGA that the franchise is worth it.

  • schnide #20 2 years ago

    @thewool

    Well why don't we just put you in charge?
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 14:19

  • gammonbanter #21 2 years ago

    Game over man, game over!

  • Xeopuppy #22 2 years ago

    Should have given it to Monolith to make it, Just like Alien vs. Predator 2, which I thought was a much better game than the first one...

  • Evolution #23 2 years ago

    @MrED26

    "it's essentially Doom 3 with Aliens"

    I'm not sure if you meant that as a positive statement or not, but it only adds to the gloom for me :(

  • BOBBYLUPO #24 2 years ago

    20 5 years? That's like 100 years right?

    Kind of expected this. Seems you either really enjoy the back to basics approach (though not sure Rebellion know of a step forward to move back from!) or you hate it for basically not being like COD with Aliens. I personally like the simplification - besides the marines have HUDs so don't need ironsights /pedantic.

    Also, where's the love for Predator 2? Sure there was no Arnie but c'mon, King Willie, Gary Busey wearing a silver foil outfit, much more violence, new weapons and that awesome subway scene.

  • Moribundman #25 2 years ago

    It's OK. Decent but not great.

    I swear many of the low scores were given so that reviewers could incorperate "game over man!" into their copy.

    No "you're one UGLY motherfucker" comments on the graphics as yet tho... ;-)

  • Doctor_What #26 2 years ago

    @ MrE26 : Yep, as the review says, there's a lot of fan service in there. For big fans of the films you can add a point, maybe two, on top of the score. For everone else... Hmm. 6 seems harsh, 7-8 seems more of an average from all the scores online.

    The reviews all say similar things to the EG review though: occasionally creaky, a bit old-fashioned, fanboy fare, but generally solid enough if you like this kind of thing. They usually rave about the atmosphere, which EG doesn't, but each to their own I guess.

  • Moribundman #27 2 years ago

    @bobbylupo LOL Predator 2 is an utterly bizzare movie. Danny Glover can only be taken seriously in the semi-comic Leathal Weapon movies in my eyes, and there is more WTF amusement in P2 than thrills (whereas P1 had both in equal measure).

  • Moonprince #28 2 years ago

    Sounds like its on an express elevator to hell. Going dooooooown

  • Murton #29 2 years ago

    When the review didn't come out Monday I was worried that it was going to be a release day embargo, the people who pre-ordered hoping for this to be good will no doubt be disappointed but I'm glad that I made Heavy Rain my day one purchase for this month with the intent of waiting for AvP to drop a little in price, it looks like I won't be waiting too long.

  • muscleblade #30 2 years ago

    "If it bleeds we can kill it"


    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 14:34

  • OrgasmicMutton #31 2 years ago

    Saw that coming; even the hands on previews for this game weren't particularly positive.

    Reckon I'll spend my money on the ludicrously named classic 2000 instead.

  • Nanocrystal #32 2 years ago

    Skipped straight to the score. I ain't got time to read.

  • IkariW #33 2 years ago

    Yeah... well, Eurog@ymer gave Dantes Inferno a 6/10 and were utterly wrong (In my opinion)
    (Previously Darksiders, my mistake Muscleblade that was Egde and Games TM..both wrong.;) Oh and Lemming 81, Regardless of my mistake, my point still stands numb nuts, there was no need to swear.)
    So I think its worth trying at least before making a snap judgements/flames about games and the companies that make them etc etc.

    To be honest, I do get this feeling that EG has an almighty 'Chip' on their shoulder recently.... they have given numerous good solid games low to average scores. I think people expectations are sometimes blown out of all proportion, mostly by games websites themselves! we can only expect SO much from games, there is an element of 'Getting real' here.

    Oh, And if I hear another "Its like GOW3" or "Wait for GOW3" in a EG review I'm going to scream!!! what happened did Sony by you a few Vodkas at a recent bullsh!t PR event or something??!! jeez...

    Head in hands.

    Ikari
    Edited by 3 at 19/02/10 @ 15:52

  • Ryboy #34 2 years ago

    GAME OVER MAN! GAME OVER!

    Mahaha! 6/10. Not at all surprised!

  • jag10 #35 2 years ago

    the screenshots looked amazing though:

    [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/gallery.php?game_id =11154&article_id=947345
    ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/gallery.php?gam...[/link]


  • cianchristopher #36 2 years ago

    Oh well, 6/10 on console - looks like 7/10 on PC for me (simply due to better graphics and easier controls)...

    I'll still pick it up cheap sometime - it's the kind of game you'd play for an hour or two.

    Some Saturday morning, 6 months down the line, when I don't have the time/energy to fire up something like Dragon Age or Civilization, this is the kind of thing I'd stick on for a little bit before going to do something else for the day...

  • muscleblade #37 2 years ago

    "Yeah... well, Eurog@ymer gave 'Darksiders' a 6/10 "

    Eurogamer gave Darksiders 8/10 actually.

  • Krusty #38 2 years ago

    Bah, gutted.

    Pre-ordered, downloaded but not got the chance to try it yet...

  • JimmyT67 #39 2 years ago

    GET TO DA CHOPPA!!!

    oh wait...

  • George-Roper #40 2 years ago

    Called it. Damn :(

  • M4RKYB #41 2 years ago

    Aliens hasn't really stood the test of time, it's way too stuck in the 80's, you only have to look at Burke with his Kevin Keegan perm, grey suit and and pencil tie to immediately lose the sense of timeless immersion that all great sci-fi's must have. I agree with muscleblade, Ridley Scott's original is a true classic, one of my most re-run movies of all time. Not saying Aliens was a bad film of course, I loved it with every fibre of my being back in the day, and the multiplayer demo of this game gave me a big fat smile as soon as that motion detector started pinging. That was about the only positive I took from the experience though, way too dark and poorly designed. Such a shame.

  • Korpers #42 2 years ago

    @ kaya08 [puts his rifle against kaya08's head] I say we grease this rat-fuck son-of-a-bitch right now!.........................no offence.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 14:38

  • CaptainQuint #43 2 years ago

    WE'RE ON AN EXPRESS ELEVATOR TO HELL... GOIN' DOWN!

  • spatss #44 2 years ago

    Shame indeed. I was really looking forward to this. :(

  • thewool #45 2 years ago

    @schnide

    You better just start dealing with it Schnide, The game is averagre, at best! Listen to me!!

    Schnide, just deal with it, because we need you and I'm sick of your bullshit...

  • muscleblade #46 2 years ago

    Dan Whithead is the reviewer behind the 7/10 Dead Space review ( yes Dan it will haunt you for the rest of your life).
    Just wanted everybody to know and take it into account.

  • siro #47 2 years ago

    The score is somewhat within expectations. A really good AvP game would be fantastic, but I never got the hopes up for this one.

  • Grievous1976 #48 2 years ago

    Goes back to Gameshop, slams game on Counter and says in a gruff voice 'Gimme my Money Back MOTHERF***ER!

  • FWB #49 2 years ago

    They're coming!
    Pew-pew-pew-pew
    A rata tat tat... a rat ta tat ta
    Arggghhhhhh
    Noooooooooooo! Desmond!


    There should be more people in games called Desmond.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #50 2 years ago

    Isn't Colonial Marines on hold until Sega guage the sales of this? Doesn't sound good, I'm a fan of the straight Alien games (I loved Alien Trilogy), so I was somewhat looking forward to that.

  • telboy007 #51 2 years ago

    Was watching Aliens the other night, which made me happy. Have seen the review score, which made me sad. :(

    Edit: All right calm yourselves, cunt faces.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 15:37

  • CaptainQuint #52 2 years ago

    How do I get out of this chicken shit outfit?

  • cianchristopher #53 2 years ago

    WTF is "Aliens 2"?

  • cianchristopher #54 2 years ago

    You secure that shit CaptainQuint!!!

  • cianchristopher #55 2 years ago

    Hey Dan Whitehead, have you ever been mistaken for a man?

  • MrE26 #56 2 years ago

    CaptainQuint, come here. COME HERE!!!

  • aled #57 2 years ago

    "Strong multiplayer just isn't enough to make Aliens vs Predator a worthwhile endeavour though."

    This review does not sound like a 6, which according to scoring policy is "Above average". This reads more like a 5 or even a 4. I think the site-wide ad has something to do with the extra point(s).

  • Lemming81 #58 2 years ago

    IkariW:"Yeah... well, Eurog@ymer gave 'Darksiders' a 6/10 and were utterly wrong (In my opinion).... so I think its worth trying at least before making a snap judgements/flames about games and the companies that make them etc etc."


    They gave it 8/10 you blind fuckwit. There goes any point you think you had, tbh.

  • bongofury #59 2 years ago

    after this review, i say we take off and nuke the entire eurogamer site from orbit, its the only way to be sure!!

  • DanWhitehead #60 2 years ago

    @cianchristopher - No. Have you?

  • cianchristopher #61 2 years ago

    You're just too bad, too bad!

  • TonyCocaCola #62 2 years ago

    So now i need to make plans for my weekend.

  • DanWhitehead #63 2 years ago

    *obligatory Spunkmeyer joke*

  • thewool #64 2 years ago

    I can drive that loader... >>>>> presses SHIFT + RUNSTOP

  • Emmit_Assassin #65 2 years ago

    Ooooooo, scathing review.

    I expected as much. I just can't see how they could have got it right, to be honest. Balancing three separate play styles within the competitiveness of FPS's these days is never going to work. I thought they might have at least got ONE of them right, though.

    I might pick this up when I've got through the list of 654 other titles I put off because of being 5 or 6's out of 10's.

    Never mind, eh? Besides, we got the new Duke Nukem to look forward to now. Very forward, granted. But forward nonetheless.

  • el_pollo_diablo #66 2 years ago

    The really sad thing about all this is that I'm still quite tempted to go and buy a copy.

  • kinky_mong #67 2 years ago

    @Muscleblade: Thanks for reminding me. I though a 7 was generous for Dead Space, so I've factored that in to this review.

  • MrE26 #68 2 years ago

    @Evolution

    I really enjoyed Doom 3 for what it was, an old school shooter with bags of atmosphere & I'd describe this in pretty much the same way. For me, an Aliens game should be about creeping round deserted colonies & hives being scared shitless by strange noises & flickering shadows. Yeah, it's formulaic as fuck, but it really invokes that Aliens atmosphere. A big problem is, so many games have copied off Aliens that when someone makes a game that sticks to the movie's formula, it's always gonna seem a bit derivative of what's come before.

  • andromeda #69 2 years ago

    Looks like EG don't like the cornbread either.

  • drumbaby #70 2 years ago

    [link url=http://www.e urogamer.net/articles/r_avp2
    ]http://www.e urogamer.net/articles/r_avp2
    [/link]

    6/10, and that game sucked. I've just bought AvP3, so hopefully it doesn't suck as bad.

  • Deepo #71 2 years ago

    No surprises there with those advertising banners plastered all over the site!

    ....oh

  • muscleblade #72 2 years ago

    @el_pollo_diablo

    Do it you wont regret it.

    "Isn't Colonial Marines on hold until Sega guage the sales of this? "

    This is true. I kind of said this earlier. So el pollo heres another reason you should buy it.

  • cianchristopher #73 2 years ago

    @ muscleblade: you can't seriously expect people to buy a game that's not meant to be that good, just on the off-chance that its success will lead to the development of another game...

  • el_pollo_diablo #74 2 years ago

    @muscleblade
    Yeah I'm sure I'll end up buckling on this one to be honest, but come on, buying this game to encourage Sega to make another one isn't a good reason!

  • Koborover #75 2 years ago

    Too bad, I hope Aliens: Colonial Marines will be better. I was always most interested in Aliens vs. Marines anyway.

    And funny how AvP comments always end up in people quoting the movies.

    "Look into my eye!"

  • bongofury #76 2 years ago

    Its a shame its not turned out as good as its old PC games. i think a modern day Aliens game should be 4-6 player on line CoOp survival horror FPS where you infitrate a bunch of Weyland Yutani installations as a squad, with with a couple of people with motion trackers a couple with smart guns etc. The atmosphere is whats important when making a game in this universe, people want to be shit scared as a squad, kind of Left 4 Dead with strobe lights, slime, steam and flame throwers!

  • FWB #77 2 years ago

    Are there any Nazis in this? Could really do with some.

  • Zephro #78 2 years ago

    @whoever said it.

    How is not having crouching old school/simplification. You could crouch in AvP 11 years ago...

  • BOBBYLUPO #79 2 years ago

    Honestly, if you're not expecting COD with Aliens and you like the franchise then you will more than likely enjoy this game. I'm having a ton of fun with it and have hardly touched multiplayer.

    Agree with some of the review comments though. The stealth kill button action for the Predator is erratic (it even warns you that being 'clumsy' as the Predator will enable your prey to spot you - ha ha). I also can't figure out if the 'distract' option is contextual or just a bit knackered, and yes, the distract voice sounds like a cross between Barry White and Satan, which makes the marines chirpy responses kind of laughable.

    But anyway, they're only minor quibbles in what is a really enjoyable experience so far.

  • Jackface #80 2 years ago

    6 sounds too generous. Reads like a 5, frankly, and seeing as I never bother with multiplayer, more like a 4 for me.

    Looking at the reception this game is getting it feels like there's just a bunch of wage slaves churning out code and taking orders. Individually there's probably a lot of love for this project but there's clearly no company-wide executive-level passion like there evidently is at valve and bungie.

  • Big-Swiss #81 2 years ago

    6/10

    we might have had hope, but it kind of was expected!
    with all the games being released before and after AVP, this should be a no go, it can't be worth the time and money.

  • jambo74 #82 2 years ago

    Demo was crap so no shock in the 6

  • MikeN #83 2 years ago

    M4RKYB: "Aliens hasn't really stood the test of time, it's way too stuck in the 80's, you only have to look at Burke with his Kevin Keegan perm, grey suit and and pencil tie to immediately lose the sense of timeless immersion that all great sci-fi's must have".

    Apart from Burke there's nothing particularly "80's" about Aliens. Burke's style is a yuppie which lets the viewer instantly peg him as a corporate asshole. Aliens is one of the few films that if it's on the telly i'll watch it, ad breaks and all, despite the fact that I've got it on dvd.

  • muscleblade #84 2 years ago

    @cianchristopher and el_pollo_diablo

    Of course i dont expect people to buy this just to help the chances for the other game, but this game isnt as bad as you might think. Helping the chances of Colonial Marines being made is just a bonus. Im a huge fan the franchises (i hated the AVP movies though) and this game is doing the franchises justice i think. The story is much better than those of the films (AVP of course).

  • BOBBYLUPO #85 2 years ago

    @M4RKYB @MikeN

    There's still time for Keegan-hair to come back into fashion.

  • bratmandu #86 2 years ago

    Ah, a Dan Whitehead review, I'll just have to play it myself and decide. He and I have different tastes.

  • Big-Swiss #87 2 years ago

    I'm acctually glad this is shit, my bank account is thanklfull and it is one of the first long awaited titles this year that I don't have to feel to be left out if not playing.

  • themorganator #88 2 years ago

    I've just bought it, should i even bother unwrapping it? Damn the proximity of BFBC2!

  • Raiten #89 2 years ago

    Slightly disapointed with the score, but the review seems to read like it's a huge mess to control predator on console.. so you could guess it's best to buy it for pc then.
    But somehow i can't shake the feeling there's more often than enough double standards at work in EG reviews nowdays.. could say it for some other sites as well.
    For example, strong multiplayer can't excuse the weaker single player experience? eh? there's plenty of games where you've excused single player shortcomings thanks to the strong multiplayer, same going for games with sequals.. some get praised for doing the same exact thing as previous games, while others get bashed down and taken scores off for doing same as previous games even when it's done well, it's hard to trust the scoring at times when there's such obvious double standards in place.

  • bodypopper #90 2 years ago

    This review was not written in the exact way I wanted. Therefore it's invalid.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 15:23

  • darleysam #91 2 years ago

    My mamma always said "life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna xenomorph"

  • Darren #92 2 years ago

    A 6/10 was higher than I was expecting after some of the scathing reviews I've read (1Up's for example) but it'll likely sell well anyway on the stength of the license and numerous TV ads. Also I think people who've bought the game will likely overlook the game's many flaws because of the 'cool' factor of playing as a Predator or Alien and/or the multiplayer. Basically, it wouldn't have mattered if the game had been absolute pap, it would still have sold anyway on the name alone.

  • Caspar_Esq. #93 2 years ago

    If it writes like a 4. give it a 4. don't inflate the marks!

  • darleysam #94 2 years ago

    "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" - Ellen Ripley

  • CaptainQuint #95 2 years ago

    You always were an asshole, Rebellion.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #96 2 years ago

    It sucked when I played it at the expo and it sucked again when the demo came out. A 6 seems overly generous to be honest.

  • The-Builder #97 2 years ago

    The PC version is definetly better the console version. Both looks and controls alot better.

  • schnide #98 2 years ago

    I say we take off, nuke Rebellion from orbit.

    It's the only way to be sure.

  • darleysam #99 2 years ago

    "I see dead people" - Carter Burke

  • Prox #100 2 years ago

    Paragraph 3 - "For nearly 20 five years".
    Is there a joke here I'm missing or is it simply an editing mistake?

  • thelzdking #101 2 years ago

    "They mostly just made it alright. Mostly."

    Nice! :D

  • JimmyT67 #102 2 years ago

    @designer headache

    that was on two lines ;)

  • StooMonster #103 2 years ago

    \Fingers-in-ears plus shouting la-la-la

    Downloading pre-order from Steam right now.

  • kinky_mong #104 2 years ago

    "I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!" - Who ever it was that Ron Pearlman plays in Ressurection.

  • klem578 #105 2 years ago

    "A 6/10 was higher than I was expecting after some of the scathing reviews I've read (1Up's for example) but it'll likely sell well anyway on the stength of the license and numerous TV ads. Also I think people who've bought the game will likely overlook the game's many flaws because of the 'cool' factor of playing as a Predator or Alien and/or the multiplayer. Basically, it wouldn't have mattered if the game had been absolute pap, it would still have sold anyway on the name alone"

    Wait , you mean like all the other 90% of games that some people buy them on the strenght of the gfx alone ?

    Darren , like it or not mate , some of us actually like to play games because they're just that , games , flaws be damned from the moment that something feels/is fun :)

    This is what games are for , to provide us with fun moments , you for example may find "fun" scrutinizing every game coming out regarding framerate/tearing/gazilliovolumetricsoftubershader features , others on the other hand prefer spending their time actually playing the damned things by pushing the little buttons on various joypads/keyboards xD

    Horses for courses and everything but in my personal opinion (always) , people nowadays spend more time tearing something from the inside out than actually trying to have fun.

    Also , remember , there isn't one single game out which doesn't have flaws in it.

    Cheers

  • FogHeart #106 2 years ago

    I have to agree about Dan's reviews. He often seems so jaded when he talks about a game's mechanics. Oh didn't I see this jumping about in zero G in Prey? Aren't these monsters from the same design school as Doom 3? Oh, audio logs again?

    And again...complains about the AI because the marines walk over when prompted by ventriloquism every time. Imagine how frustrated we would feel playing if they didn't - if it was hit and miss. I'd soon give up and try to Rambo through a marine cluster.

    However, I trust him when he talks about difficulties in navigating the environment, and that the story is weak (the latter is the biggest shame for me, as there's so much potential for great stories in AvP and it's wasted all the time).

    I don't know. There's a glut of good stuff lately, and this had to be very good to claim its share of my monthly gaming budget. Will revisit when it's going cheap on Steam (if it's on Steam).

    Edit: Damn, I forgot the obligatory quote. Here we go....."This game is DEAD, Rebellion! Don't you understand what you've done here? We'll you're not gonna sleaze your way out of this one. I'm gonna make sure you're nailed to the wall for this. Right to the wall!"
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 15:54

  • darleysam #107 2 years ago

    ""I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!" - Who ever it was that Ron Pearlman plays in Ressurection. " - kinky_mong

  • IkariW #108 2 years ago

    Lemming81" They gave it 8/10 you blind fuckwit. There goes any point you think you had, tbh."

    Regardless of my mistake, my point still stands numb nuts, and there was no need to swear.

    Ikari

  • Koborover #109 2 years ago

    "Guess FogHeart don't like Dan Whitehead either."

  • kinky_mong #110 2 years ago

    @darleysim: Haha, you're so meta! Have a +1.

  • Deckard1 #111 2 years ago

    Just one point less than dead space. Result!!

    Oh and "Come on... Come on! Do it! Do it! Come on. Come on! Kill me! I'm here! Kill me! I'm here! Kill me! Come on! Kill me! I'm here! Come on! Do it now! Kill me!"

  • andywilkie35 #112 2 years ago

    Is Ripley in this game?

    I hope so, she's great, even if she's a poor Ripley compared to former Blackburn winger Stuart Ripley. Now there was a Ripley you could set your watch to!

  • AphoticCosmos #113 2 years ago

    Oh dear.

  • schnide #114 2 years ago

    @klem578

    I think the point you've missed is that it's flaws which stop a game from being fun in the first place, half the time.

  • cianchristopher #115 2 years ago

    Keepin' the quote game alive:

    Dan Whitehead: Rebellion? I- You know I expected more from you - I thought you'd be smarter than this.

    Rebellion: Well, I'm happy to disappoint you.

    EDIT: I just like to edit things...
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 16:26

  • rudedudejude #116 2 years ago

    Sounds about right from my experiences of the demo - nothing new over the old AvP games tbh, and I played both of them to death.

  • Rodchenko #117 2 years ago

    Rented this today and had a quick start with the Marines and Predator campaigns. Have to say I am quite enjoying it, but I am not that far in yet. Also agree, that the first Alien-movie is still the best. But it wouldn't deliver much of an FPS-material, now would it?

  • klem578 #118 2 years ago

    @ Shnide : Says who mate ? The reviews ? Sorry but i can form my own opinion , again , flaws or not , i found the game to be fun (in all its retro/old-school vibe)...

    Also , it's pretty funny but - if you're going by reviews , there are actually more of them praising the game than slating it :
    [link url=http://www.vg247.com/2010/02/19/aliens-vs-pre dator-reviews-get-out/
    ]http://ww w.vg247.com/2010/02/19/aliens-v...[/link]

    So , are you going to buy it now ? :)

    Edited by 2 at 19/02/10 @ 16:16

  • Paulie_P #119 2 years ago

    @squarejawhero

    The graphics were too blocky.

  • mr.smeg #120 2 years ago

    #22: "Game over man, game over! "

    This should have been out of the way in the first five posts. Getting slack boys.

  • FogHeart #121 2 years ago

    The first person to consult the web for quotes loses.

    "These EG reviewers are very tough hombres. They're packing state of the art firepower, there's nothing they can't handle. Lieutenant, am I right?"

  • Darren #122 2 years ago

    "For nearly 20 five years we've absorbed every nuance of these iconic creature designs..."

    Sorry to be pedantic but shouldn't that read 25 or twenty-five?

  • FogHeart #123 2 years ago

    Considering how different sites are reviewing high and low:-

    "The review scores are weird...must be some interference or something....there's numbers all over the place!"

  • cianchristopher #124 2 years ago

    Re: 6/10

    It's reading right, man, look.

    Well, you're not reading it right...

  • schnide #125 2 years ago

    @klem

    I meant in general mate - there was no personal offence to you intended.

    In general though, if you have good taste in anything, you find it harder to overlook flaws because you notice them more.

  • swissorc #126 2 years ago

    "It's like the jungle came alive and took him "

  • bodypopper #127 2 years ago

    Did review scores just drop sharply while I was away?

  • Quak #128 2 years ago

    This is really disappointing. The opening bit of the review does at least remind me of some of the things that were awesome about the 1999 game though, and I think I'll be reinstalling that over the weekend. I won't bother with this game though, even if my curiosity and alien/predator fan sides of me both want to as mediocre efforts from developers and publishers should not be rewarded.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 16:35

  • Deckard1 #129 2 years ago

    Anyone else really struggling not to buy this anyways. I know its gonna be shit but.... its got fucking aliens and predators in it! My mommy always said there were no monsters - no real ones - but there are. I hate you rebellion, you broke my heart QQ
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 16:45

  • Quak #130 2 years ago

    Sorry to be pedantic but shouldn't that read 25 or twenty-five?

    Don't worry, it was probably the pub's fault.

  • JimmyT67 #131 2 years ago

    Rebellion: Don't you think you deserve it to yourself to get back out there and face this thing?
    Cianchristopher: Spare me the psych evaluation Rebellion!
    Rebellion: I know I've read your medical reports, you wake up every night with your bedsheets soaked.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 16:42

  • cianchristopher #132 2 years ago

    Yeah, Deckard - I'm buying it! I was always gonna, even if it got shit reviews. (Well, maybe not if it was 1/10 or something, but you catch my drift)

    It's Aliens, man! Versus Predators! C'mon...

  • Jesus: Action Figure #133 2 years ago

    @Deckard1

    Yep, I'm seriously tempted too...
    Fortunately I'm out on the lash tonight, but tomorrow I may just be tempted.

    Actually, thinking about it, if I get *really* drunk I might buy it by accident at the 24 hour Asda on the way home...

    I'm predisposed to want to like this as I love the films from my childhood. I think I'd get *some* enjoyment from it for sure.

    Really, I should wait till I get paid at the end of the month. Though I may not last 17 hours...

  • fknetwork #134 2 years ago

    As expects Pants with a capital P!

  • bad09 #135 2 years ago

    I knew EG was panning this from the delay in the review. Dead Space Dan reviewing to! :)

    I loves it myself and having great fun, Rebellion did a great job. Once again I laugh in the face of EG reviews.

    / goes back to AvP

  • FogHeart #136 2 years ago

    "This little iPhone app scored higher than that with no toolkit and no training."

  • soviet_ #137 2 years ago

    I pre ordered the PC version for £17 from Zavvi so can't complain really, something to play this weekend

  • FogHeart #138 2 years ago

    "How long after DLC is declared overdue can we expect a release?"

    "17 days."

    "17 days? Hey man, I don't wanna rain on your parade but we won't be playing the game after 17 hours!"

    OK, OK, I'll shut up now. Promise.

  • Darren #139 2 years ago

    @klem578 - I don't see what you're getting so uppity about.

    All I said was that this game is based on a popular license that many people have been looking forward to and, regardless of the quality of the game, many people will still enjoy playing it because it's an Alien/Predator game. We all know that licensed games sell to the fans whether they're poor or not. In this case, many will overlook the games many issues because, well it's an Alien/Predator game, innit? (And, yes, I realise every game has flaws but, clearly based on EG's review alone, AvP has more than most as it only just above average)

    The point I'm making is that AvP should be a good game regardless of the license attached to it but, IMO, if you stripped the license away then it would likely sell far fewer copies and those niggling flaws would stand out more. Ask yourself this: was you excited about this game because it was going to be a good FPS or because it was an AvP game? ;)

  • Antsy #140 2 years ago

    So tired of these sub-par first person shooters. They're coming outta the goddamn walls! Lets book!

  • LewisResolution #141 2 years ago

    PaulieP: Absolutely outstanding work.

  • bongofury #142 2 years ago

    another day on the eurogamer forums, a day on the forums is like a day on the farm, every paychecks a fortune, every formation a parade! I love the forum!.... what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed?

  • JimmyT67 #143 2 years ago

    If we patch the software up here, here and here and then block these ip tunnels here and here we should be able to hold off these bad reviews!

  • jonbwfc #144 2 years ago

    @Fogheart
    "yeah? well why don't you put IT in charge."

  • bongofury #145 2 years ago

    jimmyt67: Outstanding, now all we need is a deck of cards

  • muscleblade #146 2 years ago

    @Darren

    I think you have a very good point. The lisence is extremely important to this game and i wouldnt enjoy the game the same way if it had some random monsters and story. If you dont care for the license the game isnt for you. Easy as that.

  • jampar #147 2 years ago

    Not too bothered about this. Did go to a double bill screening of Predator & Aliens on tuesday. It was incredible. At the prince charles cinema in leicester square for any of the london people on here. they are doing it again in March... get along. they use the 80's prints as well. legendary.

  • Lemming81 #148 2 years ago

    Whatsa matter Rebellion? They got you pushing too many pencils?"

  • irrelevanthuman #149 2 years ago

    Maybe Rebellion could build a fire,sing a few songs,maybe that would help...

  • curtlikesmeat #150 2 years ago

    I bought it and am enjoying it a lot, although I can see exactly where the review is coming from in that if it didn't have aliens, predators, marines, pulse rifles etc. in it I would find it a lot less interesting.

  • DAN.E.B #151 2 years ago

    there mostly dissapointing.............................mostly!

  • CaptainQuint #152 2 years ago

    Looks like some sort of secreted resin.

  • Deckard1 #153 2 years ago

    There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no good game.

    We're all gonna die.

  • CaptainQuint #154 2 years ago

    We got phase plasma pulse rifles, RPGs, we got sonic electronic ball breakers - Wooo! We got nukes, we got knives, sharp sticks...

  • Haloboy #155 2 years ago

    A game that doesn't have aliens, predators and pulse rifles in it wouldn't be as good. Shock. Horror. Gasp.

    Online makes the game what it is anyway. I'm going back in for more, nail me to the floor, alien skull rapping at my door.

  • Jesus: Action Figure #156 2 years ago

    @CaptainQuint:

    Yeah, but secreted from what?

  • Koborover #157 2 years ago

    This comment section alone proves that there's no reason to cancel Aliens: Colonial Marines, everybody still loves those classic movies. It needs more Alien 3 quotes though:

    Rebellion: "I just wanted to say thanks for what you said during the AvP Hands On..."
    Dan Whitehead: "Yeah, well you don't wanna know me, lady. I'm with Eurogamer and I raped AvP in my review."
    Rebellion: "Really? Well, I guess... I must make you nervous."
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 18:24

  • ChocNut #158 2 years ago

    Too harsh. This game would have got a 7 if they hadn't fucked up the demo because all the reviewers looked at the backlash and thought it was safer to knock a point off.
    Reality is this is a great game.

  • CaptainQuint #159 2 years ago

    @Jesus

    Nobody touch nuthin'.

  • assache #160 2 years ago

    This game is a touch of nostalgia for many and in that respect, I am happy!

  • InvisibleCrane #161 2 years ago

    "Dan Whithead is the reviewer behind the 7/10 Dead Space review ( yes Dan it will haunt you for the rest of your life).
    Just wanted everybody to know and take it into account."

    And that's bad because?...why are you all still bitching like whiny crybabies over that
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 18:56

  • Gearskin #162 2 years ago

    Because Dead Speace was AWESOME and Dan is a c*nt!

    I win the game!

  • Kapo! #163 2 years ago

    Gonna tell Aunt Mary about Uncle John. Claims he has a-misery but he has a lot of fun. Oh, baby. Ye-e-e-es, baby. Whoo-oo-oo-oo, baby. A-havin' me some fun tonight.

  • tastierax #164 2 years ago

    Rebellion is the new cocksuker of consols

  • berryl227 #165 2 years ago

    genius qoute action going on in this thread.... antsy & foghorne good work fellas actually made me smile

    Love it :0)

    oh as for the game as others have said love the source material was going to have to be a right stinker not too! Its flawed yes but ultimatly im going to get great fun out of it!
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 19:09

  • welshben23 #166 2 years ago

    It seems that at least 3 villages are missing their idiots today. bad09, IkariW and ChocNut, this game is neither good, great or solid and it's not fun at all.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 19:15

  • stooeh #167 2 years ago

    Eurogamer: "Nice game you got there Rebellion.." (*sarcasm*)
    Rebellion: Magnificent, isn't it ?

  • bdgr #168 2 years ago

    well I like it!...

  • bad09 #169 2 years ago

    @ welshben23

    You know, I don't know what species is worse. You don't see them calling each other village idiots over a review score.

    / goes back to..having fun...on AvP

  • ObiChrisKenobi #170 2 years ago

    You can always tell a 'poor' review score is incoming from Eurogamer, as it never appears on the site till the day the game is released.

  • DanWhitehead #171 2 years ago

    Much as I hate to ruin a good conspiracy theory, the review was always going to go live today - that was the deadline I was given before review code even arrived. And, up until I submitted the final text yesterday, the only person who knew the score was me.

  • Deckard1 #172 2 years ago

    So you cooked up a story and dropped the six of us into a meat grinder...What happened to you DanWhitehead? You used to be someone I could trust.

  • Hive #173 2 years ago

    Just playing the Alien campaign so far & although the range/availability of the trophy kill is finicky so not always working it is a lot of fun so far.

  • SpaceMonkey77 #174 2 years ago

    I figured AvP would get marks like this. Sorry guys, but its far too dark and far too DOOMy, IMO.

    The biggest mistake, was making it an Aliens vs Predator game. Fox want to push this AvP bandwagon far too much, when its a lot of junk, as soon as you leave the source material, the comics. How different it could have been with more vision behind it.

    Next time, focus on one game and one species, first. Aliens Colonial Marines wll hopefully give me the USMC fix that I need. Since that game is being done by Gearbox, I have high hopes for it.

  • photoboy #175 2 years ago

    Personally I don't agree with this review, I've been enjoying the game immensely, and I think a lot of the criticisms miss the point of the game. You're not invisible when you move because the Marines have motion trackers for example. If you love the films this is well worth the money.

  • welshben23 #176 2 years ago

    @bad09..I don't give a toss about the review score. I was talking about the actual game. I rented it thank fook. It's crap.

  • lettuce #177 2 years ago

    "Maybe the good review scores dont show up on infrared at all!?"

  • septimus #178 2 years ago

    Damn it. Fuck you SEGA. Can you do nothing right? How do you fuck something up as awesome as Aliens? Tossers.

    /Nobody has gotten Aliens right since Alien Doom.
    Edited by 2 at 19/02/10 @ 21:38

  • Deckard1 #179 2 years ago

    Sega didn't make it you slack jawed faggot.

  • TRUTH #180 2 years ago

    Slightly disappointed by Bioshock 2, this pure crap (should have just put more effort into the Marine campaign and forget the other too - as it was each campaign suffered due to playing 3 different ones)...I just hope Metro 2033 does not go bad, looks good so far (from the makers of the excellent S.T.A.L.K.e.R)

  • actionfitz #181 2 years ago

    While I can accept most of the points made in the review, my biggest gripe is that of the Alien campaign being so fucking short.
    Was having fun, then it was over... after like 2/3 fucking hours.
    Feels like they needed another 6 months / 1 year to get this right.
    Maybe they can make enough money of the licence to improve a sequel to the tune of AssCreed 2 (miles better than its original) and Uncharted 2 (same deal).
    Can but hope. missed opportunity.
    :/
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 22:24

  • Kerome #182 2 years ago

    Lots of comments about Rebellion dropping the ball, but personally I'm looking at you, Sega. I mean, could you not see this coming a mile away? But then, that's assuming they care - and judging on past performance the thing that matters most is turning a quick buck on a license...

    Waste of what could have been a decent game if you ask me.

  • wattoo #183 2 years ago

    Ripley: What's this "four" thing?
    David: A couple of us sneaked a look at Rebellion's personnel file the day they arrived. It's their average review score.

  • jonbwfc #184 2 years ago

    Ho-ho-hold on, hold on one second. This game has a substantial dollar value attached to it.

  • sarcasmoidosis #185 2 years ago

    Tried it, didn't like it and mostly agree with the review.

    But... "Strong multiplayer just isn't enough to make Aliens vs Predator a worthwhile endeavour though." This sentence is just odd.

  • drumbaby #186 2 years ago

    Well, just got to the Refinery as Marine, and I'm bloody loving it. Plus I've been able to select a controller config with primary and secondary fires on R1/ L2 respectively, so multiplayer is now going to be a blast.

    Plays like an 8/10 atm...but then the smell of new manual is still fresh in my nostrils, and I'm a big fanboy of Rebellion's first effort.
    Edited by 1 at 19/02/10 @ 23:56

  • Demiath #187 2 years ago

    Thank God; finally a legitimately semi-bad game. 2010 is crowded enough with must-have releases as it is...

  • Zeburdee #188 2 years ago

    Hard to read beyond the 3rd paragraph as (also stated by others) it's the last "nearly 30 one" years, not "20 five", for friggs sake.

    The result is that I'm trying hard to suppress a Pavlovian instinct to slap your face for that schoolboy error (but will wait until Ridley Scott and Mr Geiger have knee'd you in the crotch first).

    Shame though that once again such a high-potential license seems to have been dipped in acid.

  • chudders #189 2 years ago

    Love you guys with your excellent quotage. Therefore you get my coveted comments thread of the year award.

    In the spirit of things, let me say whoopee-fuckin'-do. Hey, I'm impressed.

  • metalmike25 #190 2 years ago

    "This game will make you a goddamn sexual tyrannosaurus"

    Apologies if this has already been said

  • TitusCrow #191 2 years ago

    Bunch of slack jawed faggots around here! This stuff will make you a goddamn sexual tyranosaurus - just like me!

    This dicey rendition of a once great game better not put the skids on the game I actually want to see - Aliens - Colonial Marines.

    Cause a day in the core's like a day on the farm!

    Dammit! my quote got usurped it seems at least twice in this classic thread. does that mean I just owned myself? :(
    Edited by 1 at 20/02/10 @ 06:36

  • CaptainQuint #192 2 years ago

    Comin' around for a 'seven zero niner'.

  • wonton #193 2 years ago

    "The standard Deathmatch, as inexplicably used for the demo, is rubbish. Completely missing the point of both creatures and concept, it quickly devolves into laughable conga lines of Aliens and Predators performing one-hit stealth kills on each other."

    made me lol

  • Fightclubber #194 2 years ago

    It all boils down to one thing "Rebellion" single handily the fucking worst developer working today. Gon on wikipedia and look up there cv is a fucking mess. To think sega held off the gearbox Aliens game for this clunky cheap heap makes me sick.
    The game has its moments and even in the early marine segments it looked and felt the shit, but the further you go the worse it looks the worse the animation and the terrible last gen in game cut scenes get.
    It just feels rough and rushed


    "Guess she didnt like the corn bread either"

  • bongofury #195 2 years ago

    Dan Whitehead: "I work for the company... but don't let that fool you, I'm really an ok guy!"

  • BBIAJ #196 2 years ago

    @ Fightclubber:

    I take it you've never played Roque Trooper or Sniper Elite then, eh?
    Edited by 1 at 20/02/10 @ 12:10

  • PoundHound #197 2 years ago

    I guess I better start with a quote. Hmm..

    "I'm gonna have me some fun tonight. I'm gonna have me some fun tonight. I'm gonna have me some fun tonight."

    Just like Mac, I was wrong. To be fair, I started with what is genereally perceived to be the weakest campaign, the Predator. This is simply bad gaming. It's not fun and it's not pretty. Hopefully the other two campaigns will be better, but it's a 3/10 so far. :(

  • TheJuriel #198 2 years ago

    Not surprised after how dire the MP demo was.

  • IneptPercy #199 2 years ago

    Waiting for my copy in the post but played it on my brother PC last night and it was great on his 4850, can't see the complaints on the graphics.

    I get a feeling I am going to like this game, saying that I think fear 2 was amazing... I seem to be out of sync with everybody else.

  • nesta #200 2 years ago

    Here we are again bro... Just you and me. Same kind of moon same kind of jungle. Real number 10 remember... Whole platoon, 32 men chopped into meat... We walk out just you and me, nobody else. Right on top huh? Not a scratch... Not a fuckin' scratch. You know who ever got you. They'll come back again. And when he does I'm gonna cut your name right into him... I'M GONNA CUT YOUR NAME RIGHT INTO HIM!

  • Darth_Flibble #201 2 years ago

    (to Rebellion) Get away from her, you bitch!

    the game is very lacklustre, the Marine campaign is dull, aliens and predator campaigns are better very short. Re-using the same locations brings deja-vu.

    Ranked matches are a joke as the hosts tend to be bad losers and quit right near the end of the count down. Host migration is not a new concept and the predator is way over powered. Didn't anyone at Rebellion notice this?

  • Koborover #202 2 years ago

    My mommy always said there were no bad AvP games, no real ones. But there are.

  • Dexter2015 #203 2 years ago

    Is it me after all the hype most games are a big disappointment

  • curtlikesmeat #204 2 years ago

    This thread is awesome, but some more Busey wouldn't go amiss!

  • FogHeart #205 2 years ago

    So this morning my brother called me and asked if I got it yet. I said it's getting ratings all over the place, he said he had it and was enjoying it and I promised to buy it so we could play together online. I was dubious about that, the last time we bought the same game to play together it was OpFlash...
    we got to talking about PS3 FPS and he wanted to know if I'd finished Killzone 2, and I told him I'd not got very far...just didn't get on with the game.

    After I fired up KZ2 and played a bit more. I remembered why I hate it. It's like trying to manoeuvre a brick through treacle, sniping was pointless because the thing under the crosshairs was long gone by the time the game responds to your press of the fire button, you can't tell which direction you're being hit from so seeking cover under fire was unreliable, everything was grey upon grey with the occasional red light. Your buddies scream for medics, and you're certain to die if you help them because if you stop looking after yourself for a second you'll be torn to pieces, so instead you just try to do everything yourself. I progressed past some square defence after half an hour of trying, screaming, swearing at the TV, played a bit more where I used a flamethrower in some GLOOMY CORRIDORS and eventually turned it off wondering why I wasted my time.

    I just played an hour of AvP and have had more fun in than all I've played of KZ2 so far. The pulse rifle is not ineffective or inaccurate - hell I'd pick it over any "Oh I'm sorry I didn't realise you'd pressed the trigger" KZ2 gun. The graphics are sharp and not 'muddy' at all, the animation is just fine.

    Dan, bless ya, But I'll read your FPS reviews but with KZ2 so bad for me, and Dead Space and this game so much better, I'm gonna have take them all with a pinch of salt.

  • Puppaz #206 2 years ago

    Get the old version. Play over LAN. Buy new underwear.

  • drumbaby #207 2 years ago

    "The pulse rifle is not ineffective or inaccurate "

    I have to agree with this 100%. Once I'd had it for 10 minutes or so I was shredding aliens like no tomorrow. Tracking them and dropping them from walls, then mowing them into acid dripping shards...and it felt really satisfying.

    I never had a chance to gauge whether it was good or bad in multiplayer...in the dm demo I didn't really live long enough to ever form an opinion, but in sp the pulse rifle feels bloody great.

  • chischis #208 2 years ago

    General consensus seemed to be "critics not fussed, gamers like it". Frankly, having spent a few hours with this, I feel that Eurogamer are bang on the money. This is possibly the most accurate review they've posted, it picks out many of the flaws in the game. The worst two, for me, are the slow and poorly-accelerated mouse movement which is completely fucked compared to games such as Quake 3, System Shock 2, Half Life 2 or Left 4 Dead. But that isn't the biggest insult: it's utterly linear, and there's no point exploring at all. There's a permanent "quest arrow" at all times, and the game even marks precisely where you need to walk to progress. Exact spots. Marked in floating boxes. For the console "tards" perhaps. (Disclaimer: I own a PS2 and have nothing against gamepads.)

    The shooting itself is fairly solid, and the gun sounds give them much-needed weightiness. But the mouse control puts a chink in that otherwise reasonably solid armour.

    Embarassing consolification aside, this is mediocre despite its very solid visuals and audio. The hold-my-hand nature of the single player is utterly insulting, and everyone is better off just going and buying AvP Classic. It may look "old" (so what?), but the gameplay is still utterly solid after all this time, it invites exploration, and it has decent fucking mouse control.

    What a mess. Rebellion, you are degraded, you are a knave!
    Edited by 2 at 20/02/10 @ 22:00

  • septimus #209 2 years ago

    @Deckard: No need to get personal fucktard. Grow the fuck up.

    SEGA signed off on this shit.

  • Bangaioh #210 2 years ago

    not really surprised, looked crap from the first minutes of the demo

  • gjgjg #211 2 years ago

    *weeps with dissapointment ...while on the way out to buy it anyway

    edit: maybe i just wont play it sober, or ill watch AvP before hand-then it'll seem better. haha take that brain
    Edited by 1 at 21/02/10 @ 00:38

  • Fightclubber #212 2 years ago

    @BBIAJ I played Rogue trooper, which to me seemed like a painfully basic kinda average 3rd person action game which was ok but fuckin hell youd never hold it up high and say "look you cunts we made that kinda ok game based on some blue twat from 2000ad, a comic no one reads anymore"

    The company are a fucking joke, im stunned to how there still running. The games they make are trite garbage. i dont know how the CEO doesn't just walk in the office with a fuckin pulse rifle and just take out half his work force.

    "were ya want it?"

    "Bay 12 please"

  • 3william56 #213 2 years ago

    So you cooked up a story and dropped the lot of us into the meat grinder? What happened to you, Rebellion? You used to be someone I could trust.

    I would wish this on a broke dick dog...


    God, is there a pair of more quotable movies

  • quantumsheep #214 2 years ago

    "Stick around."

    Bought this today and have had a very enjoyable experience with it, much to my surprise. Finished the Marine campaign, and thought it was pretty damn good. The lighting is fantastic, the atmosphere faultless really (if you ignore the 'Press X' stuff!).

    What really annoyed me somewhat was the lack of 'crouch'. It really was missed when fighting against the combat androids as the only cover you could get was strafing behind tall boxes, when all you really want to do is duck down behind some cover and pop up now and again to shoot the androids. Silly really...

    Briefly played the Predator, and that's going to take some getting used to. Off I go! :)

  • mungolikebeans #215 2 years ago

    All i care about now is Jenny....

    ...no, wait. Wrong film.

  • MrE26 #216 2 years ago

    Finished all of the campaigns, & i really don't get the hate. It's a solid FPS, & the good use of the licence coupled with having 3 completely different ways to play makes it well worth picking up. Infestation, Multiplayer-wise, Predator Hunt & especially Survivor are also great fun, & really fit the licence well.

  • Razertooth #217 2 years ago

    Well after reading the review here i was a little putoff but id already made my mind up i was gonna buy it regaurdless as i couldnt belive the same developers who made the earlier pc version could screw this one up.

    I first played quite along way into the marine campaign and i was quite impressed and while it may not be as polished or as impressive on an initial viewing as say gears of war 2 or modern warfare i think its carried by the whole atmosphere of the aliens,predator and marine storyline as there have been so few games on this theme.

    After i got about half way through the marines campaign i decided to try the predator and aliens campagain and play one chapter of each and then swop so id play a predator chapter and then an aliens one and then a marine one and i found the game MUCH more enjoyable like this and actually i much prefered the predators and aliens as the "marine" against bad guys has been done to death in so many other games but the extra abilitys and weapons of the aliens and predator seemed much fresher, "Im not saying the marine campaign isnt good either as it is but the others seemed alot more enjoyable because of the unusual mechanics and attack methods".

    Anyways ive yet to play it online yet so cant comment on that side of it but my honest opinion is if you intended to buy it before reading game sites then go ahead and buy it anyways as i do not think you will be dissapointed.

    Id play it a chapter for each "race" a time rather than sticking to one untill you complete the entire campgai tho to get the maximum entertainment and fun out of it as if you keep swapping you get to see the story from all angles and it also keeps mixing up your fighting styles and gameplay so you get more pleasure out of the game or i am anyways.

    Its currently the number one seller on play.com on xbox360,pc and second on ps3 to bayonetta so id guess the people voting with there wallets get the final say.

  • trip919 #218 2 years ago

    A six? *Acts surprised and outraged*

  • evilrobot #219 2 years ago

    This guy goes on about the alien transition being a faff, how about turning on auto transition, i'm sorry but if a guy doing a review can't even be bothered to look in options their opinion means jack.

  • jools #220 2 years ago

    @3william56 "God, is there a pair of more quotable movies "

    "I've got a bastard behind the eyes."

    "I feel like a pig shat in my head. "

    "I'm making time"

    "I demand to have some booze!"

    Marwood: You don't understand. I think there may be something alive.
    Withnail: What do you mean? a rat?
    Marwood: It's possible, it's possible.
    Withnail: Then the fucker will rue the day!

  • DAN.E.B #221 2 years ago

    people voting with there wallets get the final say.

    Thats not always a good thing!
    The thing is, it is a dissapointment, it could have should have been alot better
    If it didnt have the licence it would,nt have sold at all.
    What im saying is make a great game with a great licence win win.

  • ChocNut #222 2 years ago

    Like star wars unleashed or enter the matrix people do vote with their wallets.

    Games like this are targetted at fans of the movie who want to do the things they've seen - not feature-listing FPS PC gamers or tired and cynical reviewers with stat sheets.

    Reminds me of one of my favourite games of all time "Star Trek: DS9, The Fallen" which succeeded because it immersed you and made you feel like you were in that environement rather than playing the latest COD.

    I wonder if fan-movie games should always have a seperate score/review for the people who are the intended audience.

    It's a little like football managment games being reviewed by someone who prefers shooters.

  • DanWhitehead #223 2 years ago

    @ChocNut - I love Aliens and Predator. That's kind of what the opening of the review is about. These are some of my favourite monsters of all time. Sticking their visuals and sound effects into a wonky, uninspired game doesn't make it any better. You seem to be suggesting that reviews of movie-based games should read "Do you like this movie? This game has stuff from that movie! 9/10"

  • George-Roper #224 2 years ago

    @Dan

    I love Aliens and Predator. That's kind of what the opening of the review is about. These are some of my favourite monsters of all time. Sticking their visuals and sound effects into a wonky, uninspired game doesn't make it any better. You seem to be suggesting that reviews of movie-based games should read "Do you like this movie? This game has stuff from that movie! 9/10"

    Never and im glad you didn't fall into the trap either, Dan. That's what two-bit companies like SEGA depend on. Not the quality of the game but the scope of the license. Fan-bait.

    AVP reeks of cheap, corner-cutting development and there's no way this license deserved it.

  • markus_wallett #225 2 years ago

    The game definitely feels last generation on the single-player marine mission. I bought Rebellion's first "Alien" effort for the Atari Jaguar back in the mid-1990s, and this 2010 p-c version doesn't seem radically different, apart from a much improved frame rate and some swanky lighting effects. Bioshock 2 on the p-c makes AvP seem like it was coded by rank amateurs on their nights off.

  • Godz_Mercenary #226 2 years ago

    Game publishers are stupid. if you want a game crafted beautifully you hire the best especially if it's a huge IP. All they had to do was call up Monolith or ID, not Rebellion.

  • Koborover #227 2 years ago

    Sega did hire Gearbox for Aliens: Colonial Marines, not bad considering the franchises: Alien(s) > AvP

    Looking forward to that game. "There's some juicy colonists' daughters we have to rescue from their virginity."
    Edited by 1 at 21/02/10 @ 21:25

  • drumbaby #228 2 years ago

    "All they had to do was call up Monolith"

    But this is better than AvP2...it's actually quite good fun, with SCARY moments. AvP2 had neither quality.

  • BBIAJ #229 2 years ago

    "I love the Alien, but then, I also love the Predator. Which one's best? There's only one way to find out... FIIIIIIGHT!!!"

  • An1m4l #230 2 years ago

    This game has alot of problems, but a 6/10 is a frankly retarded score to give it.
    Marine campaign is tense and atmospheric, and recaptures what everyone loves about the films effortlessly, i.e. blasting aliens with pulse rifles. If the review had trouble aiming with the pulse rifle, im going out on a limb and assuming hes got cotton wool for hands or something. The remaining campaigns are different enough to we worth playing and the multiplayer which barely gets a mention has excellent game modes like survivor and infestation which is shit your bags scary. 6/10 is lazy journalism, "ho hum this isnt as good as MW2, slap a 6 on it and bang it onto the main apge"

  • IkariW #231 2 years ago

    So, here we are 242 comments later... and AVP is number one in the charts in the UK.

    Haha, so for all the little cr@ppy little 'Me too' rants in this comment section, Proof if proof be need be that game reviews largely count for jack sh!t in the greater scheme of things! Classic....

    :p
    Ikari
    Edited by 2 at 22/02/10 @ 16:24

  • George-Roper #232 2 years ago

    Great, let's applaud Rebellion for mediocrity shall we?

    AVP didn't sell on quality, that's for fucking sure. It sold because SEGA threw shitloads of marketing out there, in all mediums.

    Does that make the game good? No way. Do you want to see a good A:CM or AVP2? If so stop with the blind fanboi shit and tell it like it is. Maybe SEGA are Reading....

  • MrE26 #233 2 years ago

    Alright then George, what would you like to see in a sequel? What would make this game rise above mediocrity in your eyes?
    Edited by 1 at 22/02/10 @ 19:02

  • George-Roper #234 2 years ago

    @MrE26

    Alright then George, what would you like to see in a sequel? What would make this game rise above mediocrity in your eyes?

    Ok...

    1) Do not try to balance races on a 1-2-1 basis, at the cost of reducing what makes these races unique

    Marines blocking Aliens? Auto-fail right there. Marines should be keeping Aliens at bay by the use of firepower, not by deciding that Block+Light Attack=Win. Giants: Citizen Kabuto managed this. 1 Giant = 3 Reapers = 6 Mechs, or somesuch. AVP Marines should be based on teams and squads. Marines are not solo hunters, thats a Predator and even an Alien.

    That's the whole point of these monsters. One of them is deadly to an entire platoon. Remove that aspect of these creatures and they lose all of their originality and lure. The game should be based around, for example 8 Marines to 4 Aliens to 1 Predator and the MP gamemodes should be based on teamplay. The demo for AVP was really, really let down by the DM mode. I can't think of a worse mode (perhaps CTF) for AVP.


    2) Associated with point 1, make a concerted effort to treat SP and MP game dev differently

    Develop SP and MP completely separately. It's obvious that AVP was developed primarily as a SP game and then had MP bolted on. Lack of PC dedicated server support at lauch and a plethora of poor matchmaking across the board makes it a frustrating process to get going.

    MP should not have such a horrible melee system. It just doesn't fit with what the game should be all about. Sure, give the races a melee attack (AVP1 and 2 had that) but don't wrap it up into this kind of a system.


    3) Do not arbitrarily cut out core, established controls in a genre

    Lack of crouch? Major, major loss there IMO. Control feels alien (deffo no pun intended).

    Crouch should equal better aim but not all weapons should allow you to crouch. Using Crouch allows firing lines to be formed up (Smartgun in the rear, Pulse Rifles and Flamethrowers at the fore) and also reinforces the feeling of being in a 3D environment. Star Wars Galaxies suffered in the similar way with a lack of jump. It felt like the player was held in a very linear path.

    Left+Right, Forwards+Backwards, Up+Down, the basics of moving within a 3D environment. That there are enemies in AVP that can crouch leads me to believe it was removed from players because it caused glitches with insta-kill anims or other poor 'gameplay design' decisions, which further reinforces the feeling that development cut corners to get it out of the door.


    4) Deliver a fast, responsive gameplay experience that encompasses everything which makes other survival FPS horror games good

    AVP is too sluggish and slow. Compare this to L4D (not the game but the engine and flow of gameplay) and they're a million miles apart. L4D supports hordes and hordes of zombies battering down doors and walls, to get at you. AVP has no such feeling of balls-to-the-walls-they're-literally-coming-out-of-the-godda m-walls moments (although I do know Aliens are 'slotted' into the walls).

    L4D should have been the template for this. Screw 'Press and Hold' to pickup a weapon which has a convenient glowing box around it. If you're going to implement a system where players are vulnerable whilst grabbing weps, at least follow that one with more impact. Surely it takes much more time to strap a Smartgun on than it does to pickup a Pistol?

    Why the hell are these weapons all laying around in MP in the same places anyway? Shouldn't they be in strategic 'hold out' areas? Give us at least some semblance that what we're playing in MP has some measure of connection with the movies. It's like others have been saying, swap all the art out and you have genericFPS#354.


    There's other stuff but TBH, a lot of problems are all in the detail and don't represent overall design decisions.

    Alien transition needs to be much smoother and more natural.

    Aliens and Predators melee lock-on should be completely removed. Remove insta-kills and make them a part of hit-locations on models. Swing at a Marines head and you've got more chance of a quick kill than if you go for his armoured chest.
    Edited by 1 at 22/02/10 @ 19:57

  • kwarive #235 2 years ago

    Gah, I so wanted this review to be wrong but Rebellion have seriously fucked up this time. BOTH previous games were better than this one. I swear to god this franchise will disappear up the asshole of mediocrity and incompetence :(

    Thats great, thats just fucking great man, now what the fuck are we supposed to do? We're in some real pretty shit now man!

    And btw wtf is up with the lag on the fire button and the bullets hitting the bottom right of the targeting recticle? I mean you adjust but its just stupid. not a problem with either previous games

  • Razertooth #236 2 years ago

    If you go to the gamer sites that have given it average type reviews like gamespot who gave it 5.5 and then read the reader reviews from people who actually BOUGHT it they average it around 7.9 which seems a hell of alot fairer than the 6 and 5.5s etc that paid reviewers have been handing out.

    The game isnt without its faults but alot of people seem to be nitpicking over things and i think the reason its still selling so well is people who enjoyed the movies appricate the fact it captures the atmosphere and the individualty of the main protagonists REALLY well.

    Im glad its at number one as id sooner see a game like this there than fifa 2011 or sims or some other"highly polished" but little differnt "Update" stupid bs that usualy dominates the top slots and its not just because its a license either as genuingly bad movie license games die a death anyways and the reason it is at the top is because alot myself included are getting alot of enjoyment from playing it.

  • ExplodingClown #237 2 years ago

    Just finished the game with all 3 races.

    Alien 3 quote sums it up for me...

    "All we got here is SHIT".

    6/10 is generous. What a waste of money. What happened, Rebellion and Sega? All other priorites rescinded, customer goodwill expendable?