Aliens vs. Predator Preview

By Dan Pearson Published 30 June, 2009

Menage a terror.

Call it Freudian if you like, but I'm a bit of a wet lettuce when it comes to chitinous murder-beasts that impregnate people with their foul spawn, and an ill-advised trip to the Trocadero's Alien War at the tender age of 13 did nothing to endear me to Geiger's scampering Xenomorphs.

Lucky, then, that SEGA demonstrates Rebellion's latest Aliens vs. Predator title in the bright and airy Eurogamer demo room, which is totally lacking in vents, ducts and other things for evil to lurk behind. Even more luckily, we're booked in for a karaoke session afterwards, so I know this won't even be the scariest part of my day. Anyway, it turns out that what I'll largely be witness to is the gangly bastards meeting squishy, plasma-related ends in the Marine and Predator sections.

The sheer awfulness of the movies has tarnished the reputation of the Aliens vs. Predator crossover in recent years, but Rebellion has excellent AVP pedigree, knocking out 1994's Jaguar title and 1999's PC version - both of which impregnated the hearts of many gamers without the need for forcible tentacular throat-rape. This then is perhaps a chance to redress the balance and produce a game that fits more snugly with the generally excellent comics and graphic novels.

Rebellion's set about doing this by returning to the approach that made the PC first-person shooter so lovable, essentially crafting three very different games, with each playable race offering a distinctly different approach. First off, we're introduced to the creepy, underhanded Predator: all fleshy dreadlocks and hi-tech gadgetry as he stalks into a xeno-infested military post in the jungle. He's there to contain the outbreak: an abandoned hive disturbed by foolish humans mining the planet for ore.

Many of the Predator's abilities will be familiar to anyone who's played the previous game or seen the movies. The iconic wrist-blades are there, satisfyingly chunky and nasty-looking, and the shoulder-mounted plasma-caster shimmers its three-dot aiming laser through the trees. Key amongst the Predator's abilities, however, is his nifty cloaking device, which conceals him from the Marines - unless they happen to be carrying a motion-detector.

'Aliens vs. Predator' Screenshot 1

This was not the sort of three-way that the stag had had in mind.

Aliens are also unfazed by this optical trickery, instead sniffing out their target. A lot of the time, though, you'll be sneaking around when you're playing as the Predator, attempting to get close enough to perform gruesome "trophy kills". For Aliens this can mean tearing off the extendible proboscis from their mouths as they attack; for unfortunate Marines it usually means some invasive dentistry and a gruesome decapitation. The showboating isn't just for kudos in the family album either; towards the end of the demo we see a dismembered head used to operate the retinal scan on a security door.

Another new ability is a floating jump reticule, acting like a grappling hook to leap to branches and walls with pinpoint accuracy. An approach from height seems to be a definite tactical advantage, offering cover and the all-important element of surprise. It also allows you to indulge in a little bit of skullduggery, zooming in with binoculars and recording snippets of enemy conversation.

These purloined voices can then be 'thrown' to a targeted point, distracting enemies and drawing them away from a group for a quiet dispatch. Any time. Some of the AI behaviour this elicits is a little questionable, with single enemies peeling off from groups to investigate the voice of the man next to them, but it adds a useful tool to the armoury. The binoculars also enable human enemies to be scanned, ascertaining their firepower and threat level, as well as determining whether or not they're carrying a telltale motion scanner.

Alternate vision modes are back, too, with an infrared Xenovision and a thermal human-detecting mode. The fact that each race becomes all but invisible when viewed in the wrong mode keeps you on your toes, and makes sure areas featuring both factions provide extra squeaky bum time. A fact demonstrated to us most clearly at the end of the preview level when, as the base infiltration is completed, a giant Predalien half-breed looms unpleasantly through the gloom, shaking the gore of a slaughtered Marine from its claws.

In contrast to the Predator's stealth-cum-problem-solving is the Colonial Marine. Billed as survival-horror, the Marine section takes place in a much more traditional Alien-themed environment, tight metallic corridors perforated by air vents and plagued by sudden electrical failure. Patrolling these corridors, the ping of your motion sensor gently keeping pace, you feel vulnerable, claustrophobic and tense. Even before the Xenos start clambering over barriers and swarming past sentry guns, there's a palpable sense that the only head you're expected to take home as a trophy is your own.

'Aliens vs. Predator' Screenshot 2

They'rejustmeninsuits, they'rejustmeninsuits, they'rejustmeninsuits.

All the traditional tricks are used to generate atmosphere, with the patchy lighting, hissing jets of steam and scuttling shadows evoking James Cameron's sequel very nicely. Small nods to the films are scattered around, too, with a rusting power-loader cluttering up a loading bay and a suspiciously Vasquez-like female Marine who, like her cinematic counterpart, buys the farm, although it's not clear whether she too accepts Gorman always was an asshole. Firepower is the key aspect of the Marine's approach, with the trusty pulse rifle spitting staccato streams of blue death into shadowy corners and the close-combat shotgun popping up for a quick one-two, which results in a spray of acid, crippling the Marine's vision and ravaging his health.

The sentry guns, and the maintenance thereof, seems to be key to maintaining a perimeter, requiring occasional resets from laptops scattered around the ship as the nasties interfere with circuitry. This destructive DIY also knocks out lighting systems, forcing the use of a seemingly endless supply of flares. The Xenomorphs certainly seemed more willing to engage the soft, fleshy Marine, charging in for salvoes of rapid slashes and devastating tail-strikes where they had been happy to hold back and time assaults more carefully against the better-equipped Predator. We never see them attack in any significant numbers, but groups of two and three are certainly enough to cope with, still soaking up damage and crawling across the floor on broken limbs after a significant plasma-dowsing.

'Aliens vs. Predator' Screenshot 3

The way to a Marine's heart is through his stomach. Or ear, or back, or armpit.

Slightly worrying, especially given the nature of the twisting corridors and dark passages of the levels, is the lack of a map. I'm able to get lost inside an overly large t-shirt, so I don't really fancy having brief, acid-saturated fire-fights interspersed by long strolls though the interior of ships the size of Milton Keynes. That's more a problem with my total lack of spatial awareness than the game itself, though, and could even be played for horror. Either way, with AVP shipping "early next year" Rebellion has enough time to iron out any kinks. The proprietary Asura engine looks to be performing well, the atmosphere is hitting the right notes, and we've yet to see what new tricks the Alien gameplay will reveal, or what form multiplayer will take.

Until then, I'm sleeping with the lights on.

Aliens vs. Predator is due out for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in early 2010.

Picture of Dan.

About Dan Pearson

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

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Comments (72) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • collateral89 #1 3 years ago

    gangly bastards lol

  • Retroid #2 3 years ago

    Oh my.

    /Dares to get excited
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 11:39

  • JohnnyWashnGo #3 3 years ago

    If its not as good as the Atari Jaguar version, I will be annoyed.

  • bad09 #4 3 years ago

    Can't wait for both Alien games!

    / stabs between his fingers with a knife really really fast until early 2010. Mostly missing his fingers to...."ouch!".....mostly...

  • Ezzekhiel #5 3 years ago

    I loved AVP back in the days... Lets hope the balance the character a bit more, cause pred was kinda OP.

  • Retroid #6 3 years ago

    I've got the Jaguar version, it was 'good for the time'... if you didn't play the Colonial Marine.

    The first PC game was great, though! \o/

  • UncleLou #7 3 years ago

    Sounds and looks solid enough,

    Can't wait for both Alien games!

    If by "both" you mean this and the RPG - the latter has been cancelled.

  • Paperghost #8 3 years ago

    I'm really curious as to the status of the other Aliens game (the one where you play as marines only) but info on that one seems to have dried up. anybody?

    / edit - to be clear, i'm not talking about the rpg that's been canned, i mean....uh....the other one, where you can weld doors shut and things of that nature before the aliens start swarming you.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 11:50

  • StarchildHypocrethes #9 3 years ago

    Sounds promising!

    Please be good.
    Please be good.
    Please be good.

  • smoothpete #10 3 years ago

    You big fannyflap, Alien War was incredibly lame

  • schnide #11 3 years ago

    an ill-advised trip to the Trocadero's Alien War at the tender age of 13

    Ill advised because it cost about £20 and lasted five minutes (or similar)? Not terrible, but certainly not amazing.

    Not as amazing, for instance, as AVP1 on PC - what a game! Thank you for that Rebellion, and here's hoping that you can replicate (and even improve upon) it this time around. W00t!
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 11:52

  • StarchildHypocrethes #12 3 years ago

    Alien War scared the bejesus out me when I was a kid!

    You're obviously made of stern stuff Pete.

  • Floppy #13 3 years ago

    I too had the Jaguar version, and was good for its time. Although it was certainly rather unbalaced if played as the Predator. Cloak... creep up to enemy... decloak momentarily... zap enemy with your stick (so not to get poor kill rating while cloaked)... cloak again. Rince, repeat.

    I agree totally that the game was not fun if you were a Colonial Marine.

  • Krusty #14 3 years ago

    Want some candy?

    Erm, tickticktickticktktktktiiiiiicckk

  • bad09 #15 3 years ago

    @ UncleLou

    Nah I mean this and the Colonial Marines one.

  • asharkman #16 3 years ago

    I hope they include the non save feature, although it made the game almost unplayable when the motion tracker went off you nearly shit a brick! Great for atmosphere.
    Way better than quick saving every 5 seconds.
    Maybe give us the chance to save twice per level?

  • creepylizard #17 3 years ago

    I remember the jaguar version. It looked good at the time but I remember when you killed an alien it left an acid pool on the floor for the rest of the game that you couldn't cross. Bloody annoying at times...

  • Sycopat #18 3 years ago

    AVP \o/

    Sounds like a direct sequel to the previous two on the pc really, but what the hell, they were pretty awesome at the time.

  • gourry #19 3 years ago

    There are few times where the same developer gets a 3rd crack at a license such as this. Given that the first 2 were a excellent evolution from each other, this could be something very special indeed.

    As long as it has nothing to do with the films - all will be well.

  • curtlikesmeat #20 3 years ago

    I was just watching videos for this on youtube this morning and thinking it's strange that EG haven't done a preview - 10 minutes later here it is, you lot must be telepathic. I hope they play up to the survival horror part rather than a full on FPS.

    Having said that this isn't anything that hasn't been on the internet for a few weeks - lets see some Marines footage!!

  • JimmyT67 #21 3 years ago

    This has the potential of being one of the most amazing multiplayers yet.

    @paperghost
    Colonial Marines is coming out next year. Can't wait for that one as well.

  • IneptPercy #22 3 years ago

    I still remember my mate screaming 'turn around' like his life depended on it, and I was playing the game.

    As said the marines where great fun, you heard that blip and ran away!

  • BiscuitBase #23 3 years ago

    Guaranteed win

  • symmetry #24 3 years ago

    Loved the PC game to bits.

    Hoping against hope that this will be just as good.

  • kangarootoo #25 3 years ago

    "I hope they include the non save feature, although it made the game almost unplayable when the motion tracker went off you nearly shit a brick! Great for atmosphere.
    Way better than quick saving every 5 seconds.
    Maybe give us the chance to save twice per level? "


    If they do, they had better make it optional. I hate limited save systems with a passion. AvP 1 was still super scary even when they (thankfully) patched a save system in.

    /engage the same thing I say every time this subject comes up

    Being able to save my game is a function of good software. What if my door bell rings, or I want to go to bed half way through a level? Having to play to the end of a level before you can record your progress is unacceptable (checkpointing is ok, if it is well done).

    If you need to limit the saves to "increase tension", there is quite simply something wrong with your tension. Repetition is not fun and it is not "gameplay". And like I said, AvP 1 was still scary with saves, because it was well basically designed.

  • StooMonster #26 3 years ago

    More love for the first PC gamer here too.

  • Dynamize #27 3 years ago

    This delights me. I have very fond (scared) memories of the last two games on PC. Now all they need to do is make Rogue Trooper 2 as well and I'll be quite prepared to drop "Changing the subject for a moment, did you know that Rebellion are awesome?" into casual conversation.

  • hiddenranbir #28 3 years ago

    I hope you mentioned to them the lack of map.

  • photoboy #29 3 years ago

    I remember going to the Trocadero for Alien War, it was amazing and very scary at the time (I think I was 13 or so too). I went on it again a few times and they definitely shortened the length as time went on, the first time it was about 15 minutes IIRC. I always remember some poor sod would be dragged from the lift by the alien...

    I'm really looking forward to AvP as the first on the PC was amazing, the face huggers used to scare the shit out of me because you could hear them scurrying in the darkness but you'd have no idea where they were and then suddenly BAM they were on your face and you were dead. The difficulty and lack of check points made AvP that much scarier as you couldn't just reload your save game, it made you value being alive so much more! I don't know if they could dare do that today without people complaining about the difficulty. Maybe the hardest difficulty could have no checkpoints?

  • drumbaby #30 3 years ago

    Hope this is even half as good as Rebellion's first PC effort. The Monolith follow-up was shit...put me off the franchise.

  • Doctor_What #31 3 years ago

    @ kangarootoo: I take your point about convenience, but I can also see that it's hard for developers to create tension when the game is constantly being interrupted.

    For example, if you were watching The Shining for the first time and stopped every fifteen minutes to have a bit of a chat, then you would expect the atmosphere to be ruined, woudn't you? Well, that was my first experience of the film, and I didn't find it even remotely scary, whereas it's supposed to be a classic of atmospheric horror.

    If such a respected classic can be ruined by breaks, how can developers be expected to manage it considering how much harder they have to work to generate fear in the first place?

    I was the first to complain when MGS4 woudl launch off into another 40min cutscene just when I wanted to go to bed, so I really do understand the need for clearly demarcated save points, but I also think that only having two or three in a level can be good for the tension in a level's structure.

  • kangarootoo #32 3 years ago

    "Maybe the hardest difficulty could have no checkpoints?"

    That could work, but it still sits uncomfortably with me. Why not make it a completely seperate option for players that want that sort of thing.

    Hitman Bloodmoney restricts saves based on difficulty, and its the reason that I don't play it on Expert. Its not that I don't like a challenge. It is because a) I can't guarantee I can keep playing without wanting to stop for a bit (their save system is a bit buggered as it is in that regard) and b) the AI is too flaky to make it feel consistently fair.

  • schachmatt #33 3 years ago

    Let's hope - well, I do - it will be more like the first immensely atmospheric AvP than the second one (by Monolith), which was generic FPS-fodder!
    Being a Marine felt as intimidating and overwhelming as it should be and the 2-save-restriction of the Gold version or patched original elevated that feeling. It was sort of an Anti-Duke.
    I loved it for its difficulty and envy the skill of people, who made it through the unpatched, no-save version. Anyone here?
    kangaratoo: If the doorbell rang or you had to turn on the lights mid-play you could pause the game, you know?

    AvP1 just wasn't for the casual gamer, who wanted quick success. You were a Marine/Alien/Predator in an evironment full of hostiles! Rebellion made you feel being there.

  • kangarootoo #34 3 years ago

    @Doctor_What

    "but I can also see that it's hard for developers to create tension when the game is constantly being interrupted."

    I didn't say it was easy to create a scary game. But some devs can achieve it, so it can clearly be done.


    "For example, if you were watching The Shining for the first time and stopped every fifteen minutes to have a bit of a chat, then you would expect the atmosphere to be ruined, woudn't you? Well, that was my first experience of the film, and I didn't find it even remotely scary, whereas it's supposed to be a classic of atmospheric horror."

    But in that example, you had the choice to pause OR to leave it player. Choosing to pause frequently was what ruined your experrence, but you could have also simply chosen not to.

    A better example is imagine a DVD player with no pause function. If the doorbell rings and you want to answer it, you either have to miss a bit of the film or start watching it from the start again when you return. Imagine how annoying THAT would be!

    Edit: in fact, its a great example because it makes my point for me. Imagine the response if someone released sucha DVD player sans pause function, and when asked why on earth they had done such a thing the vendor cited your "pausing can spoil the atmosphere of a good film" justification. T3 magazine would choke their coffee across their keyboards.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 13:38

  • Tzetrik #35 3 years ago

    hmm, this preview dwells too much of features we already expect from the game. Not much about how it plays, looks or sounds :(

  • Lemming81 #36 3 years ago

    People forget that one of the first PC games true surprises was a unique and realistic explosion model. If you fired a rocket or threw a grenade while in tight space like a vent, the explosion travelled along it a fair distance as it would in real life, compared to causing an explosion out in the open where didn't have to be as careful.

    It was absent from the sequel though.

  • UncleLou #37 3 years ago

    "@ UncleLou

    Nah I mean this and the Colonial Marines one. "

    Ah, of course, I had all but forgotten the CM one.

  • Sub-kamikaze #38 3 years ago

    The Monolith version really was quite poor which surprised me because this was their NOLF/NOLF2 era in which they were bleedin' brilliant. There were some good touches though; like you playing the alien and chewing through a chest cavity... but, bar these novel touches, the actual normal gameplay for all three characters was a bit lacklustre

  • supertourist #39 3 years ago

    Get to the chopper!

  • Turrican #40 3 years ago

    Of the many highlights of the PC AvP game (scariest game I've ever played), the best one was making the first part of the game have no aliens in it, building up the tension as you explored the level, not knowing when they would make an appearance.

    Was a very confident introduction to the game.

  • WantOn #41 3 years ago

    Just wanted to throw some love out for the use of tentacular throat-rape. Love it. Aliens was one of only two films to ever give me recurring nightmares as a youngster (in my defence, I was only about 10 when I first watched it). Like others here, playing AvP1 over a LAN at Christmas ranks as one of my best ever gaming experiences and I can but hope that this new game will be anything like as good as the first. Some structure to the co-op or team-based multiplayer would be a dream come true.

  • schnide #42 3 years ago

    I echo some of the other posters - don't include an 'anytime save' option! AvP1 was shit scary, and should be again.

  • SomaticSense #43 3 years ago

    "a giant Predalien half-breed looms unpleasantly through the gloom"

    I hate to be pedantic, but sod it. There's no such thing as a Predalien half-breed when it comes to Gieger's Aliens. By their very nature they are all effectively half-breeds.

    Aaaannnyway. So looking forward to this. As long as they keep it simple like the originals and don't add any cover or other 'in vogue' modern day gaming cliches or fuck about with the mythology in any serious way (I'm looking at you Paul Anderson...), I'm sure to be very chuffed with it come release. We are long overdue a really good current-gen Alien/Predator game.

  • curtlikesmeat #44 3 years ago

    Just to add, I'm one of the few that actually preferred the second game over the first - I thought the storyline was very fitting for the Aliens universe and playing as a facehugger was a lot of fun. Maybe they can combine the best of both.

    I think you need to allow save any time really - yes it's cheesy when I'm pressing F5 after every fight, but if the phone rings or whatever you have to go.... if I can't save it I'll just be pressing escape and leaving it on the menu for a few hours.... which is an inconvenience if I need to go out. I found the second game quite tense anyway - no one else shart themselves when you had to go into the mini hive to rescue that female marine?! Arrrghh!!
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 14:32

  • curtlikesmeat #45 3 years ago

    P.S. Is AvP1 freeware now? Anyone?

  • homerbert #46 3 years ago

    Is there any reason the "No save" crowd wouldn't just have a bit of self restraint and not use the quicksave button? Woulnd't that be better than demanding that everyone like to play the game the way they like to play it.

    If people want to save so they can have their tea/leave the house/masturbate* then let them. If people want to ruin the atmosphere, let them. You're still safe in the knowledge that you guys are l33t.

    Eoin
    *Those were alternatives and should not be attempted simultaneously.

  • Sub-kamikaze #47 3 years ago

    @homerbert

    Ah, but if you're playing on a console, you're going to get checkpoints.

    And I dare you not to use a feature if it's implemented. I don't have that sort of restraint. I'd rather they have a hardcore difficulty level which disables checkpointing / Quicksaving and the like. I want that to be an option ingame rather than a self-imposed restriction.

  • mashk #48 3 years ago

    Ah well, if Shellshock II is anything to go by, at least it'll be cheap.

  • Quint2020 #49 3 years ago

    Do want!!

  • JensonJet #50 3 years ago

    This game serves only one purpose for me; to keep me busy until Aliens: Colonial Marines is released. I hate the whole predator concept. Crap movies, crap monster. It's like mixing Mr Bean with Mr Bond (and yes, I know the two actors have met in a Bond movie, and look how that turned out!). There are more iconic sounds, visuals and atmosphere in Alien lore. Plus the Alien series feels somehow more realistic. I'm biased, I've just found any movie with Predators in poorly written, acted or directed.

  • asphaltcowboy #51 3 years ago

    Quite looking forward to this! Hopefully it can invoke the fear of the first one. Multiplayer should be pretty exciting too!

  • Unofficial #52 3 years ago

    One of the things that AVP 1 on PC had over AVP 2 was better level design when playing as the Alien. In AvP 1 the rooms (from memory anyway) had quite high ceilings, lots of dark patches, there were many more lights you could knock out, which really empowered the player to take their time as the alien and set up kills from above, without being seen. It was an amazing feeling because you really felt like you had all the aces and plenty of options in any given area. I remember playing the demo as the Alien before the full game came out, and even that demo area could be replayed loads of different ways, taking your time, trying different ways of killing the humans.

    In AvP 2 I remember thinking that the design of the levels for the Alien really cut down on those options. Many lights were behind barriers or in fittings meaning that you couldnt break them...the ceilings tended to be lower meaning when crawling across them you would get seen much more easily and in general it tended to break down much more quickly into "shit, i've been seen already, charge straight down the corridor before i get gunned down".

    The atmosphere in AvP 1 was great too. Haunting choral music for the alien campaign, the entire first level of the Marine campaign having no aliens at all, just pure build-up, and in general the lighting they used was fantastic. Seemed much better than the Lithtech engine used for AvP 2.
    Edited by 3 at 30/06/09 @ 15:30

  • 3william56 #53 3 years ago

    kanga - last tiime I checked, the cinema doesn't come with a pause button, which forces you to go at the filmmaker's pace. Which is one reason why a good film at the flicks will always be a better experience than at home. The point that they're getting at is that since quicksave got implemented, game designs have compensated, generally resulting in quick death overkill and too much checkpointing, and bl**dy self regenerating health. A save/quit to menu is fine, but save/walk round corner/fight/die/quickload/try again cycle is no fun, and games made to deal with that are also no fun.

  • UncleLou #54 3 years ago

    A save/quit to menu is fine, but save/walk round corner/fight/die/quickload/try again cycle is no fun, and games made to deal with that are also no fun.

    Speak for yourself - I like to save anywhere I can. There's little I hate more in gaming than having to replay sections. But then I do have enough self-restraint not to ruin games for myself by saving at every corner.

    There's plenty of games with quicksave that didn't "suffer" or have the fun ruined by quicksave at all - I'd go so far and say that if a game needs the meta-mechanic of a missing save function to make it more exciting, something's wrong with it in the first place. It's a crutch at best.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 15:52

  • crispyduckman #55 3 years ago

    AvP 1 on the PC rocked. To be honest, they could just update the graphics and I'd gladly buy the same game. I played the singleplayer as a marine - the beeping on the scanner was absurdly intense, as was the music. No other game has made my palms sweat quite as much or my heart beat quite as fast.

  • ChthonicEcho #56 3 years ago

    I remember watching the E3 demo walkthrough. I was, and still am, a little bit worried about the future of this title. Still, it's early on, and I hope to any and all divine entities in existence that it will be good.

  • Gecks #57 3 years ago

    @homerbert
    "Is there any reason the "No save" crowd wouldn't just have a bit of self restraint and not use the quicksave button? Woulnd't that be better than demanding that everyone like to play the game the way they like to play it."

    is their a gamer alive with the self-discipline to refrain from quicksave were it available in tough games like AvP (pre patch) or Goldeneye 64 (on 00 agent mode)? those games were brutally hard, but were all the better for it. Goldeneye 64, 00 Agent mode would be absolutely trivial with quick save, and what about shmups? or racing games? if you need to take a break then pause!

    i think the FPS genre has unfortunatley been lumbered with quicksave as some kind of necessity, when it totally isn't. if the difficulty level spikes, or the levels are too long, then the problem is bad game design, not a lack of quicksave.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 17:04

  • jidnffc #58 3 years ago

    Milton Keynes FTW!

    Game looks cool too...

  • flippet #59 3 years ago

    I managed to complete the game (including bonus levels) on director's cut pre-patch, but I don't think I've ever played a game longer or harder in order to achieve it! The marine levels and the last predator level (the one with the waterfall) were the nastiest.

    I must admit the fun level was dimmed a lot by ~50th attempt at a level, especially as part of being successful relied on luck - some runthroughs had significantly less enemies attacking than others at tricky points - but the sense of achievement at the end was still immense. Even so I think the main reason I didn't install the patch was because I didn't have a net connection at my student accommodation - unthinkable nowadays I'd guess!

    Including a director's-cut difficulty level with no saves but keeping savegames in the lower difficulties seems like common sense to me!

  • oerhoert #60 3 years ago

    I want this game.

    <em>"There's plenty of games with quicksave that didn't "suffer" or have the fun ruined by quicksave at all - I'd go so far and say that if a game needs the meta-mechanic of a missing save function to make it more exciting, something's wrong with it in the first place. It's a crutch at best."</em>

    I think the jury's still out on whether it's the <em>missing</em> quicksave or the present quicksave that would fit the definition of meta-mechanic the best, though. :)

    --

    By the way, the comments system doesn't seem to work. perfectly reasonable opinions being given -1s because people disagree.

    That minus button isn't meant to be pushed when you <em>disagree</em>, people, it's meant to be pushed when someone does not contribute to a topic in a meaningful and grown-up manner.

    It ain't that hard.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 19:01

  • sega #61 3 years ago

    Argh they've put in another Vasquez like character? What is it with the AVP franchise and ripping off characters FROM THEIR OWN SERIES!

    They even ripped off Ripley twice with the first AVP film and again in the second (this time complete with Newt rip-off too). The originals of these characters exist in the same universe! Be original and come up with some new characters or just use the ones that already exist in this universe that has been created for you!

    Other than that - game looks great.

  • stephenb #62 3 years ago

    MP Mode where one player is the Predator with all the fancy toys and the rest of the players as a squad of marines would be very nice. Can just imagine sitting up high and dropping down to chop them up one by one.

  • CheerfulWilf #63 3 years ago

    Multiplayer in AvP2 was brilliant, especially survivor mode! Everyone starts the round as a marine, in a pure deathmatch setting. The first player to die respawns as an alien, and from that point on it's marines versus aliens. Each marine that dies respawns as an alien - until there's just one poor marine left, running around trying to fend off a horde of aliens and change their underwear as a result... One of my favourite multiplayer gaming experiences, ever.

    Oh and I hope they don't nerf the Predator - they're meant to be uber-killers. The little touches to AvP2 multiplayer, like the Predator's eyes flashing when it changed vision mode (even when cloaked), were really well done.

  • RedSparrows #64 3 years ago

    I loved the first two.

    I also fear Alien deeply.

    /shudder

  • GreatUncleBaal #65 3 years ago

    Looking forward to this very much. The first AVP was an amazing experience, and the sound design was top notch. Off the top of my head, I can only think of Dead Space coming close with regard to using sound to scare the willies out of you as well as this game did. Oh, System Shock 2 as well of course.

  • anephric #66 3 years ago

    "...did nothing to endear me to Geiger's scampering Xenomorphs."

    It's Giger, not Geiger. Everyone gets that wrong :p
    Edited by 1 at 01/07/09 @ 01:07

  • Harmonica #67 3 years ago

    First two games scared the hell out of me way back when, and those screenshots have me cacking it already. Game over indeed.

    Word to the wise: retain a copy of your rose-tinted spectacles regarding the originals (or the first one at least). I recently decided to dig it out and replay it but I was disappointed at how clunky and ugly it all was. Not the terrifically dark and brooding stealth masterpiece that I had lodged in my memory.

  • Matt_Edwards #68 3 years ago

    At least this is guaranteed to be better than AvP: Extinction. What a half-baked pile of crap!

    And just as an aside, aren't we overdue an Live Arcade remake or Capcom's AvP arcade game?

    In fact, just thinking about it makes me want to dust off my consolized CPS-2 right now... hmmm... the only question is, hunter or warrior?

  • john_silence #69 3 years ago

    I quite agree with you, JensonJet. Actually, I just, awesomely, rescued you from a post count of -8! How great is that?

  • Xinch #70 3 years ago

    @ schachmatt
    Yes I only owned AVP1 and I played it so much I was able to clear each level without any saving. I was helpful remembering what badies were where.
    Anyone remember the Predator unlockable "falling through space" thing where you had to use the grapple as the level rotated?

  • actionfitz #71 3 years ago

    "chitinous murder-beasts that impregnate people with their foul spawn"

    sounds like a saturday night out in Belfast with the lads...
    :)

  • actionfitz #72 3 years ago

    I used to love lunch time AVP in the office back in the day.
    favourite mode was where you start with 1 alien and the rest marines and then you a last man standing match to be the last non-alien :p
    some priceless gameplay moments