Not Another Bug Hunt- Aliens vs. Predator Review

Long before film director James Cameron was breaking box office records with innocuous films aimed at a general audience, he was responsible for creating the ‘space marine’ archetype. Cameron’s 1986 film- Aliens, had a profound effect on popular culture and influenced a generation of bravado-spewing, xenomorph-slaying game protagonists. Titles as diverse as Doom, Halo, Contra, and StarCraft have been undeniably inspired by the film; arguably the success of each gaming franchise has been the result of capturing some of the atmosphere, tension, or exhilaration of the film.

The movie also had a passionate effect on the young DesertEagle. Countless hours of my educational grooming were spent carefully drawing battles between the ill-fated crew of the Sulaco and the malevolent, twin-mouthed beasts. Much like Ripley in the film, Sega’s recent release of Aliens vs. Predator has allowed me to revisit these areas, in a hope to vanquish the abhorrent creatures. Much of the title’s enjoyment emanates from a direct connection to the source material, allowing players to explore a universe that other games have only suggested.

Admittedly, some gamers might not share the same fascination with H.R. Giger’s creation as I do; perhaps they will be more enthralled by the antagonist of 1987’s Predator. Regardless, fans of either film will undoubtedly enjoy the meticulous attention to detail shown by the Rebellion Developments team. Drawing expertise from the 1999 PC title of the same theme and name, Aliens vs. Predator is certainly one of the better film-inspired diversions gamers have ever encountered.

Of the title’s three single-player campaigns (Alien, Predator, and Colonial Marine), the mechanics of the humanoid operations closely resemble a typical first-person shooter; as such, it feels the most polished. Although the Marine is given the bulkiest storyline of the trio, it amounts to little more than a succession of ‘go here’ and ‘grab this’ quests. Of course, this matters little when players are nervously probing the dark recesses of an abandoned space station or mucking around a vaporous swamp teeming with enemies. Like any proficient FPS, the action is strong enough to propel the player through each stage. Tension is heightened with the use of motion tracker, its klaxon escalating in pitch as any aggressive creature nears. Adding to the atmosphere is the challenge each adversary offers- even facehuggers- the title’s meekest foe, can kill a player low on health.

Although the Predator’s campaign isn’t quite as polished, it is still overwhelmingly enjoyable. Gratification comes from both the stealth mechanics as well as the bombastic arsenal accessible to the intergalactic hunter. With a cloaking shield, a shoulder mounted cannon, personal mines, a piercing spear, a relentless throwing disc and razor-sharp wrist guards, the scaly menace packs a irrefutably precarious punch. Unfortunately, with so many armaments and abilities available to gamers, he also can seem unnecessarily unwieldy at times. The other problem with the campaign is the unskippable kill animations; sporadically, when the grisly cinematics were playing out, foes would surround the Predator, putting him in a frustratingly precarious situation. Despite these misgivings, each stage managed to be gruesomely gratifying, evoking the formidable feel of the film’s violent visitor.

While Rebellion handled the arduous task of creating a compelling storyline and gameplay mechanics for the Alien admirably, most players won’t find this campaign nearly as gratifying. Aliens are reliant on stealth, as an extended blast with a pulse rifle rips their exoskeleton apart. Players are encouraged to scuttle along nearly any surface in the game, coming into close proximity with foes and executing a melee attack. The Alien’s exploits are weakened by the lack of any ballistic weapon; as such, most gamers may tire of the creature’s campaign before it comes to completion.

Once players have exhausted the enjoyment from the game’s single-player components, they’ll be able to take any of the three factions online for some spirited multiplayer competition. While the requisite Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes are capable enough, most players will enjoy the title’s distinctive matches. Infestation pits a single Alien against a group of Marines, where any defeated humans become xenomorphs themselves. Predator Hunt tasks a group of Marines with eliminating the mode’s moniker, any gamer that succeeds gets to step into the scales of the mode’s antagonist. Overall, matches were reasonably lag-free and decently balanced.

With Aliens vs. Predator won’t immediately dazzle players with richly detailed textures or awe-inspiring draw distances, the game’s attention to details is sure to impress fans of both film franchises. Both the construction and animation of the Alien deserve merit, as the creature’s bi- and quadruped motions display lithe menace. Although the game’s texture resolution and framerate are bested by many contemporary titles, neither are serious enough to detract from the diversion’s intensity. From the metronome-like beat of the motion trackers, the distinctive whine of a pulse rifle, to the animalistic shrieks of flaming xenomorphs, the title flawlessly recreates signature sounds from both movies series.