The two extraterrestrials from the Aliens and Predator franchise are fairly familiar with each other having been in several games and movies together, most notable however is the FPS Aliens vs. Predator from about ten years ago. Now the two aliens alongside the space marines are locked in another war that looks to please fans and new comers.
Aliens vs. Predator is actually three games in one, each warrior has it’s own campaign and it’s own way of fighting. The Marine campaign plays like any other FPS complete with a wide arsenal to take out the aliens with. However the Predator and Alien campaigns play very differently and will therefore require a bit of practice until players get a good feeling for them. Unfortunately for many this might mean too much practice. One of the main differences from the space marines is that the aliens mostly use melee attacks which are tricky when it comes to FPSs. The predator attacks mostly with it’s blades and the Aliens attack mostly with their claws either way you almost always have to get in close to an enemy in order to do enough damage however a lot of times this will result in failure for those who just want to get into the game without practicing. Aliens vs. Predator is definitly a game that requires you to play the campaigns first before going online.
As mentioned before the Marine campaign is a very typical FPS, you have blast you’re way through waves of aliens that have made it their mission to do nothing but attack you. That being said the game is pretty scary especially in the beinging when you’re weapons are limited, there are also plenty of points when you’re adreline starts pumping as you walk down a dark corridor only to hear your radar beeping as it picks up alien movement ahead of you. Overall however it’s similar to so many other FPSs out there it’s hard to give it very high marks. The Predator campaign is different but not necessarily a lot more fun to play through, granted you can jump long distances and cloak, the problem here is that the campaign forces you to play stealthy which is understandable but it might not be for everyone. The Alien campaign requires even more patience because of it’s limited weapons and the fact that the Aliens are extremely fast and can walk on walls which means you’re view of the action is going to be all over the place. The three campaigns are each some what short but when you put them altogether you get the similar length of any other FPS.
Graphics are above average in Aliens vs. Predator, there’s a nice level of detail in the worlds which really brings the franchise up to date with the current generation of consoles. Lighting effects are also well done since they play a pretty big role in the atmosphere of the game. Artistically the game pulls directly from previous games of the series and the movies so if you were a fan of them before you’ll like them now as well. Although the graphics are technically well done there are a few textures around that look on the bland side however this isn’t too frequent.
Sound is also done fairly well, sound effects are again pulled directly from other sources in the franchise so the aliens will sound like they did in their movies. The voice acting is ok, nothing terrible but nothing great either most of the characters are stereotypes of other video game characters so you probably won’t care much about the characters or the story, but then again the game isn’t trying to create a deep story line, just enough of it to get the three species together and fight it out.
Online is where the game truely shines once you get past the learning curve of the aliens. Since the three species play so differently multiplayer matches can get very frantic but this is what Aliens vs. Predator is all about. Not many other FPS games give you the option to play as characters that are so different from the typical human, so for that alone Aliens vs. Predator gets points. It can be quite a thrill to play as an Alien crawling along the wall waiting for the time to strike a marine or as a Predator sneaking up on players. Overall the multiplayer is pretty good, it takes full advantage of the three specie’s abilities and brings them althogether to create an enjoyable experience.
Overall Aliens vs. Predator is good game just not a really great one. The game lacks a certain level of polish many great games have, the story line is kinda of boring, the menu’s aren’t designed very well and there a few times where the graphics look bland. However if you’re looking for a fresh multiplayer experience or a fan of the franchise then Aliens vs. Predator is definitely worth a look.
[starreviewmulti id=2 tpl=20]
Overall = 7.4
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