Gaming Aliens vs Predator Review and Video

Like the idea.... but I listen to you guys while out running. It takes away the pain and boredom. I can't watch and run... unless I fancy falling into the (icy) canal!

 

They are supported, but there are none in the demo, was the last I heard.

 

Hmmm got it on pre-order (albeit at a very cheap price); wondering whether to cancel or not. Not a bad review but not as good as I hoped.

 

I'll still buy it and I loved the gameplay video it was infinitely more informative that the actual review - no disrespect to your journalisim skills intended. Do you intend to use video for future reviews?

 

Thanks for the video, I'm REALLY sorry for unknowingly disturbing it by playing Mass Effect 2... I don't remember playing on and off, strange.

I've got mixed feelings about the game, multiplayer looks like a bit of a dissapointment. I didn't like the melee in the demo, had a little "smash buttons and pray you kill" feeling about it.

 

Been playing the multiplayer demo since it came out and while I hate the matchmaking system (dedicated servers should help this) I honestly can't get enough of it...as long as I am a Marine or Predator.

I simply don't like playing the Alien. I have seen it done with frightening grace and lethality, but to me it gets confusing and disorienting way too fast.

As the Predator though...well, there is a huge satisfaction in chaining together kill after kill, Marine and Alien alike. I rarely go for the insta-kills as it leaves you open too long. The key to the Predator is obtaining any of his ranged weapons as quickly as possible. After that, realizing that you are not the equal of the Alien at hand to hand is vital.

As a Marine, the game is quite eerie. No enhanced vision - you must survive with just your pathetic (but nice looking!) flashlight and your motion sensor (which really works on motion, so if there is an Alien parked above you, just watching, its game over...man). You do have an awful lot of firepower available. Rifle fired grenades and shotguns rule - smart-guns should be alot more powerful, and I can't see sitting still long enough to bust out sniper shots - but its up to you

All in all, I will get this game just for the multiplayer and might delve in single-player if I feel like it. I will also wait for a nice Steam sale to snag it

 

Joe Martin get your facts right, ive got the original PC version of the game in front of me and the title was " Aliens versus Preadator ".
Im not talking DVD case but the cardboard box with CD case inside, windows 95/98 CD-ROM

Only the Jaguar version used the title " Alien vs Predator " and since your comparing the new one against the PC one that doesnt count.

 

Original game for PC was called Aliens versus Predator. The only difference between the two titles is the abbreviation of versus.

Or did you mean the original Jaguar game?

 

i liked the video review, it gives you a feel of the game and how it plays far better then any written review. some people seem to forgot that its a culmination of everything (menu, hud, movement, animation, pacing) that decides if its a great game.

 

The gameplay video looks like something i might enjoy, but other reviews i've seen have said that it's not very good.

Gamespots video review....
http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/aliensvspredatorworkingtitle/video/6250849/aliens-vs-predator-video-review?tag=summary;watch-review

 

I'm sorely disappointed with this game, been waiting years for a new Alien game to come out since AvP2 and this one is a massive let-down so far from what I can see. I'm really bummed out

 

I agree about the multiplayer, sure the instant kills are "easy" to pull off and somewhat gratifying, people (or at least the more experienced) will soon realise that it leaves you open for far too long and that the rock-paper-scissors melee combat is actually very rewarding when done right.

Although, how do you figure that the Alien is better at Hand to Hand? I've noticed that whilst the Alien is faster, the Predator does seem to pack more of a punch and has a stupid range on that Heavy Attack.

As for the marine, for all my complaints about how close up he's somewhat underpowered (especially when compared to the other two races) - no stun with his melee, nor do bullets etc. have interrupt.... it's how it should be and he's got a large advantage over distance. The problem i think is that the demo map has too many corridors for Aliens or Predators to run around once you start shooting.

+ As for the sniper, i just find it's rather useful no-scoped... packs a lot of punch and whilst isn't terribly accurate, you can treat it like a close-mid range automatic shotgun

 

no DX11? um okay...

btw what is wrong with the site? it has become slower and slower over the last couple of weeks.

 

Ah good review and video was a nice touch. I pre-ordered it at the weekend as its only £17 and at worst I thought it would be worth that. At best though it could have been a game of the year contender but oh well, maybe the next game.
I always find it interesting how lots of people are complaining about something in a game (the combat in this) and yet the developers either defend it or dont notice it's a problem. Why is that? Well I look forward to playing it, oh and my new issue of Custom PC came today will have a gander at that to tonight

 

I'm thinking the same :/ I got all excited about it a couple of weeks back when I saw it going fairly cheap on play.com, but this review has kind of nearly put me off. I don't like the idea of the recycled levels i.e. having the exact same ones for every species, it seems both lazy of the devs, and makes for a very boring repetitive game.

 

Which version is Alien vs Predator? I'm confused. Are you on about 1999 version, because i've owned that since release and its definitely spelt Aliens.

 

Joe has a much more manly voice than I thought he would

 

Personally, i think it's because, and no offence to the Bit-tech staff, that the "people" who do complain about something usually haven't played enough and/or don't understand that game.

I mean sure, there are times when things are genuinely broken, and there are times like now where two camps have differing opinions... it's situations like these where the side who complain, generally are the ones who don't understand.

For example, i remember CustomPC's review of Devil May Cry 4 and how it ended up as button mashing, also pointing out various "flaws" with the combat and exceed system which were completely unjustified since (and again, no offence) they didn't put enough time in.

Also, the review stated that lightsaber battles in Jedi Knight were likened to be "blisteringly fast action". Now i'll put myself out on a limb here, but i'm relatively confident that i've put in more time on Jedi Knight (3 - Jedi Academy) than the majority of forum members (maybe even combined) and the fights really aren't that fast... i mean they can be over in one hit, but there's usually quite a bit of jumping and manouvering in between said clashes.

Anyhow, i digress, my main point is that i've put quite a few hours into the AvP demo, be it on the PC or on the 360 and sure, there are people who run around doing the stealth kills and grabs, however those aren't the same people who top the leaderboard... because the good people realise how vulnerable it makes you and also know that continuing to hit you does the same job in the same amount (or ever-so slightly longer) of time but still means you can defend yourself from any other threat coming. The combat, as i stated before is very much a Rock-Paper-Scissors affair with Blocks (beat)> Light Attacks (interrupt)> Heavy Attacks which then circles back on itself.

And as for the complaints about the single (or two?) stealth kill animations. How many games have multiple and varied stealth kill animations? Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines doesn't, neither does Dark Messiah of Might and Magic (the only two i can think of right now...). I mean Arkham Asylum cycles between... 3 or 4? But other than that, there's not a "huge" amount of variation in many games so i don't see why it's a complaint?

/bleh, rant over.

 

I agree with vbdswong, I was a bit disappointed that the review had quite a negative tone about the game, despite awarding a 7 overall, and personally from reading the review most of the points that the game was marked down for dont seem like majot issues.

- Cant comment on the story so far but TB i couldnt give a hoot, what rebellion have done is finally create a game where the player is allowed to play like they are in the movies Aliens/Predator, thats all any fan ever wanted IMO and so they dont need to bring anything new to the table in terms of plot
- Revisiting areas as each of the different species was something that actually appealed to me in the previous AVP2
- in the Demo the insta-kills still (even after hours playing the game) make me jump and dont seem tired or repetative, im still pleased when I manage one and hoping to god someones not sneaked up behind me! This may change in the Single player but TBH i didnt find the "rush and kill" gameplay as an alien in the original game as an issue so im not convinced itll be an issue now
- As the Developers mentioned, the marine being able to block attacks isnt completely cannon but it does help the gameplay a lot when you get jumped (and TBH I do have haze memories of people beating back Aliens in the movies with their gun butt ect, how about the scene where the alien is trying to get into the APC and the marines are holding the door colsed till the alien gets a shotgun to the face, they are strong not super-human!)

Anyway, still looking forward to the game myself, just hoping that Rebellion follow up the release with the promised DLC to keep the online gaming interested

 

Is it me or does this entire battle take place over about three square inches of terrain?

Does it not plonk you down on the terrain right at the beginning with the bad guys directly in your sights?

Is it not a "press [button] to watch the animation" game?

Is it not a console game?