Aliens vs Predator (PC) - Review

slap · **Posted:** Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:47 pm

By MaxPayne5th

Aliens vs. Predator. A game wrapped in controversy and massive hype. Screenshots came out of gory deaths; heads on spikes, heads eaten out by aliens, tails through chests, etc. We all thought “This won’t make it through our Classification Board, right?” Right. RCed on the first go. Then Rebellion appealed, and they were successful getting the game in as an MA15+ game. Of course, the people rejoiced!

Much later, a demo was produced. Sadly, it was pretty poor, with Aliens feeling gimped as ever, Predators way overpowered, and no dedicated servers. But according to Rebellion, they should’ve added in one more word after that last sentence; “Yet.” Of course, the people rejoiced!

Now the game has come out. Now will the people rejoice once more? After playing this game, I think not. If I could sum up this game in one word, I would say “Beta”. This feels like a Beta, because I can see the ice cream in the middle, just has too much dirt and hair around it to want to eat it.

Let me start with the Gameplay. The singleplayer is divided into 3 sections, a campaign for each race. So one for the Marines, one for the Predators and one for the Aliens. Each having about 5 to 6 missions each. The game was fun, learning how each person works, learning the tricks of each species’ trade; Marines with their guns and motion tracker, the Predator with his stealth, claws and plasma gun, and the Alien with his claws, tail and his ability to walk on walls.

The Marine plays like a FPS in the traditional sense. You point your gun at bad guy, you pull trigger, and eventually he dies. You can block attacks, but you really just want to get the hell out of there and put a couple of rounds into the Alien. The Predator feels a bit like I’m playing Assassins Creed 2. He’s got quite a few gadgets, he can jump real high, and get to good vantage points, and he has a stealth suit. Ok, so that’s not like AC2, but hey, the predator is a futuristic assassin. The Alien is like no other. He can walk and jump on walls, he can sneak up on an enemy and put a spike through someone’s chest, he can even bite your head off!

The graphics look good, even in DX9. This game boasts about having DX11 features, but considering I only (*scoff* ONLY *scoff) have a 4890HD 1GB graphics card, I can’t get DX11 because my card doesn’t support it. But I tried to use it, but after the 2nd Marine mission, it would keep CTDing. The graphics look nice, whether you’re running through Alien infested halls, stalking your prey in the mines, or hunting humans in the jungle. Nothing fantastic, but not bad.

Ok here we go, the major problems. Remember how I called this game a “Beta”? Yea, there is quite alot wrong with this game that it feels unfinished. A good example is Mission 3 for Marines, about halfway in. I had gotten past a bunch of Aliens when my radio went silent. ‘Weird” I thought, so I progressed through. 4th Mission, still no radio contact, little idea what I was doing. Eventually found what I was looking for, but didn’t know what to do next. So I ended up following a Marine I saw and walked through this “Maze” if you will. I then ended up in a fight with a Predator and got out of this pit. So I walked through this lab, and hit this panel that the marker was telling me too. Nothing. Ok, reload last checkpoint. Go back, do it again. Nothing. Restarted level. Got back, hit panel. Nothing. I end up going to the forums to see if anyone else had this problem. Well indeed there was. It seems Rebellion didn’t do enough testing to see that the game was completely bugged, making it unfinishable. Yes, unfinishable! I paid $90 for this!?
Well what about multiplayer? Well supposedly, the software for dedicated servers hasn’t been released yet, so we’re stuck with MW2 style P2P servers. And even then it doesn’t work! There was also a map pack for those that got the Survivor and Predator packs of AvP and the pack isn’t even out yet!

Predators feel overpowered, Aliens STILL feel a little bit underpowered, and still no dedicated servers.
Unexplainable CTDs, bugs that make the game hard, or damn near impossible to finish the game, Unbalanced gameplay, no dedicated servers “Yet”, waste of $20 for map pack that should’ve been here on day one!

This game is unfinished. I can see the untapped awesomeness of this game, but there’s just so much crap in the way it’s not worth digging through. Let’s say you had $50 just get crapped on by a dog, will you REALLY dig through there to get it out? Some will, most won’t. This game is the same.

It’s a shame. This game had so much potential, so much hype, and it falls flat on its bug ugly face. Probably after 3 or so patches, all this will be fixed, and it will be worth going down to the store and getting a copy. But right now? Save your money and get S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. It deserves your money more than this junk!

Score: 4/10

slap · **Posted:** Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:50 pm

Nice review MP5.

*Side note; stupid text is stuck at that size.

EDIT: Text all fixed. Smile

CaptainRufus · **Posted:** Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:41 pm

I would dig through dog *Inappropriate Word* to get 50 bucks, but i guess that's just me.

Crow · **Posted:** Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:45 pm

Hmmm. I might wait a few weeks till the dedi servers are out, and it's been patched before buying. Thanks for the review. Very insightful.

DemonseeD667 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:38 am

I agree with some points but not all, My personal experience i have not come across any of the bugs you decribed other than CTD but only when i tried to run it in dx11. Yes its a first release i agree its not quite finished, but i really enjoyed the SP missions, its the MP that is dissappointing for me. i give it 7/10 for SP alone. it loses 2 points for a fail MP P2P system.

Trinz · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:06 pm

Nice review MP5. I'm still tossing up whether to get this game. I would probably only get this for single player.

Delta 51 · **Joined:** Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:09 pm **Posts:** 724

aliens under-powered? your kidding!? if you know how to play them their the 2nd best after marines!
Just understand where you dominate... in the dark and in confined spaces.

EG the pyramid map, built for aliens. Stick to the walls and ceiling as most marines are focused on the invisible shadow. Flick your tail as an entry attack followed by a leap or a heavy to break their defenses. If you succesfully tail whip them from an angle as an isolated target, you have a clear opportunity to grab him for a trophy kill. If your concerned abuot marines and confined spaces, remember that FF is on, get between them and run around like a loony, they sporadically hit eachother if each has no equal understanding.

I can do brief player guides if ya like for each species, i've almost nailed close quarter fighting to an art.

Zero · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:08 pm

Why does that picture remind me of 1CRs Demonic ritual aganist Flying Goose?

DemonseeD667 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:10 pm

i agree Aliens are OP if used wisely, going face to face with a marine or predator is a no no, youve got to be smart about ure attacks, ive found that predators are easier to kill as an alien cause theres no motion tracker with the them with marines u use ambush tactics or engage them when they are engaging another player. Cool

Aliens vs Predator (PC) - Review

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