Aliens Vs Predator Hands On Preview

22 Jan 2010 at 16:37:19 by Andy Alderson

It’s with a mixture of excitement and anxiety that I sit down to play the preview build of Aliens vs Predator. On the one hand, it marks the return of a great shooter series after being out in the cold too long. It’s also based on one of the formative film experiences of my youth. While it may share a name with the Paul W(hy) S(eriously) Anderson canon of films, the inspiration for Aliens vs Predator comes mainly from James Cameron’s Aliens. Yes James, one game you can legitimately take credit for inspiring. So, I’m excited to see how Rebellion has updated the franchise to suit the current generation of gaming hardware. But, the aforementioned anxiety: well, that’s because I remember Rebellion’s 1999 AvP on the PC and what it did to me. I’m not a nervous gamer by any means but, at times, AvP scared the ever-living shit out of me. As I back myself into the corner of an almost pitch black room and toss a flare to the ground, it all comes rushing back.

Sega and Rebellion have kindly provided us with a preview build of the single player game in Aliens vs Predator that is divided into three campaigns, one for each of the three species in the game. Figuring I may as well get the terror out of the way first, I play as a Marine. All three campaigns begin with the same cutscene, as Charles Bishop Weyland discovers an ancient temple and inadvertently activates a signal that brings the Predators rushing to the planet. Nice one Charles, thanks for that. The Marine missions begin as an orbital drop ship is attacked by a Predator ship responding to the signal, prompting an emergency landing on the planet below in a suitably bombastic, cinematic opening sequence. Helped to my feet by a Vasquez-a-like female Marine, called Tequilla, I’m handed a pistol and a motion sensor and ordered to rendezvous with my comrades. 

And so the fear begins again as I’m told to negotiate my way (alone) through the human colony which, I’m helpfully informed, is teeming with Xenomorphs. Cracking. With sparse light on offer, the industrial corridors and rooms immediately capture the feel of the 1999 game perfectly as I sweep my flashlight nervously across the rooms searching for movement and desperately hoping I don’t find any. Rebellion toys with the gamer in this early section, offering you a glimpse of the terror before throwing it right in your face. Before long, once you’ve traversed the colony to regroup with Vasquez -sorry- Tequilla, I’m handed a Pulse Rifle and my nerves ease a little. The rifle, like the motion sensor, feels instantly familiar thanks to the excellent sound design and packs a delightful punch, allowing you to take down the Xenomorphs in what feels like a sensible amount of rounds. Of course you’ll need to hit them first which is easier said than done, thanks to their impressive speed.

Marines also carry flares, thrown using the left bumper, which light up the area for a brief amount of time. As the Aliens’ prefer a dark hunting environment, you can guarantee you’re going to need the flares. You’ll also be able to heal yourself with syringes and your energy is divided into three, independently regenerating bars – lose an entire bar and it will stop regenerating until you heal yourself. And, of course, the fact that the Aliens bleed acid means you’re likely to drop energy, especially if you take them on at close range – should they get close enough to bite you, you can block by holding both bumpers and counter attack with a melee move (right bumper only). Ideally, however, you want to take them out from a distance with the Pulse Rifle, which also has an under slung grenade launcher, activated with the alternate fire button (left trigger). 

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