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Alien Vs Predator [split topic]

Started by Hobes, February 04, 2010, 11:06:05 PM

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Nik Drou

Downloaded the demo, waited far too long to connect to any other player so I could have a go on the thing, got bored, deleted it.

AsparagusTrevor

What format?  I played on PC and had no trouble connecting every time I tried. Apparently the full game with have dedicated servers, on the PC anyway.


chand

Quote from: VegaLA on February 06, 2010, 08:10:27 PM
It does have that big fuck off disclaimer at the start of the demo that states it is an older version so fingers crossed they are aware of the faults and have already ironed them out for the final release. Bit of a bad move as a demo though as some people will write it off already. I really want this to shine so i'll be reading what the reviewers have to say in the run up to the release.

The best one of these was the recent Gran Turismo 5 time trial demo. Fucking years of anticipation for this game, a game in a series whose greatest selling point has always been its graphics, and they decide to release a ridiculously stripped-down 120mb taster that looks like a PS2 game. It wasn't actually a GT5 demo, but it wasn't clearly pointed out that it wasn't so now thousands of people think GT5 is going to look rubbish.

AsparagusTrevor

So it's out, has anyone played this yet? Mine had an attempted delivery while I was out yesterday, so I've arranged a redelivery for tomorrow.

I've just read this month's PC Zone where they gave it quite a good review (82% and a decent write-up). It's had a lot of other mixed reviews though, Gamespot's was expecially damning. Everyone keeps saying it looks shit, whereas the screenshots in the PC Zone review look brilliant. Does it look shit in motion? Does it just look shit on consoles?

Spiteface

Quote from: AsparagusTrevor on February 19, 2010, 02:23:54 PM
So it's out, has anyone played this yet? Mine had an attempted delivery while I was out yesterday, so I've arranged a redelivery for tomorrow.

I've just read this month's PC Zone where they gave it quite a good review (82% and a decent write-up). It's had a lot of other mixed reviews though, Gamespot's was expecially damning. Everyone keeps saying it looks shit, whereas the screenshots in the PC Zone review look brilliant. Does it look shit in motion? Does it just look shit on consoles?

I got it today, like what I've played of it so far.  I rarely play FPS's so I'm probably not the one to ask.

AsparagusTrevor

The PC review is up on IGN now.

Now I don't generally take IGN reviews as the be all and end all, but they mention the graphics in the PC version are much improved from the console versions, which is a bonus. The review was decent, 7.3.

Jemble Fred

Yeah we were having a laugh about that yesterday.

chand

So, I bought this, and it's not terrible, a 6 or 7/10 so far. Graphically it's not as bad as I thought from the boring demo map I played, it's not Killzone 2 levels of quality but it looks current-gen enough and the lighting is good. Far better than I'd thought given the Shellshock 2/Rogue Warrior reviews.

I've only been playing the marine campaign so far, apparently the alien campaign is rubbish but the predator campaign is pretty good. There are few things that take some getting used to; no crouch button, although it's not really necessary because there's no low cover, and no aim button, which again probably isn't necessary but takes a while if you're used to almost never hip-shooting like me, I instinctively head for the iron sights. Seems to be paced fairly well, although there are some moments of kind of shoddy old-skool game design where you're waiting for the mysterious voices in your head to open doors for you and you're just required to stand around because there are no cut-scenes so all the exposition and plot gets fed into your ear while the game contrives to lock you in a room at times. There was one particularly annoying bit where my objective marker led me to a door which had no controls, and no icon popped up for me to try and open it. The voice in my head was giving me no guidance and I ran about for a bit hoping it would open; eventually I googled around to find others having the same problem. It turns out that the door doesn't open until the two aliens in that tunnel section are killed, but with the aliens being vague creatures that hide from you in vents there's nothing to suggest you've missed any. Eventually I had to track back until I bumped into an alien, killed it, and hey presto, the plot is allowed to proceed and the door magically opens. Always a real immersion-breaker when stuff like that happens.

AsparagusTrevor

Mine never bloody came, even though I'd arranged redelivery for Saturday, the only day I'm at home all day. So fuck knows when I'll get it now. All this travelling back and forward, my facehugger's gonna be fucked!

Having completed all the campaigns I'd agree with chand (and most of the reviewers) that it's a better than average game; some aspects are superior to the PC original (the Marine and Predator stories are far superior this time round but too damn short) and I'm probably being more forgiving of its faults for nostaligia's sake.

The multiplayer is excellent and almost makes up for the single player shortcomings but it's really disappointing the way there is no mid-game host migration, really is a pisser especially in ranked matches. Infestation - where one player is selected at random to be the Alien and has to pick off the marines, who in turn respawn as Aliens - is head and shoulders above the other modes. Terrifying stuff in the enclosed maps.

Overall a 7/10 - frustrating really as the potential was there for a great game.

VegaLA

Cheers Chan and HungerArtist, your reviews are swaying me as i've been in two minds about this purchase.

AsparagusTrevor

Finally got mine today, first thing I did was check the facehugger and the little bugger's survived perfectly ok. I'm just going through the 15GB install at the moment, and I won't get much time to play today or tomorrow so this will have to be more of a Hunter Edition package review.

Tin game-case, all DVD-boxses and games should be tin. Lenticular 3D postcard which is cool. The facehugger model is bigger than I thought it would be, about big enough to comfortably hug a ventriloquist's dummy's head. It is rubbery with posable limbs and it has that lovely latexy smell. Also there's a Weyland-Yutani sew-on patch thingy job.

AsparagusTrevor

I've given the Alien campaign a decent play, and the Marine campaign for a bit too.

First off, graphics aren't shit in the slightest, not on the DirectX 10/11 version anyway. In fact most of it looks really nice, and the lightning which plays a prominent part is very good. Really smooth framerate too. The production value is great too, everything's well presented.

The controls took a bit of getting used to, and some actions seem a bit long winded. For example, instead of walking straight through a large open vent, you have to press a button to crawl through. It's all fine once you get used to it though. I'm liking the trophy kills, how gruesome they are took me aback. Stuff like shoving tail through the victim's eyes leaving a gaping hole, tail though the back of the head out through the mouth, and the classic head-bite, amongst others. The alien has the usual enhanced senses, like seeing people's auras and an interesting night vision, it can still see pretty well in complete darkness.

I'm enjoying it so far, some things could've been pulled off better but on the whole it is an authentic experience.


AsparagusTrevor

Good, I really got into it but each campaign always seemed to end two hours too early.