When they were picking out games based on Aliens a few years back, I always knew they should have went with Obsidian on the Alien RPG instead of this tripe. I knew it was going to be bad, but didn't know the game would be this bad! I just read the whole company that worked on this game went out of business. I wonder what they were doing for the past 7 years?

"Think of all the potential, the time, the effort, the budget used up over these last several years, only to produce something so deeply, fundamentally flawed in every facet of its execution."

Well word is that much of the time, effort, and budget Gearbox said was spent on this was actually being funnelled away from SEGA to Borderland's 2. Bummer. Between this and duke nuke 'em, and since I found borderlands 2 very frustrating and boring from about level 35-50, I don't know if I really care to take a chance on any Gearbox products in the future.

@alkusanagi: seriously? better than prometheus? that movie had some serious issues, but like Alex said, it still TRIED a whole lot harder than "that's another, longer story". ugh that whole game made me so mad. especially when you look at the demos they were showing off. should have just cancelled this one like they did the one for the PS2.

Bitterly bad news! But it has fallen very quickly on the charts.

So quickly.

You guys are playing a different game to me, that or the worlds been infested with electronic cloned sheep with the same personality prints on you all.

I so don't agree with this review- or for that fact most reviews on Alien CM. This is a great game, absolutely addictive. What are people doing putting a one star review on it!!!! I admit that i have only played this on the xbox version but it played well. If you cant kill as a xeno- you don't know how to play... and you will get frustrated, not due to the games design but due to your lack of skill. If your getting yourself battered as a marine, your probably in a weak team- again not the games fault. As for story gripes, well it is a game trying to incorporate at least five different movies ( id really like to see the people who have bashed this game, come up with a better way of doing this). Lets be honest if these easter eggs were left out of the game the same people would be raising the roof saying they should have tried harder to include more movie stuff.

Game play can have some odd glitches in it, including third person marine in multiplayer and a disappearing pulse rifle in story ( there's your terror) all of which sort themselves out within minutes and are workable.

I want the level cap to go up on it though and will be getting season pass when i see what's in store for release on DLC.

one star really?

Yes, dumber than the entire Aliens vs. Predator franchise.

The AvP franchise is not dumb! Yes the movies are horrible cash-ins, but the AvP franchise is one of the most awesome crossovers ever created! It lead to two great games (and a couple of medicore/good ones) and great comics, don't blame the franchise for being raped by cheap cash-in movies!

And while i haven't played A:CM yet, i do think that 1/5 is a little bit harsh of an rating. Such a low rating implies that the game is fundamentally broken to a point where it can't be played/finished. Sure 1/5 would be matching if you consider all the missed potential, but that potential is usually wishful thinking and high expectations combined, those tend to result in a disappointing experience, no matter how the final product turns out.

Had a great time playing this game. Got my season pass all paid up. Bring on the DLC! :)

I was expecting so much from this game...

What a shame - like many I had great hopes, now I'm just gonna reinstall AVP and get my dose of half crummy Alien killing there...

@wiggle987: I have to say i was thinking the same, but i too did not see this coming....

What a bummer. I had high hopes for this game.

ouch.....

...And Aliens RPG is the one that gets cancelled. Makes sense to me!

Why'd they happen to give this one to Alex? Did they all know it was bad before they asked him to write his review?

The best way to describe this game is this: We were promised a gourmet meal and instead we got a half-eaten chicken nugget that got run over by a truck.

before i opened the game, i decided to check the reviews. throughout the day the reviews kept piling on. i took it back and got a 60 dollar store credit. this is total b.s., i had waited for, and anticipated this game for a long while. total b.s.

I feel like this review is not entirely fair. He gives it one star but nevere really explains what is functionally broken about the game. At three different places, he says the game actually works when discussing it as a shooter, as a co op game and as a multiplayer competitive game so something is unreconciled there for me.

@smarmyjerkface

Losing reviewer avatars is even more disappointing. :(

100% agree

I never thought this game would be any good but didn't expect it to be this bad. Great review Alex

So at a time when former THQ (and many other) developers are scrambling for work as their studios close around them, this abomination of a game gets released?
At some point is it OK for a grown man to cry? I feel tears of rage forming over here...

No fun cartoons anymore? Site seems a lot more serious looking now. Hmmm...

Review more games for Giant Bomb, Alex Navarro.

I hope gearbox burns for this....

@branthog: Uhh, a game which reflects its AAA budget for one thing? Aliens is the PERFECT license for a horde mode co-op experience.

Game over, man?

I see we have an early contender for Giantbomb's 2013 Most Disappointing Game.

Man, I'm actually bummed it didn't turn out well. After AVP I figured the next big game in the franchise could only get better. Oh how wrong I was.

Sounds like a must buy .

Gearbox are so full of shit. They should stick to Borderlands games, just throw in a few new locations and some fetch quests and people will be happy with a Borderlands 3. (and it'll still be a bore)

Glad I didn't buy into the excitement leading up to this game's release. Sounds like a mess. Must be a major disappointment for Aliens fans.

Masterfully done Gearbox. Masterfully done.

pitchford showing off that demo that was a pure lie makes gearbox just as bad as the war z developers. Fuckin scum!!!! It's so sad because I love borderlands, but now gearbox is DNF, shitty Aliens, and Borderlands. All in all Gearbox has a shitty shitty reputation now.

This game wasn't developed to coincide with a films release so it did not have the time constraint that hinders most movie tie-in games. This game was in development for 6 or so years and Pitchford had been hyping it up, given Borderlands is quite a good shooter people had hopes for this.

@slash_rick:I'm am shocked and appalled by this.

Holy crap, thanks for posting that video. I *knew* I remembered earlier demo footage of this game looking way better, but this video comparison illustrates the differences so clearly that it left me speechless. "What the hell happened?" indeed.

alex had one picture anyway so it wasn't at all useful? also you are a moron. Also also there's plenty of personality in the review?

1 star. Fair and accurate. Played less than an hour and it's going to take mass amounts of Irish whisky to get me through the rest of this title.

Being a fan of the Aliens movie I was really looking forward to this game. Then I saw the E3 footage and was worried, but still hopeful Gearbox would instill some magic into it.

Now...now I'm gonna wait until its £5 or less on Amazon or a Steam sale before I'll even consider getting it...if I can be arsed.

Super easy to get around stuff when that's your scriptwriting tool. How utterly lazy.

I hope you realize how much of an idiot you are.

Seriously bummed at how this game worked out. I was prepped for a day one buy, but now I'm not even sure I'd buy it on sale with these problems. Burned again by the PR hype train. :(

I just had an epiphany: what if this is Pitchford's artistic response to Ridley Scott's Prometheus? All makes sense now.

More like Aliens: COLONiANAL Marines.

Poop.

For those of you asking about the spoiler cameo:

I like this. :)

I thought this was a great review. I credit Alex for backing up all of his points with solid information and I will not be purchasing the game.

I get how people are disappointed after watching the pre-release footage.