Coming virtually out of nowhere, there's a new Aliens vs. Predator game out this month for all current-gen consoles. I must admit, never having a PC that could run games, I never had an opportunity to play the previous efforts by developer Rebellion of bringing the two sci-fi horror icons into the FPS genre. When I heard there was going to be a game for the 360 about this wholly interesting concept, I got more than a little excited; even if the game was nothing more than just a complete re-hash of the classic franchises, I would be satisfied. However, the fact that the game didn't really start rearing its head until so close to its release date has me a little concerned. That's where the MP Demo that recently surfaced on Xbox LIVE comes in.
Sadly, the demo only includes one map and one game type. That game type is Deathmatch, a free-for-all game type that just seems... inappropriate for showing what the strengths of the game's 3 species system really is. Still, it does do a good job showing some of the funner elements and of the game as well as how the game will likely function in its final form. Here are my thoughts about the demo's overall match-making and modes offering, as well as each species involved.
Match-making, Modes, and Performance:
The demo only allows for player quick-matches. Although there have been times where it took an inordinate amount of time to get into a match and/or I would seem to be in a lobby that is almost full when suddenly I'm transferred to a lobby that had no other players in it, the game at least seems to consistently connect you to a game. Once in, the game performs pretty admirably (although there are only 8 players in a match). I've experienced minimal lag, and have never found myself cheated by any latency or anything of the like. Again, the demo only includes Deathmatch, which can become irritating when you are a Marine, and the other Marine players feel the need to try and kill you whilst being simultaneously swarmed by Aliens. The people who put the demo together would have been better served putting in Team Deathmatch instead, as well as making it more obvious what the time limit and kill limit was in this game mode.
Aliens:
By far the most straightforward class as far as controls, the Alien is a more deliberately stealth and melee class than the other two. The movement speed, especially when sprinting, can become a bit out of control, and the fact that the Alien will magnitize to any surface can take some getting used to, but these seem to be essential to success as the Alien. Utilizing the natural camoflauge of the creature and its unpredictable movement speed, you can close on enemies and finish them off with a grab from behind or with a strong melee attack. It also stands to mention that when playing as the Alien, you can see other players through walls and other surfaces given you are close enough to the target. The Alien's back grab (like the Predator's) seems a bit over-powered, as it can be mashed on whenever your character steps behind another, even if you're engaged in combat, but it also has its inherent risks by leaving you exposed for several seconds while you pull it off. The Alien also has a block, which allows it to engage in fisticuffs with a Predator, and a hiss that seems to be solely for scaring jittery opponents. The Alien also seems to be very delicate, maybe as much so as the Marine, so it's beneficial to use a hit and run tactic if it looks like you're losing an engagement. Overall, the Alien is a delicate, but wholly formidable opponent that can utilize its speed and angle of attack to gain an upperhand over the other two species.
EDIT: Just found out that the Alien actually has a lunge attack used by locking on with the "Focus Mode" button and then hitting attack. Really helps to close on enemies faster than simply using sprint, amd making the Alien seem a lot more viable now.
Predator:
The Predator's technical aspects are not only its greatest strength, but also a weakness. For starters, the Predator has a mask with several different view modes used for taking on its various quarry. The first is a clear view that allows for viewing the world as it appears to the other species, the next is a heat signature view that allows for tracking humans and identifying fellow Predators, and finally, a green-tinted view for viewing Xenomorphs exclusively. This may seem like a huge advantage, but the fact you have to juggle these different view modes leaves the Predator somewhat vulnerable when he's tracking/expecting a particular prey. The Predator is armed with twin wrist-blades as a default weapon, which seem very effective if you manage to get the Predator within striking distance, and can easily overpower Aliens in slug-fests. As mentioned before, he has a grab attack exactly like the Alien, which is a good way of dispatching unwary foes, but leaves you completely exposed for several seconds. Instead, it seems more advantageous to use the Predator's cloaking device and its ability to jump to high places to survey the battle-field until you're ready to engage (note that the cloak doesn't work on Aliens). You can also pick up various weapons throughout the map which have various uses: The Smart-Disk; a frisbee that ricochets off of surfaces and seems to be a one-hit kill if a direct hit is scored on a target. The weapons seems to take a while to return after being used. The Combi-Stick; a very straight-forward spear. You can throw them in a straight line, usually at a decent rate, and seem more effective from medium to short range. Grenades; a basic grenade type weapon with a powerful blast-radius. Plasma Gun; the iconic Predator weapon, it takes a few seconds to lock on to a target before firing, and does not home in on targets, so it is best utilized in wide open areas against mobile targets. (there may be other weapons available, but I haven't used them). Overall, the Predator is a complex character with some great pay-off if you learn to use his tactics and all his advantages.
Marine:
The marine definitely feels like the underdog, but he is surprisingly effective in his basic nature. Essentially playing liken any other FPS, the marine relies completely on his natural awareness and his weaponry to survive. Armed with a flashlighted 100 clip assault rifle to start with, the marine is equipped to investigate every small noise that he hears... with bullets. And that is where the big advantage of the marine comes from, his ability to attack from range and to virtually spam out attacks at will. Surprisingly, the marine can also hold his own in close combat if he's aware of his attacker. He can execute a block just like the Predator or Alien, and has an extremely quick rifle-butt attack that can shove off and stun enemies long enough for you to begin shooting again. Really, the sole disadvantages of the marine are from his need to react on what he SEES, not having any special view modes to identify targets, and his relative delicate-ness. Luckily, if his weapons are used to their fullest extent, and full awareness is maintained, the marine has the skills to be just as powerful as his other two counter-parts.
Overall, the game seems to be a fun, if not flawed experience. It's basic mechanics are there, but whether or not they are easily exploitable, and whether or not the game manages to hold up when/if the player count is upped remains to be seen. However, as of now, AVP looks to be a fun distraction for those who are fans of the venerable film franchises.
Log in to comment