*brick!* (Aliens Versus Predator 2 (PC))

Member Name: awalsh

Product:	Aliens Versus Predator 2 (PC)
Date:	12/09/03 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Atmospheric, Be the Bad Guys!, Get scared sh*tless

Disadvantages: Short, Bit easy

I've just come from reviewing the Primal Hunt addon for this game, and didn't think of reviewing this until I saw it further down the list of games...

If you've read my Primal Hunt op, don't think it applies to this game! This is well up on my list of Best Games Ever. Well, it would be, if I had one anyway.

I'd read reviews of this game before I bought it, and quite honestly, I thought it was going to be a bit of a let-down. All the reviews told of how scary it was, and its even printed on the box, "The scariest game you're ever likely to play!" or something similar.

They weren't lying, though!

Although you can play as any of the three races, my personal favourite is the marine. The game perfectly captures the tension of the first and second Aliens movies, especially if you play with the lights off and surround sound on... Although I luckily managed not to scream out loud like a big girly and embarrass myself, there were definitely places in the game where I jumped so badly I sprayed the walls with gunfire - even though in some cases there was nothing actually there! For a computer game to involve the player on that kind of level is brilliant, and I wish there were more that could be as immersive.

As has been pointed out, the game isn't that difficult and most people will complete it in a relatively short period of time. I'm usually quite negative about games that don't have much lasting value or reason to replay them, but I'm making an exception for this one - although the playing experience is short, its INTENSE.

Playing as the other 2 races, Alien and Predator, its quite a different experience. Out of these two, the predator is the easier option, having access to a lot of high-tech weaponry, including sniper scopes and a health-recharger, but its still a challenge simply because its you are alone against hordes of aliens and humans.

The Alien is fu
n to play too, and provides a twist in that you start off as a relatively weak "facehugger" and have to feed in order to grow. Once grown, being able to climb walls is a definite advantage, but you're still vulnerable to the gunfire of the human and predator enemies. It becomes a case of hiding, pouncing and then retreating back to the shadows... just like in the first movie.

In fact, this is another area where the game scores - you get to play the movie characters in a believable game. Believe me, although we might have identified with Ripley and the guy Schwarzenegger played in the movies, playing the baddies is just as much fun!

In short, this game comes highly recommended. What it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality.

Summary: