18.2.2013

My only advice is to watch the films first! (At least the first two) Can't stress that enough.. The aliens in this game are like zombies from Let 4 Dead, no intelligence, vast numbers, recklessly run at you from afar. So if you play this first, then watch the films, you wont properly appreciate the fiction behind Alien. Saying that, the game portrays a great and fun survival horror. Campaign is fairly short but still fun, although you'll be sick of seeing aliens by the end. Some maps are pretty badly designed, I found a huge out of map glitch just by walking around some of the rocks that enclose the map, and slipped through a bit of the scenery to get right outside. I usually say if the game majorly glitches on day 1,it needs work. The graphics take a long time to load aswell (appear blurred for a long time) I expected this from Sega, but not Gearbox, the game engine is a bit lacking :/ But just because a game glitches, doesn't mean it sucks.Online you can play as Marines or Aliens (random), Marines get loadouts as well as Aliens (All customisable). Marines are self-explanitory, you get perks and guns with different attachments and skins (Some guns featured in films) There are also 6 secret 'legendary' weapons that belong to characters from the films (Hick's Shotgun etc) that are powerful but un-customizable. There are 3 different classes of Alien. Soldiers, Spitters and Lurkers. Soldiers simply run in and attack, Spitters can climb walls and spit acid at Marines, Lurkers can leap across the map and attempt to jump onto Marines. A shame only Spitters can climb walls... Each class can be customised with extra perks and moves that improve your class. There seem to be a couple host problems online. Host leaves = game ends, this has been done in past games and it sucks. No host migration just means that the host can leave because he's losing or doing badly and the game ends for everyone, sending you back to the multiplayer screen.I'm up to that final chapter of the campaign, and it has been fun, but don't expect too much from this, I am a huge alien fan, but I feel the game destroys the characteristics of the Alien because of how easily they can be killed, and even in versus, I feel the Aliens are a little underpowered. This is just my opinion though, I'm sure if you don't care so much for the films or just want to play a new FPS, this can be really fun.Update: There is a really nice level I like where an alien captures you and you are completely unarmed and you are trying to run away through the sewers from it and it's really eerie and scary. That was the only time the game had my heart pumping. And down there there are a new species of alien that are blind and only sense movement, so you need to be really careful. AI (Specifically O'neil) are pants-on-head retarded and get in your way. He has a smart gun and just watches aliens jump you and walks way to far ahead, and even when he's near you, he does NOTHING. He's by your side in most missions and he is such a terrible character with no personality whatsoever :/Just to note I found out that FOX had confirmed this game as CANON! Which means everything you play actually happened in the story.Posatives- It's an FPS, shoot shoot. Tick.- Fun unique playstyle in Versus online- Challenges and Online will keep you hooked (hopefully)- Loadouts are a good addition to the game- Top escape levelNegatives- Killing aliens is excessive, they don't seem like 'tough' creatures- Game engine 'feels' outdated- Graphics aren't that good for a 2013 game- AI does nothing useful and will get on your nerves- This game does not represent "6 years of hard work"

13.2.2013

Firstly, Amazon used Royal Mail not Aple the courier they used the last time I was supposed to get something on the day of release and it arrived on time, so that was an improvement. Secondly compared to other 'Alien' games of this genre, this one out surpasses them but that wouldn't be difficult as most of us know. As a fan of all the Alien films since the first, I've been looking forward to this for sometime.Accepted the in game graphics aren't the best, for example some of the scenes in Dead Space 3 are superb while in Aliens.... they're very good. Scenes like when your looking out of a ships window onto a planet below or at another ship but the characters are average. I found the game play very good,from on board ships to the planet below and some of the 'spooky' scenes will make you jump out of your skin.Things they've got right in this one are things such as Hadley's Hope, the Sulaco, pulse rifles, atmosphere, automatic turrets music and sound if you have good earphones. I haven't played the co-op yet so can't comment on that but so far I'm very impressed with this one, finally somebody has produced a good, decent, Alien game, hoorah!Game updates:I've completed the campaign now and I can honestly say that this game is nowhere near as bad as some are making it out to be. For example in recent weeks I've completed Crysis, Crysis 2, Hitman Absolution and Binary Domain and for me, as a fan of the films, this was better than all of them. The only game I've played recently that has better graphics is Dead Space 3.Throughout the game you have the opportunity to find legendary weapons like Hicks shotgun or the pistol used by Vasquez. The original actors provide voice overs for the characters and it was supported by the film company who makes the movies, who wouldn't put their money into a dodgy investment.Maybe the big companies just want it to fail and have told 'professional reviewers' to give it a hard time but if your a fan of the films and have played the game, it would be interesting to see why people don't like it. It has atmosphere, accuracy, fairly good and more than acceptable visuals (except for close ups on characters but they're okay) I just don't understand the hatred.Further update:I finally found a frustrating glitch last night after six days of playing A:CMC. I came across another legendary weapon, a pistol but when I approached it and tried to pick it up, it was 'glued' into the floor and couldn't be collected to go with the others. Frustrating but not a game breaker, hopefully I'll find it again on another run through.This time I've upped the level to hardened and it's virtually impossible to get through a level without being killed a few times, they really are 'coming out of the walls, ceilings and floors.' I listened to a 'professional review' of this yesterday and it was totally inaccurate, I won't say who the reviewer is but he had only played it on normal difficulty and moaned that there weren't enough Aliens (then up the level).He also said the Aliens just appear in front of you to be shot, wrong and that the AI on your side don't help, wrong again. He didn't play the co-op at all, despite this though he still gave the game 7/10. A very good score considering his information was inaccurate! Is it any wonder lots of people think this game sucks after a clear campaign to ruin it.Give it a chance chaps and chapesses!

2.2.2014

First off, this game doesn't deserve the bad press it received. Sure it had a troubled development history and is basically unfinished, but it's still an enjoyable game. Ultimately it is disappointing because with a bit more polish it could've been incredible, but it certainly isn't bad. I bought this for £5 having been swayed by the original reviews and to be honest I wouldn't have felt ripped off to spend £20 on it.The graphics are somewhere between Goldeneye and The Conduit on the Wii - certainly not up to the standard you usually expect from the 360. Throw in some mild screen tearing and horrendous clipping issues. This doesn't bother me because I'm used to playing games on the Wii and still go back to my previous consoles,but it may infuriate those who demand flashiness.Biggest of the game's problems are the various immersion-breaking aspects. Your squadmates are invincible and have unlimited ammo, the former because half the time you can walk straight through them. It is a little distracting to be walking down a corridor and have a fellow marine run straight through you. However bad this may seem though, it is better than babysitting vulnerable AI teammates - nothing is worse than failing a mission because the CPU player got itself killed, or you died trying to bail the dumb CPU out of a tight spot. Enemy AI is a bit dodgy - but this is really no worse than most other first person shooters, so it is unfair to criticise this game for it. Aliens do have a tendency to run at you rather than use the walls/ceiling, but they do drop in behind you enough to create some panic-inducing moments. Finally, you make Doomguy look like a wimp with all the weapons you can carry - but you have to put flamethrowers and rocket launchers down to switch weapons. Really, the game just needed a pulse rifle, shotgun and pistol - with flame unit, smart gun and rocket launchers staying as pickups. Show a little restraint and you can do this yourself.However, top of the draw is the sound design. Lifting most of the effects and musical score straight from the film helps to create a real Aliens atmosphere. The motion tracker is great and it's only a shame that it doesn't pick up more false positives. The voice acting isn't horrendous plus Michael Biehn and Lance Henriksen are used as Hicks and Bishop - no horrific soundalikes (see Darth Vader in The Force Unleashed). The story is just an excuse to keep a sense of urgency about the game and is perfectly fine with a satisfactory ending.It would have been better to have vulnerable but controllable squadmates (such as in Binary Domain), or just spending the majority of the game fighting solo like in Dead Space - either would've eliminated the problem of being the only one who can die or run out of ammo.As it is, I enjoyed this game the the same way I enjoyed Alpha Protocol. It's clearly lacking polish and is occasionally ridiculous if you let it be, but with a bit of self restraint you can create the right atmosphere and have a lot of fun. I enjoyed this so much that I'll probably purchase the DLC add on mission.Yes, this could have been a stunning game. But it's still fun, so don't let the detractors influence you unless you're the type who only cares about fancy graphics.

12.2.2013

Like so many people on here I've been waiting for this for many years. Now ACM is finally here...and it's not been wholly successful. This is a shame but its not all doom and gloom.The graphics are below par for 2008 and your character moves around a bit too sluggishly, although you will get used to it. You will need to change the control sensitivity in the settings menu or you'll be moving around like a fridge. The game is also a little bit too easy - Even if you're the type who normally struggles on harder difficulty levels, you'll need to play on hardened difficulty at least to get the best challenge out of this. The AI is incredibly weak on easy and normal (Almost laughable)However,

12.2.2013

At last. After a wait of over six years, or is it 12? Who knows, this game has been on and off so often we wondered if it was ever going to happen.But alas it finally arrived, and I was straight in to Campaign mode.You play as Winter, a Colonial Marine who is also an electronics expert, whose primary job is to survive while being flanked mainly by your wingman O'Neil and others.The atmosphere created in this game it outstanding. The music score, the sound effects and the aesthetic of the surroundings provide a worthy addition to James Cameron's masterpiece.When you first hear the unmistakeable sound of the Motion Tracker, you are instanly transported in to the world of Aliens.If you thought that was good,

12.2.2014

... and the patches must have done the trick.I loved this game, played through it within about a week - not because it was particularly short but because i was addicted! My review is almost entirely based on the single player, was sucked in right from the off so didn't 'waste' time by playing the multiplayer.I'm a big fan of the Aliens universe, and after all the reviews that panned the game i decided not to get it at release, but wait until it was cheap or there was a GamOfTheYear edition which included DLC etc. Well when i saw it for under £8 (incl. delivery) i thought now's the time.First off,

13.2.2013

Fist off I am a massive fan of the Alien franchise and was looking forward to this game being released as I have nostalgic memories of Aliens which in my view is the best in the film series and still looks good nearly 27 years on.So the game play itself I personally think is good sound effects such as the guns, aliens, and motion trackers are spot on to the film and sounds great when you crank up your TV! The scenery is not too claustrophobic but there are some open areas. This makes battles interesting aliens will come at you in multiples and from all angles and areas (like in Aliens). As for the people who have completed the game in 2 hours I have played on this game on solider mode (Normal)

19.2.2013

With the big patch and a great DLC this is suddenly not such a bad game anymore.That is if you happen to like action games, as ACM is 95% action and 5% stealth.From the start I expected ACM to be an action game since it is based on 'Aliens' by Cameron, which is an action film to me and not a horror film.In fact only the very first Alien film is a horror film in my opinion. The others are not.Visually the game looks OK now, much better than on release. Of-course it is still not as good as what was originally shown to us.However the patch does a good job of raising the immersion of the game. It is a significant improvement.As an action game ACM gives you a solid experience.You have a range of

18.2.2013

OK so after getting the confidence to put in the console id like to add :The single player is very bland and could been so much beter not tried the co-op as yet. Im a little into the campaign & it seems ok but AI is prety bad (I shot out a window only for the alien to go around use the door!) colision detection, & head shots seem to be non exsistant! There is a scene which does take the atmosphere and dare i say terror of tackling a mission with no weapons - so stealth is the key.. A massive plus is sound, the first time you hear the sound of the motion detector is like swinging your light sabre for the first time a big smile creeps up! or the sound of the pulse rifle which is quality!..But the mutiplayer ...

12.2.2013

I don't care if the game does suck - its Aliens, man! Yeah, I'm a bit of a fanboy, but so what?I get it though - early reviews of the game so far indicate it stinks. Thats a pity, Aliens is a franchise with such history and importance to modern sci-fi. I really had hoped a company with a pedigree like Gearbox would have done something truly cool with it. But it seems all they've managed is basically an interactive tribute to the movie.Lets ignore the game then, and look at the extras - why should you buy this Collector's Edition if the game is so rank?First off, and most obviously, is the powerloader figurine. It is rather nice. It stands about 8" tall, including the base, and is a nice weight.

20.2.2013

I haven't encountered the problems others seem to have. I have to admit I have only played the game on Ultimate Badass (the hardest setting with no hud) 90% of the time when I die it's because an Alien has got behind me whilst I'm dealing with it's mates in front of me. Which means I've been flanked not just bullrushed giving it the feel of Aliens (think Hudson's capture). The level of detail in the game to the film is very high, for example go into the medical bay and you can see the facehugger that Newt trapped and Hudson killed. The people who say that this game was done simply to eek a bit of cash from the franchise haven't looked at this game or don't like the franchise as much as they

23.2.2013

This game has recieved alot of stick for some reason or another.Granted its not an EA graphical masterpiece but for what it lacks in outstanding graphics it sure as hell makes up for in gameplay.Single player:Its a fairly decent single player game, there are some bugs in it but the overall story and gameplay are enjoyable and they mix up the missions with treading carefully missions and missions where your just running as fast as you can, Its not a horror game but there are parts where its very intense which is helped by the motion tracker when your got blips on the screen then all of a sudden nothing. The campaign is lentghty and replayable with the dogs tags and Special weapons to be found.

28.4.2017

This game doesn't deserve the extreme hate it is now infamous for. It was apparently extremely glitchy on release which is unforgivable in a big-title full price release, but has since been updated and runs just fine. My review is as goes;I judged this as a space-marine game where you run around space-environments and shoot at space aliens with space-guns; as a shooter, it's perfectly average Call of Duty style shooting, which I usually despise due to my dislike of those games. The guns feel meaty and sound awesome, though the actual enemies feel like paper targets; there's no real gratification to pumping bullets into them. But it works just fine, there's nothing awful about the shooting; just kind of boring.

16.2.2013

I have a job and a family and nowhere near as much time to play games as I would like. I have waited a long time for a multiplayer game that doesn't require hours and hours levelling up to gain you the advantage that only spotty little kids have the time to do. We are older and better and give us game that is nicely balanced and doesn't need that time investment we older gamers can't afford and we have a game that is fun every time you play it!Hey! Fun! - hello reviewers (That's you - magazine reviewers I'm talking about, that's you, that never really play the games you review in any great depth). The multiplayer on this game is so much fun.

9.4.2014

I'm just going to say it, this game is just another Alien title that will eventually be forgotten to the sands of time.But having said that it's still a time of fun. The Alien AI is superb, they are capable of hidi g from you perfectly and jumping from wall to ceiling and moving flawlessly. Almost like watching a film, and almost like fighting a real Alien with actual intelligence.Partly plating this game was just for nostalgia, I loved the Alien films as my review of them will show, and I couldn't resist to pass up the opportunity to explore the worlds myself, even if only in video game format.The game just makes you play, its up to you to find the references, the environments and the voice acting from the films.

Aliens: Colonial Marines - Reviews

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