Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Zorine does, as she takes a fancy to your spinal cord.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD or Blu-ray releases.
This review was submitted by Zorine Te. If you’ve played Aliens Vs. Predator, or just want to ask Zorine more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Alien Vs. Predator (PC)
A much loved series, the newest Aliens Vs. Predator doesn’t really bring much innovation to the table, but it is perhaps the delivery of what players expect that makes it so fun. This installment is a standalone one and does not continue off where any of the previous games left the storyline. As usual players can choose to play as one of the three races – Humans, Aliens or Predator. There is a single player campaign mode and multiplayer mode.
Loved
Rich, Immersive Environments: Aliens have never looked prettier. Set the detail level to high and watch (with a strange satisfaction, I might add) as your predator painfully yanks the head off a squishy marine, spine intact and all. Scenery ranges from tropical rainforests to foreign planets and everything in between.
The Trip Down Memory Lane: Some of the sounds remain unchanged. Rather than sounding outdated though, it serves to remind players of why exactly they bought this game. The familiar grunt of the predator and the alien’s shriek will provide many a player with nostalgic memories.
Intuitive HUD: Heads up display is helpful without getting in the way. This is especially the case when clamouring around as an alien.
Hated
Too Flashy: There are times when it’s hard to recover from being hit; there usually is a lot happening on screen and the camera tilt can be a bit too disorienting.
Short: Even for a shooter AvP is quite short. Experienced FPS players will average about ten to fifteen hours on single player before carting off to seek higher pleasures in multiplayer, which I’m about to talk about.
Multiplayer: Joining a quick match is impossible. Dedicated server mode claims to still be in beta, apparently a reason to be excused of bugs. As it currently stands, servers are largely empty of players and game modes offered are limited. Having friends to play is definitely a must to make online play more enjoyable.
Too Easy: Long gone are the days of running frantically through dark corridors as your flashlight flickers out. Marines are now equipped with infinite flashlight, infinite flares (in single player), a stronger pistol with infinite ammo and regenerative health. Pistols actually can kill aliens. Blinding darkness is non-existent, as is the element of fear.
Dumb: AI is questionable. Marines are especially dumb, easily distracted into dark spots away from the safety of their teammates.
Although a lot of fun and better looking, Aliens Vs. Predator fails to meet the high expectations set by its predecessor of the same name. Perhaps future patches will give AvP a multiplayer mode that’s worthy of an overnight session. In the meantime, this one is shiny enough to keep you amused for a while, but not such a standout that you will remember it for years to come.
Reviewed by: Zorine Te
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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