Okay. So some time ago now I made up a review of WWE Smackdown VS. Raw 2011 that pretty much fell flat on its ass. I repeat, the characters, the wrestlers, appeared strange, I encountered many bugs while playing and in fact another one later on which I discovered by accident during online play. Everything about the current WWE didn't go hand in hand with any game that could be made to simulate it that would be decent.
I have played Aliens VS. Predator, on Xbox 360, and can give this game a better review than my last. 20th Century FOX has something to do with this offering, to my shame, because like I said the game was actually pretty good in my view. You'd think that if FOX had something to do with anything, it would be cobbled together and have hidden messages referring to the N.R.A. in it.
I decided to play this game first out of five others I bought for no reason other than I thought it would be just a good game to start with. I looked at the achievement list, checked for story achievements (there are some in this game I guess obviously), checked for online achievements (there are ranked match achievements that now are a challenge to unlock because of the availability of ranked matches online), and weapon/kill related achievements that can be unlocked either during online or offline play. The game has I think forty seven, but don't take my word on that.
I wasn't happy with the bland (although this wasn't the intention I think) looking loading screens and menu. If I had my way, they would have been black, green and red to represent marine, alien and predator in colour. Actually, I think it looked stupid. But it was to do with like a startup screen to do with the Weyland (Weyland? Weyland? Smithers? Get it?) Corporation, to do with the marines, throughout the game except for when you are playing in the game as alien and predator. You see the flickering grey television closed circuit broadcast in the game on television and computer screens but every time in loadup screens and the menu. I would have done things differently.
I started as a marine and made my way through the campaign. Each campaign is short, but overall makes the game, a lengthy game. Like many games, you experience a tutorial as you play at the start, Aliens VS. Predator is no different. Shooting an alien at close range will nine times out of ten kill you so keep your distance. Somebody else complained they didn't like that about this game. Using the flamethrower can be fun and makes short work of killing a pack of aliens as long as you shoot the flame, hit the aliens, then run around until they die from their burns. This device that the marine has that detects alien movement can be haunting and no lie, after I had turned off the console and television to take a break from playing I could still hear it in my head. What it also does is make the game experience a suspenseful one because an alien can be right behind you or some distance in front on their way to attempt to kill you, of course. You can tell by the pace of the bleeping how close an alien is, like reverse sensors on a modern car.
The jungle mission had me in awe when I first saw the vast open scape of small hills, shallow crystal clear water and plant life... plus also aliens wanting to kill you. It was like a game of Myst (I imagine anyway because I haven't played it). That was about the only highlight however. You have to battle three bosses one after the other to complete the game and that includes killing Professor...? Commander...? Weyland. Be prepared for the very end of the game as marine, it can take you by surprise.
As alien, you can see marines through walls and tell the difference between marine and civilian by red for marine and green for civilian. An achievement is awarded if you harvest all the civilians by using facehuggers. What more can I say? Take your time playing as an alien and don't rush as it can be tempting by how fast the alien can move especially when holding down the left stick to sprint. Stalk and attack your prey without being detected if you can.
Playing as the predator was satisfying especially at the end when you use the kombi stick. The kombi stick is a weapon like a javelin or giant dart that you throw and explodes when it hits a target but otherwise, like a wall, will not detonate.
Something made me cheat, I will admit, playing Aliens VS. Predator. I don't know what exactly, but I experienced auto-aiming as marine and regenerating life as predator. I don't think this was a bug.
In the end, the game gets a seven or eight from me.