In light of Sega's recently-revealed Alien vs. Predator game, PSW takes a look at the topsy-turvy history of the games starring those slimy, black extraterrestrial horrors.
Alien Atari 2600/1982
To be fair, the 1979 movie Alien was a little bit like Pac-Man without ghosts and with improvised flamethrowers, but considering the Atari 2600 couldn't even do Pac-Man properly, Alien had a snowball's chance in hell. It was games just like this that caused the gaming industry of the early Eighties to crash spectacularly, and rightly so. It was awful and as much fun as a stomach-burster. Score: 0/5
Alien 8-bit computers/ 1984
By perfectly capturing the atmosphere of the movie, Alien gave Spectrum and Commodore 64 owners one of the most terrifying games of the time and arguably an early example of Survival Horror. When played in the dark it really could put the willies up you, but then again, the Spectrum's colour palette was the thing of nightmares all by itself. Score: 4/5
Aliens The Computer Game 8-bit computers/ 1986
:*****
By enabling the player to control all of the film characters simultaneously via multiple screens, Aliens managed to capture the mood with a unique style. Listening to the motion tracker beeps provided audio terror and watching as each screen turned to static as your squad was picked off was frightening. Score: 4/5
Alien3 8-bit computers & home consoles/ 1992
The third Alien movie took the series back to its roots and so Ripley had to deal with the xenomorph without any guns - or hair. Not that the game gave a damn about such details and instead was content to be a platform-based shooter with a vast arsenal of automatic weaponry. It was a fair shooter, but it wasn't the Alien3 you were looking for. Score: 4/5
Predator 8-bit computers, NES/1987
This piece of hacked-out fodder let you play Arnie in his role as Major Alan 'Dutch' Shaefer and have all the fun of making him amble from left to right while shooting dumb Colombians. Excitingly, the Predator's targeting reticule would appear and you'd have to dodge it - but then you'd be back to the walking bit. Score: 1/5
Predator 2 8-bit computers, PC/1990
You are Danny Glover playing Lt Mike Harrigan playing Operation Thunderbolt. What would you do with the concept of an invisible alien that stalks gangs in a sweltering city? Probably not decide on a sideways-scrolling tin can alley. At only four levels long, it was over quickly. Score: 1/5
Aliens vs. Predator 2 PC/2001
F.E.A.R. publishers Monolith were the chaps to thank for AvP2. Better multiplayer modes and a campaign that made sense of the storyline, the ability to play the Alien in any of its forms as well as being able to save your game anywhere, were some of the perks found in this superior sequel. Score: 5/5
Aliens Trilogy PSone/1996
More than just Doom with Aliens for enemies, this early PlayStation FPS placed you as Ellen Ripley as she fought her way through the first three films by being sneaky.Trilogy's dingy corridors and reliance on the sound of a motion tracker kept the mood just right. Original PlayStation pads lacked thumbsticks, so without DualShock-related sticks it handled like a bitch. Score: 4/5
Alien Resurrection PSone/2000
Just as the original PlayStation was about to bow out it goes and gets an excellent game that was based on a woeful movie and had been years in development. Its pitch-perfect atmosphere and clawing claustrophobia (with limited ammunition) created a title that was a genuine FPS fight for survival. Score: 4/5
Aliens vs. Predator Requiem PSP/2007
The shoulder buttons spin the camera and gameplay soon becomes a chore of run for a bit. Stop. Open map. Close. Run for a bit. Stop. Open map. Close. It's a shallow game that fails to make the most of the PSP and the AVP licence. Tosh of the highest order. Score: 1/5
Colonial Marines PS3, PC, Xbox 360/2010
Now, considering that it's developed by Gearbox, and they made the Brothers In Arms series, do you imagine that Colonial Marines might be a little bit BIA, but set in space? Swap the WWII setting for the Aliens universe and already you've got a game worth looking at, and with another year in development it has oodles of time to be far more. Score: Find out in 2010
What about that great Aliens vs Predator game on the Jaguar? That was a great addition to the Alien/Predator mythos, and possibly the only good game on that system.
What about that great Aliens vs Predator game on the Jaguar? That was a great addition to the Alien/Predator mythos, and possibly the only good game on that system.
I was gonna ask the exact same question, nice one!
I thought the Jaguar game was fantastic, definately game me a few scares when playing in the dark! Finished the game as all 3 characters and really enjoyed it!
What about that great Aliens vs Predator game on the Jaguar? That was a great addition to the Alien/Predator mythos, and possibly the only good game on that system.
I was gonna ask the exact same question, nice one!
I thought the Jaguar game was fantastic, definately game me a few scares when playing in the dark! Finished the game as all 3 characters and really enjoyed it!
Again another asks why the Jag version was omitted from this list, damn it was the best game on the bloody thing in my opinion.
This is very poor c&vg. whoever did their homework on this should get a grade E in my opinion. Loads of games left off. Alien the gun arcade game for example and I have to mention although other people have the Jaguar version. Still in my collection and one of the best fps ever. The chinking of the chains and the distant hum of the engines. No other game has come close to the atmosphere of the Alien films. I think we a least deserve an answer as to why this was so half assed thrown together.
I had an Aliens game for the Amstrad CPC 464, I remember it being quite scary, but I bet it wouldn't be if I played it now. If you shot an alien in front of a door for some reason it turned to an acid pool and you could no longer go through that door. That's the most memorable thing about the game.
Another vote for the AVP on the Jag ... Also Predator 2 on the Megadrive, some top down view shooter. I also remember an old Aliens game on the Spectrum, first person kinda thing. Was scary ... but then again I was about 8.
Oh and yeah as mentioned the Capcom side scrolling Aliens game!
Another vote for the AVP on the Jag ... Also Predator 2 on the Megadrive, some top down view shooter. I also remember an old Aliens game on the Spectrum, first person kinda thing. Was scary ... but then again I was about 8.
Oh and yeah as mentioned the Capcom side scrolling Aliens game!
O.M.G just downloaded Predator 2 for emu and it's dire! dont go there
In my spare time I like to watch horror film and I like this Alien best. THE plot attract me best. I convert it to my PSP using converter found from http://www.zuneconverter.net and watch it everyday in my subway.
Roger4000 - right on the money, poor article and missing games as well! AVP Arcade Game on the CPS arcade for one (Final Fight with predator weapons!)
I still play that now on emulator. Pure class game Capcom's AVP and Monolith's AVP2 were awesome! AVP2 was great fun online I really hope they pull out the goods for their new installment Fingers crossed!
This is very poor c&vg. whoever did their homework on this should get a grade E in my opinion. Loads of games left off. Alien the gun arcade game for example and I have to mention although other people have the Jaguar version. Still in my collection and one of the best fps ever. The chinking of the chains and the distant hum of the engines. No other game has come close to the atmosphere of the Alien films. I think we a least deserve an answer as to why this was so half assed thrown together.
Definetely poor article. Missed c64 version of Alien. Also there was this amazing arcade version of Aliens by Konami. I spent all my childhood pocket money on that.
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Finished the game as all 3 characters and really enjoyed it!
just downloaded Predator 2 for emu and it's dire! dont go there 
