Xbox 360
Alien and Predator, those iconic symbols of hideous, gore-splattered violence are to receive a next gen overhaul, from original series developer Rebellion. Promising us mere mortals another instalment of face hugging, smart gunning, spine-tearing action. The previous AVP games reached cult legend status back in the late 90's and are still regarded, by many, as some of the most immersive & atmospheric shooters ever made. AVP 2 was so highly acclaimed that nearly every modern shooter looks to it as a point of reference. Rebellion seem to have kept this in mind when developing AVP 3, in the hope of bringing the cult classic to consoles for the very first time and surpassing the series' previous splendour.
AVP's premise is simple and hasn't changed since the first Alien and Predator mash up, on the Atari Jaguar, unbelievably. There are Alien's, slobbering, freaky, acid-blooded monstrosities, and Predators, tough, technologically advanced, hunter bad-asses who could also, be accurately described as aliens. Then there are us pink, squishy human types caught in the middle.
All three races have their own single player campaign, each one with their own play style and unique perspective of the singular story arc. Apparently we bumbling humans discover a ruined Predator temple, buried deep within a newly terraformed planet. This, of course, perks the interest of Weyland Yutani, the corporation responsible for the Colonial Marines, who dispatch a research team to the site quick. As usual, we humans get the bad end of the stick as the hapless research team inadvertently awaken a hibernating Alien queen, entombed deep within the temples shadowy heart. A mixture of human arrogance and Alien ferocity means that things quickly deteriorate into gruesome, bodily dismemberment. As a result, those inter-planetary Rasta's, the Predators, send down their hardest hitting clan to clean things up.
With the scene set, each campaign seems stylistically similar to the previous AVP titles. Expect large, sprawling levels, each painstakingly designed and beautifully polished. We are also promised a new and intuitive AI and some serious looking dynamic, destructible lighting, which should create a killer in game atmosphere. The Marine campaign looks set to be an intense, joy pad sweating, suspense-driven survival horror. There will be a lot of running around, firing blindly into the shadows and trying desperately not to be made into luncheon meat. Marine load out looks pretty familiar, with the series staples of pulse rifles, smart-guns, motion sensors and so on. Although we frail little humans should have a few new toys to keep things interesting.
The other races are where things start to get a little more unusual. The predator has an impressive equipment set. Including mines, invisibility cloak, spear launcher and some nasty wrist mounted blades. He has a multi-purpose mask, which acts as a set of binoculars while having three vision sets, one to expose each of the races involved. The mask will also feed players information about their surroundings and targets, highlighting points of interest. So it's definitely more than just a simple noggin warm.
Play style leans a lot more in the stealth and strategy direction. The idea is to engage as a hunter would. Stay hidden, pick your targets, use the terrain to your advantage and wait for the opportune moment to strike. In the past, the Predator suffered from slow clumsy movement and irritating platform sections. Were assured all that's been sorted, as the hunter has a new motion system, designed to give skilled players the opportunity to leap around like the murder soaked psychos they are.
Aliens also tread the stealthy route but here things get much more twisted. Your body and the shadows are the only weapons, with attacks coming from your claws, jaws and a lance-like tail. Those creepy oversized insects can also cling to any in-game surface. Allowing players to scuttle from ceiling to vent to colonists throat. Reorder as appropriate. The Aliens are reasonably fragile and wont last long when pitted against the Marine ‘boom stick' or the Predator's shoulder cannon. Use all those darkened corners and your agility, or wind up a bubbling, acidic puddle.
Thankfully, the Alien can regain health by munching opponents or simply by mashing their terrified faces in with its shiny, elongated bonce. A cool new addition also lets players drag their screaming prey back onto home turf, where they are cocooned. Fun, if not a little bit nasty stuff. The Aliens also get their own vision set which, if previous titles are anything to go by, should highlight targets by way of a coloured aura.
Online multiplayer has been confirmed but no playable content has been revealed thus far. It will be interesting to see how developers Rebellion tackle the balancing issues, prominent in AVP 2's networking. Regardless, Alien Versus Predator 3 will be on shelves early 2010 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Unlikely to change games forever but it should be more of the same, immersive, thought provoking slaughter fest we've come to know and love.