| System: X360,PS3,PC | Review Rating Legend | |
| Dev: Rebellion | 1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid | 4.0 - 4.4 = Great |
| Pub: SEGA | 2.0 - 2.4 = Poor | 4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy |
| Release: Feb. 16, 2010 | 2.5 - 2.9 = Average | 5.0 = The Best |
| Players: 1-18 | 3.0 - 3.4 = Fair | |
| ESRB Rating: Mature | 3.5 - 3.9 = Good | |
At first the actual process of playing AVP is a daunting task even on easy difficulty. This may be Rebellion's biggest deception, but don't be fooled; as soon as you pick up the flow of the game, you'll quickly go on auto pilot, and that's when things get dull. Each of the three control schemes in AVP is technically different, but often (as is the case with most differences between the alien and predator modes) only because the attacks have different names.
AVP is an extraordinarily violent game, but in a very 'Ho-Hum' kind of way. As much bloodshed as we are accustomed to seeing in the post-Tarantino era, watching your predator-self rip a marine's spinal cord out by his head or shove his blade claws through someone's chin is still a pretty grisly sight. Even so, you'll see it so many times you'll probably begin to ignore them pretty quickly anyway. The visuals don't aid the process. Bland textures and colors permeate most of the character models, and even though the corridors and grates are believable, there's nothing that will capture much more than a moment's notice. Presentation is definitely not top tier, but it could be worse.
At times, AVP provides some genuine genre- and character-specific action. When playing as either the predator or human there are some sincere moments of panic, as hordes of aliens swarm like acid-bleeding cockroaches. At times it legitimately reminded me of early FPS favorites like Doom, and this is one of Rebellion's best touches. Fighting humans as an alien or predator is much less satisfying as you go on, essentially coming down to 'stalk and kill' mechanics in first-person. Additionally, playing as an alien (probably the best choice for the most unique possible experience) can literally be nauseating or disorienting at the very least. It wouldn't be a big problem if a few seconds on the ground didn't result in pools of green blood. I often found myself slowing down just so I could catch up with the action on screen, and believe me, it's not a good thing.
There's nothing unforgettable about this game, but there's nothing worth hating really. This is a mediocre effort in every sense of the word. I almost wish Rebellion had failed more spectacularly; at least there'd be something more to talk about. As it stands, AVP is a FPS that follows most of the conventions of the genre and adds some Aliens, Marines, and Predators to the mix. No matter what your purpose in playing Rebellion's new shooter, there is almost undoubtedly a reason you should be playing a different game. It's not bad, it's just not good.
By
Leon Hendrix III
CCC Freelance Writer
Game Features:
