Developer(s): Gearbox Software
Publisher(s): Sega
Platform(s): PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Cloud (OnLive)
Review Platform: Xbox 360
Release Date: February 12, 2014
It’s 2013 and the current
generation is coming to an end. By now, there is a certain level of polish we
expect from AAA titles, particularly from a developer responsible for one of
last year’s best shooters. Unfortunately, Aliens Colonial Marines fares a
similar fate to Activision’s recent 007 Legends, a great license that’s marred
by poor production values and watered down gameplay. As a fan of the franchise,
you might appreciate the numerous movie references, but the game completely
misses the mark in terms of atmosphere and tension. The run and gun approach
doesn’t work here and the inclusion of co-op makes the embarrassingly short 5-6
hour journey even less exciting.
In 2010, Sega brought us
Aliens VS Predator (developed by Rebellion Oxford) and while it had its share
of problems, the game at least felt
like it took place in the same iconic universe. This is not the case with
Aliens Colonial Marines. The anxiety inducing environments and sense of isolation
that Cameron so beautifully orchestrated on the big screen are replaced by
streamlined level designs that feel like glorified shooting galleries.
Honestly, the original Dead Space captured the Aliens’ sense of horror more
accurately than this debauchery.
The game ‘prides’ itself in continuing
the Colonial Marines narrative of the second film, but the entire plot set-up
is so poorly executed that you won’t care for any of the characters. “Marines
this and Marines that...Oorah …Oorah”…is pretty much all you’ll hear as you mow
down waves of Aliens that never stand a chance against your ridiculous arsenal.
These aren’t the Colonial Marines we remember…these are caricatures of eighties
badassery. The wit and charm of the original Marines is stripped down to
paper-thin macho soldier stereotypes.
Nevertheless, devoted fans
might be more forgiving and I’ll admit that revisiting some of the iconic
imagery does evoke a sense of nostalgia. The core problem is that the game is
bland and boring. If it wasn’t for the Alien memorabilia, this could have been any generic FPS. Aliens Colonial Marines
has no personality and no proper rhythm to its fast paced shooting. You’re
running down linear levels and shooting everything in your path from beginning
to end. It’s monotonous. There’s one level that stands out in which your
weapons are taken and you’re navigating through a dark, damp environment,
avoiding detection. But even this moment of potential hope is entirely ruined
by poor design and lack of creativity…it feels as if you’re navigating through
a minefield for about 15 minutes…it’s outright embarrassing.
Then there’s the shooting. I
couldn’t shake the feeling that I was shooting popcorn at psychopathic
roosters. The guns have little weight to them and the sound effects…lack any
effect. Once your shotgun is adequately upgraded, you can take down most foes
with one shot. You also have all of your weapons at your disposal at all times
so it’s impossible to run out of ammunition. You feel…no, you are unstoppable…and that takes away the
emergency of the situation.
And by roosters, I was
referring to the Aliens. The Aliens were always portrayed as pinnacles of
evolution, the perfect hunters. Here, they fill the environment like swarms of headless
chickens that you effortlessly swoosh away with a broom. They pose no threat
and they pose no challenge. On the defense, the AI is just as bad. Your
teammates shit bullets into thin air completely unaware of their surroundings.
What’s worse is that playing co-op doesn’t replace the partner AI, but “adds”
team players to the crew so you’re left with overcrowded corridors, making the
co-op experience even more disappointing.
I know that graphics don’t
make a game, but a title of this caliber should offer something beyond flat
textures and unbearable screen tearing. The game started development over a
decade ago and I’m shocked that the engine hasn’t been polished since. There
are some nice lighting effects here and there but the rest is just plain ugly,
particularly the stiff characters. But the real crime here is in the form of
poor concept design. Levels look repetitive and derivative. The lack of variety
makes the already bland experience an even greater chore.
Multiplayer could have bee
the title’s saving grace, but even there you won’t find too many redeeming
qualities. You’re offered four modes: Team Deathmatch, Extermination, Escape,
and Survivor. Escape mode lets you take control of the Xenos, but their awkward
stiff movement makes you feel unfairly underpowered when facing the Marines.
The rest is your standard fair and might give you a few extra hours of
gameplay, but the multiplayer doesn’t stand a chance against the plethora of
better offerings on the FPS market.
As a generic FPS, Aliens
Colonial Marines just barely passes all the checkpoints of being a playable
game. It’s heartbreakingly shallow, soulless and doesn’t deserve the merit of
being associated with the fantastic franchise. If you are a hardcore fan, you
might want to give this a rental or wait until it’s in the 5$ bargain bin, but as
it stands, it’s the biggest disappointment of 2013 so far.
| Final Score | “A Massive Dissapointment” | 4.5 |
| Graphics |
Aside from some really nice lighting, the game looks extremely dated. Bland textures, unbearable screen tearing, choppy animations, and so on. It's a mess by today's standards.
|
6.0 |
| Gameplay |
It's criminally bland, monotonous, and repetitive. The gaemeplay fails in nearly every department and the poor level designs only make things worse.
|
3.0 |
| Value |
You can beat the single player in one sitting and there isn't a single reason to go back. Co-op is even worse and the Multiplayer…..well let's just say you can't polish a turd.
|
2.0 |
| Sound |
Lance Henriksen is solid and so is the occasional orchestral soundtrack…but the rest of the crew sound terrible and the guns sound like popcorn.
|
6.5 |
Review by Tin Salamunic
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tin Salamunic is the
founder of The Game Scouts. He is a Video Game Journalist during the day and
illustrator by night. He's been obsessed with video games since the early NES
days, collecting every major system and game on the market. Video games are the
reason he pursued the illustration career and he hopes to be creative director
for a video game company one day. All Artciles by Tin.
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1 comments:
Really bummed by this. I was really hoping Gearbox would do it right. I suppose I'll have to dust off my Jaguar and throw in Alien VS Predator, now what a game that was!
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