Fan Reviews

Started by ikarop, Feb 07, 2013, 03:27:34 PM

Author
Fan Reviews (Read 218,792 times)

PredalienXenomorph

PredalienXenomorph

#915
6/10

Honestly I had no real intrest in this game's campaign even before I pre-ordered it. Shooting a bunch of Aliens is not something new and even paticularly enjoyable in most Alien games because of the poor Alien AI and powerfull weaponry. I was holding onto the slight hope that the Aliens would get your heart pumping in the campaign but that quickly faded. Its like hunting birds with a shotgun, and the the other Marines in the campaign don't help things. I might be a little harsh on the campaign considering I have not even bothered to try and finish it after I started having some awkward shootouts with the corporate Marines but the reviews I have read don't make me feel like I am missing much. That leaves the multiplayer which for me is hit and miss. I will jump at the chance to play as an Alien at almost every opportunity and this was no different. However I quickly learned that starting even as early week after the game came out was a mistake. The Marines shot me to pieces repeatedly as I struggled to adapt to the controls and enviorments, usually together. I walked over mines, into rocket fire, and snipers at a rate that was admitidly disheartning. Then I started to understand. Since then I have started to enjoy playing as the Xeno's but some flaws became apparent. Wall climbing is clunky which has led to some bugs, lag is an ever present issue, and Ripley's flamethrower can be a serious pain in the a** sometimes. I know that it kinda sounds like I hate this game but I still have had some good times with it. I might have rated the game lower if I wasn't a fanboy but giving an Aliens title a rating lower than 6/10 felt just plain wrong.....

Jorko_Beliata

Jorko_Beliata

#916
Perhaps I should be thankful for all the bad reviews the game got so far - this way I was pleasantly surprised and had quite good experience. But anyway, what I did and did not like.

Most of the first few level were dull. Thing got interesting at the point when our party rushed to leave the Sulaco.

Spoiler
I really enjoyed the rush to leave the ship, the walk in Hadley's hope - the operations center as it was in the movie, the medical wing, where the player can see the fan heater still working near the bed Ripley turned over in the movie. And later, the walk in the sewers, the escape - all those moments gave me a heartbeat, indeed.
[close]

The music had to do a lot for the really good atmosphere, I recall the themes were put together mainly by the Alien 1& 2 OSTs, and each music theme appeared on a proper place.

The game I don't find that much different by any other alien shooter I played so far - or of any other FPS if we are talking about the fights with the PMCs. Most of the weapons are already familiar, the only one I found completely useless was the flamethrower.
I really was missing having the Smartgun along the whole time.

The game has its issues anyway. For start, the marine company with you isn't that effective (expected, the game shouldn't "play itself"), what is even stranger is that they are really immortal (I don't know if they can die in the campaign). At least they can be incapacitated for a while.

The scripting is just awful. I bust into a room, shoot two scientists, O'Neal rushes in seconds after that, yelling "He's heading for the alarm, shoot him!"...  Also, there could be some real treat for the player in some situations (which I enjoyed as it is) -
Spoiler
the escape from Sulaco could have been timed, the radioactive aliens could give the player a head byte, if he gets too close...
[close]

The boss fights were rather lame. Never tried the multiplayer, so I'm completely unaware how are things there. Some people mention the graphics are poor - well, it might be so. But, since even the best visual will be considered obsolete in like 5 years, and we all keep playing AVP1&2 today, I don't think it's a major issue.

In general I liked ACM better than AVP3.

Narusz

Narusz

#917
Hi everyone,

I've played A:CM for 2,5 hours and, well, it's not that bad, really. I've patched the game so bugs aren't annoying (aside from the one that makes the sound louder or quieter at times), and the biggest flaw of the game is... the flashlight. Its beam is so large it basically brightens whole screen - there's no darkness at all. I miss the small flashlight from AVP2010, that made you feel the darkness.

Also, yes, the aliens are too small and too weak, but the bigger problem is their punches have no... punch to them. When an alien bit you in AVP2010, the screen was brutally shaken, and the sound fx were raw and loud. Here, everything is too calm. As for AI, aliens just charge at you - I don't mind that, especially since they sometimes try to regroup or hide. I liked the moment in Hadley's Hope when they started crawling under the floor. The problem is they're so weak that usually before they hide I'm able to kill them. They shouldn't be faster, but tougher, like AVP2010 aliens.

The story? Well, let's not pretend anything else than first three movies and the main AVP comic book isn't crap. I wasn't expecting much in terms of story - I just wanted to shoot aliens.

W-Y opponents? Quite fun to fight, but they appear too soon. Still, nothing really annoying. I wouldn't mind a Colonial Marines game - where you fight rogue colonists or something for the most part, and the last chapter of the story starts when you receive a distress call from Sulaco.

Multiplayer? I don't know, I don't like multiplayer and I don't play it.:)

So, all in all, it didn't really enchant me, but it didn't kill too many of my brain cells either. It's passable, and it has some strong moments.

For now - 6+/10

Jorko_Beliata

Jorko_Beliata

#918
Update:

I had a glimpse on the game demo clips out of curiosity. All the guys p*ssed of on the final version have right - the demo looks completely different, and a lot better.

Frankly, I don't know what's wrong with developers today. They know the final version's gonna be bad, still - they make nothing about it. Or worse - they outsource the production somewhere, were it is incredibly cheap, and they get equally cheap result.

Crazy Rich

Crazy Rich

#919
After all the replaying I've come to the conclusion that as far as realism goes (like they were boasting with so much pride) the campaign is very poor in that respect, I wouldn't call this canon if you got me really really drunk and I don't (or have not yet) drink. But with that said the campaign is still "fun", no where near as fun as if the game was remotely 'realistic' but there is still some sort of 'fun' and even tension at some spots, probably due to being a fan.

I have mixed feelings about Hicks, on the downside I'm not convinced enough of his role in the game canon wise, mainly his 'story' and how he was in W-Y hands and not dead like depicted in Alien 3, it still doesn't make sense. But on the flipside of that, you know when you get a riddle thrown at you and your clueless as to what the answer is, then you get the answer and you're in awe (a good kind of awe)? I highly doubt the people behind this game actually have a good answer but I like to think there is somewhere in the universe, will I get it? Probably not. On the bright side I just enjoy seeing one of my favourite characters again, he even has the voice! Canon/story wise? Not exactly thrilled, but fan wise it's cool to just see and hear him again. Using 'his' shotgun would be cooler if it didn't have "No Fate" on it (this isn't Terminator) and if I didn't see what Hudson did with it inn the movie (I think his shotgun was damaged beyond repair by acid blood, though it's not seen it seems like an obvious given). I have similar feelings for Bishop but kinda less only because I feel I've already seen him before (AvP2010), though I like how his presence feels more 'Aliens' rather than 'AvP' (not that AvP is terrible, but this is an 'Aliens' game). It can make more sense than Hicks as to why he's in the game, he's an android off the production line, but still cool.

I think it may or may not have been from playing so much but last night I actually had a dream that I was in a store and I met Michael Biehn, Jenette Goldstein, Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen all at once, it was awesome. Would of been more awesome if Sigourney Weaver was in there too.

Anyway, Graphics are still poor in quite a few places but I don't typically buy a game for the graphics.

Overall as a general gamer it is poor but as a fan it is quite 'enjoyable', particularly in multiplayer and nostalgia. A lot of people just say it's garbage and leave it at that but I can see the bright side in it.

Finally, my progress. I am finished two columns of challenges, in the third column I am on "Uncrushable" (kill 5 Crushers in multiplayer), the challenge I've waited so long for. In multiplayer I'm level 35ish as an Alien and I'm level 60 as a Marine (the max I believe). I'm still lovin' the pump-action shotgun.  ;D 3 more achievements to go.

szkoki

szkoki

#920
well i can not find the glitches topic because of the bug of the search function or my internet connection i dunno but u have to check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk3aruZIZyo#ws

Space Voyager

Space Voyager

#921
Ah damn. Worst of all is a feeling that the game is just so bad and has been spat at so hard that it may not be worth the while to get it to the state it should have been.

Narusz

Narusz

#922
I've finished the game... and I liked it (single player). I don't know what to say - it was just fun to play it. I love old FPS games where you have to collect health and armor, and I very much liked the fact this system was implemented here. Level design was OK, I liked the fact that levels were large and offered some space for exploration. Besides, since Raven level the design started getting better and better. Unfortunately, the first entry to Hadley's was, IMO, the worst part of the game, but after that (and before) it was all good. But I'm a fan of old school Doom and Quake-like long-corridor levels, so I'm probably in a minority here.

I liked the motion tracker and the fact it showed collectables - it made sense to use it. I liked the story as much, as I like some of the better Aliens comic books - when compared to movies, they suck horribly, but they're enjoyable on their own. I was really into the atmosphere. And as for the graphics (X360 version) - yeah, blurry textures here and there, but I don't mind that, as a guy who thinks Quake 4 is one of the best games ever and plays it every month. At least A:CM was smooth (with noticeable screen tearing only during some of the cut-scenes). I liked the fact everything looked "real", like it was used by people, not like some random scenery. I absolutely loved the look of W-Y labs.

I haven't really experienced bugs and glitches (well, an Alien froze here or there, and O'Neal fell through the floor of an elevator once). Although the A.I. was as simple as it could be, I died pretty often and I think the game was pretty challenging, at least for a post-CoD:MW game.

I'd like to see more audio diaries, some written diaries, more levels with just exploring without fighting - because the atmosphere was really, well, if not creepy, then at least science-fictiony and engrossing.

Bottom line: the only thing I care for in video games is how much fun they give me. They may be bugged as hell, but if I enjoy playing, I don't mind it at all (I think Skyrim fans will understand it). I enjoyed A:CM immensely, and that's why, despite technical difficulties, I give it 9/10.

By the way:
it's near to impossible to find real in-game screenshots on the Internet. Could someone start a thread where PC-version owners would post their own, undoctored screenshots? It would give us a chance to compare "official" screenshots with what's really in the game.

szkoki

szkoki

#923
watch this

...well all these reviews by now is pretty obvious what are all about but the 2nd part the guy tells intresting stories about earlier gbx events

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEE2ZHo8jyI#ws

Corporal Hicks


Crazy Rich

Crazy Rich

#925

ScardyFox

ScardyFox

#926
I am still enjoying it and trying to resist the urge to trade it in while I can get something for it.

Ah well.

robbritton

robbritton

#927
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 03, 2013, 05:04:59 PM
http://www.avpgalaxy.net/games/aliens-colonial-marines-sega/review/

My review is online now.

Pretty damn spot on I'd say, fella.

The Hicks thing was so irritating,
Spoiler
as once the "oh they're going down that route" feeling passed, it was fun coming up with myriad scenarios whereby a fake body could be there and he could be alive. And there are GOOD ones - it's a great thought exercise, going over everything to make sure it works, and making the Company all the more ruthless. That the game didnt even try to explain it was so rubbish. No shadow mission simultaneously to the derelict, no use of Ripley as a actual seed for Fiorina, nothing at bloody all.

Don't set up a narrative around a mystery if you can't be bothered to explain it. At the very least include the location with the egg from the start of Alien 3! So disappointing.
[close]

Still quite enjoy playing it, though, so maybe I am the proverbial bigger fool.

YutaniDitch

YutaniDitch

#928
Actually, this game is even contradicting itself incredibly! First of all, they have the egg on the hypersleep chamber, but with no facehugger laying around! If you recall, on the opening credits of Alien3, when Ripley's cryotube is sent to the EEV, we see her already without the facehugger on her! Hence, why I was under the impression that the huge queen hugger we see on the Extended Edition of Alien3, had to be carrying both embryos because otherwise, it would make no sense, as far as ACM story is concerned! Hicks or whoever would have seen the dead hugger and would immediately assume that there was an Alien with the EEV party! That is why ACM is dead in the water canon-wise! I mean, they had a quick line at the end of the game saying that they had destroyed all evidence of the Xenos  and Xeno study, but several people survived! Unless Wey-Yu killed them all, scientists and whatnot, they already had the knowledge and samples more than enough to reproduce and clone in laboratory!

BUT

We all know that never came to pass in the movies! Wey-Yu, by Alien3 and 200 years later, in A:R, never got their hands on a Xeno specimen, whether a hugger, burster or full-grown Xeno! So, when confronted with the obvious question 'which is canon, the games or the movies', especially when they so blatantly contradict eachother, I woul bet all my money on the movies! So, ACM is not canon, and will never be, unless FOX is willing to explain what do they value more as canon, the games or the movies! HAHAHAHA

acrediblesource

acrediblesource

#929
Why is it that people are experiencing minimal bugs yet others are yelling from the rooftops how buggy the game is. I suppose some people might think 3 buggy instances are enough to get overly critical.

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