A second look at A:CM

[underbound]

Now im not defending gearcox in any way,but as I give the game a second play(well figuratively speaking)it really isnt that bad.
Yes,yes the story sux,te grafix suk,and all that but when I see it it looks decent(somewhat)like the first mission looks good and the cinematics look like a movie almost. Gameplay wise its awesome,might need adjustments but all in all,its pretty good.
This is just my opinion and im just expressing this to those who feel the same so no hate comments saying im defending anything.

[chrisr232007]

No, just No! By any chance you work for them? 

[Dowly]

The gameplay is 'OK'. But for a story-driven game, the actual story needs to be good too, which it isn't.

[WinterActual]

The game is somehow acceptable until the moment when you start shooting WY guys.

[DemonicD13]

I like some of the level designs, like the derelict.

I like that Stasis Interrupted tries to give us some answers to what happened on the Sulaco (even if it was sloppy).

I know I'm alone on this but I actually like the design of the spitter (except the day glow yellow).

I love that they put in the M39 Submachine Gun. Most of the weapons either came from the Technical Manuel or were just made up. But the M39 was something that the Pen and Paper crowd came up with. So it's nice to see them use that, I'm sure it was gratifying for whoever came up with it to see it in the game. 

Of course these things do not justify the lazy work ethic of Gearbox, but there are a few positive things I can say about the game. 

[Xenomrph]

I actually liked a lot of the level aesthetics - the "new" areas felt like logical extensions of the Sulaco, Hadley's Hope, or other structures that fit within the 'Aliens' "world".

I just wish the actual gameplay had been better. I got enjoyment out of the game, but I definitely felt the gameplay could have used a lot of polish.

[DemonicD13]

So much wasted potential. 

[Xenomrph]

So much wasted potential. 

I think that's really what led to a lot of the backlash and poor review scores - not that the game was objectively 100% awful, but that there was so much wasted potential. It's the same reason Duke Nukem Forever got such poor scores - the game isn't unplayable or even necessarily that awful, but it could have been so much better.

[DemonicD13]

I like the idea of colonial marines going up against aliens, as a game. But why we had to go back to Hadley's hope is beyond me. OK I mean I know it was supposed to be nostalgic, but it was so inconsistent and unnecessary.

I love that this is the first Alien game where you get to use a motion tracker properly, but again wasted potential.

I also like the variety in the alien types, but it needed to be explained. They had a perfect opportunity to expand on the xeno mythos. We already know that xenos are different depending on their host and that Way-Yu was experimenting. So why not show some of that, give us an explanation.

And as far as some of the stupid, lazy goof ups on stasis interrupted go, it was just sad. I like stasis interrupted, it was better than the actual game, isn't that ludicrous. Being unarmed the first level and then limited guns for the rest, was great.

But why screw up the opening shots from Alien 3. Why not have Hick's wake up and the cryo-chamber be on fire, it would have increased tension. Why have the face hugger on Ripley, it should have been gone by then. It wasn't on her when she went into the EEV in the film. This would have then removed the stupid shot of the Mercs shooting her. Plus it would have added motivation to Hick's; he would think she had a chance at survival.

And then the shot from the end of Alien 3, would it have killed Gearbox to design some accurate looking dog catchers.

I really want to like this game but it just frustrates me. Oh and the way they handle Bishop (our soap opera villain) just burns me.

[demonbane]

So much wasted potential. 

I think that's really what led to a lot of the backlash and poor review scores - not that the game was objectively 100% awful, but that there was so much wasted potential. It's the same reason Duke Nukem Forever got such poor scores - the game isn't unplayable or even necessarily that awful, but it could have been so much better.

The game had awful long loading time despite mediocre graphic. Level designs were terrible. Many stuff are not implemented well.
Same with this game. For linear corridor shooter, amount of bugs, glitch is unacceptable even for initial stage. And for so much touted, canon and story were below standard. And too many fighting of WY mercenaries like many reviews mention.

[Jarac]

So much wasted potential. 

About 6 years of hype and obvious corner-cutting/laziness tends to do that.

[Razz]

Second look? I haven't even played it once, I simply refuse to.

[windebieste]

Still the worst game of 2013 no matter you look at it.   6 years of development and $60,000,000 later and you get:

Bad story.
Shitty AI.
Graphically inept.
Poor characters.
Uninspiring corridor shooter game play.
Bullshit retcon for heart broken fanbois.
Critical story elements that you have to pay for as DLC.
Multiplayer no one cares about.
No SDK for PC version.
A LOT of really pissed off fans.

Well done SEGA and GBX.  That's -10/-10.  Perfect score.

Why even take another stab at evaluating this game?  The only thing a second look will do is just reinforce how much 'ALIENS - Colonial Marines' is a wasted opportunity and deserves it's 'Worst Game of the Year' title and reputation.

WORST.

GAME.

OF. 

THE.

YEAR!

Total fail.  Outright winner.

-Windebieste.

[crazyrabbits]

The only nice thing I can say about the game is that the level design is generally decent (expanding on the unseen parts of the Sulaco/Space Jockey ship/LV-426), the weapons feel like they at least belong in the movie universe, and the customization system is pretty good.

Everything else is horrible.

[demonbane]

The only nice thing I can say about the game is that the level design is generally decent (expanding on the unseen parts of the Sulaco/Space Jockey ship/LV-426), the weapons feel like they at least belong in the movie universe, and the customization system is pretty good.

Everything else is horrible.

Level design is not about how environment looks. That's up for graphic.