Related Sections: Shooters
A look at the Alien vs. Predator game you never played
Edge Online has posted a trimmed version of the magazine's Alien vs. Predator retrospective. Since you probably didn't have an Atari Jaguar, which struggled to establish a user base in the short time before it was buried by the first Playstation, you probably didn't play this game. But fifteen years ago, consider this game was doing things that were even too cool for the more recent Aliens vs. Predators.Deft design touches differentiated the [Alien and Predator] sections, such as the ability to cocoon enemies while an Alien, and to take over these new Aliens should you die - a neat way of emphasising their hive consciousness. Predators, meanwhile, acquired better weapons according to how 'honourable' their kills were. And all the while, an unremittingly tense atmosphere was maintained by the lack of a musical score.
The developer, Rebellion, went on to make another Aliens vs. Predator for the PC in 1999. They're currently at it again, developing a new AvP to be published by Sega next year. Three games with pretty much exactly the same name? That's got to be some kind of record.
By Ginger Yellow at 1:47 PM ON 10/19/09
I did play this, actually. I didn't own a Jaguar, but I was a massive Atari fanboy at the time, so I took every opportunity to play demo machines in games shops and have fond memories of AvP and of course Tempest 2000, still one of the finest arcade shooters ever made.
By nilus at 3:15 PM ON 10/19/09
As a Babbage Manager at the time of its release I actually did play a Jaquar, as well as a host of other dead on arrival systems. It was actually a pretty fun game, about the only reason to play the Jaquar actually.
By supa at 3:43 PM ON 10/19/09
This is the real Aliens vs. Predator. Not that movie garbage. The first level of the marine campaign on the PC is one of the scariest ever made. I also own Alien: Resurrection for PSone, but its impossible to clear. I'm not sure if its from the same company. I think as long as they stick to what works (Aliens 1, 2, 3, Predator 1,) and maybe encorporate character designs from the other movies it will be a good game. NO Predaliens please. GAH.
By malkav11 at 7:27 PM ON 10/19/09
I always heard about this as the one and only reason to own a Jaguar, but never actually got any details.
By Treybell at 11:19 AM ON 10/20/09
I have AVP on the Atari Jaguar and played it quite a bit back in the day.
I can remember playing one evening and a friend was over. He gave it a try and as he played he kept backing his character away from the on-coming Aliens. As he backed his character, he also kept pushing further away on his chair until he back-pedaled so far, he unplugged the controller. The game had that kind of a fear inducing factor...
By MatthiasF at 3:39 AM ON 10/23/09
I miss Aliens Online. Wish someone would revamp it.
By Laughlyn at 4:01 PM ON 10/25/09
Got this and an atari jag, had it for bout 11-12 years now and i still think its better than the PC version. Playing as the marine i do use the cheat to get the motion tracker immedietly because that adds to the atmosphere even more and the game still makes me jump to this day
Laughlyn:
Got this and an atari jag, had it for bout 11-12 years now and i still think its better than the PC version. Playin...More »