Alien Vs. Predator by Rebellion Software

Overview:
The word "Alien" stands there still against a solid black background, then smoothly scrolls to the up-right section of the screen while a gorgeously rendered picture fades in of an Alien and Predator doing battle. Some suiting, and spooky music flows as the words "Predator" draft into view, then scroll to the up-left section of the screen....Aliens vs. Predator.....

Well, the words "Alien" and "Predator" don't scroll quite as smooth as it sounds, and the music is more 'cheesy' then spooky....but who cares, off to the game!

You've got 3 characters to choose from, namely the Alien and the Predator which is depicted from the title, you've also got a lone marine to choose from. This is guy is caught in the cross fire of the two Extra-Terrestrials. He has to locate all the weapons, raid the Predator ship, kill the Alien Queen, and set the base on fire then jam out of there before he's blown into subatomical particles...how's he gonna do it? I have no idea, I mean, Schwartznegger could barely handel *one* predator!

The Predator has to earn the privilege of all his weapons, then kill the Alien Queen. The Alien simply has to jam over to the Predator ship and free the Alien Queen...not very complicated, but all the characters have they're own look and feel.

Cool features? This game is packed with them. Aliens can cacoon Marines (you knock em' over then stand over them....Gurgle, google, gurk....he's cacooned) and the Predators can cloak (yes, turn Invisible) and switch to *Predo-vision*! Predo-vision is composed of 6 very different views...ranging from heat-seeking, to radioactivity looking, to nice shades of green and purple. I was stunned when I first cloaked and was able to change my vision, the sound FX for the predo-vision is AWESOME!

Now onto Sound FX....the game is full of high quality, digitized sound FX then make a believer out of anybody. You can *always* hear something, whether it's an Alien screaming, and Predator rocking your world, or the ship traveling through space, your ears will never get bored. When a Rumble starts, gun fire sounds, Aliens shriek in pain (they get blown into puddles of acid:), Predators groan and attack and you're presented with all kinds of the beautiful sounds of war. When it's all over...silence....then it starts again....

Graphics rule. The scrolling is generally smooth, there is no slow down (DOOM, eat your heart out) and things never go choppy. The walls look cool, and each ship has it's own look. The closer you get to the Alien ship, the more "Alienish" your ship becomes (Alien goo all over the place). Sprites look cool. Aliens have plenty frames of animation (compared to DOOMs simple 2-step animations) and Predos actually RUN after you, and it doesn't look phoney. Marines walk around, then find you, get their sites on you, then blast...you actually see their heads leaning to aim with the gun.

The game excels in creating a new, totally different world for you. If you can play this game all alone, volume up, in the dark, you've got guts. The levels are HUGE! You've got 3 ships, one with 5 sub levels, and a whole mess of Air ducts....did I mention traveling through Alien infested air ducts is a blast? The levels are all very complicated, and if you can find the Alien Queen without a map, you have my respect. But what the levels have in complexity, they lack in originality. There are NO stairs, no raising platforms....no *3D* places to explore...it's all flat. Too bad...

AvP has soooo many points (most good, some bad) to cover, that it's impossible to write about in anything less then 8 pages. The game is HUGE, and a lot of fun to play with. 3 characters, humongous levels, and "Randomization" (enemies are placed all over with every game, you never know what to expect and where to expect it....). Get AvP, it's awesome, and a total system show- caser.

Graphics-9

The game moves smooth enough. High resolution bitmaps, with coolio looking enemies (wait until a Predo decloaks RIGHT in front of you!) and lots of detail. Pumping your shot guns looks amazingly REALISTIC! Lots of cool stuff, have you seen a Facehugger, yet?

Sounds-9.5

Hey, awesome sound FX wherever you go! Predators whisper in your ear while they're cloaked....."C'mon"...."Anytime"....Bzzz....it's right in front of you....

Control-10

I don't see a reason to complain, do you?

Power-9.5

Lot's of goodies all over the place. The sprites all move nicely, and there is no slowdown....well, maybe when you get REAL close to the corner of a wall and turn there is....but you won't notice. The game is cool and won't let you don't you down.

Fun Factor-10

Let's see....scary sound, smooth graphics, awesome weapons, tons of originality, excellent composition of characters....yup! It's fun!