Aliens: Colonial Marines
Preview
Brings back memories
by Christopher Coke
previewed on PC
In different shapes and sizes
The introduction of the Xenomorphs lacks the same inspiration. In a stroke of pure video gamey-ness, you enter a room and there they lurk, waiting to be killed. They do attack, but the AI is toned down and much of the horror and suspense is lost in the moment. Aliens come in one of several classes and each is well-crafted and terrible to behold: the lurker, the soldier, and the spitter. The names describe their attack preferences but harder to describe is how well and how disturbingly they are animated. There is something slightly human about them, yet twitchy and skewed and wrong. It is uncomfortable in the way of the Uncanny Valley, alien to our sensibilities and perfectly pitched for an enemy we will mow down masses of. These engagements are true to the films. Some aliens retreat to the darkness, hide in vents, and sneak up on you. Others rush with an alarming ferocity.
Gun play, on the other hand, is a bit too standard to stand out and, as of this writing, is a cause for concern. Weaponry is fitting to the IP, of course, guns look and sound just as they should. Actually playing the game, however, lacks the stand out characteristics of the setting. Squad AI is also inconsistent and often intrudes on your line of fire rather than providing meaningful assistance. Different alien types provide much needed variety to encounters but there is precious little truly unique about the combat experience. That said, it is wise not to judge a book by its cover. This is the studio that brought up Borderlands after all and shooting does not have to be revolutionary as long as it is fun.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer is a key part of the game and should add much to its longevity. Four modes come packed on the disc, three of which pit teams of marines against teams of Xenomorphs. Team Deathmatch is a standard 6v6 affair much like you have probably come to expect from the genre. Extermination features the same player count but is objective-based: the marine’s goal is to capture and hold select points on the map whereas the Xenomorphs only aim is to, well, exterminate. Survival is an Aliens take on Horde Mode. Four players stand off against waves of enemy AI for as long as possible, altering the map by welding and hacking door as they go. Escape is perhaps most the most true-to-franchise mode featured in multiplayer. In this mode, marines race from point to point each round, trying not to be killed by Xenomorphs along the way.
The amount of multiplayer maps is currently unknown, however, it is confirmed that players will be able to utilize their own load-outs and pick up weapons throughout certain modes.
Worth watching
Gearbox has done its best to lovingly craft an Aliens game worthy of being a sequel. The question, then, is whether the demand for more Aliens still exists following such Hollywood forays as Prometheus. The original film debuted in 1979, after all, and many players will have never even seen the original film. Thankfully, it does not take an Aliens fan to recognize a strong setting and Colonial Marines has one. Still, it is a setting far too similar to others we have experienced this generation, so the game will live or die based on its gameplay. Is there cause for concern? There could be if players are seeking revolution and innovation versus the tried-and-true. As a fan of sci-fi-horror, however, and an even bigger fan of Borderlands, I feel confident in saying that this is a game worth watching.
