Release the Payload: Aliens vs. Predator [Major Releases]

Today, the 16th of February, marks the day that Aliens vs. Predator comes out. It’s the long awaited reboot of the franchise, and the first major AvP game since AvP 2, which was released sometime in late 2001 – and that one wasn’t even by Rebellion, but by Monolith.

Rebellion was responsible for the first game, which was tons of fun, perhaps a little short and linear in my opinion, but still – it was considered a great that rivalled games like Quake II and Unreal in its time, even graphically.

The United States will get a hold of AvP today, with the UK version coming later on in the week, on Friday the 19th. The Aussie version will be on the 18th.

So far opinions on the game are mixed. There’s apparently been some negative reviews and some positive. Some consider it an average game. But those are the critics, and we know what they’re like. Besides, those reviews seem to be for the console versions primarily. Now it’s released, I guess we’ll get to find out for ourselves.

You can pick up Aliens vs. Predator for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 on Amazon if you haven’t all ready. There are even special Hunter editions for the console versions.

Otherwise the only alternative if you’re looking to download it via digital distribution sites would be Steam, seeing as others like Direct2Drive have boycotted it because of its branding as a SteamWorks title.

Release the Payload: Aliens vs. Predator [Major Releases]

TrailerBlazer: Aliens vs. Predator Marine Trailer

Aliens vs. Predator Marine trailer

I was lucky enough to catch a good look at the AvP Marine trailer before The Verge went off air the other night. Most of the show was boring, but this two minute long video managed to grab my attention.

In this trailer we see a lone marine who seems to be communicating with someone over the radio. It’s almost pitch black besides the ominous blue lighting in the distance, as well as the flares and intermittent flashes of pistol fire as the Xenomorphs run rampant on floors, walls, and ceilings. You can hear the hisses in the darkness punctuating the techno music blaring.

The player manages to dispatch most of them before running over to a corpse and picking up the old faithful Pulse Rifle and going back in to the fray of frantic scratching and clawing as the aliens attack remorselessly. But eventually he succumbs as the screen goes black, and the aliens crawl all over his lifeless body.

This game looks pretty good, but be warned, Game Informer wasn’t very impressed when it came to reviewing it – the first review of AvP. It scored only 5.75 out of 10. Not very impressive, but the game still has to be released and reviewed by others. Not everyone will like a game. I mean, remember D’toid with Assassin’s Creed II? Everyone else thought it was pretty grand…

Aliens vs. Predator should be out later this month, the 16th of February, for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. Let the heart-attacks and night shrieking begin…

TrailerBlazer: Aliens vs. Predator Marine Trailer

Aliens vs. Predator Multiplayer Demo Out Today, Available on Steam for PC

There were rumours on the net this week (I remember reading about in on the 2nd) that the AvP demo would be coming out this week. There was promise of a demo quite a while back all ready.

Initially That Videogame Blog spotted that it would be released on Xbox Live this week, but it’s since been revealed that the demo will come out on all platforms including the Xbox 360, PC, and the PS3.

The catch? It’s multiplayer only, obviously and sadly meaning no singleplayer. It should be on Steam, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network as I’m typing this. The good news accompanying the announcement from Sega is that new screenshots and a trailer have been released as well. I’m going to have a look at those some time.

The demo is said to include one map from the game, with one game type, deathmatch, and all three species, the marine, the Xenomorph (Alien), and the Predator being playable.

So, it is a pre-release demo after all, just about two weeks before the full release, which should happen on the 16th of February, 2010.

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Sources: That Videogame Blog - Big Download - Shacknews

Aliens vs. Predator Multiplayer Demo Out Today, Available on Steam for PC

TrailerBlazer: Aliens vs. Predator Heritage Trailer

Aliens vs. Predator: Heritage

On The Verge recently, they showed an Aliens vs. Predator dev diary of sorts which showed a lot of in-game footage. But not only was it in-game footage of the latest game by Rebellion, but there was also plenty of footage from 1999’s AvP, which some call “Aliens vs. Predator Classic” or “AvP Classic 2000” (this refers more to the Gold edition).

It was great seeing some of this, because at the time, more than ten years ago, it was considered to be cutting edge stuff, in graphics too. I once read that AvP could be compared to the id Tech 2, or Quake II, engine. I mean, the game featured beheading and dissection of enemies, and stuff, even before Soldier of Fortune came along and made it popular.

But seeing what the new AvP is like (what should we call this? AvP 2010?), graphics, technology, and gameplay wise, it looks as though it’s going to be a worthy addition to this popular series. Even though some say it’s been in development for just over two years, the one guy in the film claims that it was basically coming together, at least in their heads, since the last game (AvP Classic 2000).

By the way, I was reading the other day, that you can get AvP Classic or 2000 or AvP Classic 2000 (you get the idea) from Steam, the digital distribution kings. And it has widescreen support too. So, if you’ve tried getting the game to work on modern systems without much luck (I once read that nVidia was trying to sort out the problem with drivers), then this version should work on XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

TrailerBlazer: Aliens vs. Predator Heritage Trailer

Alien Prequel is Coming, and Predators too

Producer Tony Scott, Ridley Scott's brother, has confirmed that a new Alien film, to be directed by Carl Rinsch of Scott Free Productions, is in the works. It will serve as a prequel to Alien, the first film, released in 1979.

Response to this has been a little mixed. AvP and especially AvP 2 weren't great films, and others don't hold out much hope of this latest incarnation to be any better. Some argue that the series should be left alone, and yet others want to see how the events before the first film unfolded. Among some questions that need answering is the "Who are the Space Jockeys?" one.

There are still the three Aliens games that are in development too, Aliens vs. Predator (3), Aliens: Colonial Marines, and the as of yet untitled Alien RPG by Obsidian. At least two of these are scheduled for release next year.

The film has been speculated to arrive in 2011, with filming beginning at the end of this year.

Oh, and there was also confirmation of another Predator film, called Predators, this year, which will come out next year, and will be co-directed by Robert Rodriguez.

I like both the Predator and the Alien series of films and games, but I just do feel a little bit let down by the latest attempts to try and resurrect or "reboot" both the series. Perhaps you just can't...

Sources and Resources:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92071-Alien-Prequel-Confirmed
http://www.collider.com/2009/05/29/exclusive-tony-scott-confirms-carl-rinsch-is-directing-alien-and-its-a-prequel/
http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/16328
http://io9.com/5273063/alien-prequel-confirmed
http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/16093
http://joblo.com/predators-gets-writer
http://www.moviehole.net/200918751-rodriguez-talks-predators
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=54797

Alien Prequel is Coming, and Predators too

AVP Showing at E3, and Some new Screens

Rebellion’s game, Aliens vs Predator (some call it Aliens vs Predator 3) will be at E3, and until then there have been some news screens online to view.

Sources:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/58708
http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2009/05/26/aliens-vs-predator-headlines-sega-e3-line-up/

AVP Showing at E3, and Some new Screens

Games I want (this year): Aliens: Colonial Marines

I watched the excellent 1979 classic, Aliens, last night.

It's funny how with all the raving about modern technology and CGI effects, along with promises to stay true to the series and the 'feel',  the latest films, like AvP and AvP 2, always seem to suck.

There are two new Aliens games due out this year. One is Aliens: Colonial Marines under development by Gearbox Software, and the other is an Aliens: RPG project by Obsidian. Aliens:CM was rumoured to be out in Q1 this year; we’re all ready in February and this quarter ends in March. Other sites’ scheduled release dates predict a Q2 release date for 2009.

I find it quite disgraceful that the Alien: RPG is still officially unnamed, and I first read about both games two years ago at the beginning of 2007.

I sincerely hope that both these games are good.

Games I want (this year): Aliens: Colonial Marines