|
by Mischief Maker 02/12/2013, 8:28pm PST |
|
 |
|
 |
|
I'm judging these games next to the original PC version of Aliens vs Predator (AvP 2000).
I'm totally willing to agree with Fabio and Jerry on the superiority of regenerating health bars for isolated competitive firefights against enemy soldiers. That's not what the movie Aliens was about and that's not how you translate it to a game.
As Quake-like as AvP 2000 was, I think it captured the feel of the movie perfectly. A state of the art team of space marines come down fully loaded for bear with state of the art weaponry, but find themselves unexpectedly outmaneuvered by the vietcong the Aliens, and every battle is a Pyrrhic victory where not only are team members dying left and right, but the technology that just barely gives them an edge over the aliens is being broken, sabotaged, or is running out of ammo. Take the autoturrets scene, for example.
That's the experience playing AvP 2000. You start out with armor, with tons of ammo, and a poorly-lit maze of industrial design to dash through. The Aliens are randomly placed and respawn faster and faster as the levels progress. If you slowly and carefully walk your way through, admiring the scenery along the way, the aliens are going to whittle away all that ammo, all that armor, and all those health points. The correct way to play this game is running full tilt for the exit, trying not to waste too much ammo from panic spray every time an alien jumps at you from an unexpected corner because if you let one get too close, you'll pay for that mistake for the remainder of the level. AvP 2000 is the only "horror" game I know of that is scary the 2nd time because it's scares are gameplay-generated. (AvP 2 fucked this up).
I think the scene that perfectly encapsulates this in the movie is in the initial attack where the survivors run for the APC, one alien sticks its face through the door and Hicks tries to have an "Hasta La Vista" moment by sticking his shotgun in the alien's mouth and screaming "eat this!" No one-liners in Gigerville, Hicks! He's rewarded by having the alien spray acid blood all over him and has to desperately tear the chestplate off his armor before it reaches his flesh. Bit by bit the designated action hero of the story is being broken down until the civilian Ripley is the only one left with any ability to fight.
So when somebody makes an AvP game where getting pounced by an Alien is a survivable QTE, and each room you clear you're back at full health and once again at the apex of your ass kicking ability, you've fucked it up. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
Anyone picking up Aliens: Colonial Marines at launch? by fabio 01/23/2013, 12:46am PST 
I'm strongly considering it by Horrible Gelatinous Blob 01/23/2013, 2:57pm PST 
Go Hudson or go home by WITTGENSTEIN 01/23/2013, 9:09pm PST 
6 days! NT by fabio 02/06/2013, 9:44am PST 
Apparently it sucks beyond belief. by Fullofkittens 02/12/2013, 10:33am PST 
=( by fabio 02/12/2013, 10:48am PST 
Re: =( by Mischief Maker 02/12/2013, 10:53am PST 
That was in this game's trailer too! by fabio 02/12/2013, 11:07am PST 
I actually agree with Fabio on this NT by Cannibal Dave 02/12/2013, 11:42am PST 
Not for an Aliens game by Mischief Maker 02/12/2013, 8:28pm PST 
Come to think of it... by Mischief Maker 02/12/2013, 8:37pm PST 
Re: Not for an Aliens game by fabio 02/12/2013, 9:45pm PST 
AvP 2000 is a scarier Quake, SS2 was a broken Thief. Have you played it? NT by Apples and Oranges Comparer 02/12/2013, 9:50pm PST 
FPS games should never have innovated beyond Quake. NT by fabio 02/13/2013, 6:37am PST 
Sounds like you really hate the version of this game that exists in your mind. by Jerry Whorebach 02/13/2013, 6:29pm PST 
I do! by Mischief Maker 02/13/2013, 7:13pm PST 
No one is saying Rebellion's sophomore AVP isn't the pinnacle of Aliens games. by Jerry Whorebach 02/14/2013, 2:43am PST 
If it was tryly Gary Gygax-style, Armor Points would be replace with THAC0 NT by Mischief Maker 02/14/2013, 7:16am PST 
I just beat Halo for the first time, and the health system was my favourite part by Jerry Whorebach 02/12/2013, 12:37pm PST 
The official Bungie standard for difficulty is "Heroic". NT by Gutsby 02/13/2013, 10:32am PST 
Which disgustingly corrupt reviewer didn't get the memo? by Fullofkittens 02/12/2013, 1:33pm PST 
"Gearbox knocked it out like a cranky Queen on the wrong side of an airlock" by laudablepuss 02/13/2013, 12:49pm PST 
The Alien (and Predator) franchise is dead. by Eurotrash 02/13/2013, 3:42am PST 
That is an awesome .gif NT by WITTGENSTEIN 02/13/2013, 7:30pm PST 
$5!!!! NT by fabio 08/30/2013, 3:06pm PDT 
|
|