Game Journal: Aliens Vs. Predator (Marine Campaign)

As I remembered it, the marine campaign was the weakest in the game. People criticized Doom 3 for having nonsensical closets that monsters would jump out of. That's probably fair as Doom 3 was built long after that sort of design went out of fashion. But people with rosy memories of AvP2's marine campaign should probably bite their tongues when that subject comes up. There are actually spots where I could see the aliens spawning out of thin air.

Also, there's not nearly as much tension in the marine campaign as there could be because the presence of aliens is almost always telegraphed by action music kicking up. The only reason the game is difficult is because the aliens are so fast. From the time you see them to the time they're on top of you felt like it was generally around three seconds. And frequently they'll use their tail attack which paralyzes you as they rip you apart with their claws. And let's not forget that if you kill them with ballistic weapons at that range, the acid cloud (pictured below) will do further damage.


This is a coup de grâce delivered with a shotgun from a safe distance by a trained professional. Do not attempt. If you wish to fight aliens in close combat, try a flame thrower instead.


Mmm. Chitinous.

The atmosphere is still cool. The motion tracker, the aliens and alien infested areas, and the classic weapons make the experience worthwhile. I was overly conservative with my ammo, but when I did use the smartgun, the distinctive grip and sound (combined with the already classic fingerless gloves) brought back good memories.

Let's Ro>>>>ck!

Predators are barely present in the marine campaign, mostly just being ominous and and taking potshots from the shadows. When you finally do fight one, it's a complete letdown. The predator is short and sad looking and its tactics are laughable. The initial stalking bit, where you have to stay underneath it so it can't shoot you, is cool, but once it jumps down and the real fight begins, it's pretty sad.

I'm thinking I should leave the game alone for now and get back to Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.