If you're taking the time to read this review, you're probably already acutely aware of the shit storm surrounding Aliens: Colonial Marines. You know about the E3 demo and how the finished game doesn't resemble what we saw, you know about the bugs, you know about poor AI and we all know who that guy, Randy Pitchford is now. These are all things that keep the game from being truly great, but I can tell you with confidence that it's not the train wreck we've been led to believe.
As a rabid fan of the Aliens franchise and James Cameron's masterpiece in particular, I can easily overlook some of the games flaws simply on the basis that I'm a fan, so I think it's important to go ahead and put that out there. If you are not an Aliens fan, you're probably not going to get much out of the game, but for those of us that are fans, there is a lot to like here. Put simply, ACM is a victim of unrealistic expectations. Not everyone is an Aliens fan, but those of us who are, like me, really really like it. When the game was first announced, I was immensely excited, but also hesitant so I wouldn't get too disappointed when the game wasn't the greatest game in the world. After all, this is still a movie licensed game we're talking about, even if it's not tied into an upcoming film. This is one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write. ACM is such a mixed bag that one minute you'll be cursing the TV because of a tedious and broken boss battle and the next you'll be amazed and enlightened by the sheer amount of detail that makes the game look and feel like Aliens.
The one thing Gearbox absolutely nailed was the atmosphere and style of the film. Hadley's Hope looks just like you remembered, with little detailed touches like the neon red bar sign, the Weyland Big Wheels bike from the special edition version of the film, and the overall look of the game is a love letter to the film. It's littered with references. Some of them are a bit obnoxious, but it's still nice to see that the developers took time and care to really flesh out the universe.
The sound design is also spot on. The pulse rifle sounds exactly as it did in the film and the xenomorphs shriek and growl like they should. The motion tracker is another little touch that really wraps you up in the game and the Alien franchise. Before I get to the flaws, I can't stress enough just how much ACM does the film justice in terms of atmosphere. It's obvious these guys have a pure love for the film. Sadly, the same love wasn't directed towards the characters of the game. Your marine comrades are blatant cardboard cutouts of the more interesting characters from the films. Their motives aren't clear and the dialogue, while well voiced, are poorly written. Michael Biehn gives an uninspired performance as he revives his role as Hicks. However, my Aliens favorite, Lance Henriksen, gives a solid performance as Bishop.
Loving a film and incorporating that love into your game is great, but it doesn't make a good game. You still have to have gameplay that is intriguing and functional. To some extent, the gameplay in ACM is fun and halfway functional, but the bottom line is, the game wasn't finished when it was shipped out. The AI is piss poor, especially with your teammates. They shoot their guns and move around, but it all comes down to you against all the enemies. Many times they would be going in the wrong direction or block your path to another room entirely. It would have been nice to have some simple squad commands for a small tactical gameplay element. The xenomorphs fair much better in the AI department and with the latest patch from Gearbox, many of the initial problems have been fixed. They climb on the walls, ceiling, and are smarter than you might expect. Sometimes, they charge you without any strategy, but it's not something that breaks your immersion.
Blasting your way through levels are still fun, despite the A.I. issues. The feedback you get from your large arsenal of weapons is satisfying and everything functions as they should. There isn't much variety in terms of the gameplay, as you'll just be mowing down xeno's and Weyland Yutani forces, but we're in the Aliens universe and that makes up for the otherwise, generic gameplay. Let me stress that this is a game for fans only. If you aren't interested in the Aliens franchise, many of the games flaws might break you. Another good aspect of the gameplay is that it gives you high replay value and a lot of incentive to keep playing the campaign. All of your weapons are upgradable, there are challenges to complete, audio files and dog tags to collect, and of course trophies to slave over. For me, all of that is the meat of the game.
Multiplayer has actually been pretty popular and despite the game's negative reviews and fan criticism, it has a fairly large and active community. I haven't played all the modes, but I have played Bug Hunt, which seems to be everyone's favorite. It's basically set up like a combination of Left 4 Dead and Call of Duty Zombies. You and two to three more players are pitted against a slew of xeno's and the goal is to unlock new areas after each wave is defeated. I had a lot of fun with this and I can see myself getting more involved with it. I also had a chance to play through a couple of the campaign levels cooperatively via online. The campaign experience fairs much better with a friend, as you actually feel like someone has your back, unlike the terrible AI of the single player comrades.
There's a lot of game in ACM and if you're willing to overlook many of the game's bugs and flaws, you're sure to have, if nothing else, a midly entertaining time. As a fan of the franchise, I'm predisposed to like this game more than the average gamer, but even so, despite the unfinished feel of the game, there's enough content to keep you busy. Gearbox may have fumbled the ball more than a fan wants to admit, but ACM is not anywhere near the atrocity that popular gaming sites have led us to believe.
C+