Aliens vs. Predator is an all-new third-person action game exclusively designed for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system from the creators of the award-winning original Aliens vs. Predator for PC. You play as an elite, lone Predator, carrying an awesome arsenal of exotic weaponry, stealth tracking and vision mode equipment. Your mission: eradicate all traces of the horrifying Alien menace from the previously sleepy town of Gunnison, Colorado. Amazon USAmazon UK
Aliens Vs Predator Requiem (PSP)
One of the great mysteries in Hollywood is why two legendary sci-fi creations – Aliens and Predators – cannot be put together in a memorable film. So far there have been two attempts at this but, alas, a director is yet to find that winning formula. Both the Alien and Predator series began with terrific opening chapters but, sadly, at present there is little to be excited about in either franchise. When turning to Aliens Vs Predator Requiem on the PSP I found myself hoping that this hoodoo in the film industry wouldn’t transfer to the games world.
Based around the second of the two collaborations of these ruthless foes on the big screen, Aliens Vs Predator Requiem has you taking charge of a lone Predator with a dangerous mission. A Predator vessel, infested with Aliens, has crashed on Earth and it is up to you to not only eliminate this threat to mankind but to remove all trace of there ever having been an extraterrestrial presence. I’m a big fan of both Alien and Predator and have to admit the prospect of taking charge of a Predator certainly had me enthusiastic. What followed was a mixture of both good and bad.
Requiem contains fifteen levels in total but in order to complete the game you are not obligated to finish them all. Instead there are three different routes you can take, incorporating a myriad of surroundings including forests, power stations, supermarkets, high schools, graveyards and sewers, all dependent on your chosen path. At the start of each level you will be given a main objective with mini tasks thrown in which are not all essential to your progress. For instance, while the Predator is compelled to detonate traces of alien vessels, you are given the option of dissolving the remains of face huggers that John Hurt became so familiar with in the first Alien film.
Though engaging in a solo crusade against Aliens throughout a welcome variety of environments was undoubtedly fun there are still some unfortunate flaws to Requiem. The first issue is that the game is too easy. Whether you are fighting Aliens from a distance or close up, there is little challenge in defeating them. I completed all fifteen levels and was only killed once, and that wasn’t by an Alien but by a tank. Even if you sustain damage you can always use a handful of Honour Points to replenish yourself. The different vision modes for the Predator were a nice touch but I didn’t need any of them what with a useful map to refer to whenever I chose. After completing the game the only other feature aside from the main story is a Skirmish mode pitching you against relentless hordes of Aliens and seeing how many points you can accumulate in a given time limit. Setting high scores is all that the game offers with no bonuses or rewarding features other than better weapon s which leaves one feeling deflated in the end.
Aliens Vs Predator Requiem is a fun experience but far too easy and even the fifteen levels won’t take long to complete. The lack of bonus features is a shame with the acquisition of a good score being your only reward. There remains the potential for a memorable pairing of the Aliens and Predators, but unfortunately it doesn’t quite come off here.
Verdict: 2/5
Game Review: Aliens Vs Predator Requiem | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
