Fans of the
science-fiction genre have seen it coming a mile away ever since Danny Glover
walked into a Predator ship and encounter a trophy case that included the skull
from an alien from another beloved movie franchise. Several years after the last
Predator or Aliens movie, AVP found itself on the big
screen with not-so-good results. Liked or hated the movie, it’s hard to deny
that the pairing of these two sci-fi favorites gave you that warm and fuzzy
feeling inside. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem finally allows us to play as
the Predators as they go up against the alien hordes and all on the PSP.
The problem is
that the game isn’t very good and, to top it all off, it’s far too easy to the
point that there’s very little challenge.
Requiem’s story is loosely based on the upcoming movie of the same name but
concentrates on the Predators rather than the humans. You see, a Predator ship
(probably the one that makes its escape in the first movie) crash lands in
Colorado. Gamers assume the role of a Predator sent to clean up the mess in
order to keep humans form being aware of their existence. The trouble is that
the ship carried aliens of the facehugger variety that managed to catch a hunter
or two by surprise. Anyone who has watched an Alien movie can tell you
that this means the more vicious aliens would soon be on the prowl.
Thankfully, the
Predator you play is a seasoned hunter that is true to the Predator films. We’re
talking hand blades and the shoulder canons as well as the familiar cloaking
technology and enhanced vision via that ultra cool mask they wear. Your mission
has you disposing of any and all remains of the Predator ship as well as
eradicate any signs of the alien infestation. However, little does this Predator
know that the aliens in question are fast, have sharp teeth and acid for blood.
The game’s
single-player mode takes you through a number of areas as the Predator begins at
the crash site and works his way to the city when the situation really gets out
of hand. The story is told in three segments as you hunt the aliens while
avoiding the humans using your stealthy cloaking abilities like in the movies.
In fact, you’ll be penalized for harming the humans … even the armed ones. You
see, the Predator – this time around – works under a new code of conduct that
earns them Honor points. These points are good for upgrading your character’s
armor and weapons.
We can forgive
the fact that the Predator won’t be hunting humans but there’s very little else
that drives home the feeling that you are one of the most dangerous
extraterrestrials. Sure, you have your enhanced vision abilities that allow you
to see your enemies or anything else that lives via the infrared view and yes
the cloaking flickers off when the Predator hits water. Other than that, there’s
very little that makes you feel like a true Predator. Worst yet is the fact that
the aliens are dumb beasts that attack mindlessly. You don’t even have to worry
about their blood, which – in the movies – can burn through metal.
The game is also
way too easy and is hardly ever really challenging since the game’s levels have
you doing the same thing all the way into end of the game. The alien horde isn’t
particularly bright and even when they attack in twos you will find yourself
easily swatting them away. I mean, jeez, what happened to the aliens that were
smart enough to give Ripley such a hard time? You can also “tag” an alien in a
first-person view so your shoulder canon can easily shoot them down almost
instantly. Upgrading your armor isn’t even necessary since the Predator can cure
himself as many times as needed with the only drawback (if you can call it that)
being that you drain a little Energy used to power your cloaking technology.
Just about the
only really positive things I can say about Requiem is that it’s not a
bad-looking game. Sure, there are moments when the textures look flat and dull
and sometimes the human character models can look a bit blocky. It’s good to see
that the Predator models look good and their familiar visual effects are well
represented. The aliens themselves look decent enough and they actually dissolve
when they die. The game’s soundtrack isn’t very cinematic but it works well
enough, and the sound effects are very minimal at best. There’s voice acting when
the humans start appearing but it’s handled so badly that you’ll be glad the
Predator doesn’t talk.
Aliens vs.
Predator: Requiem
has all the right elements to make this an epic battle between
two amazing species but on the PSP this game is a frustrating, repetitive mess.
This is too bad, really, since science-fiction fans would love nothing more than
playing as a Predator but since the action is low on substance and way too easy,
fans won’t find this hunt very entertaining.
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Gameplay: 5.0
The Predator
gains some familiar weapons but somehow the combat feels the same throughout the
game. The game’s single-player mode will take you through a number of locales
but each level feels the same like much of the other ones do. Skirmish is fun
for the first few minutes so other than that there is no real good reason to
revisit this game.
Graphics: 6.0
The
backgrounds are actually nicely detailed in certain places and the visual
effects work within the Predator’s franchise. The Aliens look fine enough but
it’s the Predator that looks like the movie version with or without the mask.
Sound: 5.0
The game’s
music is decent enough but the voice acting is just plain awful. Even the sound
effects lack the right touches like the Alien’s roar or the Predator’s crackling
language.
Difficulty:
Easy
Moving past
humans using the Predator’s cloaking technology makes stealth a breeze and
combat is hardly a challenge at all. It’s just too bad that the real threat
you’ll face is dealing with the awful camera you have to manually turn
frequently.
Concept: 5.0
As the
official licensed game that’s connected with the upcoming movie, Requiem takes
places roughly after the first movie. Sure, we’ve played a Predator before on
the PS2 but just like this game there just isn’t enough variety to making this a
true Predator experience.
Multiplayer:
5.0
You and a
friend can take each another on in the game’s Skirmish mode through Ad Hoc mode.
Multiplayer moves at a steady framerate just like the single-player game but
there’s very little to really like about Skirmish in the first place.
Overall: 5.0
How can a game
that features two of the coolest movie aliens be so bad? Aliens vs. Predator
for the PSP is a repetitive action game with very little substance and
absolutely no style despite the fact that the Predator warrior is represented
well in the game. If you have a spot in your heart for these two beloved sci-fi
creatures, you would be doing yourself a favor and staying clear away from
Requiem.
