Natural Selection 2

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 642 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 522 out of 642
  2. Mixed: 69 out of 642
  3. Negative: 51 out of 642

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  1. somedude14
    Feb 4, 2022
    9
    Bummer is long load times, but nowhere near as bad as they were at launch. A lot of fun to play, only 16gb so you can keep it on a drive and play it whenever you get the itch. I think the graphics still hold up really well today.
  2. Muchomexicano
    Jan 27, 2022
    7
    Fantastic game with many options for what you can do next and a forgiving community when you gaining your bearings in the rookie servers. Only problem in my opinion is it seems pretty unbalanced with the favor in the marines direction. The jet-pack shotgun combo is way over powered since when it comes to ranged attacks the aliens are lacking and cant match speed and mobility of theFantastic game with many options for what you can do next and a forgiving community when you gaining your bearings in the rookie servers. Only problem in my opinion is it seems pretty unbalanced with the favor in the marines direction. The jet-pack shotgun combo is way over powered since when it comes to ranged attacks the aliens are lacking and cant match speed and mobility of the jet-pack. Other then balance issues its a fun game with few levels but the pace and tactics make those all that are needed for now.… Expand
  3. fmsS
    Jun 30, 2020
    10
    Wait.. it's 2020 and the game still one of the best FPS + RTS games with an engaged community..
    Let me tell you on more thing.. The game has been gifted with one more map last week. This is amazing!
  4. Lithiumblade
    Feb 6, 2020
    8
    Starcraft meets Counter-strike that's how best I can describe this.
    There is a bit of a learning curve with this game and the community is somewhat toxic compared to the other games.
    The game requirements is steeeeeeeeeeeeep for such an old game, and because battles can be so fast paced you really need those extra frames in order to catch that Alien life form that's running circles    Starcraft meets Counter-strike that's how best I can describe this.
    There is a bit of a learning curve with this game and the community is somewhat toxic compared to the other games.
    The game requirements is steeeeeeeeeeeeep for such an old game, and because battles can be so fast paced you really need those extra frames in order to catch that Alien life form that's running circles around you. I went from being at the bottom of the scoreboard every round to being top 3 for most games by just changing my graphics card. (going from 25fps to 200fps)    … Expand
  5. Malachai84
    Dec 12, 2019
    10
    Natural Selection 2 is a game that is both a FPS game and a RTS game all in one.
    There are two sides, you can either play as a human marine, running around with a gun shooting aliens.
    Or you can be the commander and build the base that the marines operate from. Or you can play as the aliens, morph yourself into different creatures and hunt the marines. Or play as the alien commander,    Natural Selection 2 is a game that is both a FPS game and a RTS game all in one.
    There are two sides, you can either play as a human marine, running around with a gun shooting aliens.
    Or you can be the commander and build the base that the marines operate from.
    Or you can play as the aliens, morph yourself into different creatures and hunt the marines.
    Or play as the alien commander, and build the alien hive that the aliens live in.

    This game is alot of fun and is unique in its genre.
    It's to bad that it doesn't have a larger playerbase.    … Expand
  6. ianmanderson
    Jul 7, 2019
    10
    I created my MC account because I HAD TO WRITE THIS REVIEW. I've been playing these games since the original Half-Life mod back in 2002 and this game has always been grossly underrated. I was appalled to see that this game has a lower rating than games like Halo 5 *gross*.
    I am a long time player of RTS games spending most of my time on Starcraft BW+2 (masters on ladder), AOE franchise,    I created my MC account because I HAD TO WRITE THIS REVIEW. I've been playing these games since the original Half-Life mod back in 2002 and this game has always been grossly underrated. I was appalled to see that this game has a lower rating than games like Halo 5 *gross*.
    I am a long time player of RTS games spending most of my time on Starcraft BW+2 (masters on ladder), AOE franchise, and C+C. I believe this game delivers one of the best RTS experiences OF ALL TIME. From a Strategy perspective, the metagame is surprisingly deep and I'm still learning interesting things about the game after playing 3000+ hours. There is great diversity in the number of viable strategies in the game, with things like proxies, tech rushes, and sneaky bases. Even the drawn-out macro games with max upgrade units clashing across the map, all feel balanced and fleshed out, with the game continuing to be refined over the years When you are commander in a game you get to choose what weapons/ buildings are available for your team and you can still issue waypoint commands to your "units", but the fact that each unit is a living, breathing person, adds a huge amount of dynamics and replayability to the whole thing. People can choose to ignore your orders altogether and your teammates can also make suggestions and talk to the commander directly. Commanding in this game (which is optional btw) provides an unparalleled experience at making you feel like you are responsible for a platoon of men, with your every decision having in-game consequences for the tens of other people on the battlefield in real time. It's hard to do it justice by describing it, but let me say I have yet to play another game that delivers the same experience and sense of immersion as Natural Selection does.
    From an FPS perspective, still one of the greatest of all time. I'll start by saying that most people's complaint in this area is the number of weapons, however not only has the developer continued to add content (as of July, 2019), but each weapon has a specific niche and purpose in the game and with the variance in maps and functionality of weapons I never find myself wishing for more. All in all, when you factor in the combinations of weapons and upgrades (marines can have mechs or jetpacks for example) the marines still have about 20 different loadout combinations, while the aliens have 5 playable "classes" each with 9 different upgrade paths. Ultimately replayability has never been an issue for me and I'm constantly coming back for more.
    Graphically the game is beautiful and has held up very well over time, impressive when you consider that this is a small time developer that also created their own engine.
    this game does such a good job at making you FEEL like a space marine exploring an infested space station. it makes you FEEL like an alien hivemind stalking your human prey through the air vents. It makes you FEEL like a platoon leader desperately trying to figure out how to push back the alien menace. Your objectives during a match feel authentic as they are not force-fed to you by the game but rather decided by whatever your commander wants to do.
    I really wish more people knew about this game as even my most hardcore gaming friends have somehow never heard of it. Literally, the only downside to this game is that the community is quite small and you really need about 20 people in server to play the game at its full potential. Although small, this game still has an amazing close-knit community that is free of toxicity and a developer that cares about their product and continues to refine, balance, and stand by it after all these years. They also have increased the stability and optimization of the code over the years and included better tutorials for new players. The learning curve can be steep with this one but longtime RTS players will feel at home with the intuitive building designs. There are plenty of "rookie only" servers that are designated for those that have 200 or fewer hours in the game. From my experience, newbie players don't get flamed and harassed by veterans like they do in far too many other strategy titles. Being a newbie and asking questions is usually met with encouragement, as we all just want more people to play the game with.
    Just know this game is at legendary status, and you should buy it. not only would I buy it again, multiple times, but I think more developers should attempt to make a game that combines RTS/FPS elements and I'm surprised that we haven't seen this more. Thanks to Unknown Worlds for what you have achieved with this game.    … Expand
  7. UncleEd
    Apr 5, 2018
    10
    Natural Selection 2 is an asymmetrical online shooter and the sequel to the great, yet underrated Half Life mod, Natural Selection. The game is a FPS-RTS hybrid that resembles both Alien franchise and Starcraft. You choose Marines or Aliens, and in order to win you have to destroy the command station or hive of the enemy. One player from each team assumes the role of the “commander”, whoNatural Selection 2 is an asymmetrical online shooter and the sequel to the great, yet underrated Half Life mod, Natural Selection. The game is a FPS-RTS hybrid that resembles both Alien franchise and Starcraft. You choose Marines or Aliens, and in order to win you have to destroy the command station or hive of the enemy. One player from each team assumes the role of the “commander”, who is effectively the team leader and plays the game as a micromanagement focused RTS. The commander is the most important player of the team and can make all the difference in order to win by his strategic decisions, the way he expands the base, develops new technology and leads his team members. The rest of the team plays very much like a shooter, but some players also assume roles such as healing other players (aliens) or constructing buildings upon commander’s orders (marines). Where marines are soldiers with different weapons, aliens offer a very diverse gameplay (from flying aliens to extremely large and powerful creatures) based on the specific alien type the player chooses to evolve to.

    The setting reminds me of Alien and Blade Runner and is very atmospheric. This is a game that has to be played with a headset, as the game requires both paying attention to sounds and communicating to your team members.

    Natural Selection 2 is often criticized for its very steep learning curve. Although I admit the game is not friendly to new players, I find the difficulty to be its very asset. The developers have simply chosen to keep the game’s hardcore gameplay mechanics, at the risk of losing many players, but thereby managed to create one of the best online gaming experiences for its small, but faithful community. It is easy to give up on NS2, but if you are patient enough, you will find a treasure after 40+ hours playtime. If you come across games with balanced teams and good commanders in both teams (and you will very often), you will definitely appreciate the very tense and team-based gameplay, where every decision and every action counts.

    I do, however, have some caveats about NS2, which are not really the game’s fault. There are a handful of active servers and sometimes (not very often) when you log in, you may not be able find an active game with more than a handful of players. This is due to the fact that the game is very hardcore and therefore the player base is niche. The majority of new players simply do not have the patience to stick with the game long enough to appreciate it. As for the community, it is really a hit and miss. There are many loyal players with 1000+ hours playtime, who love NS2 to death. Some of these players (the silent majority) are very helpful to newcomers. However, there are some others who just keep complaining about every single false move newbies make, as if they are not aware of the game’s learning curve. Those who belong to this second category will also often start voting to surrender as soon as the opponent team gains some advantage, although in NS2 it is very possible to win the game even in toughest situations. When you come across this second category of players, just mute and ignore them, and don’t let them ruin your game. Because NS2 is a special game that every online video game player should experience and enjoy.    … Expand
  8. Ambient
    Oct 1, 2015
    10
    Deserves every last bit of success. If only we could have full releases of other nostalgic Half-life mods such as Science & Industry that are even half as good as this turned out. One of the greatest, most organic, most extravagant multiplayer experiences ever created.
  9. ThePCGamer101
    Jun 24, 2015
    8
    An awesome game, a sequel to the best Half Life 2 mod Natural Selection or NS1, now comes Natural Selection 2 or NS2! BUT there are some problems, it takes too long on the loading screen and times-out a lot in the multiplayer! But over the past few months, I have seen Unknown World Entertainment doing updates to try and fix the problem so I know the company knows about this problem andAn awesome game, a sequel to the best Half Life 2 mod Natural Selection or NS1, now comes Natural Selection 2 or NS2! BUT there are some problems, it takes too long on the loading screen and times-out a lot in the multiplayer! But over the past few months, I have seen Unknown World Entertainment doing updates to try and fix the problem so I know the company knows about this problem and that they are trying to fix it… Expand
  10. EvilTerrorizer
    Dec 22, 2014
    7
    I like the game. Got an upgrade to a brand new machine with all the bells and whistles, so on max settings the game looks really nice. Gameplay is dynamic, I like being commander. Each side, Alien and Marine have asymmetric strategies that they can use to win even if they are losing overall in tech and credits... which is important for giving people a reason to play a losing game.

    My    I like the game. Got an upgrade to a brand new machine with all the bells and whistles, so on max settings the game looks really nice. Gameplay is dynamic, I like being commander. Each side, Alien and Marine have asymmetric strategies that they can use to win even if they are losing overall in tech and credits... which is important for giving people a reason to play a losing game.

    My only negative experience with the game is being steamrolled by one or two really good players on the opposite team. Unfortunately, it only takes one or two out-of-balance players to destroy the game experience for everyone. Since resources are very tight early game, when one player goes 15-0 its pretty much time to forfeit and start again.    … Expand
  11. MasterSFX
    Nov 6, 2014
    10
    I have never felt the need to write a review for metacritic until I discovered this game. I wanted to share this masterpiece of a game with the world! Natural Selection 2 is by no means a perfect game, but it is extremely enjoyable, addicting, and just plain fun. This game mixes strategy, first person shooter, and RTS elements all into one game. If shooters aren't your thing, then youI have never felt the need to write a review for metacritic until I discovered this game. I wanted to share this masterpiece of a game with the world! Natural Selection 2 is by no means a perfect game, but it is extremely enjoyable, addicting, and just plain fun. This game mixes strategy, first person shooter, and RTS elements all into one game. If shooters aren't your thing, then you can jump into the hive (yeah ALIENS!) or the command chair. Teamwork leads to victory and having a strong and cooperative team will bring you far. Both sides, the Frontiersmen (marines) and the kharaa (aliens) have unique strategies and combat options. If you're a fan of the alien franchise you'll probably love this game. NS2 is what Aliens Colonial Marines should have been like- fast paced and full of alien destruction. NS2 has a great rookie-friendly community all of who are always available to help out. So please, buy this amazing game!… Expand
  12. G_Lerk
    Oct 27, 2014
    10
    Best game i ever played, deserves more than the entire CoD Franchise ever did. The graphic effects are sublime and immersive. with smooth gameplay, aliens and marines, extra AI units, and to top it all off its just fun. No question about it.
  13. beyondabraxas
    Oct 25, 2014
    10
    Easily my favorite Multiplayer. Its really a shame that this game is losing players (dont get me wrong, there's still plenty of people who play - die hards at that). Unknown Worlds really dropped the ball by letting this opportunity slip away. I know people don't like microtransactions, but that could have kept the studio releasing updates consistently instead of abandoning the game andEasily my favorite Multiplayer. Its really a shame that this game is losing players (dont get me wrong, there's still plenty of people who play - die hards at that). Unknown Worlds really dropped the ball by letting this opportunity slip away. I know people don't like microtransactions, but that could have kept the studio releasing updates consistently instead of abandoning the game and giving reigns to the community. They're a great studio with a great game on their hands - Its the most organic tactical gameplay in a team based online shooter. However, considering the asymetrical teams (aliens vs humans) constant patching and balancing is necessary. Its mostly balanced, but there are times when that doesn't seem to be the case. All in all, the fact remains that I can't play any other game but NS2. Its that good to me. Precisely why, I'm so dissapointed at the Dev not capitalizing on the opportunity to really make this game big. Unkown Worlds, Please return to NS2! Enable ingame microtransactions so you folks can maintain revenue for bug fixes and new maps.… Expand
  14. pro7otype
    Sep 17, 2014
    6
    This is a game with great potential but falls short of greatness. The community desperately needs more players, who are turned away by the combination of toxic experience of being pubstomped by the pros and being berated by them. The lack of matchmaking prevents this from becoming a more widely appreciated title. A diamond in the rough.
  15. Ecks33
    Aug 16, 2014
    8
    i am going to have to give this game a 8 as it is a good game you will find this more into something you would like to play for fun when you are getting bored of your MMO's or your typical FPS games unless you were like me in the past always playing the HL 1 Mod of it then you will have fun. the game does have replay value but a quick warning for 1st time users of this game it will take ai am going to have to give this game a 8 as it is a good game you will find this more into something you would like to play for fun when you are getting bored of your MMO's or your typical FPS games unless you were like me in the past always playing the HL 1 Mod of it then you will have fun. the game does have replay value but a quick warning for 1st time users of this game it will take a long time to load at 1st so you will be expecting that.… Expand
  16. asymptotic
    Aug 13, 2014
    9
    This is one of those FPS games with a tight knit community, a steep learning curve, and strong inclination towards competitive gaming. Twitch aiming, fast paced skills are necessary. This game is essentially Team Fortress Classic (not that abomination TF2), Counter-Strike, Starcraft, and Tribes all rolled into one game. Close quarter combat and a bevy of skills to learn and master.This is one of those FPS games with a tight knit community, a steep learning curve, and strong inclination towards competitive gaming. Twitch aiming, fast paced skills are necessary. This game is essentially Team Fortress Classic (not that abomination TF2), Counter-Strike, Starcraft, and Tribes all rolled into one game. Close quarter combat and a bevy of skills to learn and master. This game will supply hours of entertainment if you are the type of player who enjoys a challenge. This is not a game for you if you prefer the shoot'rm'up style of battlefield or call of duty. An underground cult classic comes to the modern age. Buy it.… Expand
  17. DeepW87
    Aug 5, 2014
    9
    It's a unique game, with asymmetrical teams, personal resources and team resources, jetpacks, exosuits, aliens that can teleport, fly, take a tonn of damage and more. It's not the easiest game to get into if you haven't looked at any guides or something beforehand but its unusual gameplay is what makes it worthwhile. The gameplay is pretty fast paced and twitchy. You need to play as a teamIt's a unique game, with asymmetrical teams, personal resources and team resources, jetpacks, exosuits, aliens that can teleport, fly, take a tonn of damage and more. It's not the easiest game to get into if you haven't looked at any guides or something beforehand but its unusual gameplay is what makes it worthwhile. The gameplay is pretty fast paced and twitchy. You need to play as a team to succeed. If you try to go lonewolf you will die a lot, and every time you die all upgrades that you've paid for with you personal resources are lost, so you really have a strong incentive to stay alive. The game also have mod support so this means community created maps, skins etc all free content which is great.… Expand
  18. Tastycakes
    Jul 17, 2014
    8
    Always one of the most interesting games in my library. This is a game that blends a lot of different play-styles together in one grand, immensely entertaining arena. The RTS role, the many different alien abilities as well as the FPS style Marines all come together in a well made, and overall balanced game. It's always fun, never repetitive and looks great as well. If you're looking forAlways one of the most interesting games in my library. This is a game that blends a lot of different play-styles together in one grand, immensely entertaining arena. The RTS role, the many different alien abilities as well as the FPS style Marines all come together in a well made, and overall balanced game. It's always fun, never repetitive and looks great as well. If you're looking for something different, this is the game I'd always recommend.… Expand
  19. Danil
    Jun 25, 2014
    10
    I believe this is a masterpiece of game development. I am not sure sure how it is even humanly possible to come up with an idea so complex and put it all together into a working game. It is a blend of RTS and FPS. There are 2 teams with completely different mechanics, units, weapons, special abilities and gameplay. Each team has a commander who views the game from an RTS viewpoint. HeI believe this is a masterpiece of game development. I am not sure sure how it is even humanly possible to come up with an idea so complex and put it all together into a working game. It is a blend of RTS and FPS. There are 2 teams with completely different mechanics, units, weapons, special abilities and gameplay. Each team has a commander who views the game from an RTS viewpoint. He places structures, upgrades units, gives orders etc. The rest of the team plays an FPS. The game is not rookie-friendly, It takes about 20 hours to more-or-less get the whole thing. Loading time is atrocious though...… Expand
  20. taggart3
    May 26, 2014
    10
    This is a 10 for the sole purpose of putting the game above 90 where it deserves to be, negative ratings about this game are simply ill informed, or from players who didn't like the fact that clicking with accuracy doesn't get you as far in this as it would in call of duty. It's an incredible game made by a team I've been following since they released natural selection 1, the mod forThis is a 10 for the sole purpose of putting the game above 90 where it deserves to be, negative ratings about this game are simply ill informed, or from players who didn't like the fact that clicking with accuracy doesn't get you as far in this as it would in call of duty. It's an incredible game made by a team I've been following since they released natural selection 1, the mod for half-life. This tiny team has put more on the table for their customers than any company I can think of. And they did it making next to no money. Shame on gamestop for **** on this games future… Expand
  21. debigman
    May 15, 2014
    0
    Any game that doesn't even start gets a zero in my book, because that is how much fun I got out of it. I feel bad for the guy who gifted it to me, but I'm glad I didn't pay for it.
  22. augh18
    Apr 17, 2014
    6
    The biggest problem of Natural Selection has always been that even in the most casual of matchups, there is a heavy reliance on teamwork. There's no way to Rambo in a game like this, which means you're only as strong as the people you're working with. It's great as a high-level competitive e-sport, but for people who just want something to play in their free time, this isn't the rightThe biggest problem of Natural Selection has always been that even in the most casual of matchups, there is a heavy reliance on teamwork. There's no way to Rambo in a game like this, which means you're only as strong as the people you're working with. It's great as a high-level competitive e-sport, but for people who just want something to play in their free time, this isn't the right game. If you're a newbie you're going to get chewed out constantly by people who *know* what they're doing and are really vocal about how bad you are to the entire team (since it isn't just a matter of K/D ratio, you need to coordinate resource captures, base strikes, base defense, buliding, etc. etc.), or you're going to be the guy that knows what he's doing, and feel like a loser for getting frustrated that people who don't play as much as you are ruining a *video game* for you.

    Aside from that, the load times are still ridiculously long, and the game has ludicrously high system requirements, either because it isn't well optimized or it's too big for its own good (the longer games go on, the more tech both sides have which means more effects going off at once, and there's also more buildings, more creep for the game to render).

    It's a really great concept, but the realization is that a game like this is too massive to be wielded. The engine collapses upon itself regularly, and you aren't going to even be an "average" player without being able to play this game like a full-time job.

    The 6 is not because it's a bad game, it's just too ambitious for its own good. I feel like the development team is composed of a bunch of hardcore gamers that are passionate about their work and wanted to take a genius idea they had and share it with the world, but they didn't have anyone around to rein them in and keep them in reality. In NS1 or NS2. Which is a real shame, because if this game was even half of what it is right now, it'd not only remain as a unique multiplayer FPS in a sea of derivative titles, it'd likely actually be a better game all around.    … Expand
  23. GoliathVietnam
    Apr 8, 2014
    10
    Remember guys , Unknowworlds Studio is an indie , small development team but they still can make this great NS2
    Unlike Call of Money : Bla bla-----> every year on Steam take you 49,99$ and another 4DLC 49,99$
    Of course , the money the pour on this NS2 is still small , game still have bugs , performance Until now (2014) UWE have fixed those problem and FPS is increse ,i have to admit    Remember guys , Unknowworlds Studio is an indie , small development team but they still can make this great NS2
    Unlike Call of Money : Bla bla-----> every year on Steam take you 49,99$ and another 4DLC 49,99$
    Of course , the money the pour on this NS2 is still small , game still have bugs , performance
    Until now (2014) UWE have fixed those problem and FPS is increse ,i have to admit that they do a great job compare to Big Company Activision    … Expand
  24. squirrell
    Jan 6, 2014
    10
    Steep learning curve. Except to loose hard for the first hours, especially when playing alien, which is mostly melee combat. Once you develop a feel for how the various creatures move it is extremely satisfying. Commanding is pretty hard and it takes a bit of brain to master both strategy, tactics and micromanagement.
    The marines are forced to play in small groups if they are to avoid    Steep learning curve. Except to loose hard for the first hours, especially when playing alien, which is mostly melee combat. Once you develop a feel for how the various creatures move it is extremely satisfying. Commanding is pretty hard and it takes a bit of brain to master both strategy, tactics and micromanagement.
    The marines are forced to play in small groups if they are to avoid getting eaten by the aliens.
    Without proper team play your team looses, or will have severe difficulties ending the game. All this forces cooperation and discourages the typical CoD behavior, making NS2 a game you can spend hundreds of hours playing.
    From time to time there is an influx of rookies and this strains the community quite a bit as the rookies can easily destroy the game, thinking it is a straight FPS or jumping into the command chair without a clue about what to do. I would advice future commanders to spend some time on Youtube there are lots of great guides.
    If you are going to play this you need a reasonably powerful computer. A mic is in my opinion a hard requirement, at least for the commanders.
    Also, it hardly costs any money anymore.    … Expand
  25. Cuyut
    Dec 31, 2013
    10
    I believe Natural Selection 2 is a masterpiece of a game, that represents the perfect blend of FPS and RTS game play. It is one of the few games where teamwork and individual skill are highly rewarded. On top of that, the community is accepting of new players and offers a friendly hand to educate those who are new.

    Due to the fact that Natural Selection 2 is a hybrid of FPS and RTS game    I believe Natural Selection 2 is a masterpiece of a game, that represents the perfect blend of FPS and RTS game play. It is one of the few games where teamwork and individual skill are highly rewarded. On top of that, the community is accepting of new players and offers a friendly hand to educate those who are new.

    Due to the fact that Natural Selection 2 is a hybrid of FPS and RTS game play, it allows for very competitive play in that the deciding factor of victory and defeat involves the long term decisions of a commander and/or the quick reactions and overall skill of the individual combatants (whether shooting aliens, or stalking marines). Due to this style of game play, games can very well last over an hour and yet feel very "tight" throughout the entire match.

    However, as of now, there is a lack of a ranked match system. The fact that the average game easily lasts over 20 minutes, and longer games tend to last for at least an hour, a very serious deciding factor of the winner is simply how many players leave and join the game. I understand that this is not really a game breaking problem, however due to the fact that players do not have much "loyalty" to their respective team, and the fact that the average match is rather lengthy, if a number of "pro" players join or leave the match during the middle of the game, it could drastically change the fate of the match instantly. I believe that having a sort of ranked match system, like that in Counter Strike: Global Offensive, will serve a very competitive game like Natural Selection 2 justice. Having ranked matches will also remove the occasional "newb stomping" matches, where there is a skill-based team stack.

    The game features asymmetrical teams with very different game play styles. This provides for a different style of FPS game play, and not the traditional shooter vs shooter like in most FPS games. I believe that because of this asymmetry, it expands the average gamer's experiences about FPS games in general. However, in Natural Selection 2, because it is also an RTS hybrid, a player could choose from essentially four game play experiences within one match alone which highly increases the game's overall learning curve. These four game play "roles" are: Marine commander, Marine player, Alien commander, and Alien player. Each type of "role" presents new strategies and information upon which the player has to know, and ultimately, having a sense of all the 4 roles is the minimum requirement for being "decent" in the game. Overall, having asymmetrical teams can interest those who are tired of the same-old shooter vs shooter, and because Natural Selection 2 is an asymmetrical FPS/RTS hybrid, such game play increases the overall learning curve to become fully understanding of every aspect, tactics and counter-tactics within the game.

    Do not let the lack of a ranked match system and rather difficult learning curve stop you from playing this game however. The lack of a ranked match system simply means that Natural Selection 2 is always going to be played on a "casual" game play setting, which many FPS games have. The difficult learning curve is also easily passed if one simply spends about a good 2 hours playing in a sandbox training server by themselves, learning all of the abilities, techniques, tech-trees, map-knowledge, weapons, and life forms to get that "full" understanding of the 4 game play "roles" I mentioned earlier. Furthermore, if you still need further clarification and help, the overall community in Natural Selection 2 servers are kind, vocal, and willing to help those who ask.

    I believe that Natural Selection 2 marks the standard for all asymmetrical and even symmetrical FPS/RTS hybrid games in the future. I would highly recommend this game to anyone, especially those with a background in playing other FPS and RTS games as they could easy apply their knowledge of both game genres into their Natural Selection 2 game play.    … Expand
  26. TomTom17
    Dec 6, 2013
    6
    A bit overrated but still a good game. When i bought this game on steam i wasent expecting much, just a typical online shooter and that's more or less what i got. The game has strategic elements as well but all you do is build structures on territory's you have captured. You get to play as either the aliens or the marines and i found that playing as the aliens was much more fun. you get toA bit overrated but still a good game. When i bought this game on steam i wasent expecting much, just a typical online shooter and that's more or less what i got. The game has strategic elements as well but all you do is build structures on territory's you have captured. You get to play as either the aliens or the marines and i found that playing as the aliens was much more fun. you get to climb on walls and tag enemy players so that other players know where they are. There are about 5 classes on the alien team and all are fun to play as. Now negative things about the game, the game has no xp or leveling up, no customization of characters, no leaderboards or stats so you cant compare scores with friends, which should be in a multiplayer game. Games like CS GO and Planetside 2 have these features and Planetside is free. So why buy this game, because its fun and i enjoyed playing it for a while. But quickly it got a bit repetitive and dident really care if i won or lost. Also there is one game type, no team deathmatch no capture the flag no free for all. The only game type is building up your base and taking the whole map which is a great mode but i want more variety. If you like sci fi shooters then get this game, it only cost me about £4 so you get a good game for the price.… Expand
  27. Gentoo
    Dec 5, 2013
    7
    The only downside I would consider is that it's really hard to master this game. Not like any other casual FPS game. First games in the game can be a tough experience for someone since it takes much time to fully understand it.
  28. SkulLmen99
    Dec 3, 2013
    1
    It wasn't pleasant to me! To servers it isn't connected, hangs, it is long loaded, all this takes off also for 500! rubles in steam? Battlefield 3 on ultra goes, and natural selection 2 and on averages takes off!
  29. facecake2
    Nov 27, 2013
    5
    Natural Selection 2 is a asymmetrical FPS/Strategy hybrid. The game consists of 2 teams; marines and aliens and both sides have a commander. The thing I like most is the map design and the graphics are pretty decent. However, if you’re thinking about picking this up, I wouldn't bother due to the humble bundle, steam sales, patches, the game has not only changed significantly, the communityNatural Selection 2 is a asymmetrical FPS/Strategy hybrid. The game consists of 2 teams; marines and aliens and both sides have a commander. The thing I like most is the map design and the graphics are pretty decent. However, if you’re thinking about picking this up, I wouldn't bother due to the humble bundle, steam sales, patches, the game has not only changed significantly, the community has gone downhill. This game was perfect upon release with the community being the highlight but it has now passed it's golden age, the regulars are long gone with the “balance test” patch. I usually play as commander now I keep getting ejected over extremely trivial things like: not having a mic and not building specific things early in the game. People also don't follow orders and blame it on you for things not going well. The gameplay changed significantly due to map modifications and game breaking nerfs and buffs. The hitboxes on aliens isn’t great especially for lerks. If you're looking for a decent RTS game, there are better games out there like the total war series. If you're looking for a FPS game, there is counterstrike. However, if you are still interested, I would recommend either getting a mic or playing this with a bunch of friends, otherwise be prepared for endless amounts of frustration … Expand
  30. wampastompa
    Nov 23, 2013
    10
    Very steep learning curve, but there is so much depth to this game. The blend of RTS and team-based shooter is unique, and it is fantastic. Difficulty and necessity of teamwork weeds out all the young and annoying gamers, there is a real level of maturity to the players in this game. I've never played a competitive multiplayer game where hostility was so pleasantly absent. The community isVery steep learning curve, but there is so much depth to this game. The blend of RTS and team-based shooter is unique, and it is fantastic. Difficulty and necessity of teamwork weeds out all the young and annoying gamers, there is a real level of maturity to the players in this game. I've never played a competitive multiplayer game where hostility was so pleasantly absent. The community is somewhat small, but I selfishly hope it stays that way, because I don't want to see it spoiled.… Expand
  31. Kanazawa
    Oct 23, 2013
    10
    Oh my what a masterpiece. An original concept where players play as either Aliens or Marines. The gameplay of the 2 are very different and both are surprisingly balanced. Wins are traded often. I just can't express how much I love this game.
  32. Escape5
    Oct 1, 2013
    10
    When I log into Steam, it's to play this game! An amazing blend of FPS with RTS, in which you face off as aliens or marines. I've played other multi-player FPS and they just don't keep me coming back for more the way NS2 does. Also, the developers (www.unknownworlds.com) continue to push out patches and new content for free! Also, the developers are very involved with the community andWhen I log into Steam, it's to play this game! An amazing blend of FPS with RTS, in which you face off as aliens or marines. I've played other multi-player FPS and they just don't keep me coming back for more the way NS2 does. Also, the developers (www.unknownworlds.com) continue to push out patches and new content for free! Also, the developers are very involved with the community and keep them well informed on the game and their efforts. The game is also highly mod-able and the developers promote modding. It used to have a steep learning curve, but the developers have since made the new player experience much better and recently included significantly better tutorials. This one is definitely worth checking out!… Expand
  33. Salient0ne
    Sep 21, 2013
    5
    Looking back I was rather unfair to this game, so im re-reviewing it to a 5/10. The matchmaking is a nightmare, but at its core its probably about as good as this hybrid genre can get.
  34. Old_Skewl_Gamer
    Sep 18, 2013
    7
    I played the original. This is a good game and a good remake. The community sucks and the lack of anti-cheats (full on VAC is not enabled) hurts the game a lot.
  35. armchairjerk
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    Great game and a ton of fun with friends. Draw backs are the maps and how same old same old they become which really hurts the game long term. But they are always adding to it.
  36. Quinma
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    This game is amazing. There is a ridiculous amount of content and especially with the new updates the performance is very good. I don't think i will ever get tired of this game.

    I also love how easily mod able it is.
  37. rogerxman
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    It's so awesome, but as the thunder bolt goes, its bar is too high for normal FPS players. Its graphic is credibly nice, but the system requirement is also very high too. The reason why the game isn't hot enough is its high skill requirement and its system requirement. The game is marvelous. Also, it harms your graphic card.
  38. Mynameispingu
    Aug 31, 2013
    8
    It's a really good game, however after playing for a while I believe it needs more rebalancing, aliens seem to expand quicker, kill quicker and get OP quicker than marines.
    Marines seem to trade in real guns for water pistols, and unfortunately this game is not like Evolution.
  39. eponymous
    Aug 21, 2013
    9
    A cool creative take on a class TDM/FPS genre with a dose of top-down RTS thrown in for measure (Commander Chair/Hive). Somewhat of a rehash from the original Natural Selection and with some of the things we learned along the way (Tremulous). Aliens are varied, rewarding but hard to master, Maries come loaded with tech to take out the alien scum. A cool, unique and addictive style wellA cool creative take on a class TDM/FPS genre with a dose of top-down RTS thrown in for measure (Commander Chair/Hive). Somewhat of a rehash from the original Natural Selection and with some of the things we learned along the way (Tremulous). Aliens are varied, rewarding but hard to master, Maries come loaded with tech to take out the alien scum. A cool, unique and addictive style well worth the time required to get your head around. Promotes team play (safety in numbers) and abolishes camping by rewarding work-ethic over ktdr.… Expand
  40. a200310
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    battlefield 1942 and natural selection 1 2 are the games with the most gametime i have in. its so much fun you can decide to play strategy when you go commander or you play as a skulk for more action. when you want a little slower gameplay you choose the gorge and build hydras( turrets) or block entrances to defend a specific location. there so many ways you can play it never gets boring.battlefield 1942 and natural selection 1 2 are the games with the most gametime i have in. its so much fun you can decide to play strategy when you go commander or you play as a skulk for more action. when you want a little slower gameplay you choose the gorge and build hydras( turrets) or block entrances to defend a specific location. there so many ways you can play it never gets boring. there was already a free dlc and the next is coming on 30th august with a new map, female marine and much more.… Expand
  41. Jacethegamerman
    Aug 12, 2013
    8
    I love this game its fun and the community's great i love it so much great fun is to be had with this game. play this game if you have any love for multiplayer games or 1PS shooter or strategy games you're welcome here.
  42. Mordack
    Aug 5, 2013
    1
    I don't get how people can actually play this game. It's completely unbalanced and it has very poor performances. The learning curve is not steep... it's a reinforced brick wall.
  43. hwanin
    Jul 22, 2013
    8
    OK, folks. I've never heard about this game before Steam added it as a free-2-play (3 days trial) game onto my library many months ago. Instead of installing, I just viewed few gameplay videos and I promptly bought it. You may say "what??", but indeed the gameplay looked so damn unique. As others told, the game is nicely balanced in both teams. I don't like to play as 'alien', but playingOK, folks. I've never heard about this game before Steam added it as a free-2-play (3 days trial) game onto my library many months ago. Instead of installing, I just viewed few gameplay videos and I promptly bought it. You may say "what??", but indeed the gameplay looked so damn unique. As others told, the game is nicely balanced in both teams. I don't like to play as 'alien', but playing as one of them really extends your point of view about online FPS games! Teamwork is more important than any of the games I previously played before. The concept of 'commanders' brought back memories of the good old RTS games. 1 player in each team operates as 'commander'. The commander sees the whole map in isometric view, while all the others play in FPS mode So much fun. If you are not good as 'fighter', try to be commander and play the RTS. Very challanging. Time is not in the marine's side, so the team should play quickly and cooperative without that, even the best commander can't save the day!!… Expand
  44. alla0222
    Jul 22, 2013
    9
    This game is fun to play both alone and with friends! It does not matter if you got it on sale or not, but this is worth your cash! I recommend that you and your friends play, its really fun!
  45. Panopticon
    Jul 20, 2013
    9
    As this game has had almost a decade of testing via its predecessor, a Half-Life mod, this game is extremely fun and extremely well balanced. It's easy to learn but hard to master, with intuitive gameplay mechanisms, a built in "rookie mode" to ease newbies in, and a great sense of accomplishment for participating in the intense and immersive battles. Teamwork and sportsmanship areAs this game has had almost a decade of testing via its predecessor, a Half-Life mod, this game is extremely fun and extremely well balanced. It's easy to learn but hard to master, with intuitive gameplay mechanisms, a built in "rookie mode" to ease newbies in, and a great sense of accomplishment for participating in the intense and immersive battles. Teamwork and sportsmanship are encouraged by both the game and its player base (since NS1 was so old when NS2 was released, there was already a very well developed community).

    The graphics are great, the sounds feel just right (the roar of the Exosuit's minigun is everything you could hope for), the music is professional and there is lots of eye candy that make the whole experience sweeter.

    One of my most favourite games of all time.    … Expand
  46. notyourbuddy
    Jul 20, 2013
    9
    If you enjoy online first person shooters you can do no wrong adding Natural Selection 2 to your collection. With its asymmetrical combat (Aliens vs Marines), transformative maps (alien infestation), and its combination of real-time strategy elements with that of a traditional first person shooter it offers an unique gameplay experience that very few if any other FPS titles can.If you enjoy online first person shooters you can do no wrong adding Natural Selection 2 to your collection. With its asymmetrical combat (Aliens vs Marines), transformative maps (alien infestation), and its combination of real-time strategy elements with that of a traditional first person shooter it offers an unique gameplay experience that very few if any other FPS titles can.

    Real-Time Strategy Gameplay: One player on each team takes on the role of the commander building bases, researching upgrades, using abilities on his allies, and coordinating his team's movements/strategies from an overhead real-time strategy point of view.

    Traditional FPS Gameplay: The other players are playing from the standard first person view with respawns coming ~8 seconds after death (so downtime is minimal). The gameplay consists of securing resource points around the map for both their personal resource income (so they can buy weapons/upgrades) and for their team (so the commander can build/research things). The ultimate goal: Destroy the other team's "headquarters."

    The Marines have the familiar weaponry at their disposal. Shotguns, assault rifles, flamethrowers, grenade launchers, jetpacks, and giant mechs. Teamwork is of utmost importance and death awaits you around every corner (especially when the power goes out hope you brought your flashlight!)

    The Aliens rely on speed, stealth, and ambush attacks. Their alien lifeforms vary greatly (to suit anyones' playstyle) and their ability to see in the dark, walk on walls/ceilings or even fly, as well as the ability to take shortcuts through vent systems gives them distinctive advantages over marines in many areas of the map.

    Both sides are fun to play and both require teamwork and skill to achieve victory. Keyword being skill. You are rewarded for good aim, situational awareness, and teamwork more than most shooters. If you lack these you will die.

    But, thats part of the fun and replayability of this game. Seeing yourself improve with each and every match and then having your efforts pay off as you start getting kills that you couldn't when you first started playing. It makes for good competitive play if that is your thing or just good ole' fashion shoot-em-up in the standard public servers.

    Note: There is no single player mode. If you don't like playing against other players then you should skip this title. Multiplayer matches typically last 15-30 mins.    … Expand
  47. caspertoot
    Jul 15, 2013
    10
    One of the best FPS out there. Combines elements of FPS and RTS into one. A unique and genius invention. I strongly recommend this game to all. The only lacking element is the lack of Asian community especially Singapore/Malaysians. There are tons of Singapore servers but i guess there is a lack of publicity in the Asian market.
  48. ChoicestGames
    Jul 14, 2013
    7
    While the production values aren't high a lot of fun can be had with this game if you're able to grab a group of mates to play with you or cooperative strangers; The game's success really hangs on the quality of the community and whether you are willing to get yourself involved too.
  49. Dartflght
    Jul 1, 2013
    2
    I think the idea of the of the game is good.
    I bought the game to have a nice multi player experience. Then i realized that there is no real tutorial or something like that. You can watch thousends of vids if you have the time but honestly i dont.
    The next problem was to find a server to play on i found five servers with a good ping and people on it. Thats nothing for a multiplayer    I think the idea of the of the game is good.
    I bought the game to have a nice multi player experience. Then i realized that there is no real tutorial or something like that. You can watch thousends of vids if you have the time but honestly i dont.
    The next problem was to find a server to play on i found five servers with a good ping and people on it. Thats nothing for a multiplayer based game especially if its only half a year old.
    Another nice thing about the game is its community. it was my first game and i got kicked because i had a negative kd about 1/6 even if i played on a server called noob server or something like that.
    But the greatest thing about this game is that is full of cheaters or totally unbalenced. every game has that one or two guys with 50kills and 0deaths after 10min thats GREAT isnt it?
    I do NOT recommend buying or playing this game .

    Btw the graphics are not even bad for pc only title and the i dont want to talk about the AI in the bot games     … Expand
  50. Falrinth
    Jun 29, 2013
    2
    Game lured me to it by combining rts and fps elements and what seemed as asymmetric fps experience. However the sides in this game are "balanced" the way that turns aliens vs marine combat into quake combat, where everyone is very fast moving, bunnyhopes around and spam their attacks. Athmoshpere gets lost in exchange for e-sport quakish combat.
  51. Taldius
    Jun 22, 2013
    10
    I played the NS1 and felt, even today, it is the best FPS game out there. The developers stuck to their guns and did not sell the title out major distributors because they knew they had something. With the addition of NS2 and its added kick-assery, this is the reason gamers need to promote their champions. Best FPS ever! If you don't like Natural Selection you shouldn't be playing FPS.
  52. normyp
    May 23, 2013
    8
    Just bought this and played a quick game. Seems like it has a solid and original concept, what with the commander and all the perks you buy in-game. Seems like a mix between a moba (hon/dota) and a FPS. Shame my framerate was quite low (about 40) I'd imagine if I could get it higher it would be a lot better because the aliens move so fast I barely see... Maybe that's the point. OnlyJust bought this and played a quick game. Seems like it has a solid and original concept, what with the commander and all the perks you buy in-game. Seems like a mix between a moba (hon/dota) and a FPS. Shame my framerate was quite low (about 40) I'd imagine if I could get it higher it would be a lot better because the aliens move so fast I barely see... Maybe that's the point. Only problem is the small(ish) player base so it takes a while to find a decent server. This is FPS at its finest though, this is how aliens vs predator game should've been.… Expand
  53. Elethio
    Apr 28, 2013
    8
    This is a fantastic concept, I never played NS1 but I'm very glad that they developed it into NS2.

    I'm not a massive FPS fan, or a skilled FPS player, but the fact that there are definite strategic elements to this game, means that even if I can't win a certain fight, I can gain a strategic victory in some way, either by scouting for others, supporting others, building items, or simply    This is a fantastic concept, I never played NS1 but I'm very glad that they developed it into NS2.

    I'm not a massive FPS fan, or a skilled FPS player, but the fact that there are definite strategic elements to this game, means that even if I can't win a certain fight, I can gain a strategic victory in some way, either by scouting for others, supporting others, building items, or simply slowing the enemy down.
    and when a game has a good commander it becomes that much easier and more fun to support your team.

    Marines are fun, but I thoroughly enjoy playing as the aliens, they are very distinctive and each have their own style of play.
    The base alien unit, the "Skulk" is by no means the weakest, played properly a single skulk can zip from one side of the map to another, can ambush marines easily, and can quickly close the distance to meelay range against the better armed marines.

    This game has made multiplay FPS's fun again.

    Things that aren't great:

    Random teams, is not random, this could be improved so easily.
    If no-ones talking then the game becomes much less fun.
    The lobby is OK but it could be better, would be nice to have a system for chatting with players outside a specific server.

    A couple more game variations on gameplay would be nice, and maybe some larger "open air" maps would provide some variation.

    Overall this game is a solid 8, and I am being conservative with my rating.    … Expand
  54. Murderist
    Apr 25, 2013
    9
    With its blend of action and strategy coupled with non-linear teams and diverse roles this game is one of the best experiences in online FPS coop to be found.
  55. AidanM
    Mar 29, 2013
    7
    This game is very creative and a great game to play with friends. Modded servers are AMAZING, you could pretty much play a different modded server once per hour for a whole day, and it would never get boring. However, if you are not playing with friends, matchmaking is terrible. Basically what happens is you either select a server or use quick match (which obviously selects a server) andThis game is very creative and a great game to play with friends. Modded servers are AMAZING, you could pretty much play a different modded server once per hour for a whole day, and it would never get boring. However, if you are not playing with friends, matchmaking is terrible. Basically what happens is you either select a server or use quick match (which obviously selects a server) and once the server loads you go to a room where you pick to be a marine or alien. However, once you are in the room, either you pick a side and there is no one playing the game or the sides are locked. Matchmaking never choses a balanced server and it takes forever to find one. The gameplay is very fun, and it is great to play with friends. However, I advise to look elsewhere if you are looking for quick multiplayer games… Expand
  56. Pureray
    Mar 25, 2013
    10
    If they hadn't made a free weekend and sale I wouldn't have bought this very cool game it turns out, and no one should complain about having a bad commander, like if your that upset about it train to become one yourself then you can just blame the team and/or yourself but just try to have fun which is suppose to be the main purpose of playing. The maps are well designed and i'm evenIf they hadn't made a free weekend and sale I wouldn't have bought this very cool game it turns out, and no one should complain about having a bad commander, like if your that upset about it train to become one yourself then you can just blame the team and/or yourself but just try to have fun which is suppose to be the main purpose of playing. The maps are well designed and i'm even playing this game on the lowest settings so I don't lag which is going well. I'll be cutting this short, overall their are alot of great things about this game that you must try out especially if your into rts and fps.… Expand
  57. MrGrin
    Mar 22, 2013
    9
    For English speaking visitors, this review is in russian. Eto nechto novoe, smes strategii i onlajn shutera. ochen zaxvatyvayushhaya dinamika igry. grafika vpolne prilichna dlya onlajn shutera. nedostatok odnoobraznye karty i slozhnost vedeniya boya pri vysokom pinge. est vozmozhnost pobyvat letayushhim monstrom ili gigantskim dinozavrom,a takzhe sest za rul boevogo robota s parnymiFor English speaking visitors, this review is in russian. Eto nechto novoe, smes strategii i onlajn shutera. ochen zaxvatyvayushhaya dinamika igry. grafika vpolne prilichna dlya onlajn shutera. nedostatok odnoobraznye karty i slozhnost vedeniya boya pri vysokom pinge. est vozmozhnost pobyvat letayushhim monstrom ili gigantskim dinozavrom,a takzhe sest za rul boevogo robota s parnymi vosmistvolkami i ognemyotom. v igre prisutstvuyut 2 protivoborstvuyushhie storony: prishelcy, ochen poxozhi na zergov iz starkrafta i morskaya pexota, ochen poxozhi na terranov iz starkrafta. u kazhdoj storony est komanduyushhij kotoromu dayotsya vozmozhnost postroeniya zdanij i razrabotki uluchshenij s vidom sverxu, tak zhe on obladaet vozmozhnostyu davat ukazaniya igrokam. v igre mnogo taktiki, osnovnoe trebovanie unichtozhit vrazheskuyu bazu, takim obrazom mozhno zanimat pervye pozicii v tablice nikogo ne ubivaya, a unichtozhaya zdaniya. bolshoe kolichestvo uluchshenij personazha. pri etom raduet chto razrabotka personazha zavisit ot kolichestva resursov, toest bolshe poloviny igry sily ravny i odnovremenno v igre ne mozhet prisutstvovat bolshoe kolichestvo razrabotannyx personazhej. krome togo umerev v vide razrabotannogo personazha igrok vozrozhdaetsya opyat v nachalnoj forme poteryav pri etom zatrachenye na razrabotku resursy, toest poluchiv vozmozhnost voevat moshhnym boevym robotom ili zhe peredvigayushhimsya s ogromnoj skorostyu monstrom teryaetsya vozmozhnost peret naprolom i prixoditsya byt akkuratnym daby ne poteryat razrabotku. protivoborstvuyushhej storone eto dayot vozmozhnost sobratsya s silami. u prishelcev takzhe est vozmozhnost peredvigatsya po lbym poverxnostyam, bud to potolok, stena, pol ili zhe ventilyacionnaya shaxta dlya bolee skorostnogo i ne zametnogo peredvizheniya po igrovomu prostranstvu, pexota zhe nesposobna peredvigatsya po shaxtam. osobo xochetsya vydelit igrokov podderzhki, oni sposobny lechit druzhestvennyx yunitov, lechitchinit povrezhdyonnye postrojki, stroit barrikady, naprimer v uzkix proxodax i pri etom obladayut xoroshej vozmozhnostyu vesti boevye dejstviya. igra ochen ponravitsya tem kto ponimaet chto glavnoe v igre ne grafika, a xorosho i sbalansirovanno realizovannyj gemplej. igra stoit togo chtob na neyo obratit vnimanie. esli razrabotchiki zajmutsya uluchsheniem dvizhka, fiziki i raznoobraziem igrovyx prostranstv u igry est potencial dlya togo chtoby stat odnim iz luchshix mmo shuterov v mire.… Expand
  58. DivineChaos
    Mar 10, 2013
    10
    NS2 is one of the most fun FPS/Strategy games out there. This is a game that will keep you going for hours, and something to fall back on when new games suck. Great game play and back story its worth more then the $25 asking price on steam.
  59. Atlan
    Mar 8, 2013
    2
    Unless all the fanboys, I see that game with different eyes. The most upsetting part of this game is the still existing unbalance between the Marines and the Aliens. Most of the time the Aliens win the Mid/Late game, because they have their Über-Unit (Onos) that stomps everything in the ground. So that game is fun for a shot time on the Aliens-Side, but after they get their Über-Unit it'sUnless all the fanboys, I see that game with different eyes. The most upsetting part of this game is the still existing unbalance between the Marines and the Aliens. Most of the time the Aliens win the Mid/Late game, because they have their Über-Unit (Onos) that stomps everything in the ground. So that game is fun for a shot time on the Aliens-Side, but after they get their Über-Unit it's getting quite boring and lacks in long time motivation.… Expand
  60. fukery3
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    Extremely fun game with some performance issues and a steep learning curve (hence the -1). Otherwise I really cannot find that much at fault with it.
  61. joob46
    Mar 3, 2013
    6
    I don't like giving this game a low score because the structure of the gameplay and the structure is very fun. I played the first NS and enjoyed it. This new installment has much the old feel. There are issues with weapon damage calculations instantly killing aliens in one hit or doing practically no damage. I can not say for sure that these two issues are one in the same however the alienI don't like giving this game a low score because the structure of the gameplay and the structure is very fun. I played the first NS and enjoyed it. This new installment has much the old feel. There are issues with weapon damage calculations instantly killing aliens in one hit or doing practically no damage. I can not say for sure that these two issues are one in the same however the alien side will typically feel underpowered and you are guaranteed to see players aimbotting on marine side. Fortunately, like LFD2, the special race abilities make it easier to recognize and combat cheating players. I would still recommend the game because it is similar to Left For Dead 2, where once you get a server locked with legit and honest players it can be really fun and competitive. I am surprised the game is available for only twelve dollars that's really cheap for a game like this.… Expand
  62. Sabbelman
    Mar 3, 2013
    10
    Bought it yesterday and all I can say is fantastic! It's the best FPS I've played since TF2. The gameplay is unique and really enjoyable. It has such good controls that I am able to play the Skulk (Standard Alien) pretty decent now. It doesn't encourage teamplay every player is forced by the mechanics to be a teamplayer. The community seems pretty nice there are some scumbags not talkingBought it yesterday and all I can say is fantastic! It's the best FPS I've played since TF2. The gameplay is unique and really enjoyable. It has such good controls that I am able to play the Skulk (Standard Alien) pretty decent now. It doesn't encourage teamplay every player is forced by the mechanics to be a teamplayer. The community seems pretty nice there are some scumbags not talking english in team chat getting upset if nobody understands them) but all in all this game is nearly perfect.… Expand
  63. completenutta
    Feb 28, 2013
    10
    I was apprehensive about buying this initially when my friend described it to me. However, his power of persuasion was good and he talked me round. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised and the game offers something for both RTS and FPS fans, personally I like munching on fresh marine flesh as a skulk! It really is a fantastic game and well worth the money. It continues to beI was apprehensive about buying this initially when my friend described it to me. However, his power of persuasion was good and he talked me round. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised and the game offers something for both RTS and FPS fans, personally I like munching on fresh marine flesh as a skulk! It really is a fantastic game and well worth the money. It continues to be supported by the developers with new features and items constantly being updated or added.… Expand
  64. Uke_
    Feb 28, 2013
    10
    Never played NS1 but NS2 is really a great game. It's great fun to play with your team and the in-game voice-chat makes it perfectly doable to actually work as a team and to coordinate towards victory. Its totally worth to buy it! Enjoy!
  65. maninthebushes
    Feb 21, 2013
    10
    One of my favourite games. A great blend of RTS and FPS, which gets a good variety of players involved. The only issue that I have with the game, is that you must have a solid team, and very good communication. This can be difficult to find at times, but once you do, hours of fun can be had. The alien class makes sure that this is not just two teams with machine guns. It keeps thingsOne of my favourite games. A great blend of RTS and FPS, which gets a good variety of players involved. The only issue that I have with the game, is that you must have a solid team, and very good communication. This can be difficult to find at times, but once you do, hours of fun can be had. The alien class makes sure that this is not just two teams with machine guns. It keeps things interesting, and there being lots to learn, will keep the interest high in this game for a long time… Expand
  66. Dozmo
    Feb 17, 2013
    9
    A truly excellent game. Right up there with StarCraft as one of the best multiplayer RTS games. Make no mistake about it, all but one player on each side uses a FPS point of view, but this is still a strategy game. You win by teamwork, skill and strategy not by FPS skill alone. As an RTS player playing on a decent team, there is a really enjoyable sense of teamwork, aside from the fun FPSA truly excellent game. Right up there with StarCraft as one of the best multiplayer RTS games. Make no mistake about it, all but one player on each side uses a FPS point of view, but this is still a strategy game. You win by teamwork, skill and strategy not by FPS skill alone. As an RTS player playing on a decent team, there is a really enjoyable sense of teamwork, aside from the fun FPS elements and the fact the game looks great. As a commander (someone commanding their team, who uses the RTS view of things) you'll spend much of your time issuing orders to your team via voice chat. With a team that has any understanding of strategy (and most do), this almost completely eliminates micromanagement for you, and means you can spend your time developing map control, thinking strategy, and issuing orders like "PlayerOne, harass BaseName. Try to pull as many of them over there to defend it as you can. Everyone else, group up, wait in LocationOne. When you see them move to BaseName to defend it, hit Base2.". Trying to do that in a traditional RTS would be a lot of micromanagement, but in NS2, its simple. There's a lot to be said about NS2 as an RTS game, and this barely scratches the surface. The main thing, though, is that if you are a fan of team-based shooters, OR a fan of strategy games, I would urge you to definitely give this a try. The combination of RTS+FPS might seem odd, but it works well. Really well. Amazingly well, in fact.… Expand
  67. Barnzy
    Feb 16, 2013
    9
    I have been an NS fan for 10 years now and NS2 which has been built on their own engine is beyond all expectations. Updates are weekly and the game play is unrivaled, with just over 100 hours in game, I would have given it 10 if my progress was stored and accessible somewhere. Fun, exciting, scary and so addictive.
  68. BeatHour
    Feb 16, 2013
    9
    Incredible game. This is extremely fun and a great way to hang out with people. If you're a fan of the Aliens series or if you like sci-fi horror or team games, check this out.

    There are some quirks with balance and such. For example, one side might be able to get a cheesey snipe on important buildings in some areas. Its a multiplayer only game, so success and fun games rely on the    Incredible game. This is extremely fun and a great way to hang out with people. If you're a fan of the Aliens series or if you like sci-fi horror or team games, check this out.

    There are some quirks with balance and such. For example, one side might be able to get a cheesey snipe on important buildings in some areas. Its a multiplayer only game, so success and fun games rely on the competence of players and how well they work together. Speaking of which, the community is super friendly despite the troll era every other game and website is undergoing.

    I've played this for over a hundred hours. Never gets old, despite pretty repetitive maps. I do wish, though, that there were some cooler things like sealing off vents. Maybe if they had a spaceship scenario ala Warcraft 3's 'Parasite' where engines, life support, and power can be shut down. That would be a really cool role-play environment.

    The RTS element works pretty well, but it takes time to learn and if you do it wrong or in a way people don't like you get a lot of backlash. The success of the marine commander depends so much on his marines that it almost makes the aliens, who don't, imbalanced. But that adds to the onslaught/zerg nature of the aliens.

    All in all, its a really good game and its certainly worth it.    … Expand
  69. Nataraja
    Feb 12, 2013
    7
    This is a great game depending on what server you land on. While it is open to modification it is also open to exploits. When you get into an exploit free game the title is simply fantastic. When you are faced with an exploiter or worse a whole server of exploiters the game becomes pointless. The mechanics are great, the atmosphere is intense and while I prefer to play a marine theThis is a great game depending on what server you land on. While it is open to modification it is also open to exploits. When you get into an exploit free game the title is simply fantastic. When you are faced with an exploiter or worse a whole server of exploiters the game becomes pointless. The mechanics are great, the atmosphere is intense and while I prefer to play a marine the aliens can be fun as well. If I could split my score I would give the game play, atmosphere, graphics, and melding of first person shooter with strategy a 10 and give the overly open code a 3. However I am forced to give a single score and reluctantly give it a 7.… Expand
  70. kingplain
    Feb 11, 2013
    7
    I'm a fan of this game. It reminds me a lot of other team based first person shooters (such are Team Fortress) where you can pick from different roles and get an entirely different game play experiences. This is especially nice if you're having an off day in one aspect of the game, just jump to something else. It's also a little bit arcadey in that there's not precise aiming. I keep tryingI'm a fan of this game. It reminds me a lot of other team based first person shooters (such are Team Fortress) where you can pick from different roles and get an entirely different game play experiences. This is especially nice if you're having an off day in one aspect of the game, just jump to something else. It's also a little bit arcadey in that there's not precise aiming. I keep trying to pull up the cross hairs to score head-shots, forgetting that it's just not that kind of game. With so much going on, you really need to spend time honing skills before moving on. Trying to be a jack of all trades too early and you'll stink at everything indefinitely. Instead, practicing with the basic marine and skulk first is a good way to get a firm understanding of what's going on in a way that's always going to be helpful to your teammates because: You are heavily reliant on teammates. A good commander or a good team can overcome deficiencies in other areas. Inversely, strong deficiencies can tank a whole team. Doesn't matter if you're the best FPS in the world. Without upgrades and backup, your skills will be moot against the enemy. It's this that makes it truly a team game. When you win, it feels like everything aligned and you were part of some hand-picked dream team. When you lose, it's fun too, but for different reasons.I'd highly recommend it if you've enjoyed similar team games. One odd side point: the RTS part of this game tends to draw out the Star Craft nerds while the FPS tends to draw out COD jocks. It's a strangely diverse gaming environment (especially when people start getting upset). Reminds me of high school.… Expand
  71. HopZ
    Feb 6, 2013
    10
    If you like teamwork-heavy strategic gameplay, shooters, and strategy games, you should like NS2. If you also used to like playing AvP, you should love NS2. The game loses a point for occasional performance issues, but gains it back in essentially free updates and new features for life.
  72. sythel
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    a small development team and years of hard work producing THE greatest competitive fps game I have ever played. Battles are legendary, every round is unique, strategy and skill twine together to form a brilliant climax of a gaming experience. Slightly hard for new-comers, but impossible to stop playing once attuned to the game-play. the only game that has ever made my heart race froma small development team and years of hard work producing THE greatest competitive fps game I have ever played. Battles are legendary, every round is unique, strategy and skill twine together to form a brilliant climax of a gaming experience. Slightly hard for new-comers, but impossible to stop playing once attuned to the game-play. the only game that has ever made my heart race from action. note: reaction times mean life or death and you need to think outside the box.… Expand
  73. Havocs
    Jan 26, 2013
    0
    Natural Selection was a fantastic modification for Half-Life, albeit imbalanced in some aspects. I remember when first word of NS2 started to circulate. Then small teasers appeared. NS2 looks great, but it's a shame it has strayed from NS in almost every way. The balance is horrible. The new system with Marines having personal resources is, to be blunt, stupid. This takes away any sort ofNatural Selection was a fantastic modification for Half-Life, albeit imbalanced in some aspects. I remember when first word of NS2 started to circulate. Then small teasers appeared. NS2 looks great, but it's a shame it has strayed from NS in almost every way. The balance is horrible. The new system with Marines having personal resources is, to be blunt, stupid. This takes away any sort of leverage the commander had to get people to follow orders instead of going CoD-style. The weapons for the Marines is a joke, the only viable weapon is the starting weapon. The shotgun and grenade launcher has been gimped. Skulk is laughable. Fade is ruined. Onos is simply too much. Long story short, NS2 has appearance, the rest is horrible. Word of advice from an NS beta vet, download NS and forget about NS2. NS2 is horrible.… Expand
  74. Castner
    Jan 24, 2013
    9
    Natural Selection 2 deserves your attention!

    NS2 is a fantastic blend of FPS/RTS and this mixture makes for unique gameplay you wont see anywhere else. The developers 'Unknown Worlds' are progressively supporting their title and have introduced a great many fixes and changes to ensure it makes an impression. I am particularly impressed with their level design, which offers a diversity    Natural Selection 2 deserves your attention!

    NS2 is a fantastic blend of FPS/RTS and this mixture makes for unique gameplay you wont see anywhere else. The developers 'Unknown Worlds' are progressively supporting their title and have introduced a great many fixes and changes to ensure it makes an impression. I am particularly impressed with their level design, which offers a diversity that both parties (Marines/Aliens) can adapt to and use to turn the tide of a match.

    I have seen previous negative reviews with regards to the battles in NS2 and for the most part, they're biased. I have seen both Marines and Alien parties coordinate with one another to create strategies that ultimately win the match. Such as aliens running in packs of 3, focusing power nodes (very important power supply) to harass Marines or Marines splitting in to groups of two to harass two main Alien 'bases' to split the opposition up.

    NS2 is a breath of fresh air and with the way the developers are backing this game, I would suggest that anyone remotely interested give it a try, it will only get better and that's not mentioning how mod friendly it is.    … Expand
  75. nop
    Jan 18, 2013
    5
    I both love and hate this game. Idea is fun, but implementation is abysmal. Let me list some of the points: Horrible framerates even on lowest settings. On a decent system capable of 1080p @ 60 FPS in last year games I only have single-digit framerates in heated battle scenes in sub-HD display resolution and lowest possible settings. Single digits, in a fast-paced game! Network lags. ForI both love and hate this game. Idea is fun, but implementation is abysmal. Let me list some of the points: Horrible framerates even on lowest settings. On a decent system capable of 1080p @ 60 FPS in last year games I only have single-digit framerates in heated battle scenes in sub-HD display resolution and lowest possible settings. Single digits, in a fast-paced game! Network lags. For me, it is next to impossible to hit faster-moving targets. From time to time I suddently find myself in a different corner of the room. Questionable game mechanics and balance, seemingly changing after every patch. Countless minor issues with user interface and controls. alien vision frequently limits visibility instead of improving it, this doesn't make sense. NO MATCHMAKING. Literally, you can find a seasoned veteran being ordered around by someone who sounds like 12-year old child and has a green rookie nickname. This is fun for a few times, but not sustainable in a long term. No support for russian language despite popularity of this game in Russian-speaking countries. I would accept many of these problems if I didn't buy this game for 20 bucks assuming it's a finished game, not an alpha. 9 for what it tries to be, 1 for implementation quality and misleading self-advertisement.… Expand
  76. Saix
    Jan 17, 2013
    10
    Brilliant sequel of good old NS which was... legendary, it took best part of it and added some new awesomeness. It is stongly tied on a teamwork, good commander can do the match, and weak one fails it at the start. So don't try to jump to the console if you don't know what to do.
  77. Aonien
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    Very fun game made with lot of effort from the developers. The only problem I have with it is that I find it too difficult. It's probably just me being terrible at every game. Hohoho.
  78. Flynhigh
    Jan 16, 2013
    10
    Absolutely amazing what Unknown Worlds has done. This game is great and a lot of fun too. Pair up with some friends and it gets even better. I'm always a fan of watching the competitive matches in this as well. It seems as though less and less games have a competitive atmosphere nowadays.
  79. DeadlyCornbread
    Jan 15, 2013
    6
    I never played NS1 so this comes from the perspective of a noob to the game. The game is daunting at first, as either side, but I attempted to join the marine side to get a feel for the game, which was nigh impossible, everyone wanted to be a marine. I did well learning the aliens, and enjoyed my time. After a few games the real game came out to me. Maybe it's my PC but the hit detectionI never played NS1 so this comes from the perspective of a noob to the game. The game is daunting at first, as either side, but I attempted to join the marine side to get a feel for the game, which was nigh impossible, everyone wanted to be a marine. I did well learning the aliens, and enjoyed my time. After a few games the real game came out to me. Maybe it's my PC but the hit detection is way off. I would hammer away on the smallest aliens and they would survive, where as while I played I would take very few rounds before dying. And once the marines got into exos, almost any game I played (even where the alien equivalent was there) the game ended in a win for the marines.

    I want to enjoy this game but my PC can barely handle it, where as it can play games like Rage, Killing Floor, with smooth animations. I want to love this game, but I find it to be a down the middle average game. Great idea and okay gameplay make a title that I'm glad I purchased with a steep discount on sale.    … Expand
  80. Tb87670
    Jan 13, 2013
    0
    This is to help balance out the falsely positive reviews. Probably won't help much, but truth is this suffers what all FPS/RTS hybrids suffer: Mediocre gameplay all round. Not good at anything, forgettable at the least and annoying quite often. Bad interface, gameplay balance, hitreg, basically everything that should have been done right for an RTS or FPS hasn't been done proper in thisThis is to help balance out the falsely positive reviews. Probably won't help much, but truth is this suffers what all FPS/RTS hybrids suffer: Mediocre gameplay all round. Not good at anything, forgettable at the least and annoying quite often. Bad interface, gameplay balance, hitreg, basically everything that should have been done right for an RTS or FPS hasn't been done proper in this hybrid game.… Expand
  81. ArmorForSleep
    Jan 10, 2013
    10
    Absolutely fantastic game,I purchased it the day ti came out and have put in at least a couple hours everyday. I cannot get enough,the game speaks for itself, buy it... you will not regret it
  82. Jhurley
    Jan 8, 2013
    8
    A solid 8, a very good game which i purchased during the steam sale for a good price, i enjoy playing and is a very good combination of FP game play and strategy on the marine sides, i could argue that some of the sides are a bit imbalanced, however on the whole a very good game
  83. ap3z
    Jan 7, 2013
    10
    I could have never imagine that the predecessor of the Natural Selection 1 Halflife-Mod, which i played many many hours, could be even more competitive! But it's true. The new elements especially the Expansion of your base is very well improved and well thought through. I love this game.
    For new players the game will be disconcerting and complicated at first. But the learning curve is    I could have never imagine that the predecessor of the Natural Selection 1 Halflife-Mod, which i played many many hours, could be even more competitive! But it's true. The new elements especially the Expansion of your base is very well improved and well thought through. I love this game.
    For new players the game will be disconcerting and complicated at first. But the learning curve is rising fast.
    Don't forget to use a microphone. To get the full fighting and competitive experience it is absolutely necessary to communicate with your team!    … Expand
  84. Gomolka623
    Jan 6, 2013
    10
    I loved the original and I love this even more. Standard NS mode is great for RTS/Strategy lovers and FPS fans alike. CO mode provides casual gamers with some simple, standard play with quicker rounds and have an experience based more on individual performance.
  85. Shihamut
    Jan 6, 2013
    9
    Marvelous game, every bit as entertaining as Natural Selection was years ago. The most important thing to understand about this game is that everything was made by a handful of dedicated people with an ENORMOUS modding community behind their back every step of the way. New content will be continuously released (including combat mode from ns1) on a monthly/weekly basis including: maps,Marvelous game, every bit as entertaining as Natural Selection was years ago. The most important thing to understand about this game is that everything was made by a handful of dedicated people with an ENORMOUS modding community behind their back every step of the way. New content will be continuously released (including combat mode from ns1) on a monthly/weekly basis including: maps, models and skins, game types, etc.
    As with any mixed-genre game, getting a grasp of ns2 can be a challenge. Marines/aliens with sub-par FPS skills will be worse off than the counter-strike gods, and commanders that breathe Red Alert will be tactical masters in just a few games. There is variety of playing styles to suit you, whether its being a scout for your team to warn of incoming threats/enemy positions, supporting by building or protecting valuable ground, or endlessly assaulting the enemy base, you can sink hours at a time into this game without even knowing you've killed half of your free day.
    Sadly, as with most online games (mostly the PC versions), teamwork is a HEAVY requirement. For some people this may make the game, for others it will break it, but regardless playing with friends and communicating with your team is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. Remember, you could easily kill a few marines and look cool, or you could strategically kill the power and prevent many more from spawning.
    Now for the reason it can't be a 10, and maybe never will be... Latency scripting. No matter how 'professional' or 'godlike' or 'stronk' you may be, having a ping above 100 will ALMOST ALWAYS ruin your gameplay. You might hear things like "wall hacker" and "godmode" and such, when in reality you're shooting 2 feet behind the skulk lagging like a b*tch, or biting where the marine was nearly a second ago. Sure, your damage drawer might shot -420 on a skulk, but that guy dodged every shot on his screen, and he happened to roll a 6 this time around while you got a 5. For this, all I can say is to bear with UWE until they can polish their coding. Until then, for everyone's sake, don't join a server if your ping is gnarly.
    Anywho, if you played the first NS, you owe it to yourself (and possibly your childhood) to buy this game. Great remix of classic NS1, with a few additional key elements to balance it out once and for all, as well as some added quirks, tech tree elements, and skills.

    P.S. currently $10 on steam until 1/7/13    … Expand
  86. Sairothon
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    What a wonderful game. It's combines FPS and RTS together very well and creates a unique experience rarely if ever found in other games. It's a lot of fun and playing with people who know what they're doing makes this all the more enjoyable. Playing on both sides is great fun; aliens can chomp at the legs of marines and evolve into creatures that range from flying units to giantWhat a wonderful game. It's combines FPS and RTS together very well and creates a unique experience rarely if ever found in other games. It's a lot of fun and playing with people who know what they're doing makes this all the more enjoyable. Playing on both sides is great fun; aliens can chomp at the legs of marines and evolve into creatures that range from flying units to giant rhino-looking aliens. Playing on the marines side is a ton of fun as well; more team work involved, I believe. The guns are used in a very old-school way (no aim down site), which I can definitely appreciate. But this is just from the FPS side, the RTS side is also great fun, but also where most of my criticism stems from. As an avid gamer who plays anything from RTS to FPS to side scrollers, I can sadly say that the commander mechanics in this game are not that great. In my RTS's, I like to be able to make control groups, double tap the key for that control group to center on it, and to queue commands on my units; but unfortunately, none of these things are present in Natural Selection 2, which alienates a lot of would-be commanders. The ability to learn commander is also very difficult. Going into a random server with players on it and jumping in on the commander's seat for the first time will more than likely result in a loss for your team and them getting mad at you, so jumping in on a pub server is not ideal for learning how to play commander. There is an explorer mode, but that starts you out with more buildings and resources than what you would in an actual game, and seeing as you have no marines to do anything for you and have no enemy,, you can't really learn all that much. What I feel would greatly help aspiring commanders would be an offline mode with really basic bots, but that does not currently exist. However, asides from my gripes with the RTS side of the game, this is a really wonderful and unique title and you'd be missing out were you to not pick this up at some point.… Expand
  87. Grugnir
    Jan 2, 2013
    3
    I applaud the effort put into making this game, and the risk the developers took starting a new company and going with some new ideas. I didn't play NS1 Half Life mod, so I was turned on to this game by a friend. As soon as he said "FPS/RTS combo" I was sold. It really is a neat concept, but it is very poorly executed. On the surface, it seems like this should be a game of possibilities:I applaud the effort put into making this game, and the risk the developers took starting a new company and going with some new ideas. I didn't play NS1 Half Life mod, so I was turned on to this game by a friend. As soon as he said "FPS/RTS combo" I was sold. It really is a neat concept, but it is very poorly executed. On the surface, it seems like this should be a game of possibilities: the two sides being different, the team play, the RTS/FPS combo effect, the individual purchases and group upgrades. The end result, unfortunately, is a game of limitations. You will spend most of the game using either an ineffective assault rifle or spamming the space bar, trying not to lose proper perspective while biting. There is little variety in what you are allowed to do and the few things you can do you will not really spend much time using. Marines die quickly, so purchased weapons will be lost, aliens get greater variety but it isn't much to speak of. The levels are all the same, a function of the aliens being only melee, which gets stale quickly. The RTS as commander is a bit hard to get used to but solid once you figure it out. However, commanders don't get too many options for things to do. The game is very rigid in the build/research paths and there isn't a lot you can really do to customize the force available. With aliens you get a bit more than marines, but you can't really follow a research tree to anything unique or amazing. All in all, the limitations on what is available, and with the high prices of evolving/buying coupled with the short lifespan inherent in corridor combat games makes it a pretty unremarkable experience.… Expand
  88. Rokkyu2nd
    Jan 2, 2013
    8
    Natural Selection 2 is one of the best online multiplayer on PC but it still has some minor problems PRO
    Awesome Combat good game for teamwork
    Big maps Large difference between Alien combat and Frontiersman combat.
    CON only 4 maps bad FPS (the most i got was 25FPS )
  89. Bitter_Boy
    Dec 31, 2012
    6
    Make some maps for this game please! There are only a few good maps (tram, mineshaft, summit, refinery), and of those, only summit is a truly good one. This game is marketted as having a user-friendly, powerful map making engine, but in all the years of development it has only been able to squeeze out a handful of small, dry lumps. This really hurts the replay value of the game. Yes,Make some maps for this game please! There are only a few good maps (tram, mineshaft, summit, refinery), and of those, only summit is a truly good one. This game is marketted as having a user-friendly, powerful map making engine, but in all the years of development it has only been able to squeeze out a handful of small, dry lumps. This really hurts the replay value of the game. Yes, obviously there is more to the game than just maps (I could mention snail's pace devepment,or silly gameplay mechanics that were removed from NS1 for good reason, but have inexplicably made their way back into NS2 because Flayra thinks they are "cute"), but they are well covered in other reviews.… Expand
  90. Galihurst
    Dec 30, 2012
    10
    I created an Metacritic account for this game alone, for such careless Reviewers causing the game to orginally get a score of under 80%, which inturn put off at least 6 people i know not to buy the game despite my temptations. Savege 1 and 2 were both great games ahead for its time and exactly the same formular RTS/FPS
    Now that Natural Selection 2 has been released the Type of game    I created an Metacritic account for this game alone, for such careless Reviewers causing the game to orginally get a score of under 80%, which inturn put off at least 6 people i know not to buy the game despite my temptations. Savege 1 and 2 were both great games ahead for its time and exactly the same formular RTS/FPS
    Now that Natural Selection 2 has been released the Type of game hopfully will mature to all walks of life.

    Quickly sum it up:- Star Craft like RTS + Counter Strike/Team Fortress 2 Class FPS system + Quirky Combat from Alien Vs Pred that synagies really well is a game that will mature and survive, not to mention fully open source modding, to allow endless creations and fully Game Conversion Servers for Years to come!

    A True Game, Made by Gamers, for Gamers!    … Expand
  91. Rusty_Bananas
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    Natural Selection 2's game design is amazing. a seamless blend of RTS and FPS pits marines versus aliens in a fight to destroy the opposite teams command center/hive. While the game does suffer from the occasional crash or lag spike, it isn't very often and you'll hardly care because you will be having so much fun. One thing to note is that the Alien team does generally require a bit moreNatural Selection 2's game design is amazing. a seamless blend of RTS and FPS pits marines versus aliens in a fight to destroy the opposite teams command center/hive. While the game does suffer from the occasional crash or lag spike, it isn't very often and you'll hardly care because you will be having so much fun. One thing to note is that the Alien team does generally require a bit more skill to play effectively then the marines but after playing the Aliens for a day or two you will have mastered the tools you need to be an effective killing machine.… Expand
  92. Vistance
    Dec 28, 2012
    5
    So it seems this is one of those games where any negative score just gets spammed with Not helpful, and all the 10's get Helpful. Please, stop fooling yourselves it's not helping anyone to lie and say this game is a 10/10. The truth is, the game is fun but as it is it's terribly unbalanced. Skulks are unbalanced early game, far too many Zerg rushes can occur and their speed and mobilitySo it seems this is one of those games where any negative score just gets spammed with Not helpful, and all the 10's get Helpful. Please, stop fooling yourselves it's not helping anyone to lie and say this game is a 10/10. The truth is, the game is fun but as it is it's terribly unbalanced. Skulks are unbalanced early game, far too many Zerg rushes can occur and their speed and mobility makes it next to impossible for a marine to kill them. Late game, aliens are too weak - they lack the strong units that the marines have. The original Natural Selection was free, and it was balanced pretty well - but this is ridiculous. Game balance is the number one complaint I have with the game. The mechanics are fine, but until the glaringly unbalanced issues are resolved I won't be playing this.… Expand
  93. keefbaker
    Dec 28, 2012
    10
    Ok, to all the people saying "it's only fun as marine" watch the tutorial videos and you'll see how to play as an alien because playing s an alien makes it a completely different game from being a marine. A marine plays like A N Other FPS but the aliens require tactics and learning your chosen form. Personally now I've learned it I prefer playing as alien and it really makes the game whenOk, to all the people saying "it's only fun as marine" watch the tutorial videos and you'll see how to play as an alien because playing s an alien makes it a completely different game from being a marine. A marine plays like A N Other FPS but the aliens require tactics and learning your chosen form. Personally now I've learned it I prefer playing as alien and it really makes the game when you get on a server where people understand how to play as aliens and you end up with a great game.… Expand
  94. Swirler
    Dec 27, 2012
    8
    Im a fairly new player to NS and my experience so far has been pretty good. I was a little intimidated initially as there is a learning curve. Aliens have a fairly different playing style, but whether you pick them or not - you still need to know what each type does. Still, its thanks to this we have a nice change of pace from other multiplayer FPSs, that and the role of the commander.Im a fairly new player to NS and my experience so far has been pretty good. I was a little intimidated initially as there is a learning curve. Aliens have a fairly different playing style, but whether you pick them or not - you still need to know what each type does. Still, its thanks to this we have a nice change of pace from other multiplayer FPSs, that and the role of the commander. Which brings me to the negatives. The commander is a key part of your success, even with otherwise balanced teams (skill wise - both sides), if your commander doesnt know what he/she is doing and/or doesnt communicate, you will lose. A more helpful (interactive) tutorial would really benefit in this area. In the end, while this game can offer much fun, its biggest strength is also its biggest weakness - teams that do not work together will be hammered, leading to an unpleasant experience. Personally, out of a dozen or so games so far, its been a complete mixed bag - sometimes playing with no voice comm and people lone-wolfing which leads inevitably to a loss and potentially nasty messages, and other times playing with an experienced commander that has resulted in a mostly (7/8) green (rookie) team to victory, which was great fun!… Expand
  95. kingzardoz
    Dec 25, 2012
    5
    I hate giving a game like this such a low score because you can tell a lot of passion and effort went into making it. I played the old natural selection mod for 1 day but it was still unfinished at the time and I didn't really understand it so my review is not from the perspective of everything in NS2 should be like NS1. Starting with performance, this game is about as bad as they comeI hate giving a game like this such a low score because you can tell a lot of passion and effort went into making it. I played the old natural selection mod for 1 day but it was still unfinished at the time and I didn't really understand it so my review is not from the perspective of everything in NS2 should be like NS1. Starting with performance, this game is about as bad as they come with optimization. If you're buying this game make sure you have an i5-7 processor or AMD equivalent because from what I've read this game takes all the processing power you can throw at it. My video card is decent enough and plays many games at max settings 1080Hd res but if I go anywhere near mid-max settings on this game the video starts to stutter. According to the forums the problem is caused by my weak processor (8400 wolfdale) and not by my video card so I run the game at very low settings to make it playable. In my non-expert opinion the small dev team should have just licensed some game engine and used that instead of trying to invent their own. Now to the gameplay, this game is treated like a casual fps multiplayer where players can drop in and out of a game and switch teams but this style of matchmaking does not work with the gameplay which is far from casual. I would say 80% of your victory/loss relies on the commander which is a lot of pressure to put on one position that can be taken by simply walking up to the hive and pressing E. I held off on writing this review until I played in some more "advanced" servers but I noticed they behaved in a similar fashion to the "rookie" servers. Lack of commanders and bad commanders doing nothing (no upgrades, no communication). Without upgrades or communication from the comm the game is over yet you have to sit through the whole round unless everybody drops out to the lobby. Why not require a comm to be picked before the round starts and maybe add an ability to vote for comms if multiple people want to command. The current system is just absurd. If your team gets behind because there is no commander or there is a total idiot with no communication skills commanding the round is over. I have yet to see a team recover from such a setback. I have no problem with unforgiving team games (I play a lot of dota2) but at least structure the matchmaking properly with rating systems or voting systems or something. When you break it all down I don't even think voting or ratings would help the game because it is structurally flawed by putting too much responsibility on one position. In the 20 NS2 games I've played, about 1 or 2 were evenly matched. Im not giving up on the game because I think it could offer some unique teamplay aspects but to stay sane I might have to start learning to be a commander when nobody else steps up to the task.… Expand
  96. Crook3d
    Dec 25, 2012
    8
    Fantastic job of expanding and improving, while still maintaining the feel of the original. Few developers have the guts to take on the challenge of building a team vs team gave with a non-mirrored playstyle. While the balance is delicate, and a competent team is required to get the most from games, it's a ton of fun, and well worth the wait. With a price tag at half of what big developersFantastic job of expanding and improving, while still maintaining the feel of the original. Few developers have the guts to take on the challenge of building a team vs team gave with a non-mirrored playstyle. While the balance is delicate, and a competent team is required to get the most from games, it's a ton of fun, and well worth the wait. With a price tag at half of what big developers charge for comparable content, it's a deal.… Expand
  97. JudgeHolden
    Dec 23, 2012
    9
    15 years ago I played StarCraft, 12 years ago I played Aliens vs Predator. Now these two games combine to create a spectacular mix of strategy, tactics, teamwork, and FPS. The game sucked me in like no other this year. I recommend it to every fan of the abovementioned titles. Despite some flaws (engine optimalization not at its best, no commander = no fun), Natural Selection 2 merits15 years ago I played StarCraft, 12 years ago I played Aliens vs Predator. Now these two games combine to create a spectacular mix of strategy, tactics, teamwork, and FPS. The game sucked me in like no other this year. I recommend it to every fan of the abovementioned titles. Despite some flaws (engine optimalization not at its best, no commander = no fun), Natural Selection 2 merits universal acclaim!… Expand
  98. Comrade_Suhov
    Dec 23, 2012
    10
    This Autumn is reach for great indie games. Not **** ones with pixel art, cubes and anime style, but for real titles not dumbed down by some publishers. First one was a Chivlary: Medeival Warfare. The second one is Natura Selection 2. They both came out of nowhere for me, and as for NS2, thrill of this game is on par with monsters like DOTA2 . Really, a game from indie studio on self-madeThis Autumn is reach for great indie games. Not **** ones with pixel art, cubes and anime style, but for real titles not dumbed down by some publishers. First one was a Chivlary: Medeival Warfare. The second one is Natura Selection 2. They both came out of nowhere for me, and as for NS2, thrill of this game is on par with monsters like DOTA2 . Really, a game from indie studio on self-made engine easily beats most modern online games. There are few issues, lack of normal training mode but fear not. Once you learn how this game work, you'll spend days in it. P.S. While game engine is not some sort of DX11 monster like Frostbite 2 or CryEngine 3 I can tell for sure, infestation animation is the best visual effect I saw this year on PC.… Expand
  99. Garrit
    Dec 23, 2012
    10
    The most fun I've had in a long time! I have got all my friends hooked on it. Definitely worth the money! Do not hesitate to buy this! You won't regret it!
  100. gfaccin
    Dec 22, 2012
    5
    The game itself is very cool: good mechanics and playability. The problem are the bugs: I can't play an evening without having 10 to 15 crashes. Every night! Fells like more of a beta game than a real release.

    We have the "pure virtual function call" error, the rendering error where blue squares appear instead of itens, and others. All that in windows 7 32 bits, which by the way did not    The game itself is very cool: good mechanics and playability. The problem are the bugs: I can't play an evening without having 10 to 15 crashes. Every night! Fells like more of a beta game than a real release.

    We have the "pure virtual function call" error, the rendering error where blue squares appear instead of itens, and others. All that in windows 7 32 bits, which by the way did not even work on the first days after the release, for the frustration of those who bought it on pre-order. Even the error handler fails to send the devs the message containing the crash data in some bugs, so most likely they won't be fixed soon.

    My piece of advice: wait 1 or 2 years before buying this game. Perhaps it will be less unstable by then. Or be very very patient with the crashes when playing.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PC Game of 2012
32
#32 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 10, 2013
    71
    Certainly not for newcomers in the genre; but it’s a blast for hardcore gamers that crave for action instead of the classic FPS mechanics and want matches that last something between a Counter-Strike and Battlefield 3 battle. [March 2013]
  2. Thunderbolt
    Feb 15, 2013
    60
    Natural Selection 2 is unquestionably a unique title, but its bar to entry is incredibly high for the average FPS player. For the hardcore strategist, it has its appeal, but its complexity severely limits the enjoyment in matches that aren’t significantly populated by experts at the game.
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  3. CD-Action
    Feb 6, 2013
    75
    I am sure Natural Selection 2 will gather a group of devoted fans. After all it’s a good, surprisingly original game. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.50]
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