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. Heavymetal4life
    Dec 20, 2012
    5
    The game itself is like everyone says , fun times but omfg the load screen to join a game is stupid dumb annoying. I literally sit from 5-15mins waiting for it to load then initialize then precache, etc etc etc its **** retarded.
  2. tomkilla
    Dec 19, 2012
    10
    I played Natural Selection mod for Half-Life and it absolutely thrilled me. As I heard about Natural Selection 2 is in developement I was following every single step from the dev-team regarding NS2 and when it came out I did not get disappointed. To me it is the game of the year and one of the best games ever created.
  3. Odessa
    Dec 17, 2012
    9
    This game is awesome. It just goes to show what can happen when a small developer can rally a loyal fanbase. The Good - Graphics: Just awesome. I can't believe a small developer pulled this off, with their own house-made engine to boot.
    Gameplay: Two great asymmetrical factions with dynamic upgrades and counters.
    Sound: Best sound design I've hear in a while. From the music to    This game is awesome. It just goes to show what can happen when a small developer can rally a loyal fanbase. The Good - Graphics: Just awesome. I can't believe a small developer pulled this off, with their own house-made engine to boot.
    Gameplay: Two great asymmetrical factions with dynamic upgrades and counters.
    Sound: Best sound design I've hear in a while. From the music to growling aliens to the yelps of dying marines, this game has the best atmospheric sound compared to any other new release.
    Community: I feel like a lot of newer multiplayer games have a toxic community right from the start. Not so in NS. Yeah, you have some tryhards, but I have yet to have obscenities thrown my way or screamed at. Also, this game is extremely open to mods. There's already quite a few good ones made by some very talented community members.

    The Bad:
    Gameplay: This game has a fairly high learning curve, and I see a lot players who are not familiar with the first game struggling. You are also punished very hard for having a bad commander, but I'm not sure what could be down about that.
    Stability: I've had this game crash and freeze on me quite a few times, but it seems to be getting better with each patch.    … Expand
  4. leXith
    Dec 16, 2012
    9
    If you don't own NS2, I highly recommend you pick it up. The game is absolutely GORGEous! The game play is addicting and with FPS and RTS elements you simply can't go wrong spending hours in this game.

    The game balance is a little off and that's the only reason I've deducted a single point from this title. When they come back and address this, I'll rewrite this review. Anyway, the    If you don't own NS2, I highly recommend you pick it up. The game is absolutely GORGEous! The game play is addicting and with FPS and RTS elements you simply can't go wrong spending hours in this game.

    The game balance is a little off and that's the only reason I've deducted a single point from this title. When they come back and address this, I'll rewrite this review.

    Anyway, the fact that they've opened it to the Steam community with the workshop has brought a LOT of custom content including the old school game type, Combat, as well as maps from the previous game (NS1) and re-skins for just about everything. This fact alone helps push this community and the game to another level.

    A tip for people playing as marines... disable atmospherics. This will allow you to see clearly when other players are using their flashlights. If it doesn't bother you, it really adds a realistic lighting effect to the entire game and looks absolutely beautiful, I just wish they would tone it down a bit so it doesn't hinder visibility. All in all, if you like FPS and RTS games, this is a must own and a no-brainer.    … Expand
  5. badirontree
    Dec 15, 2012
    10
    This game is just Epic. The work these 3-4 people did is Godlike ... I am a programmer and i am impressed ... More maps will be out soon all for Free! You will get patches and Upgrades for free the next 2-3 years like NS1... The support from the modders is big like in Skyrim
  6. Tulipunahapero
    Dec 10, 2012
    9
    I wish Aliens vs Predator 2 multiplayer was alive. I bet it would have been awsome but then I heard about Natural Selection 2. I loved the game but I have to complain about one thing. Marines, they are too powerful against aliens. Save in-game money for that big power suit and aliens chance to win is close to 0. There are too little maps but your main base will never be in the same place.I wish Aliens vs Predator 2 multiplayer was alive. I bet it would have been awsome but then I heard about Natural Selection 2. I loved the game but I have to complain about one thing. Marines, they are too powerful against aliens. Save in-game money for that big power suit and aliens chance to win is close to 0. There are too little maps but your main base will never be in the same place. It gives enough variety until new maps are added.

    In NS2 forums they say that even if you bite marine it either did a lot of damage or barely at all. Pro players can land 3 to 4 hits on marine and he is dead. Even after 9 bites I still get killed and marine runs away healthy. I have no idea how to do perfect bite and kill marine. If there was some sort of limit for those superman suits or make them cost more, the game was better and I would enjoy playing as an alien. Right now marines are the ones who always win. I have seen only 5 games where marines have lost and I have played the game about 100 hours.    … Expand
  7. OoieGooie
    Dec 7, 2012
    5
    The game has a lot of promise but the system in which decides the winning losing team is too quick and before you know it, you're either owning the other team or getting your face smashed in. You don't simply lose the game, oh no, it takes a while which is very frustrating. Even if you win, its a slaughter and not a very rewarding experience.

    If your Commander is bad, you will lose.    The game has a lot of promise but the system in which decides the winning losing team is too quick and before you know it, you're either owning the other team or getting your face smashed in. You don't simply lose the game, oh no, it takes a while which is very frustrating. Even if you win, its a slaughter and not a very rewarding experience.

    If your Commander is bad, you will lose. You know this quickly as they don't talk. Teams need to communicate which is fair enough. Just something to point out how critical commanders are. If you have friends, get them to play. Communicate a LOT and get one of them to learn the commanders role. Get some tactics and maybe, just maybe the game will be fun.

    Not recommended for casual gamers.

    Buy Planetside 2 or Teamfortress 2 instead.    … Expand
  8. Zaphrous
    Dec 6, 2012
    9
    My favorite game right now. If you do go out and buy it the game is pretty balanced, but aliens are not like most FPS so it may feel like they are horribly unbalanced. Marines play pretty straightforward FPS style. While aliens starting form is very squishy melee attacker. This means in a shootout you will always lose. But if you learn to jump around when fighting, and hide in goodMy favorite game right now. If you do go out and buy it the game is pretty balanced, but aliens are not like most FPS so it may feel like they are horribly unbalanced. Marines play pretty straightforward FPS style. While aliens starting form is very squishy melee attacker. This means in a shootout you will always lose. But if you learn to jump around when fighting, and hide in good locations (since you can cling to walls/ceilings) you can usually start the fight up close, which is where the aliens do well. The game is basically a tug of war / map control game where you try to take control of resources on the map and hold them while taking/disrupting the enemy. Resources allow your team to generate more powerful weapons and equipment for marines, or more advanced lifeforms and upgrades for aliens. The ultimate goal is to push the other team off of the map.… Expand
  9. funkywhale
    Dec 5, 2012
    10
    The concept for this game is fantastic! I have always been a big fan of the RTS and FPS, and having that freedom to switch between what is essentially two different games as commander or grunt is incredible. Have it be known that this game is by no means easy. A sense of team-building being absolutely necessary really starts to dawn on you as you begin to figure out the game. The only wayThe concept for this game is fantastic! I have always been a big fan of the RTS and FPS, and having that freedom to switch between what is essentially two different games as commander or grunt is incredible. Have it be known that this game is by no means easy. A sense of team-building being absolutely necessary really starts to dawn on you as you begin to figure out the game. The only way a team succeeds is communication. The commander must direct his or her grunts, whilst the grunts must equally provide crucial information to the commander. I highly recommend this game!… Expand
  10. Krullkrigaren
    Dec 5, 2012
    9
    Never heard of natural selection, until the day before it was released. I thought i looked pretty damn cool so I bought it, only like 200 swedish kr. And I played it, at first I didn't understand so much, and because of my **** pc it ran pretty bad. But after about 10 hours, i fell in love. This game is one of my favorites, it's addictive as hell and I can't stop playing it. And the lag isNever heard of natural selection, until the day before it was released. I thought i looked pretty damn cool so I bought it, only like 200 swedish kr. And I played it, at first I didn't understand so much, and because of my **** pc it ran pretty bad. But after about 10 hours, i fell in love. This game is one of my favorites, it's addictive as hell and I can't stop playing it. And the lag is not as bad as it used to, i have a stable 50-40 fps now all the time, except i massive battles ofc. But otherwise it runs pretty smooth. It's only 22 euro on steam so you should go out and buy it! Even if your pc is **** you can play as a commander!… Expand
  11. Garfunkel64
    Dec 4, 2012
    9
    So, you may be wondering to yourself "How good is this game?" The answer: Spectacular. This game blends RTS and FPS flawlessly, better than any other game I've seen to date. The game is of course full-on multiplayer, as many games are leaning toward now. The game favors the fast-twitch style gunplay of CS: Source, GO, etc. while the Real-time strategy aspect caters to all kinds ofSo, you may be wondering to yourself "How good is this game?" The answer: Spectacular. This game blends RTS and FPS flawlessly, better than any other game I've seen to date. The game is of course full-on multiplayer, as many games are leaning toward now. The game favors the fast-twitch style gunplay of CS: Source, GO, etc. while the Real-time strategy aspect caters to all kinds of playstyles, be it turtling, rushing, or aggressive expansion. The commander makes or breaks the team, which is where this review comes to a mid-point on the goodness. If you get a commander that is New, Uncooperative, or just plain bad, you are at a very serious disadvantage, which makes the learning curve of beginning Comms steeeeeeeeeeep. The players are usually very helpful in pointing new folks in the right direction, leading me to believe that the community of this game is one of the best I've seen or been a part of. This game is revolutionary and deserves more recognition than it's gotten thus far. Its beauty, brains, and brawn all outweigh the small aspects that bring it down from a perfect 10. Get this game, if you're a FPS OR RTS fan, you won't be disappointed, which isn't something you can say often.… Expand
  12. Migi06
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    Great game but gamespot ruined metacritic score :(. Not as good as NS1 but still great enough. This isn't helpful review but neither isn't first from gamespot. The real score is like 89/90 but I will still give 10 ;) In my opinion this game needs constant tweaking like NS1.. Game isn't fully ready and it does miss some features, game engine need some optimizing and balance tweaks in many years..
  13. Duekiller
    Nov 30, 2012
    4
    The game is pretty fun for a little while definitely well built, but I uninstalled after about 20 hours of game play due to the sole reason that balancing was apparently done for tournament play. As a casual gamer I expected to lose on the pub servers, but when over 3 days playing as a marine (which I enjoyed better than aliens) I managed to win only 1 game barely due to the fact that theThe game is pretty fun for a little while definitely well built, but I uninstalled after about 20 hours of game play due to the sole reason that balancing was apparently done for tournament play. As a casual gamer I expected to lose on the pub servers, but when over 3 days playing as a marine (which I enjoyed better than aliens) I managed to win only 1 game barely due to the fact that the teams were stacked is a pretty good indicator that this is nothing but an exercise in frustration.

    For a multiplayer game such poor balancing for casual gaming is inexcusable and the community will probably die in the upcoming months. If you are looking for a game that will last you a while there really is nothing here.    … Expand
  14. PeteTong
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    This game has the same vibe and feel of the first one, a game which I spent days of my life playing years ago. There is some room for optimization in the engine (it is brand new). I feel like the engine just needs a bit of work to make everything appear smoother, but the game-play is there, and I'm just as excited as I used to be to launch Natural-Selection 2.
  15. brand_eins
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    Very good game, very unique. Has it very own style. I really like it. I hope they bring a demo soon for the undecided buyers among the players. Have fun with that game.
  16. Lezrup
    Nov 25, 2012
    10
    This is a must have for players who are looking for a challenge in First Person Shooters. After all this years there is a game which fits in what I was searching for. A game with brain and fast reaction which brings you to your limit. Only the huge hardware hungry engine is what feels unplaced in this genre but the netcode feels so right. I guess they will fix the performance in the future.
  17. Leprechaun_exe
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    I love this game, I love the RTS/FPS combination, and I think that both sides of this game are very well intertwined. Natural Selection 2 has a bit of a steep learning curve, but rookie servers allow new players to learn the ropes without blame. There are no introductions, just gameplay videos that don't help out too much. There is, however, an "Explore Mode" to test out some of the basicI love this game, I love the RTS/FPS combination, and I think that both sides of this game are very well intertwined. Natural Selection 2 has a bit of a steep learning curve, but rookie servers allow new players to learn the ropes without blame. There are no introductions, just gameplay videos that don't help out too much. There is, however, an "Explore Mode" to test out some of the basic features of the game. The three lost points were due to the fact that this game still plays like it is in beta. It has crashed on me many times, and servers are frequently laggy. The game once crashed my computer too, and this is an Asus gaming desktop that runs SC2, ME3, LoL and many other games on ultra quality, double-chip. I would recommend this game, but I do hope that Unknown Worlds continues to patch and troubleshoot, because there is a long way to go before I can say that this game runs well.… Expand
  18. JKooL
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Anyone looking for some more strategy and sophistication in their online game should look no further than NS2. It's a refreshing change of pace from Call of Duty. Sure, there are problems and balance issues to work out, but the game is addictive, polished, and just a ton of fun. This is a team game through and through, so hot head rambo need not apply.
  19. gabej32
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    amazing upgrade from the first! still thrilling and fun, wish gamespot weren't screw ups and messed the score up because it definitely is not 7.9 being the fact that the users score it 9.3 out of 10 shows the fan based. The one thing I love about the game is the community, the fact that there not just immature teenagers playing a cod or halo is a blessing to this game... Fun RTS playingamazing upgrade from the first! still thrilling and fun, wish gamespot weren't screw ups and messed the score up because it definitely is not 7.9 being the fact that the users score it 9.3 out of 10 shows the fan based. The one thing I love about the game is the community, the fact that there not just immature teenagers playing a cod or halo is a blessing to this game... Fun RTS playing as commander but also allows individuals the ability to choose what weapons they want as oppose to NS1 where the commander would have to drop weapons .... bottom line is great game!… Expand
  20. rtopete
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    Natural Selection is one of the most innovative games I have ever played in my life.

    The sheer value of this game is astronomical. What a neat idea of incorporating RTS with FPS. If you like team based multiplayer games, this one is for you. The team of 7 people did a phenomenal job of truly making this a sequel of Natural Selection 1. Highly Recommend this to everyone!
  21. Destrier
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    This is what all gaming should be like. You feel like you're in a science fiction action movie--crawling through vents and leaping onto soldiers as an alien in a hunting pack, mowing down invaders in a marine in an armored suit, or making your last stand as the enemy closes in. The game runs at 60fps on even my MacBook Pro laptop (under Windows) and is gorgeous. The air is filled withThis is what all gaming should be like. You feel like you're in a science fiction action movie--crawling through vents and leaping onto soldiers as an alien in a hunting pack, mowing down invaders in a marine in an armored suit, or making your last stand as the enemy closes in. The game runs at 60fps on even my MacBook Pro laptop (under Windows) and is gorgeous. The air is filled with smoke, metal objects realistically reflect the environment, and you become splatted with gore during melee attacks. Teamwork is tight and essential. Because it is all-multiplayer on sprawling maps, every game is unique and I can't wait to jump back in at the end. This is the strongest game of the year, even though it is an indie title.… Expand
  22. Skug
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    I am a dedicated player, with an overall "experience" of nearly 20 years of gaming, not concentrated on one single genre. I had a lot of favorite games during this time and natural selection 2 is the best online team based and action oriented gaming experience seen so far in my opinon.
    The start itself could be a bit hard for beginners, if you are new to this concept of first person    I am a dedicated player, with an overall "experience" of nearly 20 years of gaming, not concentrated on one single genre. I had a lot of favorite games during this time and natural selection 2 is the best online team based and action oriented gaming experience seen so far in my opinon.
    The start itself could be a bit hard for beginners, if you are new to this concept of first person shooter combined with real time strategy. so there are some learnings in the beginning: you shouldnt finally judge the game during the first played games. but if you invest some time to understand the differences of the alien creatures, the techtrees, general gameplay mechanics and maps, you will be rewarded with one of the best long-term motivating, innovative games ever created!

    a well designed atmosphere, superb gameplay, exciting matches, good balancing, an active community and a developer with real passion for his title. nothing missing for me...    … Expand
  23. Smarticus
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    This game is an amazing blend of FPS & RTS. If you like team-based games, you're in for a real treat. The only reason I don't give it a 10 out of 10 is that sometimes I don't like how you know you have won or lost a game, but it takes another 20 to 30 minutes for the game to actually end. Still, I highly recommend!
  24. TheFamine
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    From one of the best mods, to a standalone game. As it was getting released i found myself hoping the developers wouldn't sell out and just dish out another Counter Strike/COD like game. I'm very glad to report that the game turned out great and that i'm waiting for more games from '' Unknown Worlds Entertainment ''.
  25. cabu
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    Great game. I play the NS1 and it was a great game and the squeal is better. It's very balance game. The developers team said that more maps are comming. I would like my friends play too.
  26. Babaganoush
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    Preordered NS2 when it was first announced, loved NS1, and am enjoying this game... mostly. Loading takes a pretty long time for first load but it's decent after that. Best part about this game is that teamwork is REQUIRED to win. No lonewolf noscope snipers in this game.

    The biggest problem is the current balance of the game. I'm not talking from a clan/competitive perspective here,    Preordered NS2 when it was first announced, loved NS1, and am enjoying this game... mostly. Loading takes a pretty long time for first load but it's decent after that. Best part about this game is that teamwork is REQUIRED to win. No lonewolf noscope snipers in this game.

    The biggest problem is the current balance of the game. I'm not talking from a clan/competitive perspective here, but rather just joining public servers. Aliens are a blast to play. That being said, marines really need some buffing for endgame: You cannot get out of your exosuits (therefore unable to recall back to base via Distress Signal, use phase gates or repair/build anything) and one on one an Onos will win against an exosuit, dual or not. Not to mention that Onos has more than double the health of an exosuit and tons more mobility. The Onos' devour ability has been replaced with a Stomp attack, which can easily take out more than two marines, while they lie helpless on the floor.

    Anything midgame and lower is a nice fun, tug of war for resource control of the map. However, once the aliens reach Onos, there is rarely anything that can stop them. I know this game has a potential to have a greater score than 7, but at the current state, due to the skewed wins for aliens on public servers, it will have a lot of pro-marine public players uninstalling in frustration.    … Expand
  27. warfire
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    This is that classic alien vs humans game you've been waiting for with an element for ever type of player with great graphics it can over power computers that are not up to date but its actually built to run on a lower range graphics card a gtx450 so anything high should. fly i know mine does. I love the true team base play of this game as it brings players together to play as a teamThis is that classic alien vs humans game you've been waiting for with an element for ever type of player with great graphics it can over power computers that are not up to date but its actually built to run on a lower range graphics card a gtx450 so anything high should. fly i know mine does. I love the true team base play of this game as it brings players together to play as a team quite quickly and if your new just try asking a couple of questions in game and follow the others around the commander will help you out if there a good one. over all this game is a must play for team based shooters.… Expand
  28. Nasher
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    There were a number of RTS/FPS mixed games 10+ years ago, but they seem to have died out. Kids these days probably don't remember them :)

    It doesn't really add or take away anything from the original, but it doesn't need to. It's still a great game and much better than most big budget FPSs to come out recently.
  29. Tomas018
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    The best word to describe this game is simply "Amazing." Natural Selection 2 has great graphics, awesome game play mechanics , and a good RTS/FPS mix. On top of that there are many mods you can download for it which really helps with re playability. Natural Selection 2 is also only 25$. There is no reason to not get this game!
  30. rsj228
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    Great team based competitive FPS/RTS hybrid that deserves your attention. Based on the original Half-Life mod with updated features and some interesting but refreshing gameplay changes. With all the generic modern FPS shooters competing for your gaming dollar this holiday season, Natural Selection 2 is a great value. I promise you will put more hours into this game than most otherGreat team based competitive FPS/RTS hybrid that deserves your attention. Based on the original Half-Life mod with updated features and some interesting but refreshing gameplay changes. With all the generic modern FPS shooters competing for your gaming dollar this holiday season, Natural Selection 2 is a great value. I promise you will put more hours into this game than most other flavor of the month FPS that are rarely worth the full retail price you're forced to pay. Check it out!… 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.
    Read full review
  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]
See all critic reviews »