Aliens: Colonial Marines

 PlayStation 3
User Score
3.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 340 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 340
  2. Mixed: 69 out of 340
  3. Negative: 209 out of 340
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  1. rezider
    Aug 10, 2013
    7
    Aliens! There is no way to that up. People don't listen to those bad reviews.
    Aliens: Colonial Marines might not look very well, but the atmosphere, sounds, weapons, customization, drop in, drop out co-op, background music, background views and the new xenos make this game good.
    The game itself doesn't have very good characters nor a good story. The dark corridors and xeno sounds will    Aliens! There is no way to that up. People don't listen to those bad reviews.
    Aliens: Colonial Marines might not look very well, but the atmosphere, sounds, weapons, customization, drop in, drop out co-op, background music, background views and the new xenos make this game good.

    The game itself doesn't have very good characters nor a good story. The dark corridors and xeno sounds will make you stop and feel the shivers on your back as you approach the corner. The way xenos move and navigate has been improved and they are now more dangerous and creepy than ever. The way they jump out from somewhere makes you go "WTF! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM!" and the way lurker xenos move behind you to attack is unexpected, because you are too busy fighting the soldier xenos that charge into you with deadly melee attacks and a lot of health.

    The weapons that have been added to the game are original and amazing. They fit right in the Alien universe.

    While characters might not be very interesting, the story is. It's not good, but it does keep you busy and you kinda start liking it until you get to the end.

    The coop and multiplayer is easily the best thing in the game that makes it great. The customization is deep and good and it transfers from single player to multiplayer. You level up as a marine and a xeno and gain points which you can then use to purches different buffs for the xeno and different weapon attachments for the marines.

    Despite people saying this game is bad I say it's good not because I think it has a good story, but simply because you can have a fun time playing the game. Some good scares, a few laughs and bada*s marines make this game good.

    My final score is 7/10.    … Expand
  2. Zeryiader
    Feb 12, 2013
    5
    A low moment in what started as quiet a promising year, with low res textures, screen tear and some minor game halting glitches, Aliens Colonial Marines is not the game fans have been waiting for. An average story line with bland characters and a very basic AI (a lot of the time i was shooting at Aliens/Marines just standing behind things) the games only highlight being that Co-Op makesA low moment in what started as quiet a promising year, with low res textures, screen tear and some minor game halting glitches, Aliens Colonial Marines is not the game fans have been waiting for. An average story line with bland characters and a very basic AI (a lot of the time i was shooting at Aliens/Marines just standing behind things) the games only highlight being that Co-Op makes the campaign bearable and that the sound design is top notch, i can only really recommend this game to hardcore fans of the series.… Expand
  3. ISA_SCOUT
    Feb 12, 2013
    7
    The graphics are dated, and the gameplay is like every other FPS I've played. The story seems abit interesting but is in no way on par with the films. Licensed games don't usually do that well, but after the Arkham Series and with Gearbox's name on the game I figured I'd not listen to the "professional" reviews and just get it anyway. If you're getting this game to play SOLO then you areThe graphics are dated, and the gameplay is like every other FPS I've played. The story seems abit interesting but is in no way on par with the films. Licensed games don't usually do that well, but after the Arkham Series and with Gearbox's name on the game I figured I'd not listen to the "professional" reviews and just get it anyway. If you're getting this game to play SOLO then you are waisting your money, but if you're getting it to play with friends I can guarantee you that you'll have a blast. The multiplayer is fun as hell, and if you set the difficulty to Ultimate Badass on the campaign with four friends you'd pretty much have to have no pulse to not have fun. Is it the best game I've played this year? No way, but it is in no way shape or form a 3 or 4 out of 10. It's graphics are horrible sure, but I'll take having a blast with four friends any day over graphics.
    It's got some glitches, but none that ruined the experience or hindered the amount of fun that I had. Having played it for several hours (SP and MP) I can definitely say with confidence that if you go into the game not expecting it to blow your mind or redefine the FPS genre and have a few friends with mics to play with you WILL have a blast.    … Expand
  4. mediumvillain
    Feb 15, 2013
    7
    This is by no means the terrible game others would have you believe, and just goes to show how spoiled we are as gamers. This is a solid game that can be a lot of fun solo, co-op, or versus if you overlook an uninspired storyline and somewhat dated textures and animations. I dont understand the vitriolic, often mean-spirited reviews for what is essentially an unpolished gem, and I haveThis is by no means the terrible game others would have you believe, and just goes to show how spoiled we are as gamers. This is a solid game that can be a lot of fun solo, co-op, or versus if you overlook an uninspired storyline and somewhat dated textures and animations. I dont understand the vitriolic, often mean-spirited reviews for what is essentially an unpolished gem, and I have been enjoying running around with customized weapons in environments true to the films. Their are plenty of genuinely thrilling and even scary moments and even without the top of the line graphics it is not "ugly" by any means. Clearly this was lovingly crafted by gearbox and I think they have every right to be proud of a video game that is fun to play despite its inconsistencies and missteps. I think most people are reviewing this game based on what it isn't and what they wanted it to be.. as a lifetime gamer and fan of the franchise I was slightly disappointed, but still found a great deal to enjoy in ACM and if you think you might too please don't let the negative reviews scare you away. I signed up for metacritic just because I dont think this game is being treated fairly and honestly I believe a lot of bloggers and even legitimate reviewers are jumping on the bandwagon and picking apart everything bad about the game without giving credit to all the good fun and tense moments, thanks to great sound design, decent voice acting for an admittedly underwhelming storyline, a nice arsenal that you can constantly earn upgrades for, and the chance to play in an Aliens video game theme park. Vastly superior to the most recent Aliens vs. Predator game, and definitely worth a play if you even think you might like it. Don't be chased away by reviewers trying to drop their cleverest glib one-liner based on quotes from the film, if you wanna have fun playing Aliens: Colonial Marines, you will.… Expand
  5. Megacon89
    Feb 13, 2013
    6
    I respect each that everyone has there own opinion. So with that in mind, this is my own.

    Aliens: Colonial Marines is not a bad game, not by any means, if anything it only lacks focus of what it wants to be. It's a shooter, no doubt about that, and in my opinion a very solid one, the gameplay runs smoothly and shooting the xeno's is better than ever. I'll now delve a little deeper.    I respect each that everyone has there own opinion. So with that in mind, this is my own.

    Aliens: Colonial Marines is not a bad game, not by any means, if anything it only lacks focus of what it wants to be. It's a shooter, no doubt about that, and in my opinion a very solid one, the gameplay runs smoothly and shooting the xeno's is better than ever. I'll now delve a little deeper.

    The story is what let's Colonial Marines down as it lacks focus and character progression, I won't go any deeper than that because I don't want to delve into spoiler's, all the player need's to know is that this game tells the tale of what happened in between Aliens and Alien 3 and will answer some of the unanswered question's you may of had. It's follows a group of Colonial Marines responding to a distress call form Dwayne Hicks from Aliens. They head to LV-426 and find the USS Sulaco in it's orbit which was reportedly moved. The rest of the game is set in motion when they find the Xenomorph infestation. It's a decent enough plot line but like I said it lacks focus on what story it wants to tell, it can't decide what it wants to focus on and that leads to what feel's like a rushed story which never stops to focus on one thing before it introduces another.

    Aliens has a solid game in place, the Ranking system work's well and the customization of the games weapon's is fairly deep and rewarding for the most part. The ranking system spans 60 levels across both the Story and Multiplayer which in my eyes is how a single player ranking should work because it gives the casual player a chance to rank up without playing a whole lot of multiplayer. The multiplayer also gives the player the chance to play as the Xenomorphs which also has it's separate ranking system which I believe also spans up to 60 but unlike the single player can only be achieved in MP. The MP also has a deep Character customization for both the Marines and Xenomorphs, which you can create your own unique Marine and Xenomorph, which you unlock parts for while ranking up and completing story and multiplayer challenges. The multiplayer has 4 modes: Team Deathmatch, Elimination, Escape and Survivor. The modes span across multiple maps that allow for varied gameplay for both Marines and Xenomorphs. The Xenomorph’s can seem underpowered against the marines but if you manage to get the drop on them they will go down quick and easy. It's a decent enough multiplayer, which you can have fun on if you enjoyed the single player. On the gameplay side Aliens runs like a typical FPS, you can do most things an FPS does, shoot, aim down sight, duck into cover, throw grenades and all that jazz. If you've played an FPS before you know what to expect. The A.I on the other hand, is another matter, this is where Aliens lacks again. They shoot Xenomorphs well enough but other than that, they are un-killable stand in's that only offer to open doors that the player cannot open themselves, the Alien A.I fairs a little better by acting basically how a Xenomorph would. They'll crawl around the walls jump out of vents and try and get you from the back, they will however, just run right at you like mindless beasts which, as we've seen from the movies, is not the case, they are suposed to always attack from the shadows, but hey ho, can't do much about that. Then there is the Weyland-Yutani PMC soldiers, who...do not fair any better, they will be dead accurate when they want to be but during that time they will just be standing in the line of fire, which is a little unrealistic.

    The last main topic I am going to touch on is the Graphics. The graphics are a little old school but it looks like the world James Cameron created, it looks like you are back in Hadley's Hope, The Sulaco and on LV-426. The environments look the part, which is obviously what Gearbox set out to do. The character models look decent enough, the Xenomorphs look like Xenomorphs. The one thing that bugs me is that the lip sinking is not great and really noticeable in the Pre-rendered cut scenes. An odd choice is that your A.I companions don't exist in-game, quite literally, you can walk right through your A.I companion 's which is rather odd, I'm glad they put in no colide but to walk right through them is just plain strange. In the end the graphics may be a little out dated but as a gamer I know that it's the story and gameplay and story that matters. Even if Aliens may lack some of that.

    In all Aliens: Colonial Marines is a solid shooter that I still unsure of what it wants to be, It's a solid shooter with a less than perfect story that lacks focus. If you're a fan of Aliens I think you may enjoy that's being offered here, it's a chance to see what happened in between Aliens and Alien 3. If you are a FPS fan and are looking for a good shooter with solid and fun gameplay, load up your pulse rifle and give this a shot. But if you want an Aliens game with a deep and enriching story, it's game over man, game over.    … Expand
  6. pre_-cision-_
    Feb 14, 2013
    6
    After reading the negative press, the majority of it is fair and the rest of it is B.S. to put it blunt this is a 6 or 7 game nothing less and nothing more. The highlight of the experience is multiplayer and the saving grace which I will get to last. First of all this is a AVERAGE shooter that does nothing to standout while taking zero chances which is a disappointment considering theAfter reading the negative press, the majority of it is fair and the rest of it is B.S. to put it blunt this is a 6 or 7 game nothing less and nothing more. The highlight of the experience is multiplayer and the saving grace which I will get to last. First of all this is a AVERAGE shooter that does nothing to standout while taking zero chances which is a disappointment considering the source material. You would expect from an ALIENS titled game to have suspense, scares, tension and sadly none of that is there. What you get is a linear action movie set experience with a narrative that unfortunately raises more questions than it answers. The good in singleplayer and all throughout the game is the Aliens atmosphere. This game sounds 100% like the movie from the guns, music and original actors. Also worthy of a mention are the fantastic settings that seem like they were ripped right out of the movie and that goes for both offline and multiplayer levels. I would also like to mention the weapons and gadgets you use are fantastic and an Alien fans dream. So while it may look and sound like an Aliens movie thats where it ends. As previously mentioned the storyline just flatout sucks. I wont get into the story maybe you would like it but to me it was very disappointing considering how long they had on this project. To make singleplayer even worse are the AI that are so poorly programmed that you would think they came straight out of 1986! This is not a challenging game at all due to the AI behavior even on the hardest setting you can breeze through this. Graphics are also a major problem in all aspects of the game. One moment you can be looking at some eye candy and the very next see textures that look almost as if they were created in a kindergarten class by two year olds. Finally there are a quite a bit of glitches you will find the majority of which for me occur with the games animation system, im talking very awkward movements occasionally. Now its a real shame that almost every review I have read neglects the multiplayer mode. Online play is FUN! I cant stress it enough, the games competitive modes simply work and are a blast to play. Not to mention the DEEP customization options that are offered are unparalleled in any other shooter currently released. Nothing like customizing my marine from head to toe with the gear I want him to wear and then customize his guns with alot of nerdy Alien tech gear! Aside from the Marine gameplay you have the main selling point for multiplayer when you play as a killing machine, the Aliens. Nothing comes close to stalking a group of marines from the roof, leaping onto the floor and wrecking havoc. There are only two flaws which need to be fixed for the multiplayer modes. The first would be the lack of any kind of host migration, if you kill the host to many times if he quits out match is over. Secondly the up and down graphics transition to multiplayer but for the most part are better however there is one level in particular that looks so so bad until you roam around the map and load all the textures in up close. Honestly there is a decent amount of lag as well online and could be match killing depending on the host. In closing Aliens suffers from trying to please the mainstream to much, if only it would have stuck to its hardcore fans we would have the ideal Aliens game... hopefully we can get a proper sequel to this game and the Aliens franchise if gearbox/sega do not get dumped.… Expand
  7. JDConspirator
    Mar 11, 2013
    5
    Whilst Aliens: Colonial Marines refuses to be anything more than a bog standard FPS, it's a serviceable one. Using Aliens' signature weaponry feels authentic, and there are slight moments of unease, especially when using the motion tracker. It's just a shame that the atmosphere feels watered down by dull-if-authentic environments and some very weak textures. In the end the failure ofWhilst Aliens: Colonial Marines refuses to be anything more than a bog standard FPS, it's a serviceable one. Using Aliens' signature weaponry feels authentic, and there are slight moments of unease, especially when using the motion tracker. It's just a shame that the atmosphere feels watered down by dull-if-authentic environments and some very weak textures. In the end the failure of Aliens to stand apart in a swarming genre of familiarity, Aliens can't find room to create its own sense of enjoyment.… Expand
  8. Triffen1151
    Mar 12, 2013
    5
    I actually pre-ordered this game not expecting a whole lot from it. Ultimately that is what I got, I got something that didn't have a lot going for it beyond the Aliens license. When I first stepped into the game, I saw a brief glimmer of hope, for the game, as you put on your helmet and load your gun. It was at that moment that I do actually recall being my favorite moment in the game.I actually pre-ordered this game not expecting a whole lot from it. Ultimately that is what I got, I got something that didn't have a lot going for it beyond the Aliens license. When I first stepped into the game, I saw a brief glimmer of hope, for the game, as you put on your helmet and load your gun. It was at that moment that I do actually recall being my favorite moment in the game. Beyond this however sadly it is just another generic, buggy game that ultimately should have been canceled when it went silent for all that time.

    One of the first things I noticed about the game after a brief moment were the dated graphics. I have never really been one to complain about graphics and that is not really my gripe, the game is running on an engine from 2008 after all. My gripe is however with the constant glitches I encountered throughout both the single and multiplayer campaigns. The most severe of these glitches was the pulse rifle that after the third level didn't work for the rest of the game. The gun literally didn't show up. Considering there are only four or five different guns in the entire game and the pulse rifle was one of three default weapons, the other two being a pistol and shotgun, which had little ammo. I was forced to suffer through the game without the iconic weapon which was also the best of the weapons they actually give you. I also encountered many other glitches like falling through the level forcing me to restart and also enemies that were stuck in the walls, among many other smaller glitches. I can forgive crappy graphics but for as long as this was in development I would expect a slightly more polished game. The story and characters were very forgettable falling into typical action hero cliches that get irritating very fast. I also noticed that the AI controlled characters seem to hate the walls in the game as they frequently turned to flip the walls off, perhaps there were aliens inside I don't know. Compared to the likable characters from the aliens movies this rag tag group of morons fails in comparison. In the couple of matches of multiplayer I played, was basically a bad copy of Left 4 Dead. You have a group of four marines, or a team of six or eight, depending on which game mode you play, versus player controlled special aliens much like Left 4 Dead. You have a spitter, cleverly call a spitter and a hunter like class as well as a couple of others that are relatively worthless. In short I was unimpressed with the multiplayer too. Ultimately this is not the worst game out there however it really isn't that great. Don't let the Aliens license fool you this is a straight up shooter, there is very little horror. I will give credit where credit is due though, the developers did clearly love aliens it was ultimately just due to poor development that the game fails had they taken the time to test the game fully then it would have just been a mediocre shooter, instead we have a glitch filled mediocre game that is quite honestly a piece of shovelware that will be quickly overshadowed by other, more deserving games.    … Expand
  9. NickPreveza
    Feb 16, 2013
    7
    Do you really readind reviews like this The critics are getting PAID Try the f*cking game and if you like it buy it P.S. Its not a bad game its around 5-6/10
  10. ColdHardTruth
    Feb 13, 2013
    6
    This is my single player review of Aliens: Colonial Marines. First off I had high expectations for this adaptation of this great franchise Aliens. For me this game fell short of a acceptable pass. Graphics needed more time to be polished although most of the game takes place in dark mist rooms/areas. Storyline has a simple take to it as does the movies so no big surprise. Voice actingThis is my single player review of Aliens: Colonial Marines. First off I had high expectations for this adaptation of this great franchise Aliens. For me this game fell short of a acceptable pass. Graphics needed more time to be polished although most of the game takes place in dark mist rooms/areas. Storyline has a simple take to it as does the movies so no big surprise. Voice acting could have been better (mouths don't resemble words coming out of mouth). Characters are unknown and really don't make me fall in love with any of them. Might have been better if they used character from previous movies. The positives are: I love the motion scanner for a gadget, weapons sound authentic, new type of Aliens, if you like rankings this game has it and creepy atmospheres. Another reason for me not to get excited for FPS. Maybe the game license to this franchise needs to be changed for a better result.… Expand
  11. Tokyochuchu
    May 13, 2013
    5
    Aliens: Colonial Marines is a disappointing game from Gearbox Software. There are some good things about this title however. The sound design and general art direction hits Jame's Cameron's masterpiece directly on the head. The game has been made with an obvious love of it's source material; there are a lot of little touches and references that will bring a smile to any Alien fans lips.Aliens: Colonial Marines is a disappointing game from Gearbox Software. There are some good things about this title however. The sound design and general art direction hits Jame's Cameron's masterpiece directly on the head. The game has been made with an obvious love of it's source material; there are a lot of little touches and references that will bring a smile to any Alien fans lips. Agonizingly, the few of the game's levels (most notably an unarmed stealth section and any mission that takes you through the alien derelict) are excellent and display potential that the game should've capitalized on. Unfortunately, Aliens: Colonial Marines is mired with faults. First are the famously bad graphics. More often than not, this looks like an upscaled PS2 game or a PS3 launch title at best. There is no excuse for such a shoddy looking game this late in a console generation. The plot is a complete disaster too. Considered cannon by 20th Century Fox, it's guaranteed to make any true Aliens fan groan with dissatisfaction. Jame's Cameron must be spinning in his grave... And he's not even dead! Worst of all, though, is the unbelievably bad A.I. Simply put, there is none. You can shoot an enemy in the groin and he won't make for cover. He'll just stand there like a dumb fence post. And as for the Alien queen! My experience of one boss battle was the queen just standing still in the center of the map, while I pumped every bit of ammo I had into her (ineffectually, I might add). She didn't attack or even move a muscle. What the hell?! So, don't expect good boss battles here, because you won't get them. The last piece in the Colonial Marines puzzle is the online multiplayer. The competitive options are actually really good fun. The graphics and A.I don't impact this portion of the game, and it's undoubtedly good fun to launch an alien across the map and maul off a marine's face. Likewise, it's fun to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a buddy and stave off a bunch of aliens. Good fun, then. The story co-op makes for a decent time as well. All the faults of the single player are carried over, of course, but with a friend in tow they're less annoying. At the very least, you can laugh at that stupid alien queen together. So... Aliens: Colonial Marines. Fun in multiplayer or with a friend but VERY disappointing in single player.… Expand
  12. KillaSkep
    Jun 16, 2013
    6
    Not a great game, but still pretty fun. Was fairly short. Its worth playing if you're a fan of the franchise, seeing a game version of Lance Henrikson was awesome.
  13. TheDarkSoul
    Feb 19, 2013
    6
    This has to be one of the most heartbreaking reviews I've ever written. But here goes. Aliens: Colonial Marines is average. It plays like a low-graphics Call of Duty with xenomorphs stitched onto it like a circus freak act. Single player should have been epic on a scale of the movie but detailed references here and there don't make up for a lazy, hashed campaign. Aliens sometimes just runThis has to be one of the most heartbreaking reviews I've ever written. But here goes. Aliens: Colonial Marines is average. It plays like a low-graphics Call of Duty with xenomorphs stitched onto it like a circus freak act. Single player should have been epic on a scale of the movie but detailed references here and there don't make up for a lazy, hashed campaign. Aliens sometimes just run at you on Hardened difficulty. What happenned to the promising and intelligent AI we were shown at E3? Multiplayer is the redeeming factor, otherwise I'd give this game a 3. Its damn fun to play as a xeno with three different character classes, and marines can be compulsive too. Pity that there is some SERIOUS lag going on in pretty much every game I played. It hurts me to say this, really it does. This game was so eagerly awaited by aliens fans such as myself, and it just freaking disappointed. Dont waste your money.… Expand
  14. ThatDENCHreview
    Feb 19, 2013
    6
    this game is not good but why is evryone bashing tens of these kinda games have comeout and been mediocre this does not suck this is avrage at all corners the ps3 version is average and xbox version suks
  15. Chesher
    Feb 13, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Graphics: First off, Id say the game is pretty decent, the aliens look really good, the areas that were infested were very well done, and gave you that "gota keep looking over my shoulder" feeling, overall Id say the feel of it was pretty good, I did notice where some sections were repeated, such as one starewell that I found in both the ship portion, and in hadly's hope sections, but this was minor

    Besides the odd bit off rendering lag when transitioning from one section to another, the game loaded fine, and didnt have any "Pop in" issues

    Sound: Okay, the first time I pulled the trigger on the pulse rifle, it gave me chills, the first time I heard the aliens scream as I shot at em, gave me chills as well, voice acting quite well done besides like 2 points that seemed a bit forced, it was really well done, I like the minor touches, such as bringing in some of the original actors to do character voices

    Gameplay: Game-play is pretty solid, it handles nicely, doesn't seem to be unresponsive or laggy, some of the quicktime events, what few there are (And thank god for that) don't seem to give you any response as to if your mashing your button enough, and some of the melee animations cause you to warp 5 feet forward, then warp you 5 feet back to where you were standing, overall, Iv seen allot worse, but I have seen a few do it slightly better.

    Co-Op is a MUST for this game, playing solo is down right your AI companions don't do much, and sadly to say, are even worse than the Cow-A-Doody squad-mate AI at some points, I care not to recall how many times Id got for a grenade launcher shot, to have them step in-front of me, and make me blow myself up, it also helps to have 3 other guys freaking out with you which you get ambushed in a tight hallway.

    I would have preferred it be less liniar, most of the time you can tell where the xenos are going to come from, thankfully not too many jump scares, all of like 3 exist in the game I noticed? I would have preferred a few more "Horde" style moments, where you sit and shoot baddies for a set time limit, now, while they do technically exist, most only last 30 seconds while you wait for a door, there no real 'last stand' moments, like what you saw in the movies, which was a real let down for me.

    Finding the collectables is nice, but sadly you have to go into the Vs section to find out the collectables weapon stats, so its hard to know if Hudsons Pulse Rifle, is better than your Deffault, but upgraded with addons, Pulse Rifle.

    Another gripe is that some of the weapons are one time use, the flamers you only get right at the end of the game, unless you use one of the under-sling ones on the burst rifle, the "Smart" gun, AKA the light machine gun, is only used on one level, and the collectable version can only be used in the level you find it at, near the end of the level, and by one person, I, sadly, never got to try it, as someone jacked it from me. :(

    another downfall is that it doesn't have enough power loaded segments, only 2 exist in the game, one is literally just a "Open that door" segment, the other is more of an arena fight with a "tank" style zeno which lasted all of about 45 seconds for me? they could have put far more into the game.

    Story: The store was fine, there were sections I thought would have been better maybe a bit later in the game, and I would have preferred a little more shooting at Aliens, and less at the rest of the things they throw at you, the story feels a bit short overall, some of the missions really don't seem to hold much story too them, you could literally cut out a good 1/3 of the levels and still have the story hold together relatively intact.

    Iv heard some say it just ends, I do thing it ended pretty well, it was left rather open, most likely for DLC, and their season pass or whatever they're calling it, which is somewhat sad, they could have pumped far more story and single player missions into it.

    Multiplayer:

    The game does have 4 modes, TDM, "Left 4 dead" style, free for all I think? and one other, I tried it like once? didnt catch my interest, Im waiting more for their Horde Mode to come out in march, Id recommend giving it a try, but allot of stuff is "Unlockable" based in terms of equipment (Marines) or Evolutions (Aliens) which I can see becoming very unbalanced, Xenos seem pretty Overpowered right off the get go, and you have almost everything in terms of guns for the marines if you've played the Campaign all the way through

    Sadly with my lack of playing it, I cant give a rating.

    Consensus: slightly over-hyped, but not as bad as most of the vomit they put in game cases these days, I cant say strong ether way if I liked it or not, its kinda that muddy middle ground, My fan-boy liked it, my gamer was okay with it, my critic was a little disappointed    … Expand
  16. ChrisOR
    Feb 26, 2013
    6
    Before I begin the review let me say, I wanted to love this game- I mean I really wanted to love it. I've been an avid Alien-series fan since I was little (Alien and Aliens are among my all-time favorite films) and I first read about the existence of this game on GI. Every time some video would upload to PSN I would absolutely download it. Each bit of information served to provide a greatBefore I begin the review let me say, I wanted to love this game- I mean I really wanted to love it. I've been an avid Alien-series fan since I was little (Alien and Aliens are among my all-time favorite films) and I first read about the existence of this game on GI. Every time some video would upload to PSN I would absolutely download it. Each bit of information served to provide a great deal of anticipation for this title (second only to the soon to come awesomeness of Bioshock: Infinite). I thought, "finally a game actually modeled after the Alien films without the stupid Predator!" With Gearbox the developer of the awesome Borderlands series developing it, I felt it would be a homerun for sure. My apprehension began when my pre-order game in to Gamestop and the clerk informed me it was not faring too well with reviewers but anyone who loved the films will enjoy it. I greeted this information with rationalization, "Game reviewers for some reason like Call of Duty and those games suck" and took it home. It is now February 26th and the game went back to Gamestop today and I left with Dead Space 3. The reason this game didn't last long with me are many and have little to do with graphics. The atmospherics are all wrong for one. Only once did I feel dread through the entire game, in fact for the most part I was bewildered with the Alien AI. Instead of being the creepy, ingenious monsters they are in the first three films, the Aliens have been relegated to jumping out, clearly visible and then attempting a leap of faith. They have several types of Alien in this game but really they should have focused on the three types known to exist (I won't even dignify the films past A3 by including them). A polished AI would have seen the more rough and ready Aliens from the second film attempting a zerg rush (which they do) while the sleeker, stealthier Alien type from the first film assaults from above and below. The runner Alien from the third film could have easily used tight corridors to swarm- the point is with the Alien series there is plenty of material to work with and plenty of ways for gamers to feel deep fear and revulsion. That's another essential ingredient that is notably missing- revulsion. The Alien series has always had a psychological subtext to it that when executed well explains why Ridley Scott and James Cameron have their hallowed places in the series. In this game Alien infection and infestation are not handled well at all- actually, scratch that. Early on they are handled well when you (the player) enters the Sulaco and wanders into a nest to find an already beaten Marine team. I enjoyed some of the set pieces and subtext but really, without a horrifying infection and birthing sequence, it's just not Alien (yes Alien runs on rape- that's right, it's true). Instead a truly psychological horror experience is dumbed down to little more than a haunted house ride; this isn't the Aliens I signed up for. The original story is also weak but I did enjoy one aspect of it and that is how it tackles the awful story gap between Aliens and Alien3. I just felt that ultimately Gearbox might have some love for Alien, but this game is an abused stepchild. It was apparently passed from developer to developer and rather than receive loving attention, dev's wanted the license. But to what end? There are many properties which appropriate from Alien (a kind way of saying they rob it blind- Half Life sorry, but you're anything but original) and many of those properties are wonderful and successful- Half Life and Dead Space to name two. The thing is, Aliens formula is no longer unique but does that make the series out-of-date? No! It means you have to handle it with care. If sword and sandals games can be made (without gales of laughter) or samurai games can exist (George Lucas pretty much facehuggered Japanese films and myth) then so can Alien. In fact, given the notable shift from survival horror of Resident Evil (starting with 4) and Dead Space (starting with 2) alongside Silent Hill becoming awful, there is a great opportunity for further development of Alien. To conclude, I didn't spend as much time talking about the game itself as I did my disappointment with the game. That's because as a series fan I expected a lot from this property and I feel like had Gearbox demonstrated the competence and creativity that makes Borderlands so amazing, Aliens:CM could have been excellent. Overall, it's average- the music is amazing (I loved the remixing of the series music but wished chapters had more film-centric music approaches), the action is- not tense or frantic. In fact, you can pretty much let your AI people handle most situations and use your overpowered shotgun otherwise. I didn't finish the game as it was too tedious and I had to let it go. I've heard the multi-player is actually quite fun but I didn't stick around for it because I was too disappointed with the campaign; and that's the best I can say about this title.… Expand
  17. ArkonBlade
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    I am a huge Aliens fan but after seeing the reviews for this game I avoided the hell out of it and only picked it up when it was on sale on PSN for $9. Well Gear Box must have did some major patch work because what I played wasn't that bad. Now mind you it's still not a great game but it's not to bad I did enjoy it. Though it does if it's issues. First off graphically it looks very datedI am a huge Aliens fan but after seeing the reviews for this game I avoided the hell out of it and only picked it up when it was on sale on PSN for $9. Well Gear Box must have did some major patch work because what I played wasn't that bad. Now mind you it's still not a great game but it's not to bad I did enjoy it. Though it does if it's issues. First off graphically it looks very dated some thing I would expect from the first year of the PS3 Also why on earth I am fighting soldiers at ALL! Fighting the Aliens is great and a lot of fun especially in co op but fighting lame enemy soldiers in a Aliens game is not. Granted you do fight the aliens more but It should be all aliens and it would have been nicer for a bigger variety. Also the health system sucks When on the easiest settings you can die with in one second from a soldier is just whacked even if u have full health. The story isn't bad picking up 17 weeks after the movie needed and you will recognize some voices. The gun selection is great and spot on and upgrading your guns is also a nice touch. The sounds and music is spot on and gives it that aliens feel. The motion tracker kinda feels useless most of the time since u have to switch back and forth between that and your gun so I found my self rarely using it. The AI which I heard was a major problem in this game must have been fixed because the aliens are fairly good the soldiers how ever are dumb as a box of rocks. The battle with the queen alien also felt a little anticlimactic with you basically just doing button pressing. I mean come on I want to shoot her dead with my guns. The online though is good bit of fun with marines vs aliens and it switching up every match so you get a turn at each plus you get all kinds of upgrades and can unlock different alien types to play as. All in all Aliens CM isn't that bad since all the patching. I would say if you had my position and did not wAnt to touch the game Ny where near $60 when you heArd all the horror stories about it which I am sure they all were true when this game came out. I would say now is the time to give this game a chance.… Expand
  18. Fozzy
    Jul 3, 2013
    5
    I do honestly believe that, though this isn't a particularly good game (AT ALL), it isn't as bad as the people say. Though it isn't good, it's average at worst. I think that 3.3/10 is a little bit under expectations, and I think it's because people were expecting more from the game. I think people got over-excited, and as a result they are having a little bit more of a negative reaction.I do honestly believe that, though this isn't a particularly good game (AT ALL), it isn't as bad as the people say. Though it isn't good, it's average at worst. I think that 3.3/10 is a little bit under expectations, and I think it's because people were expecting more from the game. I think people got over-excited, and as a result they are having a little bit more of a negative reaction. This is by NO MEANS a good game, but it isn't as bad as people say. Sure, the graphics are bad, there are some glitches, and O'Neal is a tosser, but apart from that it's nothing more than a rather generic science fiction FPS.… Expand
  19. chrisjones914
    Mar 23, 2014
    6
    Ok, lets get one thing out of the way first. I am a HUGE fan of Aliens! It is a great film that really paved the way for a lot of the great sic-fi that we continue to see today! However, i don't really think i was prepared for how big of a disappointment this game was. I wanted so much to like it, but as the game drug on and on with no real engaging story to keep me interested it was hardOk, lets get one thing out of the way first. I am a HUGE fan of Aliens! It is a great film that really paved the way for a lot of the great sic-fi that we continue to see today! However, i don't really think i was prepared for how big of a disappointment this game was. I wanted so much to like it, but as the game drug on and on with no real engaging story to keep me interested it was hard to keep myself playing. Now there are a few things to enjoy about this game. For one the presentation is not half bad and the easter eggs from the film that you stumble upon every now and again are pretty cool. The game also has a pretty cool opening sequence as well as a horror sequence in which you go without any weapons, which is without a doubt the high point of the experience. In the end if you are a fan of Aliens and you can find this game for five bucks by all means pick it up. Aliens: Colonial Marines is not a completely unplayable experience its just for the most part not a very good one!… Expand
  20. boshi
    Sep 22, 2013
    6
    graphics are ok. the single player is pretty bad. mainly because of the A.I. the best part of the single player is finding the legendary weapons. the multiplayer is much better by comparison. while not the best multiplayer out there. it's alright, and reminds me of DS2 multiplayer, only more fun.
  21. 25Geckos
    Sep 7, 2013
    6
    Lets keep this short, I'm sure you've read loads of reviews saying it's terrible, but i assure you, it's just people taking out there rage after being disappointed, Yes it was nothing like I expected, but it's not bad. In fact the singleplayer is the only let down, multiplayer has a wide variety of fun game modes with aliens that unlike the avp game, are not overly fiddly. Marine weaponsLets keep this short, I'm sure you've read loads of reviews saying it's terrible, but i assure you, it's just people taking out there rage after being disappointed, Yes it was nothing like I expected, but it's not bad. In fact the singleplayer is the only let down, multiplayer has a wide variety of fun game modes with aliens that unlike the avp game, are not overly fiddly. Marine weapons are nice to use, with some good customisation. On the negative side of things, graphics are dull, the plot is poor, and you'll find yourself only liking a couple of the characters. I could talk about co-op campaign but it's nothing special.

    A disappointment but worth getting.

    Graphics-6/10
    Plot-5/10
    Innovation-6/10
    Gameplay-7/10
    Singleplayer-6/10
    Multiplayer-8/10

    A decent game.    … Expand
  22. Minilla
    Sep 17, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Campaign is your average aliens movie tie in game with a loss of horror. There are new weapons never seen on any other aliens media in other words the battle rifle assault rifle semi auto shotgun service pistol grenade launcher rifle thingy. But it also contains weapons from the aliens movie the pulse rifle the pump shotgun the combat pistol smart gun motion tracker and flamethrower. There are also customisation so for the weapons which comes In handy. The game will last from 4 to 5 hours and you can collect dog tags and audio clips, but don't forget about the legendary weapons witch are pickups that stay with you apart from vasquezes smart gun. The locations are also from aliens and your enemies are xenomorphs/aliens and weyland yutani corp mercenaries. You play as winter a colonial marine aboard the uss sulaco the space ship from the movie but you run into a hell full of xenomorphs and mercenaries so you and the crew boarded a drop ship to lv-426 another location from the movie this time a planet. There are 7 xenomorph types you will encounter the soldier witch is the warrior xenomorph that has normal health normal damage and fast speed. The lurker wich is the first xenomorph you will encounter and you will encounter two more times normal health very fast speed special not noisy and very stealthy and can pounce. The spitter witch spits acid and you will encounter on lv-426 low health slow speed special ranged attack. Boilers you will encounter them when you will go to the sewers the can't see but they can hear so don't move or else they will explode acid blood on you like all the others oh and don't be scared when a boiler is touching you when you are still. The others are bosses the queen (final boss) the raven (2nd boss) and the crusher (1st boss). The AI is stupid but if you got the game just now there is a patch that makes the AI better. The graphics look like they where from 2005 and the campaign is a let down but the multiplayer is massive fun and games are about fun not tech so install it on your ps3 steam or xbox360 and get some guys to play with you witch is a rare thing to find since us fans hate this thing (except for me and some others) and there are 4 dlc the best. Being the stasis interrupted dlc and that dlc witch has a new mode called bughunt. So give it a run… Expand
  23. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 26, 2016
    5
    Aliens: Colonial Marines
    A hollow shooter
    In Aliens: Colonial Marines you play as one of the colonial marines on a rescue mission… And you go through the same recycled locations for 6 hours, shooting spongey alien creatures and humans… This is hands down the most boring first person shooter I’ve ever played… I spent the entire game waiting for it to intrigue or excite me.. But it    Aliens: Colonial Marines
    A hollow shooter
    In Aliens: Colonial Marines you play as one of the colonial marines on a rescue mission…
    And you go through the same recycled locations for 6 hours, shooting spongey alien creatures and humans…
    This is hands down the most boring first person shooter I’ve ever played…
    I spent the entire game waiting for it to intrigue or excite me.. But it never came...
    Its generic feeling from start to finish…
    You get a few moments outside of a ship, but for the most part you’re in doors in areas that all look identical from each other…
    You have a scanner that goes off when enemies are near and you can also use this scanner to give you an idea where to go to next.. And again... everything is recycled and looks the same... you’ll need it…
    You have a great variety of weapons you can switch freely and upgrade as you level up by collecting items and completing challenges in the game…
    But shooting feels hollow…
    There’s no feeling of true hit detection here… spongey enemies…
    Satisfaction is completely missing from the gameplay…
    So what’s left.. Why play this game?
    The only reason to really play this is if you’re an Aliens fan and need the lore…
    There’s a queen alien involved... face huggers… and intriguing struggle within the story…
    But not intriguing enough for someone not a fan of the aliens franchise to justify checking out…
    There’s the ability to play co-op with 4 players as well as an online mode.. but it’s hard to find matches outside of the standard team death match…
    The multiplayer is miles more fun than the single players as its aliens vs marines…
    and you switch sides…
    I feel the aliens are a bit more powerful than the marines… but not enough that I had any issues killing them…
    But on the aliens side kills are way easier…
    And of course at the time of this review this game is about 4 years old.. the community is dying and in no way justifies picking this game up on its own like a call of duty multiplayer mode would…
    Colonial Marines is a dud…
    It’s for the fans and no one else.. And even then it’s an insult…
    I Give Aliens: Colonial Marines
    a 5.5/10    … Expand
  24. Asgard-Sama
    Aug 28, 2018
    5
    • Historia: 7/10
    • Personajes: 6/10
    • GamePlay: 8/10 • Cooperativo: 7/10 • Multijugador: 2/10 • Gráficos: 8/10 • Sonido: 10/10 • Música: 10/10 • Longitud: 7/10 • Valor de repetición: 4/10 • Valor del jugador: 5/10 Pros + La jugabilidad es como la mayoria de FPS, es decir cumple bien su función y entretiene. + La banda sonora de las películas, simplemente maravillosa + Los    • Historia: 7/10
    • Personajes: 6/10
    • GamePlay: 8/10
    • Cooperativo: 7/10
    • Multijugador: 2/10
    • Gráficos: 8/10
    • Sonido: 10/10
    • Música: 10/10
    • Longitud: 7/10
    • Valor de repetición: 4/10
    • Valor del jugador: 5/10

    Pros
    + La jugabilidad es como la mayoria de FPS, es decir cumple bien su función y entretiene.
    + La banda sonora de las películas, simplemente maravillosa
    + Los efectos de sonido originales de las películas tales como los disparos de las armas, el sonido del radar, los chillidos de los xenomorfos están geniales
    + La posibilidad de jugar el juego en cooperativo esta muy bien.
    + La historia no tiene la calidad de la de las películas pero mas o menos cumple su función y entretiene, ademas

    Contras
    - Gráficamente el juego no es una maravilla.
    - El modo multijugador es malisimo, no se encuentran apenas partidas, va muy lento y no es un modo de juego muy divertido.
    - No merece la pena rejugarlo

    En resumen, no es un gran videojuego y esta lejos de lo que se esperaba de el, pero el modo historia entretiene y la jugabilidad no es mala, la banda sonora esta genial, si eres fan seguramente disfrutes el modo historia, el multijugador es realmente malo, en general le doy un 5 a este juego.    … Expand
  25. Alvokun
    Feb 2, 2017
    6
    This Alien game is rather disappointing, especially because it was sold as a great game and soon became a failure. It is probably the game that I regret having bought on day one the most, as it became a bargain just a few months later.

    That obviously happened because the campaign mode is plain and technically weak. I did not even feel like playing online, so I just beat the campaign,    This Alien game is rather disappointing, especially because it was sold as a great game and soon became a failure. It is probably the game that I regret having bought on day one the most, as it became a bargain just a few months later.

    That obviously happened because the campaign mode is plain and technically weak. I did not even feel like playing online, so I just beat the campaign, tried the online mode one or two times and left it. I frankly had the intention of replaying it as time went by, but finally did not do it (and do not regret it particularly).

    Still, it is a shooter and an Alien game, so there will always be an enjoyable part as long as you like that combination.    … Expand
  26. JayNxtGen
    Nov 9, 2019
    5
    As a Alien fan this game is a true guilty pleasure for me and my friend to play CO-OP on and to be honest we have a blast all the way through now don't get me wrong the game is NOT good it is a glitchy mess but I can not help but enjoy it? This game is a strange one for me but if you can grab for under £5 give it a go it may surprise you... just don't expect Halo or Call of Duty levels ofAs a Alien fan this game is a true guilty pleasure for me and my friend to play CO-OP on and to be honest we have a blast all the way through now don't get me wrong the game is NOT good it is a glitchy mess but I can not help but enjoy it? This game is a strange one for me but if you can grab for under £5 give it a go it may surprise you... just don't expect Halo or Call of Duty levels of quality.… Expand
  27. ultimate_life_f
    Feb 2, 2020
    6
    CURRENT VERSION AS OF 2020: so after all the updates were made, i played the game and its not as bad as it was once claimed to be, yes what gearbox did was awful but if you buy the game now it will probably be used anyway so with this out of the way, how is the game?
    I played it on the hardest difficulty and i highly recommend that, it makes the game a lot more intense that it should be,    CURRENT VERSION AS OF 2020: so after all the updates were made, i played the game and its not as bad as it was once claimed to be, yes what gearbox did was awful but if you buy the game now it will probably be used anyway so with this out of the way, how is the game?
    I played it on the hardest difficulty and i highly recommend that, it makes the game a lot more intense that it should be, no hud no hp or ammo indication make the experience a lot more engaging, the AI is upgraded and while it still has bug or is stupid from time to time, it does feel somewhat competent, the story is serviceable enough, there is no regenerating hp and you can carry all your weapons which is an huge plus and they try to provide a bit of fan service for the fans of the franchise.

    Overall: Still not great its a lot better then it was when released, its a decent enough game on the aliens universe if you are bored and find it cheap    … Expand
  28. PSGaming
    Jul 30, 2021
    5
    Not good.Boring story,buggy mess,bad voice acting, graphics are bad even for a PS3 game.The ending was open minded for a sequel,but we will never see it probably.
  29. BleedingJester
    Aug 4, 2022
    7
    the game isn't a bad game for a PS3 game it doesn't look that bad the gameplay was fine as well I didnt experience any major problems either the few minor problems I did get fixed itself in a couple minutes

    the biggest problem this game has is the AI all the AI sucks from your Allies to every enemy none of them are good and because of that the game is really easy but easy doesn't    the game isn't a bad game for a PS3 game it doesn't look that bad the gameplay was fine as well I didnt experience any major problems either the few minor problems I did get fixed itself in a couple minutes

    the biggest problem this game has is the AI all the AI sucks from your Allies to every enemy none of them are good and because of that the game is really easy but easy doesn't necessarily make it boring because it was fun when I was just killing the Xenomorphs    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
35
#35 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
43

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 25
  3. Negative: 16 out of 25
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Apr 3, 2013
    50
    As a shooter, you’ve been here a hundred times before. As an Aliens game it suffers the pressure of the legacy on which it’s built, and the story is diabolically woeful. Game over, man. [April 2013, p72]
  2. Edge Magazine
    Mar 24, 2013
    50
    The representation of the xenomorphs is the game’s most damaging failure. They’re just not dangerous enough, reduced by a first mission deluge into a swarm of targets bearing the shape of a familiar, once-horrific symbol of death. But they have none of that pop icon’s grace or deadliness.
    Read full review
  3. Play UK
    Mar 21, 2013
    40
    Buggy, ugly, and somehow unfinished after ten years...A huge disappointment. [Issue#229, p.68]
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