Aliens: Colonial Marines (PS3, 360, Wii U and..PC!?!?!?!?!?)

[noiseredux]

well you're far more versed in the genre than I. I think I'm still in need of the training wheels that a more linear experience will offer. That said, I've died like 6 times trying to protect Keyes in the hull. You know the part? It's when you first have like a 4-person unit and you're all just holding off a wave of them while he's trying to get a door open? When they get too close to me I blow it. I think there's a melee weapon right? I don't konw how to use it.

EDIT: ooooooh it's press the R-stick.

[emwearz]

While I am no big fan of the game, I found it much better than reviewers led me to believe, but the final boss, no matter how forgiving you are, is the laziest thing I have ever played.

[noiseredux]

played more tonight. Still enjoying it. I didn't like the soldiers attacking the ship section, but I got past it and some face-huggers and now have a third person with me. I honestly think that my $10 was well spent. No idea how I'd feel about $60, but I wouldn't have dropped $60 on a FPS anyway.

I have seen a couple weird glitches where like a dead alien's tail is somehow coming through a wall. But besides that there's been cool stuff to balance it out. I particularly liked when the hull blew and you have to climb up it for instance. Some really cool scenes in here.

[dsheinem]

this game is not five hours long, I've played 5-6 hours and am at the end of Chapter 6 (of 11).

The computer AI is really bad. Sometimes it is so ridiculously easy - you can literally just run past everything without a care. Other times, it forces you to fight without telling you how/what to fight with, what the objective is, etc. your teammates are buggy as all get out, and are rarely a help. More graphical issues the further I go, too.

But, despite all this, I am not hating it.

[noiseredux]

this game is not five hours long, I've played 5-6 hours and am at the end of Chapter 6 (of 11).

I was starting to wonder about this myself. I've probably played about 2-3 hrs now and I'm just starting Chapter 3.

The computer AI is really bad. Sometimes it is so ridiculously easy - you can literally just run past everything without a care. Other times, it forces you to fight without telling you how/what to fight with, what the objective is, etc.

I haven't felt like the AI is overly easy although as you know, I'm still pretty n00bish as far as FPS goes. But for the most part I haven't felt like I've found many spots where I can just run past enemies. Maybe I can and just don't realize it though. There's definitely spots where you can trick the AI really easily though. Like, 'oh I'll just stand at this corner where I can't be shot and just keep aiming in and shooting this guy in the exposed leg until he dies' kind of stuff.

your teammates are buggy as all get out, and are rarely a help. More graphical issues the further I go, too.

I took a couple of hilarious/creepy pictures last night and will post them here when I get the chance. Remember the part with the turrets? So at one point I'm ducked down waiting out some incoming fire and I'm thinking "where the heck did O'Neil go? Why isn't he covering me?" So I go back to the previous room and there he is. Or at least, there's his head and his right arm and leg sticking out of a wall. So weird.

But, despite all this, I am not hating it.

Yeah totally. That's exactly why I wandered into this thread this morning. Like I said, I've seen some weird glitches like the one above or at other times one of your partners might just forget he's even in the game and just stand still and do nothing for five minutes. And I suppose had I bought this on day one for $60 I'd be upset. Had it been released day one as a 'budget title' for $40 I'd be maybe mildly annoyed. But for $10 I'm actually having quite a bit of fun with it and don't regret purchasing the game at all.

[noiseredux]

Still playing, still enjoying. Say what you will about the unfinished nature (I've now seen more than a few stray arms, tails, etc sticking out of walls for no reason), but the game has provided me with hours of fun this week. I mean I've played it every night now since I got it, which is definitely saying something.

I'm going to guess that the biggest complaint a seasoned FPS-er would have with this game is the more linear progression. Remember the last FPS I played through was Half-Life, so even I can see there's definitely a big difference in how the campaigns play out. But having said that, I for one actually am enjoying the linearity. Sometimes it's just fun to not have to overthink. I don't need to check a FAQ to figure out where to go next or what the heck my next objective is. I like that.

And I'll also say that there's been quite a few really cool and fun sections of the campaign so far (I'm on mission 4 now I believe... in the sewers). I mean maybe it's nothing overly unique, but still cool. Recently the 'super gun' section really stood out for instance.

And the conclusion to mission 3 was pretty exciting for me, running to the ship and being greeted by three xeno's at the ship's door with my life meter in the red... in a panic I started swinging the butt of my rifal to get them off me and seeing a cut scene that I thought was a game over... was in fact a 'mission complete.' It was genuinely an exciting moment.

It might sound like I'm raving about the game - and I guess to a certain degree I am. But I'm raving about it despite its flaws. I think it's far from a perfect game, but I think it's also one hell of a good time so far.

[dsheinem]

I think it's far from a perfect game, but I think it's also one hell of a good time so far.

I've been having less fun the further I go, but linearity has little to do with it. I can accept that as part and parcel of many modern FPS titles, and I even think linearity can be done well.

My issue is without question the uneven AI of both enemies and NPCs. It is true that there are levels where you can basically just run past 2/3 or so of the aliens and move from checkpoint to checkpoint without doing much more than jump-dodging and occasionally picking up a health pack if you happened to take a small hit.

Also, the meleeing of the aliens is ridiculous and kills any immersion that game might portend to. I seem to recall Ripley punching an alien in a film (or maybe it was a Predator in AVP?) and that being kind of a "woah" moment that showed extreme toughness. The idea of this marine walking around and butting aliens with his rifle is just stupid. The aliens in this game are not at all intimidating or stressful, as they should be.

I dunno, I'll know finish it...and the ride is "ok"...if I weren't a big fan of the franchise I doubt I'd see it through to the end, though.

Also, here's a review for the patches to the PC version, for those interested. i do think that, the odd graphical glitch aside, it runs and looks pretty good 90%+ of the time: http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolpinche ... l-marines/

[noiseredux]

My issue is without question the uneven AI of both enemies and NPCs.

I haven't found the enemy AI all that uneven myself, but the NPC's are crazy stupid. Sometimes they just stand still and do nothing for a while, so you have to go on without them only to find they finally followed you 2 rooms later. I had O'Neil even kill me by throwing a grenade at an alien that was right next to me. Idiot.

It is true that there are levels where you can basically just run past 2/3 or so of the aliens and move from checkpoint to checkpoint without doing much more than jump-dodging and occasionally picking up a health pack if you happened to take a small hit.

See this is the part where I feel like we're playing different games. I have yet to find a part where I was able to slip free and run away from any of the aliens. Don't know if somehow the PC and 360 ports are patched differently in that respect? Maybe I'm just terrible at FPS and you're experienced with them. But I mean, they usually swarm and get right up in your face fast.

Also, the meleeing of the aliens is ridiculous and kills any immersion that game might portend to. I seem to recall Ripley punching an alien in a film (or maybe it was a Predator in AVP?) and that being kind of a "woah" moment that showed extreme toughness. The idea of this marine walking around and butting aliens with his rifle is just stupid.

The melee is alright for being in a tight spot. I mean I get what you're saying film-wise. But eh, this just doesn't bother me in the game. Actually, when you stick the rifle in their mouth at melee range I think it's pretty awesome.

The aliens in this game are not at all intimidating or stressful, as they should be.

I personally find them stressful at times when they swarm, but again probably a product of me just not being that great at the genre.

[dsheinem]

I have yet to find a part where I was able to slip free and run away from any of the aliens. Don't know if somehow the PC and 360 ports are patched differently in that respect? Maybe I'm just terrible at FPS and you're experienced with them. But I mean, they usually swarm and get right up in your face fast.

I don't think you are outside yet. From level 5(?) on, when you spend a lot of time outside and in smaller buildings (a lab, for example), this becomes much more of an issue. I suppose I COULD stay and shoot/fight them all, but there's no REASON to when I can just run past them. When you get into more open areas (again, outside), try running through the rocks/tunnels/etc. on the surface without shooting or stopping for the aliens and I think you'll see what I mean. Once you kinda "hone" how to do that outside, you'll find lots of places inside where you can do the same.

The best sections for combat are those where you are in a confined space or where you have to defeat all enemies in order for some even to trigger/door to unlock/etc. These require you to figure out how to plan attacks, how to find the right cover, etc. These are far and few between.

[Ack]

Noise, you mean you don't play it like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5WwV9YoW_U