GRAPHICS
95 % |
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The graphics in game are good. The makers of the game did a really good job of mapping the scenery and making the game look like something you would see in one of the Alien movies. Generally I must say they are impressive. There were some problems with the models. Most of them had to do with size and scaling, but nothing very major. Animations in the game are rather good; however, nVidia users should beware. There is an in-game rendering option called chroming, some GeForce cards will have a problem with this option, sometimes leading to sketchy animations, other than that there really are no other problems
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SOUND
98 % |
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The sounds in the game are great. The sounds and the music really set the mood of what's going on in the game. The sounds are also very close and accurate to the sounds that are depicted in the movies, if not better.
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GAMEPLAY
99 % |
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Gameplay is fun and varied. There are three campaigns for you to play. Each of them is very different and unique then the other. Basically the single package of AvP2 has three different games for the price of one. Definitely something worth getting.
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DEPTH
98 % |
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AvP2 has a good story, surprisingly. I didn't really expect it to have much along the lines of a story other than for you to just come in, kill things, and then leave. But on the contrary there really is a good sense of story which leads you through the game. Although the stories are unique, they all center on the Wayland Yutani Corporation and the damn humans meddling in things they shouldn't. At least one thing carried over from the films.
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MULTIPLAYER
95 % |
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[Editor's Note -- Award: Multiplayer is nearly as great and feature-rich as the single player game. There are a number of modes in which to play and a fairly nice load-out of maps. The only shortcoming of multiplayer is the lack of uses for the alien. With such a weak beginning, it's terrifying to even consider playing an alien on a normal server.]
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In general, there are not many games that I really play and like. Often times I play a game and after I beat it, I delete it. Usually the only time that I keep a game laying around on my hard drive is when it has exception replay value, or a great multiplayer element. Which is why I only have Half-Life and not much else in my game directory. I was really captivated by AvP2. I played the first one and it really didn't hold my attention. I played it for a day and after that I deleted it. I actually expected the same from the second addition to the AvP series. And with that in mind I basically saw this project as a drag since this time I would have to play it extensively. Then I finally played it, and well I was stunned with AvP2. I played it continuously non-stop for 4 days. And immediately after I finished one campaign I had to play the next one. Despite the fact that this game held me on edge 90% of the time, almost to the point where I needed to take a break every 15 minutes, I still kept playing. AvP2 is extremely immersive, in fact, it's modeled so well from the movies, that you can really see yourself in this world. That coupled with the melancholic and intense mood put into motion by the music makes one combination that is hard to resist. There have been a lot of advertisements for multiplayer tournaments and the like for AvP2 since its release, mainly just to boost sales. But take it from me, don't get this title because of all the hype that's been built on it, get it because it's perhaps that best title to come out this year, and it will offer you unrivaled amounts of fun. It's well worth the price, you will hardly be able to put it down. In fact I will even say it may change your criteria on how games should be. If you still need convincing, take trust me when I say this game is good, especially when I'm the guy who plays 90% of all the hyped games and labels half of them trash, and only half of the rest see four hours of my time. [-Ed (Award): I'd just like to add, as though it needs to be said after Mike's wonderful notes here, that AvP2 has been nominated for the categories of Best Game and Best Action Game in the 2001 Top Pupil Awards.]
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