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Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (video game)
Encyclopedia
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a video game exclusively for the PlayStation Portable
, developed by Rebellion Developments
and published by Sierra Entertainment
in November 2007 in North America
and Europe
, and December 2007 in Australia
. It is an entry in the Alien vs. Predator
franchise, an amalgamation of the Alien
and Predator
franchises. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a tie-in
to the film of the same title, which was released shortly after the game.
The game's plot is loosely based on the film's, and players take the role of the film's primary Predator
. After the events of the first film in the franchise, the Predator has been charged by his society to hunt down and destroy any trace of Alien activity taking place in a small American town, to avoid detection by humanity. The game takes place in several areas in and around Gunnison, Colorado.
The game received negative reviews from critics. It was described as another entry in a long line of poorly-developed movie tie-ins. Reviewers enjoyed the opportunity to play as a Predator, but complained that the game was too easy and not rewarding, particularly the simple artificial intelligence
of enemies. The game's visuals and audio were considered poor.
action-adventure game
. The single-player campaign is composed of 15 missions and features the Predator from the film. The player has access to Predator weapons as seen in movies and other sources in the franchise, including claws and a shoulder-mounted energy cannon. New weapons from the corresponding film include an energy pistol.
The player character also has stealth camouflage and several vision modes that allow him to see in the dark, such as infrared vision. Health
is represented by a segmented life bar that regenerates after a successful kill, and an energy bar is also available to provide power for the Predator's weapons. In addition to destroying Aliens, the Predator must eradicate other traces of their presence, including facehugger husks. Aliens, husks, humans, and other potential targets are all represented by icons on a heads-up display
. The game's camera is manipulated by pressing the PlayStation Portable (PSP)
's triggers, and the Predator can "lock on" to opponents using a first-person view to target them with his ranged weapons.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem uses a system of "honor points" to award points
to players for actions considered honorable for Predators. For instance, "tagging" an enemy in first-person mode before killing it adds points, while killing humans reduces points. Honor points are used at the end of each mission to upgrade the Predator's weapons and equipment. In addition to the campaign, a single-player mode called "Skirmish" is available, in which players have five minutes to dispose of as many Aliens as possible in one of the game's maps. Skirmish can also be played in a cooperative setting
with one other player using the PSP's "ad-hoc" local wireless mode.
.
The protagonist predator has come to Earth in response to a distress signal from a comrade's ship. Upon his arrival in the small Colorado
town of Gunnison, he learns that Aliens have begun terrorizing the local populace. His mission is to destroy the Aliens and remove any trace of their activity. After reaching his comrades' ship and erasing its traces from Earth, the Predator's only mission is to exterminate all Aliens in the vicinity. He travels through rural and urban areas of Gunnison, fighting more Aliens along the way, and occasionally being harassed by human soldiers and civilians. Finally, the main Alien lair is found in a hospital, where several mines are set by the Predator to bring the Hive down. The game concludes with the final fight against an attacking helicopter and the hospital's destruction. Suddenly, the Alien Queen is seen appearing out of the hospital's rubble, only to be destroyed, along with the entire town, by a warhead, while the Predator successfully leaves Earth.
began as a franchise in February 1990, when Dark Horse Comics
published a comic book featuring Aliens from the Alien series
of films in battle against the titular characters
of Predator
. Both franchises are owned by Twentieth Century Fox. In November 1990, Fox released Predator 2
, and one of the final scenes in the film showed an Alien skull inside a trophy case aboard a Predator ship. Fox began licensing merchandise for the new franchise, including comic books and video games. In 1993, the first Aliens vs. Predator video game was released; Alien vs Predator for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
.
British independent game studio Rebellion Developments
became involved with the franchise in 1994 with the release of Alien vs Predator for the Atari Jaguar
, described by 1UP.com
as "probably the only good Jaguar game ever made". Rebellion later developed an enhanced remake
of the game for the PC, which was the first PC game to require a video card
and went on to win a BAFTA award. The first feature film in the franchise, Alien vs. Predator
, was released in 2004 and did not include a tie-in
video game. In August 2007, Sierra Entertainment
announced that the company had partnered with Fox to produce a video game corresponding with the sequel film Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. Rebellion was identified as the game's developer. The company, while not strictly handheld-focused
, has a reputation in the industry for developing PSP games.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem was developed exclusively for the PSP. Regarding PSP exclusivity, Rebellion lead designer Tim Jones explained "It was basically a matter of logistics. We have a strong heritage with the PSP and have done a number of successful titles such as Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
". Rebellion decided to forego the first-person shooter
format of their earlier Alien vs. Predator games and instead focused on a third-person perspective, with the player taking the role of a lone Predator. Unlike previous Rebellion Alien vs. Predator titles, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem does not permit players to take the role of Aliens or human Marines. The company used a game engine
of its own creation, and Hal Zabie, associate producer at Sierra Entertainment, said "...the challenge was to deliver high quality graphics while not sacrificing game performance and this is something that Rebellion achieved and will be noticed by players right away."
Rebellion was given materials from the film's production, including footage and the full script, in order to recreate the feel of the film and lend authenticity to the game. The game's plot is loosely based on the film's, with the player character
working to remove traces of Alien and Predator presence in a small American town. The directors of the film, the Brothers Strause
, are fans of Rebellion's PC Aliens vs. Predator game and worked with the studio to develop Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem' s premise. In an interview with IGN
, Rebellion's Tim Jones said "Fox is very protective of their franchise and take [sic] great care to make sure it is treated properly. We had to work within strict confines to remain consistent with the movie and everything we did had to be approved by the studio." The game's system of honor points was considered crucial by Rebellion, who felt that the Predators, despite being the "bad guys", were characterized by a strict code of honor
.
Sierra described the game's development as challenging because portable consoles lack the processing power of larger machines. Rebellion complained about the PSP's lack of a second analog thumbstick
, stating that it made creating a usable control scheme challenging. They also stated that because the game's protagonist preferred to work alone, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem would not contain a multiplayer cooperative mode for the single-player campaign, but a "Survival Mode" minigame
would be available where two players could work together to fight Aliens. The game had a relatively short development cycle, and was made in less time than the movie.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem was released on November 13, 2007 in North America, over a month ahead of the film's December 25 opening. It was released on November 30 in Europe and December 6 in Australia.
's reviewer said "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem isn't a terrible game; it's just really mediocre." Eurogamer
's Ellie Gibson described the game by referencing a colleague's review of Miami Vice: The Game
, a previous Rebellion PSP title, which stated "[ Miami Vice: The Game is] one of those games that's not bad, but nor is it ever that good." The week before the movie's release, Requiem was listed at #5 on GameFly's
most-rented PSP titles list.
One critique was the game's difficulty level
, which was described as too easy. Gameplanet called it "shockingly easy" and claimed that upgrades gained through the honor system made the protagonist invincible rather than stronger. Eurogamer noted that "furiously mashing buttons" was generally sufficient to kill most of the game's enemies.
The artificial intelligence
of the game's enemies, the Aliens, was regarded as lacking, and one reviewer noted that their blood was not acidic, a defining characteristic of the creatures from the films. Several reviewers did praise the game's representation of the Predator, however, especially in the early levels.
The game's graphics and audio were not well-received, with IGN commenting "There's never a moment that makes you step back and say wow. The textures are muted, the Predator looks alright, but everything is pretty forgettable."
Reviewers also took the opportunity to mock the franchise itself, with Eurogamer suggesting that the series be made into a sitcom. Regarding the multiplayer, IGN's Greg Miller said "This mode was so boring I made up my own story. I was the Mommy Predator and Ryan from the IGN News Team was the Daddy Predator. We were protecting our children -- the cars in the large empty lot we were running around -- from the aliens". 1UP's Patrick Klepek said "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem fails to capitalize on its gaming heritage, instead falling prey to the same substandard licensed schlock we're used to from the films."
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, developed by Rebellion Developments
Rebellion Developments
Rebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
and published by Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
in November 2007 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and December 2007 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is an entry in the Alien vs. Predator
Alien vs. Predator
Aliens vs. Predator, also known as Alien vs. Predator and Aliens versus Predator , is a science fiction-horror fiction series spanning several media. The series is a crossover between two film franchises about extraterrestrial beings: the Aliens and the Predators...
franchise, an amalgamation of the Alien
Alien (franchise)
The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
and Predator
Predator (franchise)
The Predator film series is a science fiction horror film franchise. Produced by 20th Century Fox, the series started in 1987 with the film Predator, which led to two sequels and novel, comic book and video game spin-offs....
franchises. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
to the film of the same title, which was released shortly after the game.
The game's plot is loosely based on the film's, and players take the role of the film's primary Predator
Predator (alien)
The Predator is a fictional extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator science-fiction franchise, characterised by its trophy hunting of other dangerous species for sport, including humans and its fictional counterparts, Aliens....
. After the events of the first film in the franchise, the Predator has been charged by his society to hunt down and destroy any trace of Alien activity taking place in a small American town, to avoid detection by humanity. The game takes place in several areas in and around Gunnison, Colorado.
The game received negative reviews from critics. It was described as another entry in a long line of poorly-developed movie tie-ins. Reviewers enjoyed the opportunity to play as a Predator, but complained that the game was too easy and not rewarding, particularly the simple artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
of enemies. The game's visuals and audio were considered poor.
Gameplay
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a third-personThird-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
action-adventure game
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
. The single-player campaign is composed of 15 missions and features the Predator from the film. The player has access to Predator weapons as seen in movies and other sources in the franchise, including claws and a shoulder-mounted energy cannon. New weapons from the corresponding film include an energy pistol.
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
is represented by a segmented life bar that regenerates after a successful kill, and an energy bar is also available to provide power for the Predator's weapons. In addition to destroying Aliens, the Predator must eradicate other traces of their presence, including facehugger husks. Aliens, husks, humans, and other potential targets are all represented by icons on a heads-up display
HUD (video gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
. The game's camera is manipulated by pressing the PlayStation Portable (PSP)
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
's triggers, and the Predator can "lock on" to opponents using a first-person view to target them with his ranged weapons.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem uses a system of "honor points" to award points
Score (gaming)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
to players for actions considered honorable for Predators. For instance, "tagging" an enemy in first-person mode before killing it adds points, while killing humans reduces points. Honor points are used at the end of each mission to upgrade the Predator's weapons and equipment. In addition to the campaign, a single-player mode called "Skirmish" is available, in which players have five minutes to dispose of as many Aliens as possible in one of the game's maps. Skirmish can also be played in a cooperative setting
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
with one other player using the PSP's "ad-hoc" local wireless mode.
Plot
Despite similarities to the movie, the ending is different and the game does not feature the "predalien", a Predator-Alien hybrid introduced in Alien vs. PredatorAlien vs. Predator (film)
Alien vs. Predator is a 2004 American science fiction film directed by Paul W. S. Anderson for 20th Century Fox and starring Sanaa Lathan and Lance Henriksen. The film adapts the Alien vs. Predator crossover imprint bringing together the eponymous creatures of the Alien and Predator series, a...
.
The protagonist predator has come to Earth in response to a distress signal from a comrade's ship. Upon his arrival in the small Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
town of Gunnison, he learns that Aliens have begun terrorizing the local populace. His mission is to destroy the Aliens and remove any trace of their activity. After reaching his comrades' ship and erasing its traces from Earth, the Predator's only mission is to exterminate all Aliens in the vicinity. He travels through rural and urban areas of Gunnison, fighting more Aliens along the way, and occasionally being harassed by human soldiers and civilians. Finally, the main Alien lair is found in a hospital, where several mines are set by the Predator to bring the Hive down. The game concludes with the final fight against an attacking helicopter and the hospital's destruction. Suddenly, the Alien Queen is seen appearing out of the hospital's rubble, only to be destroyed, along with the entire town, by a warhead, while the Predator successfully leaves Earth.
Development
Alien vs. PredatorAlien vs. Predator
Aliens vs. Predator, also known as Alien vs. Predator and Aliens versus Predator , is a science fiction-horror fiction series spanning several media. The series is a crossover between two film franchises about extraterrestrial beings: the Aliens and the Predators...
began as a franchise in February 1990, when Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
published a comic book featuring Aliens from the Alien series
Alien (franchise)
The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
of films in battle against the titular characters
Predator (alien)
The Predator is a fictional extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator science-fiction franchise, characterised by its trophy hunting of other dangerous species for sport, including humans and its fictional counterparts, Aliens....
of Predator
Predator (film)
Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox....
. Both franchises are owned by Twentieth Century Fox. In November 1990, Fox released Predator 2
Predator 2
Predator 2 is a 1990 science fiction action film starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, María Conchita Alonso, Rubén Blades, and Bill Paxton. Written by Jim and John Thomas and directed by Stephen Hopkins, the film is a sequel to 1987's Predator, with Kevin Peter Hall again playing the role of the...
, and one of the final scenes in the film showed an Alien skull inside a trophy case aboard a Predator ship. Fox began licensing merchandise for the new franchise, including comic books and video games. In 1993, the first Aliens vs. Predator video game was released; Alien vs Predator for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
.
British independent game studio Rebellion Developments
Rebellion Developments
Rebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
became involved with the franchise in 1994 with the release of Alien vs Predator for the Atari Jaguar
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a video game console that was released by Atari Corporation in 1993. It was the last to be marketed under the Atari brand until the release of the Atari Flashback in 2004. It was designed to surpass the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Panasonic...
, described by 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
as "probably the only good Jaguar game ever made". Rebellion later developed an enhanced remake
Enhanced remake
A video game remake is a game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game for newer hardware and contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and story elements of the original game...
of the game for the PC, which was the first PC game to require a video card
Video card
A video card, Graphics Card, or Graphics adapter is an expansion card which generates output images to a display. Most video cards offer various functions such as accelerated rendering of 3D scenes and 2D graphics, MPEG-2/MPEG-4 decoding, TV output, or the ability to connect multiple monitors...
and went on to win a BAFTA award. The first feature film in the franchise, Alien vs. Predator
Alien vs. Predator (film)
Alien vs. Predator is a 2004 American science fiction film directed by Paul W. S. Anderson for 20th Century Fox and starring Sanaa Lathan and Lance Henriksen. The film adapts the Alien vs. Predator crossover imprint bringing together the eponymous creatures of the Alien and Predator series, a...
, was released in 2004 and did not include a tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
video game. In August 2007, Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
announced that the company had partnered with Fox to produce a video game corresponding with the sequel film Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. Rebellion was identified as the game's developer. The company, while not strictly handheld-focused
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
, has a reputation in the industry for developing PSP games.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem was developed exclusively for the PSP. Regarding PSP exclusivity, Rebellion lead designer Tim Jones explained "It was basically a matter of logistics. We have a strong heritage with the PSP and have done a number of successful titles such as Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron is the third entry in the Star Wars Battlefront series of video games, first released on October 9, 2007 in North America and later in Australia and Europe. The game was designed as a PlayStation Portable exclusive and features the eponymous Rebel Alliance...
". Rebellion decided to forego the first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
format of their earlier Alien vs. Predator games and instead focused on a third-person perspective, with the player taking the role of a lone Predator. Unlike previous Rebellion Alien vs. Predator titles, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem does not permit players to take the role of Aliens or human Marines. The company used a game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
of its own creation, and Hal Zabie, associate producer at Sierra Entertainment, said "...the challenge was to deliver high quality graphics while not sacrificing game performance and this is something that Rebellion achieved and will be noticed by players right away."
Rebellion was given materials from the film's production, including footage and the full script, in order to recreate the feel of the film and lend authenticity to the game. The game's plot is loosely based on the film's, with the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
working to remove traces of Alien and Predator presence in a small American town. The directors of the film, the Brothers Strause
Brothers Strause
Brothers Greg and Colin Strause are a directing duo, most famous for directing Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline, and special effects artists who make movies and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois...
, are fans of Rebellion's PC Aliens vs. Predator game and worked with the studio to develop Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, Rebellion's Tim Jones said "Fox is very protective of their franchise and take [sic] great care to make sure it is treated properly. We had to work within strict confines to remain consistent with the movie and everything we did had to be approved by the studio." The game's system of honor points was considered crucial by Rebellion, who felt that the Predators, despite being the "bad guys", were characterized by a strict code of honor
Honor code
An honour code or honour system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people can be trusted to act honorably...
.
Sierra described the game's development as challenging because portable consoles lack the processing power of larger machines. Rebellion complained about the PSP's lack of a second analog thumbstick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
, stating that it made creating a usable control scheme challenging. They also stated that because the game's protagonist preferred to work alone, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem would not contain a multiplayer cooperative mode for the single-player campaign, but a "Survival Mode" minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
would be available where two players could work together to fight Aliens. The game had a relatively short development cycle, and was made in less time than the movie.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem was released on November 13, 2007 in North America, over a month ahead of the film's December 25 opening. It was released on November 30 in Europe and December 6 in Australia.
Reception
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem received mostly negative reviews among gaming publications. It was considered a poor movie tie-in, an analysis typical of such games. Reviewers specifically said the game wasn't "bad", just not "good"—IGN, for instance, said "AVP doesn't suck, but that isn't to say it's good." GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's reviewer said "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem isn't a terrible game; it's just really mediocre." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
's Ellie Gibson described the game by referencing a colleague's review of Miami Vice: The Game
Miami Vice: The Game
Miami Vice is a third-person shooter for the PlayStation Portable. It was released as a tie-in with the movie of the same name. Therefore, the likeness of the narcotics officers Crockett and Tubbs are based on that of Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, respectively.-Plot:Set before the events of the...
, a previous Rebellion PSP title, which stated "
GameFly
GameFly is an American online video game rental subscription service that specializes in providing games for game consoles and handheld game consoles....
most-rented PSP titles list.
One critique was the game's difficulty level
Difficulty level
In general usage, difficulty level refers to the relative difficulty of completing a task or objective.In computer and video games, the term specifically delineates the ease or difficulty with which an average user may complete a game or a part of a game. Arcade games as well as many early console...
, which was described as too easy. Gameplanet called it "shockingly easy" and claimed that upgrades gained through the honor system made the protagonist invincible rather than stronger. Eurogamer noted that "furiously mashing buttons" was generally sufficient to kill most of the game's enemies.
The artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
of the game's enemies, the Aliens, was regarded as lacking, and one reviewer noted that their blood was not acidic, a defining characteristic of the creatures from the films. Several reviewers did praise the game's representation of the Predator, however, especially in the early levels.
The game's graphics and audio were not well-received, with IGN commenting "There's never a moment that makes you step back and say wow. The textures are muted, the Predator looks alright, but everything is pretty forgettable."
Reviewers also took the opportunity to mock the franchise itself, with Eurogamer suggesting that the series be made into a sitcom. Regarding the multiplayer, IGN's Greg Miller said "This mode was so boring I made up my own story. I was the Mommy Predator and Ryan from the IGN News Team was the Daddy Predator. We were protecting our children -- the cars in the large empty lot we were running around -- from the aliens". 1UP's Patrick Klepek said "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem fails to capitalize on its gaming heritage, instead falling prey to the same substandard licensed schlock we're used to from the films."