Alien Resurrection

Review

by Jon Thompson

Alien Resurrection was a potentially interesting game that spent a long time in development and shifted genres completely during the course of its creation. Now that it has been released, Alien Resurrection is a disappointment. When it comes to atmosphere, the developers at Argonaut know how to manipulate our senses. It's just as shame that we aren't allowed to manipulate the controls with the same finesse.

On its surface, the game is a straightforward first-person shooter where you trudge through levels while collecting key cards, shooting enemies, and generally playing a technologically advanced game of Berserk. There are no Half-Life trappings here. The plot is given to you via cut-scenes, and these are extremely limited and of poor quality. But what sets this game apart is its atmosphere. It is stronger at developing a palpable sense of dread than many of the other Alien titles previously released.

Dark corridors billow with steam, scratching noises and strange clanks are heard in the distance -- your heart beats quickly as you're battle-weary body presses on into the darkened room. The tracker registers a life form ... you know something is there, but you see nothing. Suddenly, from the ceiling or through the wall, out pops the alien, usually with great effect. This part of the game, the waiting, is outstanding.

The rest of the game falls apart, with the chief offender being the control. Controls are too loose, whether you're using digital or analog, so you'll more often than not find yourself staring at the floor or the ceiling when you try to turn around, instead of at the enemy currently attacking you. In fact, with no auto-aiming feature and enemies that come at you from all directions, the control makes this game extremely difficult if not impossible to complete.

Although the atmosphere is excellent, the actual game is so dark that it hides most of the graphics. Upon closer examination, everything from the textures and models to the animation of the Aliens is substandard. The Aliens, who should be crafty and nimble like in the movies, run at you awkwardly. Of course, if they ever moved with any sense of purpose, the controls would keep you from hitting them.

With Alien Resurrection, we're left with a title that offers scares but not much else, giving us repetitive gameplay that boils down to a keycard hunt, murky visuals that contribute to the atmosphere but are difficult to navigate, and a control scheme so horrible that it kills any enjoyment you'll have while playing.