{"product_id":"aliens-versus-predator-2","title":"Aliens Versus Predator 2","description":"Aliens versus Predator 2 PC CD sci-fi creatures marines shooter action game! vs \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"proAttr productType\"\u003e\u003clabel\u003eType: \u003c\/label\u003e Game \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"proAttr productType\"\u003e\u003clabel\u003ePlatform: \u003c\/label\u003e Windows \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"proAttr productType\"\u003e\u003clabel\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/label\u003e Sierra \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"proAttr productType\"\u003e\u003clabel\u003eReleased: \u003c\/label\u003e 2001 \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"proAttr productType\"\u003e\u003clabel\u003eMedia: \u003c\/label\u003e CD \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cshortdescription\u003e\u003c\/shortdescription\u003eALIENS VERSUS PREDATOR 2 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis game is a sequel to the 1999 first-person shooter that featured two of the most frightening movie monsters in recent history. As in the original, gamers are able to play as a human marine, an alien, or the predator in three separate storylines. Full featured multiplayer games are also supported. Many of the weapons and abilities from the original Alien vs. Predator return in this title, though some have been dropped and others added. Developed by Monolith, the game runs on the 3.0 version of the LithTech engine and is designed to provide state-of-the-art lighting and texture effects for immersing, spooky environments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn lieu of the traditional review preamble, here's the answer to the question you're probably wondering about: Yes, Aliens vs. Predator 2 lets you save anywhere. In fact, the first game is so notorious for its end-of-level-only save system that the sequel has become the first shooter to proudly list its unrestricted save feature right on the box. Monolith, taking over the series from UK-based developer Rebellion, has also added a few other things that the first game lacked, such as a compelling campaign structure, an in-game server browser, some interesting multiplayer modes, and the ability to play all the various Alien life stages. About the only thing it managed to screw up was the unimpressive single-player demo released a couple of months ago. So in answer to your second question: Yes, Aliens vs. Predator 2 is better than its demo. It's better than the demo, it's better than the original Aliens vs. Predator, and it's one of the best action games released so far this year.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe original Aliens vs. Predator was essentially a series of unrelated levels. It concentrated on creating a mood of relentless dread while relying on the well-developed and well-known Alien and Predator universes to provide an implicit story. For the sequel, however, Monolith has made a complete turnaround. Aliens vs. Predator 2 not only has a plot, but also has one of the most cleverly constructed plots ever attempted in a shooter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach of the three seven-level single-player campaigns takes place simultaneously. The events that are made up of one especially bad day for the humans manning a research station on planet LV-1201 are presented from three different perspectives: an alien research subject, a member of a predator hunting party, and a colonial marine who is part of a squad sent in response to a distress beacon. Though each story is self-contained, all three intersect at certain points, and the results of actions in one campaign can be seen in the others. For instance, as the marine, you'll encounter a predator trapped in a cryogenic stasis pod, which you must move so that it can fit down a ventilation shaft. During the predator campaign, it's you in stasis watching as the marine works the pod controls, inadvertently freeing you. The game is filled with little crossovers like these, and it becomes almost like a minigame in itself just keeping track of them, if for no other reason than to appreciate the impressive level of thought that went into creating the story's complex underlying structure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach of the three campaigns takes about four to five hours to complete, but what each lacks in length more than makes up for in density. A lot of content has been packed into these levels; every one is rich with scripted sequences and little unexpected play elements. As in Monolith's No One Lives Forever, virtually every set of human characters that you encounter can be found engaged in some sort of idle chatter, often about some chaos that you caused while playing as one of the other species. This chatter is especially evident in the Alien and Predator campaigns, which both involve a lot more fights against human opponents and a lot more sneaking around.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnlike in the original, large portions of Aliens vs. Predator 2 take place outside. The first game relied almost exclusively on moody lighting to support its somewhat simple-looking environments. The sequel, while not needing it so much as a crutch, continues the trend of fear-inducing lighting schemes. Red security lamps, strobe lights, and pitch-blackness are all put to excellent use. The shoulder-mounted lamps worn by most human soldiers are the game's best lighting effect. The lamps cast a cone of white light that points in whichever direction a soldier is looking. The effect is especially good when several guards are creeping around a murky environment, their lamp cones intersecting as they cross paths.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe soundtrack is also excellent. It's a moody mix of ambient clanks and hisses, low bass hums, and screeching strings. The score dynamically changes to a more dramatic composition when you enter a battle. Strangely, it often switches before you're even aware that enemies have detected you, occasionally making the soundtrack a more effective danger signal than the marine's motion detector.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor Windows (32-bit Systems) [*Please review compatibility\/platform sections in 'What You Get']\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Sierra","offers":[{"title":"Like New In CD Case","offer_id":49311198773526,"sku":"5279","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Used In CD Case","offer_id":49311198806294,"sku":"5438","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"New, Sealed In Box","offer_id":49311198839062,"sku":"6981","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Used In Sleeve","offer_id":49311198871830,"sku":"12367","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Used In Pamphlet","offer_id":49311198904598,"sku":"77421","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/0377\/1710\/files\/20101028144416459_791eaa54-bfd1-475b-9b05-2332c46d05f9.jpg?v=1771441213","url":"https:\/\/www.neverdiemedia.com\/products\/aliens-versus-predator-2","provider":"NeverDieMedia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}