2.19.2013

Aliens: Colonial Marines

     Even after reading the horrendous reviews, I kept my preorder with hopes that maybe I would be thoroughly enjoying this game.  It's happened with other games- Warriors: Legends of Troy, Green Lantern, and Thor for example.  They aren't good games, by any means, but I enjoyed them anyway. 
     Gearbox's Aliens is only half meeting that expectation.  I've only made it through a couple levels, but the frustration is already setting in.  I'll continue to play through the whole game, and then try out the multiplayer.  I don't think I'll be as cruel as the reviewers, and have actually found myself enjoying a couple parts.  The sound for instance- the Pulse Rifle firing and the Motion Trackers are SPOT ON and I absolutely love that.
     Within the last few months of Gearbox's Borderlands 2 DLC's being only decent, seriously lacking in length and quality- I've been consistently losing faith in this company.  Sure, the Borderlands stuff is decent- I love Torgue's Campaign of Carnage, but Scarlett's Pirate's Booty and Hammerlock's Hunt are both lacking.  No REALLY new weapons and shields, short quest lines, and all right stories. 
     Really, what's going on with them.  Where's the Borderlands 1 Gearbox team quality gone to???
     Here's a decent link to a Jim Sterling article that may shed a bit of light: http://www.destructoid.com/developer-gearbox-lied-to-sega-2k-over-colonial-marines-245986.phtml

     I'm only moderately liking this game so far.  It's playable, but as ALL the reviewers have noted there are numerous problems with it.  Too linear, bland writing, clunky character movements (both marines and alien NPCs) and blatantly ignoring previously canon story in the "Aliens" franchise.  Really, I can see ignoring Alien 3 and beyond, as well as that beautiful mess of a film Prometheus, but what the EFF Gearbox?!?  There are a bazillion fans that can be put to use as proofreaders.  Hello beta testers...  how much of this game could've been prevented with proper acknowledgement of fans?
     And just as many others have said, I feel lied to.  I feel cheated.  The game is nothing like the demo.  There seems very little about the game we got that is actually like what was advertised.  With Borderlands 2 we were promised a bunch of stuff still hasn't been provided- a worry free bank size, when will we get that?  How about that Armory of General Knoxx sized DLC?  Still nowhere in sight.  For Aliens, we are lacking both the wonderful atmosphere and feel of being in that world. 

     When it comes down to it, a whole game cannot be patched, and soon we consumers will find out if Gearbox can "patch" their credibility.  I'm eagerly waiting to hear what Mr. Randy Pitchford will be saying about this Aliens controversy, as I'm still hopeful something good may come out of it.  Then again, maybe not. 

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