Aliens: Colonial Marines
- May 28, 2013
- Gearbox Software
- 11h median play time
Colonial Marines is ultimately a disappointingly bland shooter, and this can be attributed to its lack of variety in the gameplay. It's authentic for sure, but feels as dated as the movie at this point.
"Aliens: Colonial Marines" is a horror shooter game that offers single-player and local co-op modes for up to 2 players in split screen. The game features a unique atmosphere, wonderful soundtrack, and some grinding, but it is very buggy with too many ads and missing optimization. The Collector's Edition includes a Plasma Pulse Rifle, Sonic Electronic Ball Breakers, and a US Colonial Marines Academy firing range.
PC
Windows
Cloud
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- Captures the atmosphere and feel of the Alien franchise, especially 'Aliens'.
- Fun to play in co-op mode with friends, enhancing the overall experience.
- The TemplarGFX mod significantly improves the game, fixing many bugs and enhancing AI.
- The AI is often broken, with both enemies and allies displaying poor behavior.
- The story is weak and filled with plot holes, failing to deliver a satisfying narrative.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including a frustrating restart loop when trying to exit.
- story1,122 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The story of "Aliens: Colonial Marines" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it mediocre and filled with plot holes, while others appreciate its connections to the original films. Some players recommend experiencing the DLC "Stasis Interrupted" first, as it provides a more coherent narrative that ties up loose ends from the main campaign. Overall, while the game offers fan service and nostalgic elements, its execution often falls short, leading to a lackluster storytelling experience.
“The game features a well-written and engaging storyline that ties in with the events of the Alien films, and which provides a satisfying conclusion to the franchise.”
“One of the key strengths of Aliens: Colonial Marines is its story and character development.”
“The story helps to fill in a few gaps and tie up some loose ends, but ultimately tells its own standalone story.”
“The story is mostly forgettable, with dull aliens and overall unimpressive presentation that was a far cry from the impressive trailers Gearbox was showboating up until its release.”
“The story is terrible, the gameplay is terrible, the AI is terrible, but for the life of me I can't help but love this game.”
“The story is a campy joke, tonally incongruent with the Aliens franchise.”
- graphics667 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Aliens: Colonial Marines" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are subpar, especially for a game released in 2013. While some appreciate the atmospheric lighting and certain visual effects, the overall quality is often described as dated, inconsistent, and reminiscent of earlier console generations. Many reviewers suggest that the game benefits significantly from graphical mods, which can enhance the visuals and improve the overall experience.
“The graphics are actually currently really nice; not next gen but nearly there - definitely top quality with awesome lighting effects.”
“The graphics are fine, the actual gameplay when playing in 'ultimate badass' is good too.”
“The graphics are good, though a lot of the textures (particularly monitor screens) seem really low resolution.”
“The graphics are terrible, the scripting is terrible, the enemy AI is terrible, there are still bugs several years after this game was released and even the guns/gunplay is terrible.”
“The graphics look like they are from a 2006 release.”
“The graphics are subpar, the AI is honestly worse than games made 15 years ago, AI pathing is atrocious, and the aliens themselves are just bullet sponges that offer virtually no content to the game.”
- gameplay467 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Aliens: Colonial Marines" has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players citing issues such as clunky mechanics, poor AI, and repetitive gameplay. While some appreciate the combat mechanics and atmosphere, others find the experience frustrating due to bugs, lack of innovation, and a failure to capture the tension of the Alien franchise. Overall, the game is seen as a mediocre first-person shooter that fails to meet the expectations set by its predecessors and promotional materials.
“In terms of gameplay, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a first-person shooter that features a mix of combat and exploration.”
“The game's weapons and enemies are well-designed and balanced, and they provide a satisfying and challenging gameplay experience.”
“Overall, it is a fun, gripping game with a good enough story and even better gameplay.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's really lackluster.”
“The gameplay is boring, the characters are boring for the most part and the story has more holes than O'Neal's brain.”
“The gameplay is just dreadful.”
- stability244 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The stability of "Aliens: Colonial Marines" is widely criticized, with players reporting numerous glitches, bugs, and AI issues that detract from the overall experience. While some users note that the game has improved since its initial release due to patches, many still encounter frustrating technical problems, including graphical glitches and unresponsive AI. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," but some players find enjoyment in its chaotic nature, especially in multiplayer settings.
“Not the best, but no glitches and no texture issues. For me, it's an awesome game.”
“The game received some big GB+ patches, and my playthrough was relatively bug-free.”
“I don't know what these other guys are saying, but it's a fun game with the added bonus of having xenomorphs in it. There are no glitches as far as I can see in my playthrough.”
“On release, this game was a horrendous, buggy mess with wasted potential.”
“This game is extremely buggy, and the bugs get in the way of everything from story, immersion, and general gameplay.”
“The game is fundamentally flawed in all areas and rife with bugs, glitches, and other general annoyances.”
- atmosphere207 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Aliens: Colonial Marines" is widely praised for its immersive and nostalgic recreation of the iconic settings and sounds from the "Aliens" film. Many players feel that the game successfully captures the tension and ambiance of the movie, enhanced by detailed environments, sound design, and familiar weaponry. However, some reviews note that technical issues and gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about the game's ability to maintain its atmospheric integrity throughout.
“The game's environments are atmospheric and immersive, and they do a good job of capturing the feeling of being on board a space station.”
“The atmosphere is really great, very close to the movie 'Aliens', with references to the movie's characters, places, and weapons.”
“The game faithfully recreates the atmosphere from the movie 'Aliens' and I really felt like I was experiencing the world of 'Aliens' in the eyes of a colonial marine soldier, which was all I wanted.”
“The atmosphere is incredibly dull and in no way frightening.”
“The atmosphere, both graphically and auditorially, is about as interesting and engaging as the decor in a Denny's.”
“The npcs are boring, and you can't really feel the alien atmosphere when you play the game.”
- music111 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its authenticity and ability to evoke the atmosphere of the original "Aliens" films. While some players appreciate the nostalgic soundtrack and sound effects, others find the music repetitive and lacking in finesse, often overshadowed by the gameplay. Overall, the sound design is considered one of the game's stronger aspects, contributing to an immersive experience despite some criticisms of its execution.
“The music, setting, weapon fire, and scenarios really put you in the world of 'Aliens'.”
“The sound design does justice to the original movies, by way of sound effects and the soundtrack.”
“Fun gameplay, good story in the Aliens universe, amazing sounds, great music that tunes into the action and changes as it goes, very well done on the music, creepy atmosphere, it's everything I wanted from an Aliens game.”
“It's as if the aliens soundtrack was chopped up and blended into a mayonnaise-like generic paste and then slathered on artlessly.”
“Famous musical cues end up sounding groan-worthy and predictable, increasing the sense of boredom in an already boring game.”
“The music is boring, however, despite directly drawing from aliens, not for the fault of its own, but rather due to how underwhelming the gameplay it accompanies is – it stands out in a weird way.”
- humor76 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely described as "hilariously bad," with players finding enjoyment in its absurd glitches, campy dialogue, and unintentionally funny animations. Many reviews highlight the comedic value of the AI's incompetence and the over-the-top scenarios that arise during gameplay, especially in multiplayer settings. While some players appreciate the humor as a redeeming quality, others note that it can become tiresome over time, making the experience a mix of laughter and frustration.
“The dialogue between the main character's squad is hilariously bad at times, which I found highly enjoyable.”
“If I weren't laughing at the silliness of this game, I would be screaming out of anger, breaking computer hardware and demanding a refund.”
“Hilariously bad in nearly every way, the excellent art design and fun co-op experience made this a good time for me.”
- optimization35 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and poor AI behavior. While some improvements have been made since its initial release, including community-created mods that enhance performance, the game still struggles with optimization, particularly on higher resolutions and more demanding hardware. Despite these shortcomings, a few players noted that the game can run adequately on low-end systems, but the overall experience remains marred by technical flaws.
“To be honest, it's better optimized than it was back in 2013, but this doesn't mean much given the state this game was released.”
“A group of modders have created an easily installed overhaul mod for this game to make it much more enjoyable, including bug fixes, AI improvements, compatibility fixes, and optimization.”
“That said, the game has no obvious technical issues; it runs well, it's stable, it's not full of glitches and crashes, and it's well-optimized. This game will run well on low-end hardware.”
“The main problem, however, is the lack of optimization and the massive frame drops.”
“Despite all its terrible programming problems, it's dreadful how terrible the AI and weapons performance are.”
“This game came out 2 years ago, but it feels 10 years behind in terms of optimization.”
- replayability30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players finding it highly enjoyable, especially in co-op modes, while others criticize its linear design and lack of alternate endings, which limit replay value. Many reviews highlight that while there are some collectible elements and achievements to pursue, the single-player experience feels less engaging for repeated playthroughs. Ultimately, the game offers moderate to high replayability for those who enjoy multiplayer or have friends to play with, but it may not hold the same appeal for solo players.
“The game is now more playable and you will notice it on your first lurker.”
“Really a great game and has tremendous replay value.”
“The replay value is very high to me, and just because one knows what is going to happen does not give you too much of an advantage when playing through the game again.”
“The battle areas and levels are all highly linear (like Call of Duty linear) with only one path through which severely limits replay value.”
“There are no alternate endings, which limits replay value further (even if you wanted to replay it).”
“There's no replay value whatsoever.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 85 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with some experiencing profound feelings of disappointment and heartbreak, particularly regarding the narrative's impact on the franchise. While a few moments resonate deeply, leading to tears, many reviewers criticize the lack of emotional investment in the characters and the overall uninspired storytelling, resulting in a disconnect that undermines the game's potential for genuine emotional engagement.
“The most emotional and climactic ending to any game ever.”
“Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
“It intelligently features an everyday civilian (non-hero), making the experience almost feel believable and emotional.”
“This abomination has repetitive gameplay, a boring story, and unfulfilled promises.”
“This game is great, if you count out the boring storyline, the horrible AI, the glitches that show in the first 5 seconds of playing the game, and the fact that it's a waste of money.”
“Awful game which is only fun if you enjoy shooting a lousy amount of aliens and playing through a boring story.”
- monetization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of Colonial Marines is generally viewed negatively, with players feeling misled by its advertising that promised engaging gameplay and features that were ultimately underdelivered. While the game does not include microtransactions or loot boxes, it suffers from a lack of polish and unfinished elements, leading to frustration among players. However, the progression system for unlocking weapon attachments and skins is seen as a positive feature, adding depth to the single-player experience.
“There are no microtransactions or loot boxes, which is a refreshing change.”
“I appreciate that the game doesn't include any pay-to-win mechanics.”
“The absence of monetization tactics like loot boxes makes for a more enjoyable experience.”
“To be sure, developers deserve what they get if they release unfinished games and use deceitful advertisement, as they did here.”
“It seems like it is bait advertising.”
“A rush job, but not a cash grab.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 82 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding in the game is excessively tedious and repetitive, often described as a mindless experience that detracts from overall enjoyment. Players express frustration with poorly designed missions and combat mechanics, leading to a lack of engagement and immersion. The leveling system in multiplayer offers some incentive for grinding, but it fails to compensate for the game's overall shortcomings in narrative and gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“People forget that this product came from a very dark era of gaming where publishers had decided that their customers didn't want well-crafted, interesting games with well-thought-out characters and an actual story that we could immerse ourselves in - oh no, what we all really wanted was Call of Duty with mindless grinding, quick time events by the bucket, and oodles of immersion-breaking instant deaths - that's what we really wanted according to the publishers.”
“Couldn't even bear the amount of time required to complete the second mission. After the first mission, the game turns into tedious boredom. You begin fighting humans that start swinging and missing with their guns, vaulting over certain obstacles several different times. I guess it's my own fault for believing in this game after all the trustworthy reviews I read about it. It's safe to say that you should save your money on this one, because even if this game is a shining beautiful example of what can go right when it comes to the general aesthetic and graphics, the narrative and gameplay departments fail in comparison. It was just a chain of command I needed to break as I approached being bored to death.”
“The perfect word to describe this sad junk of a game is: tedious. This is extremely inferior to the original Alien vs Predator and Alien vs Predator 2.”
- character development9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some reviews praise the story and character designs as faithful to the alien films, others criticize the lack of depth and care in character development, particularly for the main character and NPCs. Despite having good graphics, the overall execution of character design and animations falls short, leaving players wanting more substantial growth and engagement with the characters.
“One of the key strengths of Aliens: Colonial Marines is its story and character development.”
“The story mode had some of the most excellent character design I've ever seen, and don't even get me started on the gameplay.”
“Character design is just... it's pretty bad.”
“Although the story is kind of cliché, the main character and companion NPCs do not get fleshed out enough in terms of character development.”
“In the stasis, you even get some of that character development that was dreadfully missing from the main game.”
Critic Reviews
Aliens: Colonial Marines Review
It’s about time there’s an Aliens game worth playing. Aliens Colonial Marines does a great job with bringing the focus back to the original story and expanding on it. For fans of the series, Gearbox puts plenty of nodes to the movies to make you feel right at home. The art is perfect, and the game play is pretty solid, especially with the custom load outs. The performance is a little hindering but by no means a show stopper.
85%the worse species
Aliens: Colonial Marines feels craven and exploitative of its source material
30%Aliens: Colonial Marines Review
The biggest achievement in this title is that it works as a shooter, but the gameplay, plot, visuals, and audio don't do it any justice. The multiplayer lessens the experience even further by providing a simplistic experience that only deters players from playing more than one round. It's really hard to believe that Gearbox was even involved with this title at all.
35%
