Alpha Prime
- November 7, 2007
- Black Element Software
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"Alpha Prime" is a first-person shooter game set in a remote mining facility in space. Players take on the role of an elite commando, investigating the mysterious happenings at the facility. The game features a variety of weapons, enemies, and environments to explore, with a focus on fast-paced action and intense combat. As players progress, they uncover a conspiracy that threatens the entire human race, adding a layer of intrigue to the gameplay.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a nostalgic old-school FPS feel that some players appreciate.
- Graphics have aged nicely and run smoothly on modern PCs.
- The combat can be challenging and requires strategic use of cover and tactics.
- The voice acting and dialogue are often considered terrible and cringeworthy.
- Enemies have near-perfect accuracy, making the game frustratingly difficult.
- The story is generic and poorly executed, with many players finding it unengaging.
- story338 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story of "Alpha Prime" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be poorly written and filled with clichés, while others appreciate its entertaining, albeit cheesy, B-movie vibe. Some reviewers noted that the plot involves a conspiracy and personal dynamics, but it often suffers from pacing issues, plot holes, and forgettable characters. Overall, while the story may not be the game's strongest aspect, it provides a backdrop for the gameplay that some players found engaging despite its flaws.
“The game features a well-written and engaging storyline that is filled with twists and turns, and which keeps players guessing until the very end.”
“One of the key strengths of Alpha Prime is its story and character development.”
“The story is quite interesting and the environments are really well made.”
“The story is complete nonsense.”
“The story is a mess.”
“The story is nonsensical; it really feels like they just came up with the story on the spot.”
- gameplay225 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Alpha Prime is a mixed bag, drawing heavily from classic first-person shooters like Doom 3 and Half-Life, but often feeling clunky and outdated. While it features traditional FPS mechanics, including combat, exploration, and some unique elements like hacking and bullet-time, many players find the execution lacking, with frustrating enemy AI and repetitive level design. Overall, the gameplay is described as serviceable but ultimately fails to elevate the experience, leaving it feeling derivative and sometimes tedious.
“Enemies are accurate even at distance and deal hefty damage, so after a few levels I found myself really needing to make use of cover and the lean mechanic to peek out and take pot shots.”
“The game's weapons and enemies are well-designed and balanced, and they provide a satisfying and challenging gameplay experience.”
“The gameplay discourages just rushing because the enemies deal a good amount of damage and are quite accurate, and rather encourages you to peek around corners and use your abilities and be careful in general.”
“The gameplay has aged very poorly.”
“Its movement is the floatiest of any game I've ever played, the enemy AI is far too punishing, the hacking mechanic is barely utilized, the sound design is lackluster, the dialogue and delivery are laughable, and the story is just sloppy.”
“The gameplay is extremely dull, like a really weak Quake 4.”
- graphics184 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent for its 2007 release, with many reviewers noting that they have aged reasonably well compared to contemporaries like Doom 3 and Quake 4. While some textures and character models appear dated, the game features good use of lighting and particle effects, and it supports modern resolutions, allowing for smooth performance on contemporary hardware. Overall, the visuals are a mixed bag, with some praising their aesthetic appeal while others find them lacking in comparison to more recent titles.
“Visually, it has the right aesthetics: good use of shadows and dynamic lighting, lots of particle effects, plastic-glow human skin, that sort of stuff.”
“The graphics have aged well, the visuals being a cross-over of Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy and Mass Effect.”
“Considering the game came out in 2007, those are pretty decent visuals, even by today's standards.”
“However, compared to contemporary shooters, the graphics can feel dated.”
“The graphics are generally mediocre, movement is alright, but every single weapon is a janky pile of gunk shoved inside a leaf-blower.”
“For a 2007 game, the visuals are bad.”
- humor75 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its unintentional comedic elements, including poor voice acting, absurd storylines, and numerous glitches that evoke laughter rather than frustration. Players find the dialogue and character interactions to be hilariously bad, often comparing the experience to watching a B-movie, where the flaws become a source of entertainment. While the game may not be recommendable for its gameplay, it offers a unique charm for those willing to embrace its shortcomings for a good laugh.
“Atop this, the story is hilariously preposterous because you're basically fighting demented people on a military base set up on an asteroid.”
“The voice acting is so bad that it's funny and the sound montage is so amateur it's hilarious.”
“I spent a good amount of time laughing at the horribly animated cinematics and how the voice actors sounded worse than my mother's soap operas.”
- music61 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its energetic and atmospheric qualities that enhance gameplay, while others find it repetitive or poorly integrated with dialogue. Notably, several players highlight standout tracks reminiscent of industrial rock and cinematic scores, though some criticize the soundtrack for being forgettable or annoying at times. Overall, while the music can elevate the experience, its effectiveness varies significantly among players.
“The soundtrack is pretty stellar; it reminded me of Rammstein or something you would hear in The Matrix.”
“Last but not least, the soundtrack of the game is great; I like to listen to some of the tracks even when I'm not playing.”
“But if you like kickass FPS soundtracks, then this game is great to have; it has some truly fantastic music in there that just gets you really pumped for the action. Big kudos to the composer!”
“The soundtrack is serviceable, with atmospheric music and sound effects that help set the mood but don't stand out as particularly memorable.”
“The music in this FPS game is horrible.”
“The background fighting scene music was terrible and it just ruined the scary tone the game tried to go for.”
- stability32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant glitches, particularly during vehicle segments like the buggy driving, which is described as overly sensitive and poorly designed. While some minor glitches are noted as humorous, the overall experience is marred by inconsistent performance and frustrating controls, leading to a generally negative perception of stability. Despite these issues, a few players found enjoyment in the game, suggesting that it can still be fun if approached with the right expectations.
“There are little to no glitches, and the framerate is excellent on modern hardware.”
“The game runs smoothly without any noticeable bugs, providing a seamless experience.”
“I haven't encountered any crashes or stability issues, making for a reliable gameplay experience.”
“Very buggy, I think due to the many changes Steam makes every day since the game came out, makes it almost impossible to play.”
“So it's poorly designed, buggy, and wonky; the story is dumb, it's short, and the music is boring.”
“Between the crash, the glitches, and the bad dialogue, you're probably thinking this isn't a very good game, and you'd be right.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in these games is generally praised for its immersive and detailed environments, effectively capturing the feeling of isolation in space, particularly within space stations and mining facilities. While the soundtrack enhances the mood with ambient and industrial music, some players find the overall atmosphere lacking in depth or variety, leading to a mixed reception. Despite some criticisms regarding enemy variety and gameplay engagement, the atmospheric elements remain a standout feature for many players.
“Both these games are really atmospheric and make you feel like you're stranded on the far edges of the universe.”
“The environments are well-detailed for a 2007 release, with decent textures and atmospheric lighting, particularly within the space station's interiors.”
“The game's environments are detailed and atmospheric, and they do a good job of capturing the feeling of being on board a space station or mining facility.”
“The gameplay is kind of like Doom 3 (which I'm already not a big fan of) but lacks the production value and atmosphere.”
“This game is kind of a hodgepodge of different games and it just couldn't hold my interest. It wanted to play like Fear but didn't really have the charm of that game, and the atmosphere almost made me think of Dead Space with miners going through fits of madness.”
“When I started playing it, I expected something Doom 3-esque, with elements of thriller and an atmosphere of a dead mining station. The first couple of levels looked exactly the same, but 30 minutes into the game it became dull.”
- emotional9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the impactful cutscenes and touching dialogue that evoked strong feelings, while others criticized the overall lack of emotional depth due to poor voice acting and a flat storyline. Many found the game's emotional engagement lacking, leading to a sense of boredom rather than connection. Overall, the emotional experience varied significantly among players, with some finding moments of resonance amidst a backdrop of dissatisfaction.
“The cutscenes make me want to cry.”
“The dialogue was so touching I could no longer carry on.”
“With the doubt in his mind, Warren's prediction turns out true as Olivier is transformed into a hideous abomination upon touching the heart.”
“Painful voice acting, Doom 3 level graphics, awful sound, and a boring story.”
“Boring story, bad gameplay; it's just not a good game.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, with players finding the gameplay unengaging and poorly balanced. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of combat and the lack of compelling elements, leading to a sense of boredom and dissatisfaction. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant detractor from the game's enjoyment.
“Gameplay can be very tedious at times where you have lots of enemies with laser eyes that keep hitting you without missing. You have to run around searching for health stations or packs.”
“It's just bland, tedious, uninspired, and a poster child for dreadful video game writing.”
“The gameplay is poorly balanced; some of the difficulty spikes are frustrating, and additional elements like the buggy or the trams are tedious to control.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that it feels short and forgettable, offering little incentive to revisit. While a few players see potential in replaying on harder difficulties or experimenting with different playstyles, the consensus leans towards a limited experience that doesn't encourage multiple playthroughs.
“In regards to replay value, I think there is some as I can see myself wanting to play this game on harder difficulty and also trying to go through the game with fewer deaths. It is possible if you make better use of cover, grenades, and utilize all weapons.”
“This game isn't bad, but it has no replay value and isn't that memorable.”
“A solid but short first person shooter with little replay value.”
“Great visuals, mostly functional controls, good music, but completely forgettable story, lame characters, very short length and pretty much no replay value whatsoever.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly at maximum settings on mid-range modern PCs, and features highly detailed environments. However, the voice acting quality varies, with some performances lacking depth and emotion.
“It runs smoothly at max settings on a mid-range modern PC and has a lot of highly detailed environments.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite its potential, the lack of proper optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
“I experienced constant crashes and long loading times, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in Alpha Prime is a mixed bag; while some reviewers praise the story and character arcs, others criticize the lack of distinct character designs and the confusing portrayal of antagonists, leading to a less engaging experience.
“One of the key strengths of Alpha Prime is its story and character development.”
“Character development and designs are poor; all characters wear similar dull outfits, and the enemies are no different. The game constantly switches who is really the bad guy way too much.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game includes ads, but players appreciate the solid hit detection and satisfying gun mechanics. While the game offers challenging shootouts enhanced by optional bullet time and environmental interactions through a hacking feature, the presence of ads may detract from the overall experience.
