Alien vs. Predator: Extinction (PlayStation 2, Xbox)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * *)

The Alien vs. Predator franchise has spawned a number of titles, including two quality first-person shooters.

Alien vs. Predator: Extinction marks a bizarre turnaround for the series. Going from edgy PC shooter to StarCraft-wannabe is a serious change in direction, especially on the PS2 and Xbox, where the real-time strategy (RTS) genre is not all that common.

RTS developers have never managed to break free of the keyboard and no matter how cool your controller is, it can't compete with the speed or accuracy of mouse control. Alien vs. Predator Extinction hasn't totally solved all the control issues. It will feel clunky if you are used to a mouse and it can be tricky to select troops, especially when they are on the move, but these and a few minor AI issues aside, the game holds up quite well.

The storyline takes us back to the planet known as LV-742. Despite past hiccups, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation is intent on mining the planet's wealthy mineral deposits.

When more Aliens and a clan of Predators are discovered and production is threatened, an entire army of Marines is dispatched to the barren planet to erase the alien threat once and for all.

For fans of the film, the plot provides a fascinating insight into the Predators' primitive tribal culture: they have claimed LV-742 for hunting rights and they don't discriminate between Aliens and Marines — all bones are a welcome addition to a Predator's trophy wall. The game also explains more about the menacing Aliens and their link to this mysterious planet.

There are 21 missions in total, seven for each race and around 30 different units to play with. The developers have allowed their imaginations to roam free in creating the fighting units, especially with the two Alien species.

The running battles and single-player missions are entertaining but Alien vs. Predator Extinction offers zilch in the way of multiplayer options. The game's developers claim they wanted to focus on creating a strong one-player experience, but a linkup option would have added some longevity.

Price: $99.95

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