Alien vs Predator (Jaguar game)
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| Alien vs. Predator | |
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| Developer(s) | Rebellion |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Release date(s) | October 20, 1994 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Platform(s) | Atari Jaguar |
| Media | Cartridge |
Alien vs Predator was a first-person shooter developed by Rebellion Software and published by Atari for the Atari Jaguar in 1994. Based on the Alien vs. Predator franchise, the game allowed the player to choose one of three characters: the Alien, the Predator, or Colonial Marine Pvt. Lance Lewis.
The game's engine is much like Wolfenstein 3D: a flat plane, no stairs or open elevators, two-dimensional sprites, and all walls turn at 90 degrees (but sometimes with transparency). Each character was well balanced and provided a different gameplay style (the levels were the same, but the strategies different). Playing as the Marine, you had computer terminals to learn the ill fates of the other marines (similar to the PDAs in Doom 3). Many fans consider this to be one of the best games for the Jaguar.
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[edit] Objectives
There were three separate scenarios, one for each character.
[edit] Alien Scenario
The Alien's objective was to rescue the Alien Queen, who was being held captive on the Predator's spaceship on Sublevel 5. The Alien always starts the game from Sublevel 1. Since the survival of the Alien hive was more important than an individual Alien and also because the Alien could not use medkits as the Predator and Space Marine could, it had to depend on cocooning Space Marines in order to extend the gameplay. You could have up to three cocoons. If an Alien died with surviving cocoons, the last cocooned Space Marine would turn into an Alien. If an Alien died with no cocoons in existence, the game ended. Since the Alien could not use the elevators, it had to use the airducts to advance from Sublevel to Sublevel. Once the Alien Queen is freed, the game ends. The Alien scenario is generally considered to be the most difficult of the scenarios. The Alien scenario is the only scenario which can have extra lives.
[edit] Predator Scenario
The Predator's objective was to get to the Alien's ship and kill the Alien Queen in order to claim her skull. The Predator always started the game from Sublevel 5. The Predator could not use the airducts, instead using the elevators to advance from Sublevel to Sublevel. The Predator could also pick up medkits and keep them in reserve until needing to use them by pressing a special button. The Predator also operated under an 'honour system' whereby it lost points for killing an Alien or Space Marine whilst cloaked but gained points for uncloaked kills. The weapons available to the Predator were dictated in part by their honour points - as such too many dishonourable killings could result in losing or failing to acquire weapons.
[edit] Space Marine Scenario
The Space Marine's scenario is to reach security level 10, activate the base's self-destruct, and find the escape pod to escape. According to the story, Pvt. Lance Lewis was sent to the brig to be cryogenically stored for "insubordination and striking a superior officer". During Pvt. Lewis' imprisonment, the base was invaded by Aliens and Predators. As Pvt. Lewis, you start the game with no weapons, no motion tracker, and no security clearance. The objective is to find security cards until you reach level 10. Then you must reach the Sublevel 2 and use the self-destruct computer to activate the base's self-destruct and then go to Sublevel 5 and use the escape pod before the self-destruct timer runs out. The Space Marine can use medkits, but unlike the Predator, they cannot be held in reserve and must be used immediately. The Space Marine had four weapons : the Shotgun, Pulse Rifle, Flame Thrower, and the Smartgun. The Space Marine is able to use the airducts and the elevators to advance from Sublevel to Sublevel.
[edit] Trivia
The Space Marine, Pvt. Lance Lewis, was named after the game's level designer/game tester.
There are a number of screenshots of the game on the web, taken from magazines, that are from a version of the game slightly different to the final release game. The most noticeable differences between these two versions are between the enemy sprites.
A version of Alien vs Predator with similar 3D gameplay was also planned for the Atari Lynx but it was cancelled when Atari dropped support of the Lynx. However, a beta version exists and a ROM image is available on the Internet containing two of the three characters (Marine and Predator) from the Jaguar title. A single, unique copy containing all three characters has been confirmed to exist, but was sold for $650.00 in 2006 and now lies in the hands of a private, and unnamed, collector. Screenshots of this single copy are known to exist on the Internet.
This game is number 4 on Game Trailers top 10 scariest video games.
Rebellion Software started work on another first-person dungeon-crawler called Legions of the Undead after finishing Alien vs Predator. Using an improved engine, this Hellraiser-like game never saw the light of day due to the commercial failure of the Jaguar.
[edit] External links
- Alien vs Predator at All Game Guide
- Alien vs Predator at MobyGames
- Alien vs Predator screenshots at MobyGames
- Beta Screenshots
