If you liked the Alien movies, especially Aliens, you will love this game. What made the first two Alien films great horror experiences was the ambiance. Dark settings that were not too dark. Strange noises. Long stretches of silence. Then sudden chaos. They remain some of the scariest and most exciting films I have ever seen, and I have been a hardcore horror buff for over 20 years.
Graphics
The graphics are very good, though not the absolute best I have seen. It delivers exactly what you would expect from a strong 3D action game of its era. Where it truly excels is in texture work and lighting. The environments are moody and oppressive without becoming visually muddy.
Even after an hour of solid gameplay, I still jumped when an alien suddenly zoomed at me or flashed across the screen. The lighting design carries much of that tension.
Sound
The sound design, and just as importantly the absence of sound, is extremely reminiscent of the films. It adds more to the mood than almost any other game I have played, except maybe Half-Life.
Playing as the Alien is a great example. You start in a quiet environment. If your sound levels are set properly, you can hear characters walking and making noise in the distance. I was crawling along the ceiling minding my own business when I entered a room where an auto-gun detected me and instantly opened fire. It surprised the hell out of me.
As the Marine, the tension comes from the opposite direction. Long stretches of silence are broken only by the muffled blip of the motion tracker. That simple sound effect is enough to put you squarely inside the mindset of the films. It is enough to stand your hair on end.
Gameplay
The Alien and Colonial Marine missions make you feel like you are inside some unreleased Alien film. The speed of the aliens is terrifying. I have never seen another game where enemies can zoom at you with almost no warning.
The game is well balanced, but in very different ways depending on the character.
As the Marine, you must master the motion tracker and quickly switch between weapons while searching for better firepower. If you panic, ignore the tracker, or hesitate when backing away while firing, you will be dead in seconds.
As the Alien, it is all about movement and surprise. You have no long range weapons. Instead, you rely on climbing and ambush tactics.
One of the most unique features in the game is the Alien’s ability to crawl on nearly all surfaces. Once you learn how to control it, climbing gives you almost foolproof cloaking. Most enemies simply do not look at the ceiling. Many times I was able to drop down on enemies and kill them before they fired a single shot.
It takes about ten minutes to truly get comfortable moving on walls and ceilings. At first, I ran in circles and even felt a little queasy adjusting to the perspective shifts. But once it clicks, it feels like a scene straight out of the films and adds a new dimension to the genre.
Playing as the Predator is also impressive. It clearly channels elements of the original Predator, complete with jungle style engagements. I had not yet reached the point where Predator and Alien fully collide in my playthrough, but the structure suggests that crossover intensity builds as you progress.
The biggest strength of this game is that it genuinely feels like you are playing inside one of the movies. If you are a movie buff or a fan of the Alien and Predator franchises, you will feel that same cinematic tension with the added adrenaline of interaction.
Without the movie connection, this is an above average shooter. With it, it is one of the best in the genre at the time.
I will go back to what I said at the beginning. How much you liked the Alien and Predator movies will strongly influence how much you enjoy this game.
Final Summary
Aliens Versus Predator 1999 succeeds because it understands what made the films work. Atmosphere, pacing, and tension come first. The Marine campaign delivers slow burning dread. The Alien campaign introduces one of the most creative movement systems of its era. The Predator campaign rounds out the experience with power and stealth.
It may not be the most technically advanced shooter of its time, but as a cinematic horror action experience, it absolutely delivers.
How to Play Today
- Original Hardware: Windows 95 or 98 era PC with 3D acceleration support. A period correct Pentium II or III system with a Voodoo or early GeForce card offers the most authentic experience.
- Modern Re-releases: The Gold Edition (AVP 2000 Classic) is available digitally and includes the original campaigns and multiplayer content.
- PC Availability: Available on modern storefronts such as GOG and Steam with compatibility tweaks for current versions of Windows.
- Other Options: Community patches and fan fixes improve stability and resolution support on modern systems. Multiplayer requires community servers.
Editor’s Note: This review has been updated for clarity, score conversion consistency, and modern availability information while preserving the original tone and opinion of the author.
