A while back, I wrote an article detailing why I thought Aliens games worked out so well. While chatting with Rebellion about the upcoming Aliens vs. Predator, I asked project lead Tim Jones why he felt that Aliens was one of the most successful licensed game franchises out there.
"I think it is largely due to the fact that Aliens games have usually been developed without being tied to the release date of a particular movie," he explained. "Licensed videogame tie-ins often suffer from having truncated development schedules: they tend to get green-lit after a movie has already been through pre-production but have to be completed months in advance of the actual movie release -- so they can be on the shelves and benefit from the same marketing spend that the movie gets.
"They have frequently been treated as just another piece of merchandising -- like a t-shirt or a happy meal. Fortunately, as the industry matures that is beginning to change, and game development isn't always playing second-fiddle to the movie any more."
With that in mind, I made sure to point out that the other half of AvP -- the Predator -- has had far less success in the field of videogames. Jones kindly explains why:
"Aliens make great enemies in Alien games -- and you can have hundreds of them. However, you can't treat the Predator as the standard 'grunt' enemy: He has to be a 'boss' character, and that kind of limits how much you can use him. On the other hand, he has a very compelling set of abilities and exotic equipment that make him an ideal computer game 'hero' ... trouble is, the Predator is essentially a murderous serial-killing hunter of humans. And there aren't many games where you get to play a bad-guy like that. I guess he's had a hard time finding his niche -- until now!"
I personally think it's that Aliens are blatantly better than Predators, but each is entitled to his own opinion.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
19 comments | showing # 1 to 19
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
11:40 AM on 09.21.2009
| 
I'm quivering in anticipation!
However, the only way you can kill a Predator is if you're Arnold Schwarzenegger or Danny Glover.
WIN
Isn't this any action game, where the hero slaughters thousands of humans(Tomb Raider, inFamous, Dynasty Warriors etc etc)? Having the playable character be an alien rather then an earth born human really makes no difference.
Me too ,Jim, me too.I think it's harder to make a character iconic and a timeless masterpiece by giving armor and equipments to'em since there'll always be crazier and cooler accessories.Aliens don't have anything and they are naked to begin with and that's what make them always awesome and never get old , just like monkeys are blatantly better than human fashion.