Quickfire Q&A: Alien vs. Predator

The Quickfire Q&A is our schizophrenic antidote to over-worded, boringly constructed articles, giving you all the key info plus a joke or three in snappy question-answer format. Next up, Rebellion’s Alien vs. Predator for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Give us the feature breakdown on Alien vs. Predator.

You’ve got three single player campaigns for three different organisms: spindly, slavering Xenomorph, high-tech head-hunter Predator, and small, squishy, terrified, soon-to-be-limbless Homo Sapiens. On top of that, there’s online multiplayer for up to 18 players.

Three multiplayer modes have been announced. Deathmatch needs no explanation. Predator Hunt casts one player as the Predator while the rest don the soft, pink bodysuits of human Marines. Kill the Predator and you become him. Infestation pits just one Alien against Earth’s finest, but any human players killed respawn as Aliens.

What were you playing, where were you playing it and for how long?

A no-frills, 5-10 minute round of deathmatch on a PS3 build of the game at the Eurogamer Expo in central London.

No, it doesn't look quite this good.

First impressions?

It’s no feast for the eyes at this point. Textures are low-res, the geometry is blocky, the lighting lacks tone and depth and the framerate bounces in and out of the teens, especially when you’re using the Predator’s visors. Character models are quite large and detailed, though, and everything gets pleasantly graphic when you melee or stealth-kill somebody’s ass. Providing you’re playing a Predator or an Alien, that is. Marines? Not so hot in a brawl.

Which side were you on?

I was a Predator.

And did you stomp Marine scalp and kick Alien buttock?

The first part certainly. Predators can “focus-jump” to choice lurking/sniping spots as indicated by a little red reticule, then pick off dawdling ape descendants beneath with their shoulder cannons – these take a few seconds to lock on and must be recharged at energy depots between uses, but splat everything and anything in one hit. Or you might shrug into your invisibility cloak, sneak into the middle of a platoon and gut somebody with your wrist blades while his mates aren’t looking. Decisions, decisions.