Aliens

This is one of my favorite video games of all time, run and gun games, licensed games, and Alien/Aliens video games. This game is also a childhood gem of mine as I played this game when I was about nine years old, it was at the old arcade "Silver Coin" in "South Center Mall" in Tukwila, WA which is now "Westfield Mall", though also at a "Pizza Hut" in my second hometown Auburn, WA. Back then I honestly didn't even know this game was even based on a movie at all, but this game is what truly got me into the "Alien/Aliens" franchise; it was the first in its long line of games and it still one of the best.

I really love the graphical presentation, it's pretty much the well detailed 90's goodness you'd expect from any arcade game from Konami. But what makes it great is that it captures the look and feel of the original film. Seeing this final frontier world in its gothic glory as we see despite futuristic it's also slightly old and worn down. What you sense has once been a thriving colony is now a colony that holds evil, from all the alien decorations you see where they're all organic, weird and all messed up.

I really like the character designs, though the main stars of them are the Xenomorph's themselves who are accurate to the H. G. Giger designs. But one of the things that make them awesome is the fact we see different kinds of Xenomorphs which were never in the movies, which makes sense being a licensed video game, liberties are expected, and I love that because it gives the game the opportunity to expand on the lore. These other Xenomorphs are cool, from a flying xenomorph, xenomorph zombies, and more to see to believe. Expanding on the rogue gallery and possibilities I'm hoping we'll have for the future movies (as long as their good); though this recently the "Alien Romulus" movie which is a solid entry and my third favorite alien film for the record.

The gameplay is awesome, it's unique for the run and gun genre as it's something I rarely see. What makes it unique is that the game, instead of the standard one plane that you would move back and forth on, it was a wider plane. This wider plane format was used mainly for the beat em up games that you would have like with the arcade games "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "X-Men" (both games I review), and many more, but this time this game is used for running and gunning. You still must go from point A to B without stopping for a second, but this time you have more room to maneuver. You can dodge your enemies and have more opportunities to take them out before they take you out. However, they also have plenty of opportunities to take you down as more space also means increased danger, so always stay frosty.

I really like the variety of the levels as each of them are different, which keeps the game fresh. There are some memorable levels, like one where you're on a vehicle and you're constantly shooting down all Xenomorphs that come your way. Another where you're on an elevator and as your going down floors you're constantly shooting at any Xenomorphs that try to enter the sides, but also protect your elevator as there are some up top trying to make your trip dead short; that I thought was cool reminds me of the arcade game "Elevator Action" only with aliens. And of course, near the end where you get to control the Power Loader which is cool, and it makes the game almost into a beat em up as you are beating the crap out of aliens and even bosses with it.

And of course, the last best highlight is the music, it's just awesome, there are many memorable tracks but all of them just fit like a glove as they sound like extra tunes that could've been in the original film. But the music is awesome because it just pumps you up, gives you that feeling and sings out alien butt kicking action.

Just like the film franchise, this is a vintage classic that is timeless.

Rating: 4 stars.