Aliens: Colonial Marines – A Game With It All To Do
Even if Aliens: Colonial Marines sucks it will still sell well. The power of the brand is unquestionable, after all it remains one of the most alluring franchises in modern media. It has been some time since a game within the Alien(s) universe has truly oozed quality. Sure the reboot of Alien Vs Predator wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t all that great either. The sales figures for AvP were decent, partly down to the association with the Aliens universe. People just love to play through that bleak , Xenomorph infested, future.
There’s a undeniable appeal to embarking on a bug hunt armed with all the iconic weapons and elements seen in James Cameron’s 1986 classic. The bleep of the motion sensor, the sound of the pulse rifles being fired, the scream of a dying Xenomorph, it all produces a thrill. This is why I believe Aliens: Colonial Marines will sell regardless of its quality or how well critics review it. Sure a fan back lash will undoubtedly arise if the game turns out to be trash, it’s only natural, but the sales will already be there for everyone to see. Creating a game like Aliens: Colonial Marines was always going to be a tough challenge, selling your game as a sequel to a classic film is a huge risk. The fan base around the films is fierce, any expansion upon the universe is instantly hyped, every factor of the game/film/comic is looked at in great detail.
Creating a game based around the Aliens universe is simply a double edged sword. The sales will undoubtedly flow in, but the critical eye will be gazing upon each and every element of the game. That leaves very little room for Aliens: Colonial Marines to slip up. The slightest continuity error within the game will be picked up on, and no doubt be highlighted on blogs and forums across the net. Each sound effect, every little bit of character design will be dissected and discussed. It’s a rigorous exercise of fan affection partnered with a longing for a current generation definitive Aliens title. Money will undoubtedly be made, but reputations and loyalties to Gearbox software could be destroyed, the Aliens brand is that powerful.
This is the perfect time for Aliens: Colonial Marines to hit the market and make a name for itself. The market isn’t stacked with releases at the moment, nor has there been any major first person shooter released as of yet. The foundation is there for the game to maximize it’s impact upon the industry on a player, critic and business level. Commercial success could see a sequel emerge regardless of it’s critical reception, and the chances are it’ll be a commercial success. The only real threat to the game is the way in which it was sold and hyped from numerous years. The bar has been set high, mainly due to a mixture of PR speak and fans sheer excitement, now it’s simply a case of seeing what the end product is.
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