Aliens vs. Predator (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows)

The UK team responsible for the original ALIENS VS. PREDATOR ("AvP") back in 1999 has remade the game from scratch for high-definition consoles and powerful PCs. This sci-fi-driven first-person shooter lets gamers play three separate single-player campaigns -- each one as a different species -- as well as partake in online multiplayer modes that pits Marines, Aliens, and Predators against one another in a bloody fight to the finish. Each side has its own weapons and fighting style: human Marines use the latest military firepower; the agile Aliens slash with their blade-like claws and vicious jaws; and the Predators (which look like monsters with dreadlocks) stealthily stalk from the shadows and use various gadgets, alien weaponry, and wrist blades to take down the enemy.

Even though the "Aliens" and "Predator" brands (based on feature films) aren't a hot commodity these days, the game's three distinct races could've made for an exhilarating shooter/horror experience. But each of three solo campaigns prove to be uninspiring and repetitive. Many of the missions start out strong, giving gamers a good sense of purpose -- seek out colonists, defend the alien queen, or protect the pyramid and the secrets contained within them (depending on your species) -- but after a few battles it feels like a "been there, done that" game. The same goes for the lackluster multiplayer modes that tend to favor quantity over quality, though playing Deathmatch mode on the Refinery map had its moments. Overall, the audiance for Alien vs. Predator is the fans of the franchise. It might be best to wait for it to be in the bargain bin (which shouldn't be long). 

Online interaction: Aliens vs. Predator game offers a number of online multiplayer modes and players can also chat using a headset, if desired. As a result you might hear other players use profanity in a head-to-head game.