PSU recently received some hands on time with Aliens vs. Predator for the PSP. An impressive title for the handheld, Aliens vs. Predator is looking to be the real deal.
Our preview began with a Predator ship crashing on earth while en route to another planet which used to contain Aliens. You’ll play from the perspective of a Predator sent to find your Predator brethren and confirm their safety. Due to the crash, the Aliens have escaped all over a small US town wreaking havoc and destruction.
The sharp wrist blades and a variety of other weapons and gadgets you’d expect a Predator to have appear in this title. You’ll have access to shoulder cannons, spears, heat vision and Predator vision. Succeeding in the game will depend solely on how efficiently you can kick some Alien ass and rack up your Honorable Score. The Honorable Score is a ranking system of sorts, giving you points for the number of kills and combos you’ve managed to pull off. This score will then be used between levels to upgrade your equipment, adding an element of customization to the title.
As we took our Predator through a sewer level, it became clear Sierra still has quite a bit of polishing left to be done on the title. The framerate dropped slightly at points and the lock-on system made combat a bit arduous, but when things did go correctly, the game offered plenty of fun to to be had.
Although some foot-based Alien enemies were the main villain fare, the humans weren’t just standing around helplessly while these two other species battled, destroying pieces of their town. As our Predator made his way across a graveyard, a military gathering came into view.
The military, as realistically as anyone would if they saw an alien creature, simply started shooting without warning.
Luckily, we switched on the Predator’s trademark cloaking device in time, easily slicing them up one by one. Unfortunately, gadgets like this drain your Predator’s energy meter. When it ran out and shut off, we were immediately massacred by the onslaught of enemy soldiers. Bummer!
Sierra acquired a remarkable franchise for portable devices when they picked up the Aliens vs. Predator license, and it seems that their upcoming title won’t disappoint. AvP isn’t set to ship until November, so there’s still time to fix the minor issues that were present in our preview. Regardless, the aforementioned problems seem to be overshadowed by the fun of being a Predator.
Keep your guard up when Aliens vs. Predator ships this November for the PSP.