Alien Resurrection (video game)

Alien Resurrection

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founder	Argonaut Games
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Alien Resurrection (video game)
Owner	Fox Interactive (distributor)
Parent	Argonaut Games

Alien Resurrection is a 2000 first-person shooter produced by Argonaut Games and distributed by Fox Interactive for the PlayStation. Inspired by the 1997 film Alien Resurrection, its release experienced multiple delays, ultimately arriving in 2000.

Plot

Taking place subsequent to Alien 3, the storyline centers on cloned Lt. Ellen Ripley aboard the USM Auriga, a scientific vessel overtaken by xenomorphs. Ripley collaborates with mercenaries in an effort to flee the ship while alien creatures, spawned from her cloned DNA, wreak havoc.

Gameplay

This first-person shooter incorporates survival horror elements across ten stages—nine set on the USM Auriga and one aboard the mercenary ship Betty. Players assume control of four film characters: Ripley, Call, DiStephano, and Christie, each equipped with distinct gear and weaponry such as laser rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, flamethrowers, and rocket launchers.

Objectives include destroying clones and ejecting escape pods while confronting adversaries like alien drones, marines, facehuggers, along with boss encounters featuring the alien queen and newborn. Should a facehugger implant occur, players must locate a removal tool before hatching results in game over.

Development

Work commenced in early 1996 without a definitive concept beyond producing an Alien franchise title. Argonaut initially crafted an overhead shooter inspired by Loaded, which received Fox Interactive’s approval. The project targeted a 1997 launch on PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Windows platforms.

Upon acquiring extensive film assets from Fox, Argonaut transitioned development toward a 3D action-adventure format reminiscent of Tomb Raider, aligning with industry trends. This shift caused delays and staff turnover. The Sega Saturn version was ultimately canceled.

Missed deadlines postponed release from late 1997 to spring 1998, then to fall 1998. Due to dissatisfaction with the film’s reception and engine-related technical difficulties, Argonaut pivoted to a first-person shooter approach in late 1998. This change resolved major development obstacles and boosted team morale.

The title was among the pioneers in utilizing both DualShock controller analogue sticks simultaneously for movement and aiming—a control method well-received by QA testers—and also supported the PlayStation Mouse.

The game launched exclusively on PlayStation in October 2000 (North America) and December 2000 (Europe), arriving nearly three years after the film’s theatrical debut.

Security Bypass

In 2023, a developer disclosed a hidden cheat code that allows running unlicensed, burned discs.

Reception

Reviews aggregated on Metacritic were "mixed or average." Critics commended its immersive atmosphere and frequently tense gameplay but pointed out shortcomings in graphics quality and challenging difficulty. Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen praised its "nice atmosphere" but found it increasingly frustrating and monotonous.

Steven Garrett of GameSpot criticized the then-novel dual analogue stick controls as "almost unplayably difficult," though this control scheme later became standard in console first-person shooters. GamePro labeled it "a fine first-person shooter," yet recommended alternatives like Medal of Honor: Underground and Quake II for broader appeal.

Despite selling 250,000 copies, the extended development timeline resulted in financial losses for Argonaut Games.

See also

• List of Alien, Predator and Alien vs. Predator video games