Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction

Zono

Industry	Video game development
Headquarters	United States
Products	Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction

Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction is a 2003 military science fiction real-time strategy title developed by Zono and jointly published by Fox Interactive and Electronic Arts (EA) for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Drawing from the Alien vs. Predator universe, the game presents three separate single-player campaigns featuring Alien, Predator, and human perspectives. Each faction delivers distinctive gameplay mechanics inspired by both cinematic and comic book lore.

Departing from conventional real-time strategy norms, this game omits base construction and restricts resource collection, placing greater emphasis on tactical unit control and combat engagements.

The storyline unfolds on LV-742, a planet designated as a hunting ground by Predators for an Alien hive. The plot centers on human colonists who uncover the hive and become entangled in hostilities involving the Predators.

Gameplay

Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction offers a real-time strategy experience that prioritizes unit control rather than base development or extensive resource gathering. Each faction utilizes a unique resource system to summon or enhance units, employing distinct approaches to unit production. Progression is achieved by fulfilling objectives such as enemy elimination or infrastructure repair. Initial conditions vary according to narrative progression, with each species subject to a population limit that shifts between levels. The population cost of units varies widely among factions.

The human contingent, represented by the US Colonial Marines, accumulates credits through defeating enemies and repairing atmospheric processors. These credits enable the deployment of new units or upgrades, delivered via dropships to designated landing zones. Marine forces specialize in medium to long-range combat and include support units capable of performing specialized functions unavailable to standard troops.

Predator forces generate resources through an "honor" system earned by eliminating adversaries. This honor is spent to call in additional units via drop pods. Predators possess abilities such as self-healing and cloaking, which consume energy; one support unit enhances energy regeneration rates.

Alien units gather resources by killing or incapacitating enemies, which are then invested in upgrading specific units. Unlike humans and Predators, Aliens cannot directly summon reinforcements; instead, they propagate their numbers by infesting host species within their hive. Maintaining a queen unit is critical, as she continuously produces eggs up to the population limit.

The single-player mode comprises 21 missions total, divided into seven levels per faction.

Setting

Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction takes place within the shared universe of the Alien and Predator series, both properties of 20th Century Fox. The game’s timeline corresponds with that of the film Aliens, reflecting its aesthetic and featuring the Colonial Marines alongside Aliens. The narrative portrays humanity’s expansion into the galaxy consistent with the Alien franchise’s depiction, including Weyland-Yutani's secretive involvement in capturing and experimenting on both Alien and Predator specimens.

Plot

In a future timeline, settlers on the planet LV-742 uncover a dormant Alien hive that swiftly annihilates their initial settlement. Subsequently, Marines manage to nearly eradicate the Aliens, but tensions rise further when a Predator clan arrives aiming to prove their worth to their leaders, known as the Ancients. This leads to confrontations involving all three factions, each pursuing formidable warriors. The Aliens succeed in transporting a queen to a Predator homeworld, while LV-742 acquires a new queen and reveals the Weyland-Yutani Corporation’s engineered Alien variant, the K-Series.

The Predators contend with competing clans and face threats from Predalien creatures. Weyland-Yutani's efforts to capture Predators end in failure following a fierce rescue operation. The appearance of a Predalien queen triggers the destruction of the hive, and the Aliens ultimately eliminate both the K-Series specimens and their creators.

Reception

The game garnered mixed feedback, reflected in Metacritic scores of 66/100 for PlayStation 2 and 64/100 for Xbox, indicating an overall average response. GameSpot acknowledged that Extinction successfully adapted the Aliens Versus Predator universe into a real-time strategy format but suggested that additional development time might have improved the final product.

Brad Shoemaker from GameSpot praised the clear distinctions among humans, aliens, and predators as a major strength of the game. Similarly, Joe Fielder of Electronic Gaming Monthly noted that each faction provided a uniquely different gameplay experience. Despite some control limitations on console platforms, reviewers generally agreed that the control scheme was well-suited to the gameplay style.

Conversely, Eurogamer criticized the game for issues related to artificial intelligence, graphical quality, and balance problems. Several critics highlighted shortcomings in AI behavior and expressed disappointment over the campaign’s brevity and lack of sufficient content. IGN summed up their view by calling the game "terribly underwhelming."