Summary
- Alien: Isolation is considered one of the greatest horror games, competing with Dead Space and Resident Evil.
- Alien: Resurrection is an overlooked gem that is better than the movie on which it is based.
- Aliens Vs. Predator (2010) is a visually impressive reboot with a short campaign.
The Xenomorph and Yautja Hunter are two of Hollywood's most iconic monsters, with two massive franchises that have crossed over in both movies and comic book media based on the Alien and Predator movies. This made it only inevitable that the two series would get video game tie-ins, sometimes with both appearing in the same game.
8 Terrifying Horror Games Set In Space
Sci-fi horror is a beloved genre niche, and the video games that tackle it love trapping their players in the isolating confines of outer space.
Throughout the years, these games have ranged from first-person shooters to arcade games and even to even horror titles, with some even being labeled as official canon. However, the games in both the Alien and Predator series also range from beloved hits to cash grabs that most gamers rightfully forgot about.
Updated on September 4, 2024, by Melody MacReady: Many fans and players of the Alien and Predator franchises are flocking to the games once again after the major success of Fede Alvarez's Alien: Romulus and the anticipation that many are feeling for the next Predator movie by Dan Trachtenberg, who directed Prey. Thankfully, there have not only many games about Xenomorphs and Yautja Hunters in the past, but new games are being made, including Aliens: Dark Descent and the upcoming VR game, Alien: Rogue Incursion. It shows how adaptive Alien and Predator can be when they can translate into nearly every genre of game, since almost every new entry tries something different.
27 Aliens: Thanatos Encounter
A Game Boy Color Title That Received Mixed Reviews
- Platforms: Game Boy, Game Boy Color
- Released: April 13, 2001
- Developers: Crawfish Interactive, Wicked Workshop
- Genre: Action-Adventure
This forgotten GameBoy Color game, Aliens: Thanatos Encounter, by THQ is fairly simple. It allows gamers to play as one of five colonial marines, each with their own unique skills and weapons across twelve levels, slaughtering aliens and rescuing survivors along the way.
The game received mixed reactions due to some complaints about the perspective and the less-than-appealing color scheme. However, many reviews consider the game an enjoyable time-waster with plenty of tension due to the time limit.
26 Predator
Hardly Looks Or Feels Like A Predator Game
- Platforms: Acorn Electron, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, NES, MSX, ZX Spectrum
- Released: 1987
- Developers: Pack-In-Video, Software Studios, System 3, Source the Software House
- Genre: Sidescrolling Action-Adventure
Movie-licensed games on the original NES are rarely ever good, and while Predator is not the worst, it's still lackluster at best. It's a typical action platformer that pales in comparison to similar games at the time like Contra, but it does have its addictiveness.
The biggest issues gamers had with Predator were the unappealing visuals that never looked or felt like anything from the famous Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. The enemies also suffer from having nothing to do with the movie, and the use of multiple Predators instead of one was also a strange choice.
25 Predator 2
An Average Title With Unusual Sound Design
- Platforms: Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System
- Released: 1992
- Developers: Arc Developments, Perfect Entertainment, Krisalis Software, Sega, Oxford Mobius, Teeny Weeny Games
- Genre: Shoot-Em-Up
The first game was a mediocre action platformer, while Predator 2 for the Sega Genesis is only marginally better. This is due to more engaging gameplay and impressive visuals, but the isometric presentation can make traversal too confusing. The enemies are boring, but they do provide some challenges.
What kills Predator 2 is the sound design, featuring music that sounds like nails on a chalkboard and dated sound effects. While the titular monster has more of a presence in the game, it still feels like an afterthought in the title as a whole.
24 Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure
An Aliens Game That Is Somewhat Lacking In Aliens
- Platforms: MS-DOS
- Released: May 25, 1995
- Developers: Cryo Interactive
- Genre: Point-And-Click Adventure
Sporting some impressive 3D visuals for the MS-DOS, Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure does provide an intriguing narrative and locale, but it is far from the best click-and-point adventure game, with the inventory system getting tedious and the title's puzzles tending to be frustrating.
As the title suggests, Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure takes on the style of the Dark Horse comics of the time, and that is both a good and bad thing for it. The design for everything is considered well-made, and the comic book-like characters are fun in a cheesy, but Xenomorphs are a rare appearance, which diminishes the horror atmosphere that builds up so much.
23 Alien (1982)
A Pac-Man-Inspired Title For The Atari 2600
- Platforms: Atari 2600
- Released: November 1982
- Developers: Fox Video Games, Inc., Fox Interactive
- Genre: Action-Maze Runner
Anyone who has played Pac-Man will understand this Alien game for the Atari 2600. In it, the player controls a character running through a maze-like grid, collecting items and stacking up points while avoiding multicolored enemies that will eat them.
It is an obvious clone of Pac-Man, but it is a competently made clone. If someone needs that Alien itch scratched, the Atari game is still playable and has the same addictive gameplay that makes Pac-Man so much fun.
22 Aliens: The Computer Game
An Ambitious Yet Dated Adaptation Of The Movie
- Platforms: Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
- Released: 1986
- Developers: Software Studios, Electric Dreams Software, Mr. Micro, Activision, Activision Blizzard
- Genre: Action-Adventure
Aliens: The Computer Game is an interesting piece of history that has the player taking control of several characters from the movie. They all look and play the same as gamers explore a maze and gun down Aliens, using the framing device of the team cameras and vital monitors that were used in the movie.
In a way, Aliens: The Computer Game might have been impressive for the time, but many would find it very dated these days; the sound effects are obnoxious, the gameplay is tedious, and it's not that challenging.
21 Alien Vs Predator (1993)
A Crossover Game With Polished Sprites But Repetitive Combat
- Platforms: SNES
- Released: January 8, 1993
- Developers: Jorudan, Information Global Service, Activision
- Genre: Beat-Em-Up
This Alien Versus Predator is not to be confused with the far superior game that came out a year later. This SNES title by Jorudan only allows the player to control the Predator going up against swarms of Xenomorph enemies.
While the sprites in Alien Versus Predator look pleasant and polished, the gameplay of the Predator leaves a lot to be desired. The combat of the Predator is often critiqued for being rather dull and monotonous, and the lack of any co-op functionality diminishes the arcade-like gameplay.
20 Aliens: Colonial Marines (2013)
A Broken First-Person Shooter That Fans Had To Fix
Aliens: Colonial Marines
- Released
- February 12, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
With the infamously abysmal launch of Aliens: Colonial Marines, it received much backlash due to mediocre visuals, promised aspects that were never delivered, and broken AI for the alien swarms that feel like mild inconveniences rather than the universe's perfect killing machine.
Every Alien Game Where The Xenomorph Is Playable
Rather than fighting Xenomorphs, games such as Aliens Vs Predator and Dead By Daylight allow fans to play as the perfect organism.
Years later, Aliens: Colonial Marines did find hope via a fanmade patch that fixed a single programming error that had been present since launch. As a result, the Xenomorph AI was far more intelligent, which made the game a lot better, but still messy. As a bonus, there is a terrifying new breed of Xenomorph in the game as well as fan-favorite characters that make returns.
19 Alien 3
A Side-Scrolling Adventure That Is Now More Favorably Viewed
- Platforms: Amiga, Commodore 64, Game Gear, Master System, Genesis, GameBoy, NES, Super NES
- Released: June 1993
- Developers: LJN
- Genre: Sidescrolling Action-Adventure
Since Alien 3 was the farthest thing from an action movie, developers at LJN went in their own direction for an adaptation. The game features hordes of Xenomorphs instead of just one, with Ripley carrying her pulse rifle/flamethrower combo from the second movie as she treks the prison planet to save prisoners and destroy the aliens.
Much like the movie, Alien 3 had fans divided, but over the years, it has gotten better reviews. That said, it is far from the best that the Alien games have to offer. Having a Metroid-like maze to traverse was different for the series, and it proved to be a difficult game as a result.
18 Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem
An Average Action Game Based On A Polarizing Movie
- Platforms: PlayStation Portable
- Released: November 13, 2007
- Developers: Rebellion Developments
- Genre: Third-Person Action-Adventure
Made by Rebellion, Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem is an exclusive title for the PSP. It was based on the recent movie at the time of the same name, and unlike the previous Alien Vs. Predator games made by Rebellion, players can only experience things from the Wolf Predator's point of view.
For a PSP game, Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem was an average action title. The third-person combat is simple, it's very repetitive, but it features some genuinely decent graphics for the PSP with some nicely lit levels. This was an improvement over the movie, which was so dark that viewers would often struggle to see what was going on.