As a dedicated Alien franchise enthusiast with decades of fandom under my belt, I can confidently say that Aliens: Infestation stands tall among its peers as one of the most thrilling and engaging games in the series. Having played through countless iterations over the years, both good and bad, this gem on the Nintendo DS holds a special place in my heart.
It’s unlikely that I need to inform you about the less than stellar Alien games that have emerged throughout the years. Notably, Gearbox Software’s Aliens: Colonial Marines was so poor in quality it led to a lawsuit involving both the developer and SEGA. Generally speaking, most Xenomorph-themed games have followed a similar trend of underperformance.
Similar to the Alien series in live-action, there have been just as many disappointing installments as successful ones. Fortunately, the franchise is experiencing a significant revival due to Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus, and with this renewed interest, the outstanding Alien video games are finally receiving the acknowledgement they warrant.
A reminder that Aliens: Infestation is a great game
It’s in my local CEX ..
Worth this price?
— ☣️Joeバイオハザード☣️ (@JoeBaiohazado) August 19, 2024
There’s no denying that Creative Assembly’s Alien: Isolation is the ‘best’ Alien video game, with Álvarez himself saying Romulus was inspired by it – even including an Isolation Easter egg of the Emergency Phone in the Renaissance space station. However, let’s not forget Aliens: Infestation.
It has been noted that the original Alien game stands out as a top choice for many, while the sequel, Aliens: Infestation, earns the title of the best Aliens game. Similarly, Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien was purely sci-fi horror compared to James Cameron’s action-horror take on Aliens in 1986. Likewise, Aliens: Infestation is characterized by its heavy emphasis on action.
Introduced on the Nintendo DS in 2011, WayForward Technologies’ side-scrolling game was a tribute to Metroidvania genre games, but with a unique twist of Xenos oozing toxic substances. Moreover, this game stood out with character designs by Chris Bachalo, an artist well-known for his work in X-Men comics, making it visually stunning as we battled the enemies.
Setting foot on the derelict USS Sulaco from Aliens, we explored LV-426 and Phobos, Mars’ moon. Given it initially emerged as a DS adaptation of Aliens: Colonial Marines, Infestation managed to break free with good fortune by venturing independently. With creative bosses boasting a Xenomorph-like gorilla, what wasn’t appealing about it?
If you haven’t experienced Aliens: Infestation yet, here’s a piece of information that might disappoint you. Since the game isn’t widely accessible through digital platforms (thank you, Nintendo), and its physical copies are quite scarce now, purchasing one could be quite expensive – around $110 or £85 on eBay. So, it seems finding a way to play Aliens: Infestation in 2024 might not be as easy as other games.
After Álvarez’s triumph with Romulus, there’s much anticipation that he might revisit the series for a follow-up. If so, it’s intriguing to consider if he could draw inspiration from Cameron and create his own tribute to Aliens. As a known enthusiast of video games, we can only hope that an ape xenomorph might make an appearance in the expected Romulus sequel, given the Isolation Easter egg hint.
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2024-08-22 17:12