u/ESPILFIRE

Lately I've been really craving Alien content, but I've seen the movies way too many times, so I decided to play all the games I own, from oldest to newest.

Some are better (I won't even mention Isolation because it's so good it's in a league of its own) and some are worse. But playing AvP2010 made me realize something: just like honesty, or just like The Dark Knight (2008) is so good thanks to the Joker, Alien games are only as good as the xenomorph is well-represented.

I'll start with the obvious: Aliens: Colonial Marines had a lot of potential, it has an incredible aesthetic that I still love today, a very good sound design... but the worst xenomorphs we've ever seen: the animations are horrendous, they feel clunky, and... they're just awful.

However, AvP2010 has incredible xenomorphs. I love the technique the studio uses of having them approach slowly, almost in slow motion, and then, when you spot them or attack them, they charge at full speed. Plus, the animations are quite good (and the game is from 2010!). Even today, the game holds up very well.

I think one of Fireteam Elite's weaknesses is the xenomorphs. Again, they feel very clumsy, similar to Colonial Marines, though it's a different story since it came out 11 years later.

In Rogue Incursion (another game I liked), the xenomorphs aren't as bad. It's true they aren't particularly intelligent, but something about them feels right, and that, in my opinion, elevates the overall feel of the game.

Another thing I've noticed is that almost all games have problems depicting xenomorphs when they walk on two legs. Either the animation is very forced, or it feels unrealistic and awkward. And this is because even in the movies, they haven't found a way to make them move on two legs without it looking strange.

I wish the studios wouldn't use the xenomorphs just as cannon fodder, but would give them a bit more care in their mechanics and animations. I know I'm not reinventing the wheel at this point, but it's 2026, and we shouldn't be treating our favorite alien like a dog that can climb walls.

I know there are other games like Dark Descent, which I also think is very good, and even though its xenomorphs aren't particularly well-done, its gameplay and concept are so groundbreaking and well-executed that I think it makes up for it. Other titles like AvP2 (a fantastic game!) are too old for me to really judge how they feel, and besides, I always felt they moved too fast.

We have plenty of examples of Xenos throughout the entire franchise. In Alien, it was something mysterious, not just an animal, but something with intelligence. In Aliens (I love this film), they were more like animals, with a hive structure similar to bees.

To me, the Runner Xeno felt more like a beast than an "alien." Maybe the fact that it was smaller and lacked the tubes on its back gave me that impression.

I actually love Prometheus for what it tried to do. I also like that Alien: Covenant, instead of explaining the origin of the Xenomorph, explains how David tries to replicate it (not create it). This preserves the mystery for me.

In any case, I get the feeling that the more the Xenomorph is overexposed, the more it looks like an animal rather than "something else." On one hand, I get it, it’s a natural progression, but that’s exactly why I’m asking.

To you, are Xenomorphs just space animals, or do you see them as a sentient, intelligent species?

Lately, I've been really craving Aliens content and was considering buying Aliens RPG, but I'm not sure if it's worth the investment.

I don't have anyone to play a game like this with. Is there any way to play it solo? If not, does it add much to the franchise's lore, and is it considered canon?