imported>IceWelder: clean up, replaced: first-person shooter game → first-person shooter game

2025-06-27T19:23:40Z

clean up, replaced: first-person shooter game → first-person shooter game

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{{Short description|2000 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Alien Resurrection
| image = Alien Resurrection VG cover art.jpg
| developer = [[Argonaut Games]]
| publisher = [[Fox Interactive]]
| director =
| producer = Ben Tuszynski
| designer = Paul Crocker
| programmer = Simon Hargrave
| artist = Michael Wilson
| writer =
| composer =
| platforms = [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|20 October 2000|EU|1 December 2000}}
| genre = [[First-person shooter]], [[survival horror]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

'''''Alien Resurrection''''' is a 2000 [[first-person shooter]] game developed by [[Argonaut Games]] and published by [[Fox Interactive]] for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]. Based on the 1997 [[Alien Resurrection|film of the same name]], was originally intended to coincide with the film's release, but was mired in [[development hell]] for several years, finally being completed and released in 2000.

== Plot ==
Following the same basic plot of the movie, the game takes place years after the events of ''[[Alien 3]]'' and follows a cloned [[Ellen Ripley|Lt. Ellen Ripley]] awaking aboard the USM Auriga and trying to escape from the [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)|xenomorph]]-infested research spaceship ''USM Auriga'' along with a crew of mercenaries.

When the Xenomorphs bred from the queen that was extracted from her cloned body escape containment and begin running rampant aboard the Auriga, Ripley must unite with a group of rag-tag mercenaries to escape the vessel.

== Gameplay ==
The game is a first person shooter (FPS) with survival horror elements. It consists of ten levels, the first nine taking place in the Xenomorph-infested ''USM Auriga'', with the last aboard the mercenary ship ''Betty''.

The player uses four different characters from the movie. Ripley is the main playable character for a majority of the game's levels, while Call, DiStephano, and Christie each get their own level as well. Each character has their own special equipment. Some players have different weapons. The selection includes a laser rifle, double barrel shotgun, grenade launcher, Shock rifle, flamer-thrower and a rocket launcher.

The player must complete different tasks to progress across the game. These include killing clones and ejecting overheating escape pods.

In addition to traditional drone aliens, the player also faces marines and [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)#Facehugger|facehugger]]s (if the player is implanted with an alien, they must track down a device to remove it, or the creature will hatch and the game ends), later fighting boss creatures such as the alien queen and the newborn.

== Development ==
Work on the game began in early 1996. Lacking any initial directive from Fox Interactive beyond that it be a game for the ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'' franchise, Argonaut designed a [[game engine]] with an overhead shooter format inspired by the recent game ''[[Loaded (video game)|Loaded]]''.<ref name=devel/> Pleased with the prototype, Fox Interactive green lit the project and further assigned the team to create a game which would appear in the film.<ref name=devel/> Fox announced that ''Alien Resurrection'' would be released in late 1997 on the Sony PlayStation, [[Sega Saturn]], and [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_104_Volume_09_Number_05_1997-05_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n25/mode/2up |title=Inside Scoop |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |issue=104 |date=May 1997 |page=24 |access-date=17 January 2022}}</ref>

Fox weekly shipped the team boxes of scripts, storyboards, and raw footage from the film as reference material.<ref name=devel/> After working on the game for a year, Argonaut Games decided that the ''Loaded'' genre had become outdated, and restarted development as a 3D action-adventure in the vein of ''[[Tomb Raider (1996 video game)|Tomb Raider]]'', which had been released after work on ''Alien Resurrection'' started.<ref name=devel/> Frustrated at having a year's worth of work completely scrapped, a significant fraction of the development team quit the project.<ref name=devel/> In November 1997, by which time the Sega Saturn version had been dropped, Fox announced a Spring 1998 release window for the title.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://foxinteractive.com/news/press/110797.html |title=FOX INTERACTIVE UNLEASHES DEEP SPACE TERROR WITH ALIEN RESURRECTION:THE GAME |website=foxinteractive.com |access-date=15 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980418211945/http://foxinteractive.com/news/press/110797.html |archive-date=18 April 1998 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After this release window was missed, the game was announced for a Fall 1998 release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foxinteractive.com/news/press/052898a.html |title=FOX INTERACTIVE UNLEASHES DEEP SPACE TERROR WITH ALIEN RESURRECTION: THE GAME |website=www.foxinteractive.com |access-date=15 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202030034/http://www.foxinteractive.com/news/press/052898a.html |archive-date=2 December 1998 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Morale dropped further when the team were invited to a private screening of the film; they found it underwhelming at best, and were disappointed that the game they had made for the film, ''Atom Zone'', only appeared very briefly.<ref name=devel/> The team struggled over technical difficulties with their 3D game engine for over a year, and in late 1998 decided to change the format a second time, to a first-person shooter. Having the game in first person removed the fundamental problems in the game's development; senior designer Christopher Smith recalled, "It was a moment where everything went, 'right'. If it remained in the other perspective it would've got cancelled. I'd have put money on that."<ref name=devel/>

The game was one of the first games to use [[Analog stick#Dual analog sticks|both analogue sticks]] of the [[DualShock]] controller for simultaneous movement and aiming.<ref name=devel/> According to Ben Broth, a tester at Fox Interactive, the game's twin stick control scheme immediately went down well with the game's QA team.<ref name=devel>{{cite web |last=White |first=Lewis |date=9 September 2018 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-09-09-the-making-of-alien-resurrection-for-psone |title=The making of Alien Resurrection PSOne |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |access-date=22 October 2018 |archive-date=8 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208214915/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-09-09-the-making-of-alien-resurrection-for-psone |url-status=live }}</ref> The game also supports the [[PlayStation Mouse]].<ref name=devel/>

The game was finally released exclusively for the Sony PlayStation in 2000 (20 October in the US and 1 December in Europe),<ref>{{cite web |author=IGN staff |date=20 October 2000 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/10/21/alien-resurrection-unleashed-on-retailers |title=Alien Resurrection Unleashed on Retailers |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-date=19 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019161913/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/10/21/alien-resurrection-unleashed-on-retailers |url-status=live }}</ref> almost three years after the film ran its course in theaters.

=== Security Bypass ===

In 2023, a developer on the game revealed a secret [[cheat code]] he implemented. The code allows the launching of [[Homebrew (video games)|unlicensed]], burned discs.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hidden Secrets of Alien Resurrection on the PS1 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRB7iUCX4KQ |publisher=MVG |date=19 December 2023}}</ref>

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 61/100<ref name=MC>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/alien-resurrection/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation |title=Alien Resurrection for PlayStation Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[Red Ventures]] |access-date=22 June 2014 |archive-date=21 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921231600/https://www.metacritic.com/game/alien-resurrection/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Allgame = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Thompson |first=Jon |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18766&tab=review |title=Alien Resurrection - Review |website=[[AllGame]] |publisher=[[All Media Network]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115005824/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18766&tab=review |archive-date=15 November 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=28 May 2016}}</ref>
| CNG = 6/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Hodgson |first=David S. J. |date=24 October 2000 |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Psx/Reviews/Ar/ |title=Alien Resurrection |website=Gamecenter |publisher=[[CNET]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001110115200/http://www.gamecenter.com/Psx/Reviews/Ar/ |archive-date=10 November 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=17 January 2022}}</ref>
| Edge = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/9/9f/Edge_UK_089.pdf |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] |issue=89 |date=October 2000 |pages=94–95 |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-date=7 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007114728/https://retrocdn.net/images/9/9f/Edge_UK_089.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| EGM = 6.33/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=MacDonald |first1=Mark |last2=Kujawa |first2=Kraig |last3=Boyer |first3=Crispin |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/c0/EGM_US_136.pdf |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=136 |date=November 2000 |page=252 |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-date=19 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319215008/https://retrocdn.net/images/c/c0/EGM_US_136.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|In ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''{{'}}s review of the game, one critic gave it 8/10, and the rest each gave it a score of 5.5/10.}}
| EuroG = 4/10<ref name=EuroG>{{cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=2 November 2000 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_alienr_psx |title=Alien : Resurrection |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=28 May 2016 |archive-date=5 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605125131/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_alienr_psx |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GI = 6/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[FuncoLand]] |issue=91 |date=November 2000}}</ref>
| GameFan = (MVS) 81%<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Van Stone |first=Matt |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_11/page/n97/mode/2up |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=[[GameFan]] |publisher=[[BPA Worldwide|BPA International]] |volume=8 |issue=11 |date=November 2000 |page=95 |access-date=18 January 2022}}</ref><br />79%<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Mylonas |first1=Eric "ECM" |last2=Weitzner |first2=Jason "Fury" |last3=Ngo |first3=George "Eggo" |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_11/page/n25/mode/2up |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=GameFan |publisher=BPA International |volume=8 |issue=11 |date=November 2000 |page=24 |access-date=18 January 2022}}</ref>{{efn|In ''[[GameFan]]''{{'}}s viewpoint of the game, three critics gave it each a score of 85, 78, and 73.}}
| GSpot = 4.7/10<ref name="gamespot.com">{{cite web |last=Garrett |first=Steven |date=5 October 2000 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alien-resurrection-review/1900-2637344/ |title=Alien Resurrection Review |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=28 May 2016 |archive-date=23 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160523041704/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alien-resurrection-review/1900-2637344/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| IGN = 6.5/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Nix |first=Marc |date=23 October 2000 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/10/24/alien-resurrection |title=Alien Resurrection |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=28 May 2016 |archive-date=16 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616053719/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/10/24/alien-resurrection |url-status=live }}</ref>
| NGen = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=NGen>{{cite magazine |last=Lundrigan |first=Jeff |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen71Nov2000/page/n139/mode/2up |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|NextGen]] |publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]] |issue=71 |date=November 2000 |page=138 |access-date=17 January 2022}}</ref>
| OPM = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=38 |date=November 2000}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]]''
| rev1Score = 6/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Boyce |first=Ryan |date=5 October 2000 |url=http://www.maximonline.com/articles/review_videogames.asp?videogame_id=649 |title=Alien Resurrection |website=[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]] |publisher=[[Biglari Holdings]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010626150910/http://www.maximonline.com/articles/review_videogames.asp?videogame_id=649 |archive-date=26 June 2001 |url-status=dead |access-date=28 May 2016}}</ref>
}}

The video game received "mixed or average" reviews, according to the [[Review aggregator|review aggregation]] website [[Metacritic]].<ref name=MC/> Critics praised the game's atmosphere <ref name="gamespot.com"/> and frequently scary gameplay.<ref name=EuroG/> However, criticism was directed at the graphics, as well as the harsh difficulty level.<ref name=devel/> Jeff Lundrigan of ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|NextGen]]'' said that the game had "Nice atmosphere, but what starts out frustrating quickly becomes kinda slow and dull."<ref name=NGen/>

Steven Garrett of ''[[GameSpot]]'' criticised the then-uncommon dual analogue stick control scheme, describing the game as "almost unplayably difficult to control and unreasonably hard to enjoy".<ref name="gamespot.com"/> Despite this, the control scheme would soon become standard for first-person shooters on consoles.<ref name=devel/> ''[[GamePro]]'' said that the game was "a fine first-person shooter, but unless you're a big fan of the films, there are even better options (''[[Medal of Honor: Underground|Medal of Honor]]'', ''[[Quake II]]'') out there."<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Dan Elektro |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/3/36/GamePro_US_146.pdf |title=Alien Resurrection |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |issue=146 |date=November 2000 |page=134 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=18 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182730/https://retrocdn.net/images/3/36/GamePro_US_146.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|''[[GamePro]]'' gave the game three 3.5/5 scores for graphics, sound, and fun factor, and 4.5/5 for control.}}

The game sold 250,000 units.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.argonaut.com/assets/press/release_070801.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030624110451/http://www.argonaut.com:80/assets/press/release_070801.pdf|title=Press Release|website=argonaut.com|archivedate=June 24, 2003|date=August 7, 2001|accessdate=July 17, 2022}}</ref> It was ultimately a financial failure for Argonaut Games due to its lengthy development period.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=The making of Alien Resurrection: Why did the high-profile movie tie-in arrive three years late? |date=29 December 2022 |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-making-of-alien-resurrection-why-did-the-high-profile-movie-tie-in-arrive-three-years-late/ |access-date=8 May 2024 |publisher=[[Future Publishing]] |via=[[GamesRadar+]] |archive-date=7 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407023844/https://www.gamesradar.com/the-making-of-alien-resurrection-why-did-the-high-profile-movie-tie-in-arrive-three-years-late/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{clear}}

==See also==
*[[List of Alien, Predator and Alien vs. Predator games]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{moby game|id=/playstation/alien-resurrection}}

{{Argonaut Games}}
{{Alien (franchise)}}

[[Category:2000 video games]]
[[Category:Alien (franchise) games]]
[[Category:Argonaut Games games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Sega Saturn games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Windows games]]
[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:Fox Interactive games]]
[[Category:PlayStation (console) games]]
[[Category:PlayStation (console)-only games]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]

Alien Resurrection (video game) - Revision history

imported>IceWelder: clean up, replaced: first-person shooter game → first-person shooter game