Aliens vs. Predator (1999 VG)

Aliens vs. Predator Official Boxart Release Date: 1999 Developer: Rebellion Developments Publisher: Fox Interactive Series: Alien / Predator Platforms: Microsoft Windows Genre: First-Person Shooter

Aliens vs. Predator is a 1999 science fiction, first person, action-horror game developed by Rebellion. Despite them releasing Alien vs Predator in 1994 on the Atari Jaguar, this was their second entry in the first person Aliens vs. Predator series of games. The game was re-released a year later as Aliens vs. Predator Gold Edition and then as of 2010, it was retitled to Aliens vs. Predator Classic 2000. Like its predecessor, it also features the three playable species/factions: Alien, Colonial Marine, and the Predator. As always, this article will cover only the Colonial Marine weapons, the Marine campaign is set on LV-426, on a new colony that was built ten years after the incident on Hadley's Hope from Aliens.

The following weapons appear in the video game Aliens vs. Predator (1999 VG):

Overview

As stated above, this article will cover firearms only available to the Colonial Marines, as the Predator uses fictional, non firearms-based weaponry and the Xenomorph using their abilities. Due to the time the game came out, some weapons are low poly, but are named after their original on-screen counterparts. As well as the fact it was released at the tail end of the same decade when titles such as Half-Life, Doom, and Quake released, there was no weapon limit and as such, the Colonial Marine can also move at blazing speeds with all the weapons and ammunition he is carrying. While weapons and ammunition can be found in fixed locations in most of the game's levels - both singleplayer and multiplayer - they are not retained when entering a new singleplayer level, forcing the player to start nothing but their M41A (and its grenade launcher) on a new level every time.

A feature in this game that was never seen again in later installments was that there is a chance that the Pulse Rifle and Smartgun can have a stoppage mid fire, it is entirely random. Only way to clear the malfunction is to simply hold down the fire button until you start firing again. There is also no dedicated reload key either, only way to reload is to just completely empty the current magazine in your weapon.

M41A Pulse Rifle

The iconic, classic standard issue rifle for all US Colonial Marines. Like in the film, it features the 99 round magazine (though some sources state that it's recommended to load 95 rounds to reduce the likelihood of jams), loaded with 10x24mm caseless ammunition, as well as its underslung 30mm launcher (the grenades are referred to as "pulse grenade", despite the fact that "pulse" refers to the electronic action of the gun unit). The LED ammo counter featured in the real weapon is not functional in the game, likely due to engine limitations.

It can easily dispatch a xenomorph in well aimed burst, and a single shot with a near or direct hit using the grenade launcher. One must be cautious when using the launcher, as the grenade shells detonate on impact, and has no safety system unlike most HE shells in real life. It can unrealistically hold at least 10 grenades inside the magazine tube of the launcher unit and as typical for games featuring the M41A, it is not seen reloading after every shot (only the pump handle is used).

A screen used M41A prop

Private Anderson strikes a pose with his M41A in the mirror before throwing himself into the dark, xeno infested steel corridors.

Being rewarded for searching around in the level, Anderson is greeted with some extra magazines and grenade shells. Note the brown pistol grips on the models.

Slapping a fresh 99 round magazine in, only to empty it a mere seconds later...

...and if you're completely empty, you can use it as a club as a true last resort weapon, albeit it's practically a death sentence, especially here.

FN Browning Hi-Power

One of the new additions to the Gold/Classic 2000 re-release of the game. It greatly resembles an FN Browning Hi-Power variant. It has no other name in game (aside from being referred to as the "pistol"), or in the established lore. It only carries 12 rounds per magazine, presumably chambered in 9mm like the VP70 or "M4" pistol series in the universe. Because it was added in the later versions of the game, it was put in the unusual 8th and 9th slots (rather than the sensible 1st and 2nd slots typical games of this era that feature a pistol) for the single-wielded and dual-wielded versions respectively.

More or less a last resort weapon, however if the user is accurate enough, it's capable of dropping a xenomorph in a single shot to the head. It can also be dual-wielded. Primary fire has a slow rate of fire, but is more accurate, secondary fire allows the user to do something akin to automatic fire, albeit at the cost of accuracy. The pistols have an odd reload animation if dual-wielded, the marine player character puts his left pistol next to his right and holds them both with his right hand - in an attempt to clamp both pistols together, then insert both magazines for the pistols with one motion and then pulls the slide back for both pistols with that same hand together.

Classic Commercial Browning Hi-Power (Belgian manufacture) - 9x19mm

Anderson stumbles upon the weird world model of the unnamed pistol, wondering how the USCM ever adopted such a monstrosity. Must be the budget cuts.

Anderson experiences an odd sense of deja vu while trapped in a vent with a xeno armed with nothing but a pistol.

He then draws his sidearm giving us a good side view, interestingly enough, he always pulls the hammer back with his hand whenever he re-equips it, despite there being no visible decocker on the weapon, let alone an animation of his thumb riding the hammer forward after pulling the trigger.

Unlike some games of the era, the slide actually locks back when empty...

...which he then proceeds to pull the slide back to chamber the fresh round into battery. A good idea, considering there's a lack of a slide release lever on the frame.

After collecting a second one, Anderson thumbs the hammers back on both pistols while drawing them.

"Give the guy a gun, and he's superman. Give him two, and he's God!"

The alt fire is given a unique animation, some sort of over-under cross shooting stance. It's possible it could be a nod to Desperado, which released four years prior.

Anderson somehow showcases an... interesting way to reload dual pistols, because he doesn't care what is impossible or not in the wide world of science fiction...

... then using the FPS hero logic, he uses the power to pull and release both slides at once!

One slide locked back, a nice detail for the time.

In an even nicer detail, the single-wielded variant is the pistol on the right hand. If the player fires the dual pistols once (in its single shot primary fire mode), switches to the single pistol, reloads, then switches back to the dual-wield mode, it is possible for the left pistol to be empty and the right to still have ammo, normally the left pistol will always run out last.

A Marine with his pistol at the ready, it's of a slightly higher detail than the world model, but doesn't quite resemble the Hi-Power like the first person model does as this model predates the Gold Edition, in the original release Civilians/Synthetic NPCs could use pistols but the Marine couldn't.

Ditto, but on the right side of the elusive pistol.

In one of the bonus missions, the unnamed Marine character witnesses a surprising feat: the pistol's slide cycling when in the hands of an NPC.

The slide even locks back too, another surprisingly impressive feat for a game of it's time.

M56 Smartgun

The Smartgun makes an appearance, carries 500 10x28mm caseless rounds in a single drum, and can be reloaded, something that could also be seen in Aliens vs Predator 2 (though it draws from a single backpack-like ammo pool than physically reloading) and AVP 2010. It is also capable of actually tracking xenomorphs and even cloaked predators (albeit rather slowly, it is also rather ironic, considering it uses infra-red tech for its auto tracking function to work properly, but xenomorphs have been known to be completely invisible in the IR spectrum). It's also an invaluable asset against dealing with groups of xenomorphs, a single burst can also easily rip one into pieces. Alternate fire switches it to manual aiming mode.

Vasquez's M56 from the film.

While doing some more searching in the colony on LV-426, Anderson finds something that's probably a bit more pleasant to use.

The blinding, obstructive muzzle flash of the M56 while opening up on a lone xenomorph.

Looks like Anderson and the "Rookie" were the only Colonial Marines in the galaxy that managed to pay attention in Boot Camp to actually know how to physically reload one of these things.

M240 Flamethrower

The M240 flamethrower (referred to simply as "Flamethrower") appears in the Colonial Marine's arsenal, it can cull the xenomorph horde in a matter of seconds, but it also causes then to explode overtime, as seen in a future AVP title. It holds 100 napalm "units" per canister, it also lacks an secondary fire function as well. Firing the flamethrower consumes napalm units at a very fast rate, making reloads frequent and ammunition conservation essential.

M240 Flamethrower prop from the film.

Handy for cooking facehuggers, and roasting some other xenomorphs, don't you think?

Mmmm, cooked acid blood, just like mother used to make!

"Handheld Minigun"

No piece of Predator media is complete without a man portable minigun (only referred as "Minigun" in-game), it's easily the most powerful weapon in the Marine's arsenal, but comes at the cost of having to wait for the barrels to spool up (as the weapon cannot be spun up manually, unlike the game's sequel), as well as the Marine cannot move when he starts shooting, heavy recoil when fired while moving (and eventually stopping) and it burns through your ammo supply at an alarming rate. However, it is more than capable of tearing a Predator into pieces in a mere matter of seconds. Blain would be proud.

A showgirl presents a replica of the handheld General Electric M134 Minigun with M60 handguard used in Predator - 7.62x51mm NATO

It seems like it's loosely based on the screen used M134 replica above, part of the texture seems to resemble the M60 handguard to an extent.

Nearing his final confrontation, Anderson is at a standoff between the grotesque horror that is the Predalien. Gee, I sure wonder who will win?