The Alien franchise has long been a contributor to some great video games, though the vast majority of exceptional titles are within the Aliens vs. Predator franchise. For this list, we wanted to highlight the five best Alien games, so the AvP titles are omitted in favor of those that focus solely on everyone’s favorite monstrous Xenomorph. We took a look at the Alien games centered around the movie monster first introduced in director Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic and came up with the top five. They’re ranked based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, overall popularity, and sales.
5) Aliens: Infestation
Aliens: Infestation is a Nintendo DS-exclusive title released in 2011. It’s a Metroidvania game that sees players hunting for all kinds of gear, weapons, upgrades, and keys as they face off against Xenomorphs. The player controls one of four Marines in several environments, including LV-426, Mars’ moon Phobos, and the USS Sulaco, to investigate ongoing Xenomorph development. It employs a permadeath mechanic, and once all four Marines die, the player loses the game. It’s a fun, exciting, and purely entertaining take on the classic concept, harkening back to earlier Alien and Metroidvania-style games.
4) Alien 3
ALIEN3 may not be the most beloved movie in the franchise, but its tie-in game overlooked this with a fun run-and-gun title released on every possible system available at the time. The side-scrolling game puts players in control of Ellen Ripley as she moves through the Fiorina 161 prison colony, armed with far more weapons than she has in the movie. While most versions received positive reviews, the Super Nintendo fared slightly better in sound effects, graphics, and music. It’s an original take on a lackluster movie that proves the franchise’s worth in the realm of video games.
3) Aliens Online
In 1998, Fox Interactive released Aliens Online as an MMORPG based on the Alien franchise. Gameplay involved leading a team of several players, each with different jobs and capabilities, into battle against the Xenomorphs. Alternatively, players could fight for the Aliens, offering several interesting options for the FPS. The game was praised, especially for franchise fans, who could enjoy its aesthetics and love of all things Alien. It suffered from poor level design and balancing issues, but overall, it was a fun online game for fans of the franchise. Aliens Online didn’t last long, as its servers went dark in 2000 after Electronic Arts purchased GameStorm, which housed Aliens Online for a monthly fee.
2) Alien Trilogy
Alien Trilogy is another first-person shooter, released only two years before Aliens Online. The game takes its plot from the first three movies, using motion capture technology to render its characters. Alien Trilogy does a great job of approximating the look and feel of the original trilogy, with an atmosphere that is incredibly foreboding and unsettling. The game includes 30 levels and three bosses with a variety of Xenomorph types, offering plenty of challenges. Alien Trilogy was released on various consoles, though the DOS version featured multiplayer deathmatch, which certainly elevated its appeal.
1) Alien: Isolation
If you know anything about Alien games, you likely expected to find Alien: Isolation in the top spot. This is the game that did everything right — it didn’t take the run-and-gun approach; instead, it provided a video game experience that perfectly recreates the fear-inducing terror of Alien. It’s what every Alien game ultimately should be: survival horror. It features a plot set 15 years after the first film, and follows Amanda Ripley as she searches for her mother. Unfortunately, a Xenomorph enters the picture, and avoiding it at all costs becomes the name of the game. Alien: Isolation saw several DLC packs and other enhancements since its release, and its success made a sequel possible.
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