Aliens: Thanatos Encounter Game By THQ/Crawfish Interactive Review by Javen367 E-Mail: Javen367@aol.com Rated: E Size: 8megabits Save: Password Released: 2001 Works with: Game Boy Color & Up Opening Snide Remarks: A group of Colonial Space Marines are returning home to earth from a training mission. Along the way they receive a distress signal from the large freighter, Thanatos. After failing to establish communications, they decide to dock and board the massive ship. Join the elite Marine battalion on a mission to blast Xenomorphs in the first Aliens game for the Game Boy Color! The above is strait from the box. Let me just start off by saying that I'm an Aliens junkie. I love the movies, books and games based on the Aliens franchise. This is my first 8-bit Game Boy game that I have ever owned and played all the way through(I was a Lynx and NGPC fan back in the day, but now I'm a GBA junkie) and it was an enjoyable action/adventure romp. So, lock and load Marines! It's time for a bug hunt! **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: You are given a group of five Marines to control in a series of 15 missions, aboard the spacecraft, Thanatos. You pick and control one Marine at a time and use him/her in a mission. Each Marine is rated in speed and strength and you must chose the right Marine for the type of mission at hand. The action takes place in a top/down perspective, ala Gauntlet and 8-bit Zelda. There are some RPGish type elements present in the gameplay. You have a health meter and must pick up med kits to replenish your health. You also pick up weapons and ammo and other various objects in order to complete your mission. Liked: Great concept, just not implemented to it's fullest. The missions are varied and keeps the game fresh. Large selection of cool weapons that you gain as the game progresses. All of the weapons from the movies are in the game. Various type of Aliens to battle; from face huggers, regular and battle drones, to the Alien Queen. The overall gameplay is good. Hated: Some of the Marines in your group are just plain useless and you end up only using two of them, the fastest and the strongest. This could have been remedied by having more RPG elements, ala having a tech or medical wizard in your group and having to use that Marine to complete a certain type of mission. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: There is nothing to complain about in this department. The background and sprite graphics are varied, crisp and clear(with good lighting to play by of course, especially with the GBA). The graphics are strait out of an Alien movie. The Marines and Aliens look like they should and you feel like you are aboard a spaceship. Certain parts of the ship are even cocooned as you get closer to the Alien Queen. The scrolling is also done well as you move around, with very little clipping. The intro movie graphics are also solid and set the story up really well. The retina eye scan for entering the game save password is a cool touch. Liked: The graphics are top notch and very atmospheric. Hated: The GBA screen just plain sucks. This game is best played on the GBC, which has a slightly brighter screen. The tech guru's at Nintendo need to study the nice, bright NeoGeo Pocket Color screen and use the same screen as that system and release a GBA II/+ or whatever the hell they want to call it. (Editor's Note: This review was almost lost on my hard drive and predates the GBA SP. I would imagine that the frontlit GBA SP screen remedies this problem.) **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: The sound effects are kinda sparse. You have footsteps, some weapon sounds and a few other blips and bleeps. The music is great. There are about four or five, tense, sci-fi type tunes that help you get into the game. Liked: The music. Hated: The lack of sound effects, a trademark Alien scream here and there would have made all the difference. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: The control is fairly solid. The strafing is done particularly well, given the limited two button layout of the GBC. The only problem is that sometimes Aliens come at you from an angle and it is kinda hard to get your Marine to go in a diagonal direction. The option and inventory screens are laid out fairly well and easy to use. Liked: Nice, simple, well thought out control. Hated: Control of your Marine is kinda stiff. **************************************************************************** Improve: More sound effects. More RPG elements to add some depth. The control could be more fluid. RIYL: The Alien movies. Aliens(C-64), Aliens 3(Genesis/SNES), Alien Trilogy (Saturn/Playstation), Aliens vs Predator(Jaguar), Aliens vs Predator 1&2(PC). **************************************************************************** Final Words: Aliens Thanatos Encounter, is a good solid game. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the Alien movies, books and comics. The developers have their act together and created a good, atmospheric game, that is faithful to the Aliens universe. This game screams for a GBA sequel in the first person perspective. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: **** Graphics: *****(GBC) (**** GBA) Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 22 Final Score: 88% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: Nope.