Metacritic Games

Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction (Xbox)

On a cold distant planet, the war against extinction is on and your command skills will determine its outcome. Control an Alien hive, Predator clan, or lead an elite squad of Colonial Marines and fight for the survival of your race. Harness the unique advantages as an Alien, Predator or Colonial Marine to wage war in 21 single-player missions. Control one of three different races - each with its own characteristics and abilities to suit any style of play. Upgrade up to 10 different unit types of various races including new, never before seen units such as the Predator Hydra or Alien Ravager. Engage the enemy in 21 unique maps, from jungles to deserts to high-tech laboratories. Utilize powerful resources and strategies including pulse rifles, exosuits and air strikes to unleash devastating attacks on your enemies. [Electronic Arts]

Electronic Arts
Real-Time Strategy
Players: 1
T (Teen)
Developer: Zono, Inc.
Released August 1, 2003

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

64 / 100

Critic Reviews

76 GameSpy
The biggest flaws with AvP: Extinction are the lack of a rotating camera, the unit micromanagement required, and the fact that there are only 21 missions in the game with no multiplayer at all... I wasn't disappointed with the game, and I don't think fans of AvP would be either.
75 Gamezilla!
One major problem is the lack of strategy required at what initially appears to be a game ripe for strategy. A one-dimensional approach can be adopted and applied to almost any circumstance as you attempt to overwhelm your enemy.
75 GameNow
A console-friendly RTS that delivers lots of tactical action without the headaches of ports like "Commandos 2." [Sept 2003, p.59]
72 GameSpot
A thoughtfully designed, complex, and pretty fun game to play. Alas, a dearth of supplemental features and some flimsy presentation drag down what could have been a more solid overall package.
70 Armchair Empire
APE is quite tactical, the control is good and it should keep fans interested, even with the fog-of-war, funnel levels, and pathfinding problems - a good RTS entry.
70 GamePro
The game surfs on the well-executed difference among the Alien, Predator, and Marine gameplay styles, but the strategy lacks depth and defaults to the throw-piles-of-guys-at-the-enemy style of gameplay.
68 Game Informer
Since there are a number of cool Alien and Predator units that are fun to see and play, Extinction does have some redeeming value. However,...the lack of online support or multiplayer of any kind is unforgivable. [Aug 2003, p.99]
63 GameZone
Let me get this straight: a real-time strategy game without a multiplayer mode? Sure, it's been done before, but come 'on, this is Xbox! They could have given gamers the option to link up two consoles and two TVs.
61 IGN
What makes Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction most painful on the eyes, though, are the drab and under detailed environments.
60 Village Voice
Or, better yet, take advantage of the game's slightly flawed design and go Predator, slaughtering the weaker species.
60 G4 TV
The alien infestation system is a great concept that suffers in its implementation. Conversely, the space marine controls are quite functional, but the story makes little use of the "Aliens" license. And the predator story is more of a "that would be cool" afterthought than a smart addition.
60 GMR Magazine
Uninspired level design rounds out the package, with the designers relying far too much on impassable mountain ranges and forcing players to find roundabout routes to their targets. [Sept 2003, p.77]
60 Xbox Nation Magazine
The game sinks in the perilous minefield that is RTS convention and its de rigueur level design. [Aug 2003, p.84]
60 Official Xbox Magazine
The game simply doesn't play well with a controller. It looks and feels as if it were designed for a PC. [Sept 2003, p.78]
58 Game Revolution
Thanks to good controls and a truly imaginative take on the AvP universe, Extinction turns out better than expected. You can tell the developers really loved the movies. It's just too bad they didn't take it far enough as a game, serving up a short campaign and failing to offer any extra modes.
54 Team Xbox
Sadly, simply being a better console RTS does not mean it matches up to the great PC RTS games most gamers are accustomed to.
50 Cheat Code Central
It's a decent offering for the Xbox but it's nothing compared to the great RTS games available for the PC.
40 TotalGames.net
If you can forgive the fact that this isn’t a first-person shooter, the premise is good enough, but the execution tastes like xenomorphic acid on the tongue.
40 Yahoo! Games
The game mechanics are so badly crippled that it probably doesn't even deserve to be called a strategy game.