Alien Trilogy hits different when it boots instantly in your browser. Released in 1996 on the Sony PlayStation, this first-person shooter classic from Acclaim Entertainment is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
One of the first games developed by Probe following their acquisition by Acclaim, it debuted Acclaim's much-hyped motion capture technology. The game is based on the first three movies in the Alien film series.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| ✕ Cross | G | Bottom face |
| ○ Circle | H | Right face |
| □ Square | T | Left face |
| △ Triangle | Y | Top face |
| L1 | E | Left shoulder |
| R1 | P | Right shoulder |
| L2 | R | Left trigger |
| R2 | O | Right trigger |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Select | Space | Select |
| Left Stick Up | W | Analog up |
| Left Stick Down | S | Analog down |
| Left Stick Left | A | Analog left |
| Left Stick Right | D | Analog right |
| L3 (stick press) | X | Stick press |
| Right Stick Up | I | Right stick |
| Right Stick Down | K | Right stick |
| Right Stick Left | J | Right stick |
| Right Stick Right | L | Right stick |
| R3 (stick press) | , | Stick press |
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The Story Behind Alien Trilogy
The game begins in essentially the same manner as Aliens, as Ripley—here a marine herself—travels to LV426 to restore contact with the colony there. One of the first games developed by Probe following their acquisition by Acclaim, it debuted Acclaim's much-hyped motion capture technology. The game was well received by critics, who praised its recreation of the films' atmosphere and its gameplay depth compared to other first-person shooters, and was a commercial success.
The game is based on the first three movies in the Alien film series. In the role of Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, the player experiences a story loosely derived from the first three films of the Alien franchise. The other marines are wiped out, so Ripley must then travel through the infested colony and prison facility, and finally the crashed alien ship itself, to destroy the aliens and escape.
How Alien Trilogy Plays
The game consists of 30 levels and 3 bosses. Aside from occasional CGI cut scenes, the plot is told through text-based mission briefings that guide the player through an expanded, action-oriented story, drawing upon the settings and characters of the franchise rather than through the specific plots of the films themselves. It implement many elements from Alien film series, including enemies such as facehuggers, chestbursters, and weapons, such as the pulse rifle.
The game was well received by critics, who praised its recreation of the films' atmosphere and its gameplay depth compared to other first-person shooters, and was a commercial success. In the role of Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, the player experiences a story loosely derived from the first three films of the Alien franchise. The game is based on the first three movies in the Alien film series.
Why Players Still Load It Up
Both he and GameSpot focused their praises on the game's effective use of sound to create atmosphere and clue the player in to the close proximity of unseen enemies. Alien Trilogy received generally positive reviews from critics. Alien Trilogy was a finalist for the Computer Game Developers Conference's 1996 "Best Adaptation of Linear Media" Spotlight Award, but lost the prize to I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream.
He also criticized the slow pace and weak weapons, but praised the game's limited field of vision for creating a claustrophobic, suspenseful atmosphere and concluded that Alien Trilogy "is far more impressive than the mediocre offerings PlayStation owners have had to put up with over the last few months, with a depth of gameplay and audio-visual quality which is sure to impress just about everyone who buys it." A Next Generation critic hailed the game as both a strong first-person shooter and an excellent adaptation of the film series, and said the opening full motion video "is one of the best intros we've seen." While citing minor issues with confusing level designs, he emphasized that "The details, however, are what make this come alive: face huggers scuttle away, full grown aliens drop down from above, alien queens are not easy to kill, glass shatters, barrels explode, and, for the most part, the way it controls is so smooth and intuitive that the experience is very close to finding yourself in the middle of the film." IGN criticized the confusing level layout but praised the intuitive controls, interactive environment, and generally strong film-to-video-game translation. However, GameSpot and GamePro said the graphics are not as "crisp" as the PlayStation version, though still good in absolute terms. GamePro also commented positively on the sound effects but was not impressed by the graphics, remarking that though they are faithful to the films, they are overly monochrome and suffer from extreme pixelation.
Alien Trilogy — Frequently Asked Questions
Who developed Alien Trilogy?
Development was handled by Probe Entertainment, with Acclaim Entertainment publishing the release.
Where can I buy the original Alien Trilogy?
See the "Other Places You Can Get This Game" section below the article for legitimate places to buy real-world versions.
What console was Alien Trilogy released on?
Acclaim Entertainment shipped Alien Trilogy for the Sony PlayStation back in 1996, and this page runs that release.
Can I save my progress in Alien Trilogy?
Yes. Create a free account and the player unlocks save states — snapshot your progress at any moment and resume later on any device.