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After the 1979 science fiction classic Alien, people cannot get enough of the terrifying Xenomorphs. Gaming is no exception. The following list ranks the best the franchise has given us in the medium, at least according to Metacritic.
Most of the games float somewhere in the 60s and 70s and only three games go above 80, so it does not bode well for the franchise. Some classics like Aliens Vs. Predator for the Atari Jaguar are missing from the list because they do not have a score on the website. The list runs the gamut from nigh unplayable disasters to masterful survival horror games.
11 Aliens: Colonial Marines (48) - 2013
This first-person shooter is infamous for its technical issues and failing so hard to meet expectations. Aliens: Colonial Marines had an exceptionally long development and still managed to release as a janky mess.
Gamers expected much more from Gearbox Software, the developer of Borderlands and Brothers in Arms. Updates fixed some of the issues and there are even some interesting story revelations for fans of the series, however.
10 Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem (49) - 2007
This PSP game barely counts on the list because players mainly control Predators and not Xenomorphs. It only came out on PSP and is based on the second Aliens Vs. Predator film, which itself was panned by critics. Common complaints around the game were the graphics, AI, and difficulty (or lack thereof). Judging by the scores of both, it is best to avoid both the video game and the movie.
9 Alien Resurrection (61) - 2000
Alien Resurrection came out near the end of the PS1's lifespan. By this time most console owners had a DualShock with analog stick support.
Taking advantage of this, Alien Resurrection was one of the first console games to utilize the dual analog movement standard to virtually every modern FPS since Halo: Combat Evolved. Funnily enough, some reviewers complained about this control scheme. Critics were split at the time, with some scores going as high as 8/10 while others were as low as 4/10.
8 Aliens Vs. Predator: Extinction (66) - 2003
Where most Aliens Vs. Predator games are first-person shooters, Aliens Vs. Predator: Extinction is an RTS. Similar to StarCraft, there are three campaigns that follow three different species. Some series have successfully switched genres, but just looking at the Metacritic score of this and Aliens Vs. Predator 2 indicates a huge step back. It is also from a different developer than the prior Aliens Vs. Predator.
7 Alien Blackout (68) - 2019
Sales of Alien: Isolation were too weak to justify a sequel. Additionally, the team at developer Creative Assembly who made it had split off from the company. Still, fans got their hopes up when word came out about a new Alien game a couple of years ago.
They weren't hoping for a mobile game, however. Players still control Amanda Ripley, but instead of an FPS survival horror game, they monitor security systems to guide other people through a spaceship to safety.
6 Aliens Vs Predator (68) - 2010
Serving as somewhat of a reboot of the gaming series, Aliens Vs. Predator from 2010 takes players through three separate FPS campaigns. Each of the creatures controls differently based on the abilities fans know and love from each species. Considering the games and movies fans received during that decade, ending it in 2010 with a game to getting a 68 on Metacritic was actually a step up.
5 Aliens: Fireteam Elite (70) - 2021
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is not the sequel to Isolation fans were looking for and has a different tone. The cooperative shooter takes players through several different locations as Colonial Marines shooting everything in sight.
The campaign is surprisingly short but designed to be played over and over again to grind levels and earn better gear. Reviews were mostly critical towards an uninspired level design and repetitive gameplay.
4 Aliens: Infestation (76) - 2011
It might be hard to imagine a quality Alien game as anything other than an FPS. Aliens: Infestation on the Nintendo DS takes inspiration from Castlevania and Metroid. The move worked in its favor if the 76 Metacritic Score is any indication. Developer WayForward was already well-versed in side-scrolling action games by 2011, having made the Shantae games.
3 Alien: Isolation (83) - 2014
Alien: Isolation does its best to recreate the same vibe and atmosphere of the debut Alien film. Most were in agreement that it captures this well, and it is often seen as one of the scariest games of the generation.
Players control Amanda Ripley, Ellen's daughter, and only contend with one Xenomorph throughout the journey. The only major complaint most critics had was its length. Most agreed that it was too long.
2 Zen Pinball: Aliens Vs. Pinball (84) - 2016
This is an outlier compared to all the other games on the list. The name is not lying; this is a pinball game. It still has the Alien name on it, so it deserves its place on the list. 84 is nothing the scoff at, either. The levels call back to various films and iconic imagery from the franchise. It is definitely not what fans of Alien: Isolation wanted though, especially since there is still no sequel in sight.
1 Aliens Vs. Predator 2 (85) - 2000
Aliens: Vs. Predator 2 is the highest-rated game bearing the Alien name. Like the previously mentioned reboot, players control all three species and the campaigns overlap with each other.
The online multiplayer also lets all species go against each other, creating a level of asymmetry between teams not often seen in the genre. There was also an expansion released in 2002 called Primal Hunt which retains a similar format but takes the action to different time periods.