Creating a video game adaptation of one of the most famous science fiction franchises in the world can often be hit-and-miss. Just look at 2013's Aliens: Colonial Marines. The Gearbox Alien game has been infamous from day one for failing to hit the mark on multiple levels, and for disappointing so many fans who had been looking forward to the game for several years. Its reputation aside, some may not be aware that the action-shooter, or at least an early iteration of it, was planned for the PlayStation 2 that was eventually cancelled. There was even a trailer made which has since surfaced.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, a launch trailer for the now long-dead Aliens: Colonial Marines on PS2 shows off the cinematic marketing material for the game, with a seemingly high-octane look and feel. The trailer, which was posted to the Mr.F01 channel, was never originally released. The description also states that the game was never completed due to issues with the engine, which was made by Check Six Studios before it closed down. Allegedly, this adaptation would have been based on James Cameron's 1987 Alien sequel which is often a fan favorite, and would have been in collaboration with EA.
Check Six are known for developing Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly, but are no longer operating, so it will never be known quite how this iteration of the Aliens title would have panned out, but the trailer does make it look quite exciting. The actual 2013 release of Colonial Marines is considered one of the worst Alien adaptations around, so it would have been interesting to see how the PlayStation 2 version, which would have come years before the one fans got, would have turned out. As it stands, the emergence of this long-forgotten trailer is all that seems to be what's left of the scrapped title.
Mr.F01 also has a documentary on their channel, which has input from the original programmers who worked on the game. The PlayStation 2 Colonial Marines was allegedly plagued with bugs, which, in the end, caused Fox to pull the plug on the whole project. It seems as though not much changed several years on when Gearbox made an attempt, although the 2013 adaptation did at least get made.
All does not seem completely lost for Alien games, however. While Aliens: Fireteam Elite is receiving fairly mixed reviews, it does seem to suggest that the opportunity to make a decent action-packed game in James Cameron's universe is still there. Though in terms of games that fantastically recreate the horror of encountering a Xenomorph, many will always think fondly of Creative Assembly's terrifying Alien Isolation.
Aliens: Colonial Marines is available now for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.