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Book Review: Aliens: The Video Games – A Detailed Dive Into Xeno Adaptations
Mike Diver’s *Aliens: The Video Games* surveys the franchise’s game adaptations from an unlicensed 1981 Commodore PET title through to the anticipated *Alien: Isolation 2*. The review praises Diver’s extensive knowledge, research and use of developer interviews, while finding the book’s thematic structure more engaging than a simple release-order catalogue.
The 176-page book covers film adaptations, original games, *Alien vs Predator* and *Predator* titles, crossover appearances and games inspired by the series, including *Metroid*, *Halo* and *Contra*. It gives extra attention to notable releases such as *Alien 3*, *Alien: Isolation* and *Aliens: Infestation*, but also highlights obscure and cancelled projects; *Fireteam Elite 2* is absent because it was announced after publication. The reviewer recommends it primarily to Alien fans and says it works both as a comprehensive reference and a casual dip-in read.
In short
- Comprehensive history of Alien-related video games.
- Covers famous, obscure and cancelled adaptations.
- Best suited to fans of the franchise.
Explained simply
The Alien franchise began with the 1979 science-fiction film Alien, about a crew whose spacecraft is invaded by a dangerous extraterrestrial creature. Its 1986 sequel, Aliens, shifted towards action and introduced a wider conflict involving the creatures and the corporation Weyland-Yutani. The series has since expanded across films, games and other media.
Turning films into games involves adapting their characters and settings to interactive play, while some games create new stories within the same fictional world. The franchise’s games include direct film adaptations, original titles and crossovers with Predator, whose creatures also appear in films and games. Alien’s influence can also be seen in games such as Metroid and Halo, which use some similar science-fiction themes and imagery.
Reviewing this history means looking at both well-known releases and obscure or cancelled projects, as well as how developers approached the source material. Such a record can help readers understand how the franchise changed across different games and how its ideas travelled into wider video game culture.
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