The Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection has been carefully assembled to remain as faithful to the 90s games as humanly possible. However, they have had some modern-life improvements to make them more palatable for younger audiences. With 6 games to play, it shows a progression from maze-like, top-down shooter to the fashionable 90s FPS market. This evolution is nice to witness in 1 easy to manage collection.
Originally developed by Team17, this modern take has been polished by Antstream and published by Commodore. It remains wonderfully dated even though there are plenty of improvements. If you’re not a fan of old-school gaming, I’d consider swerving this. However, if you love Aliens and you want a walk on the retro side, this will tickle your fancy.
Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection is story-lite.
Although there are 6 games to play, each is relatively story-lite. They are clearly influenced by the film franchise, but Team17 refused to get involved in finer details. Consequently, you’ll notice a host of sci-fi influences, plenty of cruel creatures, and familiar genre tropes.
The games flow nicely even if the narrative is a little well-trodden. I enjoyed each bite-sized mission, the cruel nature of the aliens, and the occasionally tough action. The gameplay is a bit limited by modern standards, but if you fancy something easy to handle and wonderfully casual, this is the game for you.
Improvements.
Many of Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection improvements relate to visual and controller elements. This is designed to make it more comfortable to use a gamepad. I have vague memories of the original games, and I have to admit that these handled extremely well on my Xbox Series X.
I’ll focus on visuals later, but I want to touch upon the additional game modes. Rush mode and Horde mode have been included to add a fresh taste to the action. They are deliberately tough and testing for newbies and lovers of the original. Couch and online co-op test friendships to their limits. This is the ideal choice for modern gamers, and the Rush mode will put you through your paces.
Alongside this, there is a Vault for fans of the series. This element is more than just dumped images and ideas. Instead, it is an interactive museum that contains concept artwork, developer interviews, and a host of other bits.
The action.
It’s tough to discuss the action as each game sticks closely to the original releases. Effectively, Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection has 4 top-down shooters that ask you to navigate labyrinthine worlds. There are items to collect, doors to open, minor puzzles to complete, and plenty of shooting and resource management. It is fun, moderately paced, and easy to get into.
The FPS games are rough by modern standards, but there are some nice atmospheric ideas, basic jump scares, and a nice sci-fi edge. They don’t break the mould, but I like the evolution from the top-down genre and the weaponry, missions, and ideas on offer.
Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection has some minor visual improvements.
If you are a fan of highly retro gaming, you can remove many of the visual improvements. However, modern gamers may want to keep the filters on. You may pick from 4:3/16:9 and CRT presentation for an authentic feel. Alongside this, there are improved frame rates that complement the 3D gaming.
The audio has remained faithful to the original games. This delivers a nostalgic edge with some crass and rough moments. However, if you love retro gaming, this loud and blunt approach is appreciated.
Vastly improved controls.
Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection is designed with modern input methods at the fore. The twin-stick controls are ideal for a gamepad. They improve accuracy and usability without ruining the retro gameplay. This was probably the biggest improvement for the franchise.
I loved revisiting the games, and they are ideal to play if you’ve never tackled the series. However, it is the new game modes that’ll keep me coming back for more. They are cruel, tough, and extremely addictive. Furthermore, I love the online co-op mode.
Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection is brilliant for modern gamers.
Regardless of whether you are a retro lover or modern-only gamer, Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection is brilliant. It does an amazing job of sticking to its guns while making updated quality-of-life improvements. I love the control system, new game modes, and franchise evolution. Accordingly, it is great, and I recommend buying it here! Can you survive the alien horde? Explore the world, kill those aliens, and become a hero.
