AVP: Species Distinctions and Specialties

All species in the game, have their own weaknesses and strengths. Even after ure a pro with any species, it still has some qualities that makes it distinctive from the other species. In this guide, I will be explaining the pros and cons of the 3 species in the game: The marine, The Predator and The Alien, aswell as some own tricks and tips focusing on taking out one species.

The Colonial Marine

Aaah.. the marine, this is the class that most newbies try to avoid, as they want to have an 'alien' experience. However if u are one of those people who feel that way, then u r gravely wrong! Physically weaker then the predator, and slower then the alien, the marine may seem weak, but it has the deadliest arsenal of weapons. Its image intensifier works well as a night vision mode, and normal vision comes with an addition of a motion sensor, making it hard to ambush the marine. Summarising the marine, it has an advantage over the alien, and a big disadvantage against predators. Marines work well in tight spaces as it is easy to aim, and no one can last long enough against their lead breathing machines. It is best if a group of marines stick together, especially in co-op modes.
Playing against Aliens
It takes a few seconds of perfect aim for a marine to kill an Alien with the basic pulse rifle. A large group can die in a blink with a grenade or rocket. Even though the alien rules in long, open maps, if caught in the aim of a marine, it wil die in seconds. The basic thing that makes the alien weaker then the marine is.. the low amount of health and the need to get close to their targets. A marine can simply move backwards and fire, while a chasing alien is forced to eat lead. But that doesnt mean that you forget about aliens while playing as a marine. Imagine...... in a map of complete darkness (pro alien users tend to destroy lights), you are forced to use your image intensifier. Now you cannot use the motion sensor, the one thing that protects you from an ambush by aliens. Now as you look around in every direction, you have no idea... on the ceiling.. the tail coils... and by the time you look up its already too late. This is where the alien makes a comeback. If caught offgaurd against an alien, you have almost no chance to survive, a charged tail attack from the alien can grieavly wound you, often killing in one shot. The rapid swipes of the Alien claws can be deadly, and sometimes, if you are unlucky, an alien will take the time and instantly kill you with headbite. Scared enough? Well here is more... even if you manage to spot an alien from afar, you dont always have an advantage of range. The alien has amazing speeds, and in a second it will be right beside you. Sometimes the alien will leap towards you, so even if you kill it the acidic blood that spills will prove very deadly. By reflex, look behind every few seconds and occasionally, the ceiling. Take no chances, as the alien strikes when you think you are safe.
Playing against Predators
A predator vs a marine is pretty unmatched fight. The predator's heat vision, allows him to see you even in complete darkness a mile away. He can destroy the lights like an alien, as darkness doesnt bother the predator. While a cloaked predator is slightly visible in light, it is completely invisble in darkness, and unfortunately most players use image intensifiers in darkness, so they are unable to detect cloaked predators. A single charged stab from the wristblades, a single shot from the speargun, a maximum of 2 shots of the plasma cannon, few shots from the pistol and a single disc, can pretty much rip the marine. On the other hand, the predator has much more health then aliens, so it takes longer to kill them. In order to combat a predator in light, try strafing and shooting, but do not get close. The predator will eventually be forced to use the plasma cannon, and strafing will help you dodge it, slowly draining the predators energy ( destroy energy orbs so it cant recharge). Once drained it will switch to the speargun (commonly) now you have a few seconds while the predator takes aim, colour him with lead and the fight is yours. If a predator uses a disc, instead of the plasma cannon, then be ready to run and get behind a wall, hoping the disc sticks in it. The predator will come close to repick it (blow it now) or it will recall it, wasting huge amounts of energy. Repeat the wall jumping and soon the predator will be out of energy. Another useful strategy against Predators is that they only see one visible species in a specific sight mode. In a map with all 3 species, the predator will constantly be switching sight modes, or perhaps stick to normal vision. Now the the darkness bothers predators. Also, a predator engaged with a group of Aliens will probably be using alien vision, you can just stay against a wall and land a barage of bullets to kill the predator. In complete darkness, a cloaked predator is the worst thing you can come across, as you will have no idea where it is. But hope is not lost. Stay in groups, and use the flash often, the light from the flash will make the Predator visible. Similarly explosions will outline the Predator. Now you have a few seconds.. blast it with all you got. Even if it gets away predict where it would have gone and keep shooting explosives, the Predator will stop somewhere to use the medikit ( i forgot what you call it :P ) and then it will be visible. Its pretty much the same as the movies, the aliens and predators are stronger then marines, but marines have got the real heads.
Playing against other Marines
Not much of a bother. A marine vs marine is like any fps you would have played before. Just keep the enviromental factors such as fall damage or darkness in mind, and use them to your advantage. Also distractions work well, using flares on a marine who is using an image intensifier, making sounds to make marines follow you into a trap, or perhaps lead a chasing Alien/Predator to the opponent. These tactics work well against opponent marines.

The Alien

The alien.. my personal favourite. For some reason, most newbies in multiplayer use the alien whenever they get the chance, even though it is one of the hardest to play. The main ability that makes the alien a distinguished species is the amazing speed and the ability to climb like a lizard. Walls, ceilings and floors, they are all the same for the Alien. Darkness, stealth, ambush and escape are your main tactics. Your normal vision has more scope of view than the marine, and it is able to see all three species highlighted in the same vision mode, unlike the predator who needs to switch between different vision modes to see specific species. Your other vision mode, the navigation mode, is great for seeing in darkness.
Against Marines
How I love killing marines as an alien. Although the marine can rip you in pieces with the lethal firepower and range, it is a totally different story if you get close. When hunting marines, I use a tactic I like to call Play and Prey. It works best in maps like the meat factory, where you have vents to move and other species cant get to you. First of all, leap around the marine a few times, terrifying, confusing and most importantly making them aware of your presence. Then before getting shot, jump to a nearby vent. Keep watch over the marine. Soon all his attention will probably be diverted towards the vents. He will not expect you to just run to him. This is where the fun starts. Still watching the marine, I move down the vent but not infront of him, instead a place where he is about to go through, like behind the door of a room. Coil up the tail, and then leap before he looks. A single strike from the charged tail is lethal enough to kill most marines. Headbiting works aswell. However if you u are in a map without vents, then dont worry. Dont restrict your movement, dont think like a marine or predator. Move on the floor, on walls and on ceilings. Destroy all lights you see to force marines to use image intensifiers. I also have this trick up my sleeve, which I call the Bait. Destroy all lights in the map, except for lights in a room with one way in. Marines will most likely come to that room (dunno why, but they do) you cling to the ceiling with a coiled tail and just as they enter, leap and kill. In other words, with the right tactics, the advantages of the marine become useless. Also if range apears to be a problem to you... try strafing to greatly increase speed, when close enough.. leap towards the marine. Even if you die the acid that spills will avenge you. However this leap attack if often disliked by users.. but hey u asked for tricks :P
Against Predators
As seen in the movies.. The predator may look tougher, but the alien is of equal match. In the game, most of the weapons of the predator are not rapid, though a hitting shot often deals fatal damage. Use this to your advantage. Run and leap, and the predator will be wasting energy or speargun ammo. Destroy energy orbs to prevent recharge, and also try leaping towards the predator while constantly swiping your claws, occasionaly getting a very lucky headbite. The predator will waste time in turning to face you, and until then you will be leaping towards the other direction, giving no time to shoot. If the predator is distracted long enough, deliver a powerful charged tail attack, it helps loads. Marines may have advantage of splash damage over your speed, but the only weapon of the predator that deals splash damage is the predator pistol. If facing a predator with a pistol, try not to get seen, and hope to get a headbite or atleast a charged tail attack. If you get spotted, dont flee unless you really have to. Leap around as the predator shoots, draining him of energy. And if you get hit a few times (thats just the text, often one shot does it) dont worry. The projectiles of the pistols fall like grenades but donot bounce. Run away quickly and often you wont be hit again (but make sure you have delivered atleast one charged tail attack). The predator will go into a hiding place (flee but dont lose sight) and use the medikit (whatever we call it). Now you strike with all your might. Ive also had some wierd experiences with newbie predators. Idk if they were energy drained or what, but they run straight towards me with a charged wristblade. Now remember that the predators wristblade attack has a delay before strike. As the blow was about to land i headbit them. Easy kill, easy health, easy score. The real problem is the disc, but with the high speed, you can dodge it pretty easily.
Against Aliens
Idk why, an alien vs alien match is really 'sticky'. You both have to stick to each other, swiping claws and tails and goodness knows what. The fight doesnt make sense. If this is happening then you are being NOOB. Even as in Alien vs Alien, dont forget he element of surprise. You cannot headbite, but you can leap and deliver a charged tail attack behind the opponent alien. That pretty much does it, even a couple of swipes end the fight. But I must say thats all i have for Alien vs Alien xD

The Predator

As the image states, the predator is pretty much the big boss of the game, IF learnt to use properly. It can destroy groups of other species easily, and has the highest health in the game. It moves significantly faster then the human, and has much more deadly weaponary although they require much more accuracy. If played correctly, even the mighty alien (biased..) is nothing but dust. I'll explain some personal tactics that i have used as a predator.
Against Marines
The predator's multivision modes not only work great at spotting different species, but also helps you see in the dark. The heatvision makes the environment look blue, but reddish near lights. In complete darkness, the environment still looks blue. So first of all, take out the lights, so that you donot get detected by motion sensors (marines will use image intensifiers) and now cloak. In darkness, being cloakied is the same as being invisible. Keep your wristblade charged, and run towards a marine if he is close and let go. One shot does it. However if you are far away from a marine, the sound of running can alert marines and if they use the flash/ explosion, it will make you very visible, even when cloaked. Take your time and when you are sure not to get detected, stab! A single shot of your speargun can kill marines too, so if u want to save time, then waste ammo, as it is not easy to hit with it. Going for the plasma cannon is a good alternative unless the targeted marine is moving or strafing, the plasma shots are slow and may miss. The disc works well, however it is considered OP and not liked by the users.
Against Aliens
Okay, this is a tough one. Although with the right timing and circumstances, an Alien is nothing against the predator, things are different if the predator gets ambushed. Your weapons are not rapid, and you will have to use precise aiming against fast moving aliens. The plasma cannon is useless as the alien can dodge it easily. Your cloak is useless against alien aswell. The alien vision makes aliens visible, however it makes the environment darker and hard to understand. The alien can just leap around you rapidly swiping his claws. Things also turn after a single charged tail attack. So in other words, DONT get ambushed. Your health may help against Marines, but at close range the alien can kill u very fast. Use the speargun for precise aiming if an Alien is running towards you, and if it starts to get close, charge up you wristblade and let go at the right time ( a few moments before the Alien is in attacking range) aiming at the head, to decipate the Alien. You can practice this in skirmish modes. If you are in a tight region, then u can always use the OP pistol, or if u want to be fair, the plasma cannon. Aliens prefer the darkness, and with the already dark alien vision, it is hard to interpret the environment. You can can always switch to predator vision, which lightens up the environment and makes outlines prominent, but only do it when you are sure no aliens are around. Summarising, look up, down and around in alien vision, and dont show your back all the time, if the alien ambushes you, use the pistol, wristblade or plasma cannon, and if you spot it from afar use the speargun. The disc is good but aliens can dodge it pretty easily.
Against other Predators
Okay..this is one the more fun battles in the game. Both of you are tanks, with high damage and speeds. The best weapon i wuld suggest is the speargun or disc, as the plasma cannon may miss and wastes tooo much energy. Going wristblade is not the best idea as a charged wristblade strike from the opponent is equally lethal. A tip: Try to strafe and jump as much as possible, so that the opponent is forced to use tracking weapons e.g plasma cannons and disc. If he throws the disc, pick it up before he does. Once the predator is out of energy, destroy all visible energy orbs and dont let the predator flee. Once again I say, the speargun is the best, as it accurate and deals very high damage instantly. Nothing more to give on this... sorry..
Some Tips From Me
1) Before going into multiplayer matches, try to complete atleast 1 singleplayer mission with each species. It helps understand the gameplay better.
2) The predator campaign is the easiest. In missions with only marines (the first 2) just cloak and use your heat vision. I prefer killing with charged wristblades to conserve energy and speargun ammo.
3) The marine campaign is all about how attentive you are towards your surroundings. Even in the first mission, you will realise that getting ambushed by an Alien is deadly. Dont let aliens get too close and look in all directions (dont move too fast).
4) The first mission of the Alien species will probably be the hardest for newbies. When you go through the tunnel in the first mission, you have to climb the wall right infront of you, above you there is a passage that leads to another room. Climb the 2 towers, and then go through the vent into a new room. Travel along the pinkish path and you will reach a room with 2 hanging blocks. Destroy the thing that hangs them, and go back to the room with towers. Dont forget to headbite all marines and civilians u see AND if you kill them then swipe at them, to recover health. Trust me.. you need health.
5) Marines stick together. Predators memorise the maps and sit in a place where the entire map is visible. Aliens? Simple, just move along vents or on the ceilings, the ground is not your friend.
6) I prefer to avoid fights against the same species, they are usually hard and time consuming.
7) Destroy all pickups of the other classes. A drained predator will uncloak to recharge energy, and a marine will be useless, unable to recover health and ammo.
8) Go learn some tactics yourself. Choose a species, and try to master it. You cant usually play marines too well if you mastered the Alien, as you are used to speed and wall climbing.

Some Confessions xD :P

Okay.. so guys im not much of pro in the game. Infact im new, just above the noob levels. However i made this guide to help out other users like me, who just started the game, and have no idea what to do. BTW if u dont find any sessions in the multiplayer section, then try making one ureself and wait for 15 mins. Trust me someone will join o.o

[Corpse Grinder]

ill give it a try i tried the arcade game aliens armageddon and loved and u play as a marine i will try it

[Masterdoom20]

@this guy marine is pretty good aswell. In corridor based maps the minigun marine can easily rule the match.

[Corpse Grinder]

predator and alien is the best

[Hound]

:D