Like in the first game, there are three distinct campaigns. One lets you play as the Predator, another as an Alien, and a third as the overconfident humans they prey upon. This time out the stories are much more detailed, even crossing over in interesting ways. The plot concerns some arrogant human scientists, a group of heroic marines, a rogue Predator, and the faceless Alien horde found on LV-1201 (the planet from the first two Alien films).

As a human, you play a fearless roughneck sent to check things out and perform missions. This generally involves rescuing fellow marines, recon work, restoring power to various systems, and trying to stay alive against fast-moving killing machines with acid for blood and nasty dispositions. You're armed with the incredible pulse rifle from the films, other weapons such as a knife and a smart gun (which automatically locks onto targets for you), a tension-inducing motion tracker, and a shoulder-mounted flashlight that casts eerie shadows. The Predator is armed with his shoulder cannon, cloaking device, spear, and his famous wrist claws.

The Alien campaign is the most interesting as it first casts you as the spiderlike face hugger. You've got to roam the corridors looking for a solitary victim. Once you implant a human, you play the small and snakelike chest-burster, seeking out rodents and other tiny prey so you can quickly molt and grow into a full-fledged alien. Then all hell breaks loose as the humans become your prey. You can claw, perform a head bite (which restores health), and execute a fearsome pounce attack that literally explodes the target. Aliens can also cling and climb on walls, which takes some getting used to, but the effect is exhilarating, as is the hunt.

The graphics are evocative of the films and feature strobe lights, flashing reds and whites, ample darkness, abandoned barricades, sputtering ruined equipment, and horrific scenes of carnage. The music rises and falls with the drama and draws heavily from the Alien films in particular. And the game is relentlessly creepy, whether or not you are the hunter or hunted. The audio is equally effective, from screaming humans to screeching alien attackers to the familiar Predator purring chuckle. The game is also filled with often amusing conversations between guards, marines, and scientists.

The three campaigns offer 21 missions, but the wide range of multiplayer game modes deserve special mention. The game has legs, no matter which species you prefer, and already a community has sprung up for challenges between gamers. Unfortunately, the Net code is a bit buggy: be sure to download the latest patch.

Monolith has created a much better game than the previous installment, mainly by pumping up the atmosphere, refining the controls, and making sure the three stories combine into a greater tale of horror and survival. Oh, and most importantly to some, the game lets you save whenever you want. Just remember this when playing the game--on the Internet, no one can hear you scream, but your neighbors can. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Superb atmosphere that evokes the best of the movies
• Excellent graphics and single-player gaming

• You need the marines to do a bug hunt in the multiplayer code