Alien/Aliens series - Leading Edge Games

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Alien / Aliens Series - Leading Edge Games
See Also: 2300AD

Apart from its cinematic qualities, the Alien series makes for great inspiration & source material for a 2300 AD game. Especially James Cameron's Aliens movie, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the 2300 universe... or is it the other way around?

Alien Quadrilogy
Amazon.com Editorial Review
"The Alien Quadrilogy is a nine-disc boxed set devoted to the four Alien films. Although previously available on DVD as the Alien Legacy, here they have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and picture. For anyone who hasn't been in hypersleep for the last 25 years, this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and "special edition" form.
Alien (1979) was so perfect it didn't need fixing, and Ridley Scott's 2003 director's cut is fiddling for the sake of fiddling. Watch it once, then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely, the special edition of James Cameron's Aliens (1986) is the definitive version, though it's nice to finally have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternative Alien 3 (1992). This isn't a "director's cut"--David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release--but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered, and finished off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it's truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann's character adds considerable depth to story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different. Alien: Resurrection (1997) always was a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the special edition just makes it eight minutes longer.

The Alien Quadrilogy offers the first and fourth films with DTS soundtracks, the others having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary track that lends insight into the creative process--though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the first Alien DVD release are missing here.

Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented in full-screen with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills, and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by the Lord of the Rings extended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including an hourlong documentary and even all the extras from the old Alien laserdisc. "Exhaustive" hardly beings to describe the Alien Quadrilogy, a set that establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time. --Gary S. Dalkin

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Aliens: The Official Movie Book
Chock-full of color stills from the movie.

1986 ... 50 pages + detachable posters in the back ... Starlog Press ... ISBN 0931064872

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Aliens Colonial Marines Technical Manual
The equipment, organization, and background share striking similarities with that of the 2300AD RPG. There's a mine of resources here for the referee.

"An official guide to the technology of the United States Colonial Marines shares detailed diagrams and technical schematics; a close-up look at the guns, vehicles, and ships of the USCMC; and a hypothesis of what could have gone wrong on the colony planet known as LV-426."

1996 ... Lee Brimmicombe-Wood ... 159 pages ... ISBN 0061053430

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Aliens Adventure Game
Leading Edge Games actually developed an Aliens Role Playing Game, and did nice work with it as well. Developed after Aliens, but before Alien 3, the RPG goes into consdierable detail into the Colonial Marines, the Aliens, and the worlds they occupy. I sincerely doubt it's canon, but the new background integrates nicely with the movies.

"This Time It's War
Now you can be a part of the danger and excitement of the hit movie ALIENS, from Twentieth Century Fox! From the ruins of the Colony that was destroyed by the Aliens to the chaos and greed of Earth itself, the ALIENS Adventure Game pits you against Aliens, other dangerous lifeforms, and corrupt Humans as you find out what it takes to be a member of the Colonial Marine Corps.

Another Glorious Day in the Corps!
The accent of the game is on the Aliens, of course, but there is far, far more. For those who want to go beyond the Aliens and the Corps, there is a whole galaxy of deceit and danger in the bleak Corporate future of the ALIENS storyline. Try your hand at one of the other possibilities offered; corporate mercenary, explorer, businessman... your choices are limited only by your imagination.
The ALIENS Adventure Game prominently features full color and black and white art from the movie, as well as fast, fun game mechanics. Fast paced and intense, ALIENS is sure to thrill anyone who enjoyed the movie.

Included are Sections covering:
* Character Generation
* Colonial Marine Background
* Other Character Backgrounds
* General and Professional Skills
* Specialized Skills and Training
* Personal Equipment
* Individual Combat
* Ground, Air, and Space Vehicles and Combat
* Worlds, Colonies, and Outposts
* Missions and Campaign Settings
* Alien Lifeforms and, of course,
* The ALIENS - Abilities, Metabolism, and Scenario Ideas."

1991 ... 192 pages ... LEG 20200 ... ISBN 0945571976

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ALIENS (Wargame) [BOX SET]
COMPONENTS:
• The Map, which is 17" x 34"
• 3 Card and Counter Sheets (16 character stat cards; 49 mini stand-up counters; one combat card)
• Rulebook (30 pages)
• 4 page Rules Summary
• Plastic Stands

"ALIENS is a game for one or more players; it recreates the major conflicts that take place in the movie from 20th Century Fox. There are several different battles, or Scenarios, in the game and in each case the players will take the roles of the various people from the movie (Ripley, the Colonial Marines, Burke and Newt) and attempt to survive their encounters with the Aliens. There are three Scenarios, which are be played independently or one after another, to simulate the entire movie. The Scenarios are:

The Reactor Room: The first encounter with the Aliens. A squad of nine Marines, led by Sgt. Apone enters the lair of the Aliens in search of the Colonists.

Operations and the Air Ducts: Barricaded into the Colony's command post the remaining Marines along with Ripley, Newt, and Burke, face a concentrated Alien assault. As they fall back, Newt leads the survivors through a maze of tunnels toward the Landing Pad and safety, with the Aliens in pursuit.

Ripley vs. The Queen: On board the ship, Ripley uses a Powerloader in her final battle with the Alien Queen.

There are a number of places in the rules where the term "Marine" is used. In all cases this term applies to all the humans, including Ripley, Burke, and Newt. Players may determine who controls which Marines by any method they wish; by dealing out Marines for the Scenario at random, by taking turns choosing Marines, or by mutual agreement. When the rules state that a Marine may make a choice, or roll a die, it obviously means that the controlling Player should act accordingly."

1989 ... LEG 20100 ... ISBN 0945571992

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ALIENS Expansion
"This supplement to the ALIENS Boardgame takes players deeper into the situations in the movie, and features new Scenarios and options.

Included are:

* An entirely new, full color Map, 17" x 33".
* New Cards, to determine the inhabitants of Alien lairs.
* Scenarios for the battle on board the Drop Ship, Ripley's rescue of Newt, an attempted rescue of Apone and Dietrich, and a complete Hunt for the Alien Queen.
* Expansions for the Movie Scenario, allowing the Marines more options and greater challenges.
* And a variety of new rules, including Ammunition Restrictions, Backup Weapons, and Tournament Rules."

1990 ... 24 pages + map + 16 Alien Cards ... LEG 20101 ... ISBN 0945571984

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