In the game, a Weyland-Yutani research team discovers an ancient Predator Pyramid and hopes to unlock the advanced technology while studying the resident Aliens.

There are three campaigns in the game, one for each race/faction (the Colonial Marines, the Aliens, and the Predators), that, while separate in terms of individual plot and gameplay, form one overarching storyline.

To help navigate the surroundings, marines are equipped with shoulder-mounted lamps, surveying flares to briefly illuminate darkened areas, and motion trackers, capable of providing info on hostile positioning as they move.

For long-range weaponry, the Predator can use a shoulder-mounted plasma cannon in addition proximity mines to a chakram-like disc and a combi stick (or throwing spear).

OXM labeled the trophy kill mechanic as "spectacularly violent" and it has been partially censored to avoid an Adults Only rating in the United States as it was "several measures more graphic" than any other recent games.

There are several animations, one of which is a "terrified" marine dragged into the center of the screen by his or her throat, which the Predator then snaps effortlessly with the accompanying sound of "someone biting into raw celery".

However, Mr. Weyland prevents the creature's death, as he's impressed with its cunning, and tells Groves to transfer it to a special program; giving it the codename '6'.

In response, the pyramid emits an electromagnetic pulse that disables the local human colony's systems, including 6's restraints; allowing it to escape and release the other captive Xenomorphs and Matriarch.

When the Predators' ship comes out of cloak and destroys the Marlow, Major Van Zandt directs the surviving shuttle to land.

At Corporal Tequila's direction, Rookie is sent into several parts of the wrecked human colony with the purpose of getting systems back online and locating any surviving Marines, especially Major Van Zandt.

Moving further into the newly established hive within the refinery, Rookie encounters the Matriarch and kills her in an explosion with some help from Tequila.

Following Katya's instruction, Rookie is able to locate other survivors throughout the ruins and fights and kills a Predator before finally rescuing Tequila in the Alien hive, but not before she was implanted with a chestburster.

They are then seen in cryo-sleep while the pilot uploads the datapad's contents to an older-looking Weyland, who appears delighted to learn that a "live specimen" was secured and the coordinates to the Xenomorph homeworld was discovered.

Once the trials are complete, the young Predator, "Dark", is dispatched with a group in order to investigate a distress call sent by a youngblood hunting party on another planet (BG 386).

Dark battles his way through a Weyland-Yutani research lab overrun with Xenomorphs and combat androids to acquire the wrist bracer before venturing down to the Predators' pyramid to activate its self-destruct function.

During the countdown, it battles and kills a Predalien (born from the Elite Predator in the Alien campaign) before narrowly escaping the resulting explosion.

After escaping the research lab, Dark returns to the Predator ship and his ancient mask gives him data revealing the Aliens' homeworld.

To create a unique and original sound for the Alien and the Predator he made his own percussion kits constructed from bits of metal and various tools which were then scraped and hit with nails, sticks, brushes, and mallets.

[6] An early build of the game was submitted for review to the OFLC, but was denied classification in Australia in 2009 and effectively banned for sale altogether.

The Board noted that "the violence depicted in the game can be accommodated within the MA 15+ category as the violent scenes are not prolonged and are interspersed with longer non-violent sequences.

The violence is fantastical in nature and justified by the context of the game, set in a futuristic science-fiction world, inhabited by aliens and predators.

"[9] Two additional map packs have been released for purchase via Steam, PlayStation Network and the Xbox Live Marketplace[10] entitled Swarm and Bughunt.

[35] The most scathing review came from 1UP, who found the multiplayer hard to recommend over the prior game in the series, Aliens versus Predator 2, describing it as "ultimately thin and awkward".

Predator franchise haven’t been painful enough to sit through, then perhaps video gamers worldwide are ready to stomach Sega and Rebellion’s pitiful offering.

"[37] However, The Daily Telegraph gave the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions a score of six out of ten and said that the game "lacks the action set pieces that helped to push the FPS genre to where it is today.

Club gave the Xbox 360 version a C and said, "The always-terrific Lance Henriksen is on hand to put a human face on—and lend some soul to—this otherwise soulless experience.

"[30] Edge gave the game five out of ten and called it "a hastily assembled three-in-one anachronism which proves just one thing: that terrifying and terrible are not mutually exclusive.