If Alien Swarm had cost $20...

...would you all still be fanboys? I read through the user reviews, and the only one that scored it low and pointed out flaws had 0 thumbs up, 23 thumbs down. After the first couple days of myself loving this game, I realized how shallow and uninspired it is. There is little replay value in this game, and it is too monotonous to bother going through the process of installing custom maps, which do not autodownload. I would also assume that you'd have trouble getting a team together if you did download the maps, unless they were all eager steam buddies. Sure you can say its only fun with friends, but come on, almost every coop multiplayer game is 10 times the fun with friends.

Xfire charts show a decreasing trend for the playerbase ever since launch, which has not flattened out and is actually almost linear (which is bad)!. I'm surprised it has an 8.6 average score from users tbh. That's only half a point under Team Fortress 2, which is vastly superior imo :?

Good thing it's free then huh? Dont see how to criticise a free game, "What if it was $20" doesnt apply...nobody paid anything for it.

If it had cost $20 it would have come with more Valve made campaigns.

Assuming your premise though, if it was $20 I wouldn't have bought it. Not a huge fan of the top-down shooter, regardless of quality or replayability. That said, the game is extremely polished, the mod tools are easily accessable and mods are plentiful if you take the time to install them and have friends to play with.

Still 8.0/10 in my opinion.

It's being rated on the standards of free games and for a free game its pretty damn good.

When it first released? I'd say the game was worth 7.50$ at release. 20$ for one campaign is a rip off...

...would you all still be fanboys? I read through the user reviews, and the only one that scored it low and pointed out flaws had 0 thumbs up, 23 thumbs down. After the first couple days of myself loving this game, I realized how shallow and uninspired it is. There is little replay value in this game, and it is too monotonous to bother going through the process of installing custom maps, which do not autodownload. I would also assume that you'd have trouble getting a team together if you did download the maps, unless they were all eager steam buddies. Sure you can say its only fun with friends, but come on, almost every coop multiplayer game is 10 times the fun with friends.

Xfire charts show a decreasing trend for the playerbase ever since launch, which has not flattened out and is actually almost linear (which is bad)!. I'm surprised it has an 8.6 average score from users tbh. That's only half a point under Team Fortress 2, which is vastly superior imo :?

True_Sounds

I dunno I rate a game based on the actual game, and do not factor in costs. I guess cause my priorities are time > money. Valve are marketing geniuses, I'll give em that.

But I don't think they could have sold this game if they wanted to. That just was not a reasonable option, because even being free it does not have a huge community. It would be dead like Lead and Gold if it had cost anything.

See what you gotta think is, Does this game have enough content to make it worth $20 that people would actually buy? A: NO

Does this game have enough content to feel like a free game and at the same time keep players satisfied enough? A: Yes

This is a free game, period. that being said they are not enforced to release anything free yet they have. This may not be valve's final free game, nor could it be their last time they do anything to alienswarm, we may see new campains, new maps, new characters, new weapons and acheivements, ect. but will this be out anytime soon? of course not, all this is created on their free time and their own money. they are working on so many game titles including new half life game and with other modders like the creators of DOTA.

I understand when you want a game to be good, but when its free, there isnt much to argue, people have to list cons for a full price tag game because you are spending your own hard earned money for it, you have the right to know if its worth your money, in this case, you play it, you either like it or you dont.

I dunno I rate a game based on the actual game, and do not factor in costs. I guess cause my priorities are time > money. Valve are marketing geniuses, I'll give em that.

But I don't think they could have sold this game if they wanted to. That just was not a reasonable option, because even being free it does not have a huge community. It would be dead like Lead and Gold if it had cost anything.

True_Sounds

I think its already been iterated a few times already that for a free game, Alien Swarm is a pretty good game. Its not perfect but hey, its free. I either like it and play or just move on. What other answer are you expecting, really?

If it had cost 10$, I'd bought it, easily. But not for 20$.. The replay value aint that great, its kinda like L4D2, but shorter..

It's being rated on the standards of free games and for a free game its pretty damn good.

Ragingbear505

Bingo, what If GTA4 was released at $140 dollars would there still be all those fanboys... See how the question is kinda... redundant!

I guess I'm just surprised price tag can blind most people of a game's flaws when writing a review. And when someone is unforgivingly honest, they get 23 thumbs down and 0 thumbs up.

Your point that its free is irrrelevant in this case, because noone would expect Valve to sell such an unfinished arcade game with such little depth, just as noone would expect GTA4 to be over $60. If Valve went and released Portal 2 for free at launch, I would be able to back such blind raving, because that is a game many people would be willing to buy. Don't see much weight in the free argument when it would not have made sense for them to release it with a price tag.

I guess I'm just surprised price tag can blind most people of a game's flaws when writing a review. And when someone is unforgivingly honest, they get 23 thumbs down and 0 thumbs up.

Your point that its free is irrrelevant in this case, because noone would expect Valve to sell such an unfinished arcade game with such little depth. If Valve went and released Portal 2 for free at launch, I would be able to back such blind raving, because that is a game many people would be willing to buy. Don't see much weight in the free argument when it would not have made sense for them to release it with a price tag.

True_Sounds

Again, most users dont' care about the flaw because they didn't have to pay a thing for it. That's why they give it a good rating. It's a FREE game that has a good replay value. The amount of fun that can be had compared to cost is very high.

Seriously, the game has it's flaws yes...but why pick apart and dump on a game that no one has to pay for that supports 4 player co-op?

And you are right, no one expected them to release a free game. It is also something they want the community to take control of by all it's users creating new levels, etc. It's a gift for us to play with and make better.

If it had cost $20 and come with four or five campaigns, it'd probably be worth it. As it is now with the single campaign and free, well it's still pretty neat :) But I would've paid for more campaign variety.

I rated the game about an 8.2-8.3. A portion of that score was based soley on that it was free, Whenever we have paid considerably more for games that are considerably worse!

Of course the game has its flaws, one being its performance. But the game has a lot to offer, for such a ... little price!

BTW, word of advice, EVERYONE has some sort of blinders on. Even you my friend!

I thought it was boring, even for a free game. As someone else pointed out, time > money. I can go earn another dollar, but I can't get an hour of my life back.LongZhiZi

But earning money takes time...

[QUOTE="LongZhiZi"]I thought it was boring, even for a free game. As someone else pointed out, time > money. I can go earn another dollar, but I can't get an hour of my life back.Emraldo

But earning money takes time...

Exactly.

If it cost $20 it would suck. One campaign, little difficulty and ease of leveling it would suck. But it is free and that makes it awesome.

Nope, not if it costed that much. The problem with this game is that so many that like it take any suggestion that could make it better as whining and just say "shut up its free", when the game could be made better.

d10sfan

I agree, it could be better, and hopefully some of the campaigns to come (custom made or not) will make it better.

With one campaign? I love the weapon set but I'd pay nothing for it if it hadn't been free.

Nope, not if it costed that much. The problem with this game is that so many that like it take any suggestion that could make it better as whining and just say "shut up its free", when the game could be made better.

d10sfan

...would you all still be fanboys? I read through the user reviews, and the only one that scored it low and pointed out flaws had 0 thumbs up, 23 thumbs down. After the first couple days of myself loving this game, I realized how shallow and uninspired it is. There is little replay value in this game, and it is too monotonous to bother going through the process of installing custom maps, which do not autodownload. I would also assume that you'd have trouble getting a team together if you did download the maps, unless they were all eager steam buddies. Sure you can say its only fun with friends, but come on, almost every coop multiplayer game is 10 times the fun with friends.

Xfire charts show a decreasing trend for the playerbase ever since launch, which has not flattened out and is actually almost linear (which is bad)!. I'm surprised it has an 8.6 average score from users tbh. That's only half a point under Team Fortress 2, which is vastly superior imo :?

True_Sounds

In its current state, I would not have payed 20 bucks. With 20-30 missions total instead? Gladly. Damn good thing it was free then.

Like it or not, the price tag of a given product will establish the expectations of the consumers. In this case the price tag will establish the scope and reach of the game, or the perceived value of what the scope and reach ought to be in the eyes of consumers. That's not even a bad thing mind you, it's just merely what people think. In the context of Alien Swarm, what we see is a game that delivers extremely well considering its price tag(its practically non-existent one that is) that amuses and entertains well enough. In conclusion, I would gladly play Alien Swarm in its current state but not with the $20 price tag. I would also gladly play Trine for 20 bucks, Crimsonland for 9 bucks and Audiosurf for 10 bucks but would not want to play them for 40 bucks, 20 bucks and 20 bucks again, respectively.

I would have paid 20 bucks for it no questions asked. Ive been waiting for this to come to steam for YEARS though. I was one of the original mod players and i love this game to death, id support it and will continue to do so for a very long time. Yes it only has one campaign but the custom maps are already flying out and before long steam updates will come along and give us more, this game is solid gold for me. I cant get enough of it

[QUOTE="rollermint"][QUOTE="d10sfan"]

Nope, not if it costed that much. The problem with this game is that so many that like it take any suggestion that could make it better as whining and just say "shut up its free", when the game could be made better.

d10sfan

So every single bug should just be left up to the modders to fix? Hmm...

[QUOTE="rollermint"][QUOTE="d10sfan"]

Nope, not if it costed that much. The problem with this game is that so many that like it take any suggestion that could make it better as whining and just say "shut up its free", when the game could be made better.

d10sfan

So every single bug should just be left up to the modders to fix? Hmm...

You have noticed that valve has been updating this game, fixing bugs and balance issues right?

[QUOTE="d10sfan"]

[QUOTE="rollermint"] You can if you want to since you can actually mod it. Thats what the game is for, comes with a free short campaign and its sdk. The game is released free for the benefit of gamers and modders. So yeah, when they say shut up its free, what they really meant is, shut up and mod it yourself, if you really are that concerned to make it better...Sparticus247

So every single bug should just be left up to the modders to fix? Hmm...

You have noticed that valve has been updating this game, fixing bugs and balance issues right?

And what if free food samples cost $20? Dude just enjoy it and be happy that someone actually gave something away for free. That's practically unheard of these days.capthavic

I DO enjoy the game and I'm not complaining that it was released free. I just don't believe the hype is all. :? It's by far Valve's worst game despite its high ratings, but it's still decent and worth a few playthroughs despite that.

Valve never would have charged money for the game in it's current state. It is designed to be a gift to fans of the original and the longevity clearly will come from user generated content. Because it is free valve has no obligation to provide any more content for it, and they shouldn't. It works out perfectly. Take it for what it is, and you'll see where the love comes from.