The Predator movie franchise is now enjoying a resurgence thanks to the big hit that was Prey (2022). With a sequel in the works and another standalone Predator movie coming in the near future, we thought we’d hunt down the best Predator games of all time.
Shockingly, the Predator IP hasn’t been nearly as explored as the Alien franchise in video games, at least not on its own; most of the best Predator games ever are actually Alien vs. Predator titles. That doesn’t mean there aren’t ‘solo’ Predator games worth checking out, but just don’t expect a barrage of them. Hopefully, with Disney now at the wheel, the property will be passed around between developers more often.
If you’re in the mood for more sci-fi horror games, we recommend checking out our ranked list of the best space horror games ever. We also have some thoughts about the rankings of the Alien and Predator movie series, and of course, don’t skip the best Alien games of all time if you need a change of pace.
10. Predator 2
- Platforms: SEGA Genesis
- Developer: Teeny Weeny Games
One of the three different video games that adapted Predator 2 back in the day, the SEGA Genesis third-person shooter developed by Teeny Weeny Games didn’t feature much Predator action, but it was a fun short ride nonetheless.
Playing as Mike Harrigan, the main character of the movie, the player must defeat gang members and quickly rescue hostages for most of the game, all while avoiding the Predator’s attacks and stopping them from reaching those same hostages. If too many hostages are killed, it’s game over. The action is snappy and breezy, and the sprites that are used throughout the game look pretty nice. Given the average level of big movie tie-ins back in the early 1990s, Predator 2 was an effective and replayable one.
9. Alien vs. Predator (Jaguar)
- Platforms: Atari Jaguar
- Developer: Rebellion
Rebellion’s history with the Alien vs. Predator IP is extensive and started shortly after the AvP comics became a pop culture sensation. Built as an exclusive game for Atari’s Jaguar console, 1994’s Alien vs. Predator was a high-profile release when it launched.
Of course, this game hasn’t aged well and was instantly improved upon by Rebellion’s second AvP project, but for a 1994 first-person shooter, a lot was achieved here. From the menacing visuals to the diversity of the gameplay across three different species, it was a highlight amidst far more generic shooters following Doom’s release in 1993.
8. Alien vs. Predator (1993)
- Platforms: Super Nintendo
- Developer: Jorudan
The year before Alien vs. Predator for the Jaguar launched, another console exclusive based on the now-famous sci-fi crossover was released for the Super Nintendo. This one kept things simpler, letting players control a single Predator warrior in a side-scrolling, beat ‘em up adventure.
Thanks to the good-looking SNES sprites and adequate controls, Alien vs. Predator ’93 belongs to the group of early 1990s beat ‘em ups that have aged gracefully. It just works, and beyond its IP appeal, there’s a solid old-school adventure at its core. Plus, the story, which takes place on the planet Vega 4, works quite well as an extension of the comic books it was based on.
7. Predator: Hunting Grounds
- Platforms: PC, PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S
- Developer: IllFonic
Predator: Hunting Grounds is an online multiplayer title that has been around for over three years now. After a rough first year, it’s quickly evolved into a competant asymmetrical shooter in which you can either be the hunter or the hunted. Moreover, a current-gen release has just arrived alongside content based on Prey, the latest Predator movie.
There isn’t much here for gamers who dislike online games, but Predator fans should get a kick from the numerous callbacks to the movie series and wider canon, while the actual game modes and missions push its PvPvE formula to its limits. Sure, it’s a bit rough around the edges still, but IllFonic’s notable commitment to the game has paid off for the most part.
6. Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction
- Platforms: Xbox, PS2
- Developer: Zono
This often overlooked game was an off-beat mix of real-time strategy and the Aliens vs. Predator IP… exclusive to consoles. Developed by Zono, who already had experience with the genre, AvP: Extinction is perhaps the weirdest big-budget release the Alien and Predator franchise has ever been used for.
Due to control limitations, the focus was put on unit management and combat over base-building and resource-gathering. The entire game revolves around three sizable, interwoven campaigns which are light on actual storytelling, but shape the levels and starting conditions depending on the narrative. Each species plays very differently, so in the end, AvP: Extinction almost feels like three weird but solid RTS titles bundled into one.
5. Aliens vs. Predator (2010)
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
- Developer: Rebellion
AvP video games had another shot at FPS glory in 2010 after a long downtime, and with Rebellion back developing the reboot. Once again, the full story is told across three different campaigns, following in the footsteps of Monolith’s AvP 2 instead of its 1999 game. As for the online multiplayer, the offering of modes (both competitive and co-op) was diverse and unique, which explains why there’s a small but dedicated community still alive and kicking to this day.
The most interesting thing about this iteration of the formula is that Rebellion took some big swings with gameplay elements such as melee combat, giving it a special flavor and visceral feeling in the moment-to-moment gameplay. The campaigns were a bit short, but they squarely delivered on the promise of more carnage between science fiction’s most famous horror icons.
4. Predator: Concrete Jungle
- Platforms: PS2, Xbox
- Developer: Eurocom
Predator: Concrete Jungle had sufficient juice and enough cool ideas to become the definitive Predator game, but a number of story and gameplay shortcomings keep it out of the top three.
It’s a third-person action-adventure game with semi-linear levels and a narrative that follows a disgraced hunter who’s banished for a century after failing a hunt in 1930. In the future, things have changed a lot, and criminal families have used leftover Predator tech to take urban war to the next level. The mission? To make things right, but the plot gets wild fast. Overall, Concrete Jungle feels like a perfect riff on some of the zaniest Predator comics, and both the setting and the alien hunter’s abilities are great.
3. Aliens vs. Predator Classic 2000
- Platforms: PC, macOS
- Developer: Rebellion
After Rebellion’s AvP FPS for the Atari Jaguar, the studio truly wowed players in 1999. Technology had come a long way in just a few short years, and the full-3D graphics powered the ultimate Alien and Predator (first-person) power fantasies… as well some super-tense human marine gameplay.
In early 2010, after several years of (legal) unavailability, AvP was re-released under the title Aliens vs. Predator Classic 2000. This version works on modern computers and has controller support and other improvements. Moreover, it packs all the extra content released back in the day (and online multiplayer).
The storylines for each species are independent of one another and take players through both original locations and some iconic scenarios from the Alien movies. If you can grapple with the aged controls and old-school level design, this one shouldn’t be missed even if its two sequels were more accessible.
2. Alien vs. Predator (arcade)
- Platforms: Arcade
- Developer: Capcom
Though Alien vs. Predator had already landed on the SNES by 1994 with a solid beat ‘em up, Capcom’s AvP for arcade machines is considered to be one of the best games ever made within that genre. And to be honest, we completely agree, as it looks gorgeous and packs quite a punch, with fantastic controls and level variety that wasn’t common back then.
Four characters are available (the game can do three-player co-op): the Predator warrior and hunter, Major Dutch Schaefer (very loosely based on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character from the original Predator movie), and Lt. Linn Kurosawa, a human cyborg expert in martial arts. They all work together to put an end to an alien infestation overrunning a major human city in futuristic California. The only bad thing about it is that you’ll need to emulate the game until Capcom does a modern re-release at some point.
1. Aliens vs. Predator 2
- Platforms: PC, macOS
- Developer: Monolith Productions
Monolith’s 2001 sequel to Rebellion’s classic hasn’t received a remaster nor a modern re-release, but it firmly remains the best Alien vs. Predator game ever, and we are sure its campaign and class-based online multiplayer equal the best Predator game period.
The jump in graphical fidelity was vast, and each of the three campaigns – interwoven this time around – feels meaty and challenging. But more importantly, each species had a bigger arsenal of weapons and abilities to destroy their enemies and move around the levels. It’s a fantastic time for Alien and Colonial Marines fans too, but Predators have never felt better to embody. Plus, the entire game holds up quite well and plays just fine on modern systems… if you can find it.
