80’s action-flick actor du jour (DuJour means friendship!) Michael Biehn reprised his role as Dwayne Hicks in Gearbox’s canonical Aliens: Colonial Marines, which as you know was a terrible game, lacking any real sort of direction. According to the actor, working on the game wasn’t a great experience.
In an interview with Game Informer, relating just how much fun he had doing voice work for the mental 80’s throwback parody Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Biehn said that he had exactly zero fun making Colonial Marines.
“The only other gaming experience that I had was I did a voice [Corporal Hicks] in the Aliens game that they made,” he said. “That wasn’t fun at all. I just didn’t really have any fun. It seemed kind of passionless. I think in movies, television and the gaming world, you get some people that are really, really passionate, and some people that are just going through the paces.
“They think that because they have a brand name they’re going to get a hit game or hit movie out of it. That certainly was the situation on [Aliens: Colonial Marines].”
Passion and enthusiasm, he says, is the differentiator, and Blood Dragon’s creative director Dean Evans had both in spades.
“[Evans] was talking to me about the game and the fact that it was an ’80s throwback,” Biehn continued, “and there would be a lot of lines that were Arnold Schwarzenegger-like, that were Stallone-like, Bruce Willis, myself.
“Those kind of lines, that kind of vibe, and the fact that it was going to be a throwback to the ’80s was something that I thought was interesting. But really it was his passion, man. You just can’t say no to him.”
It really is a damned shamed – because the right team, with the right amount of passion could probably do incredible things with the Alien licence. Gearbox now has the Homeworld franchise;let’s hope they’ve got some passion for it.
Last Updated: July 30, 2013
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 30, 2013 at 12:11
Buying a Gearbox game is like playing Minesweeper. Either the game is opens up a whole new world for you (Borderlands), or it just plain hurts.
Kromas
July 30, 2013 at 12:27
But just like minesweeper it rather easy to spot the bad games.
If original IP then x= good time;
else x=bad time;
print”Your gonna have a “,string(x);
😛
InsanityFlea
July 30, 2013 at 12:30
I thought minesweeper was an rpg based around Afghanistan.
Admiral Chief Minion 47
July 30, 2013 at 12:29
Peace is a lie, there is only passion
Through passion I gain strength…
John Ambitious
July 30, 2013 at 12:37
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Admiral Chief Minion 47
July 30, 2013 at 12:38
Through victory, my chains are broken
John Ambitious
July 30, 2013 at 12:40
The Force shall free me.
Speaking of which, I saw this online…
John Ambitious
July 30, 2013 at 12:35
They better not mess with Homeworld. I’m tired of companies ruining old games with terrible new ones.
RinceJigglyboobhater
July 30, 2013 at 12:43
Ahh, Blood Dragon, my friend. What a game!
Gareth L
July 30, 2013 at 21:58
DId he forget about his lead role in Tiberian Sun?
Johan Fourie
August 1, 2013 at 14:32
Just like he’s going to forget his role in CM.
TheBeasht
July 31, 2013 at 11:46
“DuJour means not fighting!” LOL, love that movie.
Here’s hoping the next devs for a licenced Aliens game have the passion. Passion, Yeah!!