First stop at E3: Chillingo. First developer meet: Fox Digital Entertainment. First hands on at E3: Predators. It looks like this is going to a good year for iPhone/iPad gaming.
As a big fan of the original “Predator” movie, I was really excited to get hands on with the new game. Like so many Predator fans, I have been let down by past movies and games that just don’t seem to do the franchise justice. The new movie and game gave me hope for Predator, and the game did not fail. It actually made me more excited for the game because it offers a Dynasty Warriors type hack and slash gameplay while still incorporating a large combo and weapons system, as well as a great visual experience.
I played an early build of the game but was still very impressed by the gameplay itself. The player assumes the role of the Predator, and the goal is to harvest the humans. The humans were sent to an alien planet to hunt the Predators, only to realize they were the ones being hunted. The goal in each level is to obtain a certain number of kills or trophy kills while being attack by a constant flow of enemies. There are numerous ways of dealing with pesky humans. 
You can slice them with your Wolverine style blades, blast them with a plasma cannon, or sneak up on enemies while using your invisibility and thermal modes. Each level offers new weapons, combos, or trophy kills. This allows the player to access new weapons and combos earlier in the game, which allows for a better gameplay. From what I played, Predators has a decent amount of weapons and gadgets that assist in the hunting of humans.
I was very impressed by the responsiveness and effectiveness of the touch controls. It was very easy to perform combos, such as a spinning charge attack. While using the claw-like blades, the player can execute moves that can rip people in two, or even pop of their heads for a “trophy kill.” What I really enjoyed was the “dual-stick” incorporation while firing the plasma cannon. Using one stick to move and another to aim and fire in a Geometry Wars style was just genius. The game looks great too. I played the iPhone build on an iPad and it still looked and felt smooth. Once the iPad version is released, it will be a beautiful visual experience.
The game is set to be released July 1st, and the movie “Predators” is set for July 9th
