It was a long way of evolution..** First of all, sorry for my bad English. I played the game since the early alphas and i played part 1 as well. The positive aspects of the game are the big difference between the classes, (teams, weapons, attacks, tactics,..), the fine graphics, the complex maps and, of course, the combination of RTS and FPS. I don't know how long it takes new players to get used to all the game mechanics. It took me very long when I started playing beta after a long pause but its it's was easier now with all the help that found into the game in the last months.

**..and finally they released a great sequel of a great half life 1 mod.… Expand

Almost too good to be real.
The developer (Uwe) knows how to push all my buttons with NS2.

It features some of the best and most rewarding team play you can find in any game, A huge variation in gameplay, almost endless learning curve, the most friendly and enthusiastic community I've seen since the desert combat community for bf1942 and shiney graphics with a good sound track as cherry on top.

I can't fault them for a single thing they did (and I'm a huge cynic, this never happens for me). Just a shortlist of the best things about the game.
-community support dialed up to eleven! Rcon tools, server build for community, open source engine, mod and map support, amazing spectator mode. good quality VOIP in game. (actually the ONE SINGLE thing I miss in all of this game is demo recording like in quake or half life).

-Uwe developed their own engine, which produces some incredible lighting well suited to the game, super clean image quality, extremely responsive mouse input (best since half life 1! ). Can't fault this for anything. It is fairly cpu heavy (but looks the part!) The game runs really well on my pc from 2008.

-mod support and the sheer quality and variety of the game play ensures this is one of those games you can play for years without it ever getting repetitive or boring. It only costs 23 euros on steam too, almost ridiculously high value.

-No modern game tropes like ADS, p2p lobbies, DLC map packs that would split up the community, grinding for unlocks or level ups, mouse acceleration, locked frame rates, locked FoV or any of those shenanigans that can sully an otherwise good game.
They did right by the pc gaming community with this game.

If you like team play, or strategy, or shooters, or feeling like some solid snake/predator hybrid offspring or fun in general then you can't possibly go wrong buying this.

A lot of people will give 10 or super low scores on metacritic to influence the average because they think their opinion is worth more than others , but if I were to give NS2 an independant score I'd genuinly give it a 10. It's the first game since half life 1 that I consider to be truely in its own league.
Imo it re raises the bar for all other multiplayer and pc games to come.

Don't miss out on this gem fellas, you'd do yourself a huge disservice. The joy and giggles this game brings can't be overhyped, you will not be disappointed.… Expand

Great game, but for some reason crashes my computer quite frequently (twice in an hour) when BF3 on ultra doesn't. Very fun, very innovative, tons of replay value.

Awesome! I can't stop playing it... Memories come from 10 years ago :) Though it needs some graphics optimization, performance is not awesome unfortunately.

Great team based competitive FPS/RTS hybrid that deserves your attention. Based on the original Half-Life mod with updated features and some interesting but refreshing gameplay changes. With all the generic modern FPS shooters competing for your gaming dollar this holiday season, Natural Selection 2 is a great value. I promise you will put more hours into this game than most other flavor of the month FPS that are rarely worth the full retail price you're forced to pay. Check it out!… Expand

This is quite simply one of the most unique and ambitious pc titles to come out of today's market. A truly remarkable community, asymmetrical sides, and necessity of teamwork define the charm that puts ns2 as one of my currently most played games. This game is living proof that you do not need persistent leveling, aesthetic promotions, over exaggerated bloom/visual stimulation, and expensive DLC to create a worthwhile game, and this is something seldom recognized by all the big name titles in the current industry. This is the kind of game that more people need to try, especially those looking for something different from the routine modern military shooter trend.… Expand

Great game that is a team player base and requires some skill. Aliens are so fun I enjoy the Fade going to the speed of light is a great escape move when I found myself in trouble. Marines jet packs and Exos is also fun to play. Been playing for 8hrs straight and enjoy every minute. NS2 developers added a great feature too called Mods. Mods in a server can change the game play with endless possibilities, like for example, Marines vs Marines or Aliens vs Aliens and so on. The game has great replay and with new MODS ideas making this game have so many possibilities of game play. I am tired of these AAA game developing companies that bring poor content with a huge price behind it, unknownworlds is indie company not even close to AAA level, but they made a great game with half the cost. highly recommended.… Expand

Surpasses the first game in most ways, beautiful visuals and fantastic modding abilities / community. For one of the best Multiplayer games around, its well worth it!

This game is not Call of Duty and it doesn't want to be like COD. I don't think there is greater praise that can be said about an FPS in such a stagnate modern warefare shooter day and age. My problems with the game comes from the community. It seems like there maybe a few hacks out for the game as I've seen some shady stuff go on in games like being tracked through walls and instagibbed repeatly by a player with 50-2 or a commander having way to much res compared to the amount of resource gathers they have and the amount of game time elapsed.… Expand

Natural Selection 2 is a game that rewards teamwork and skill with amazing victories and surprising comebacks. A good game can last an hour, or twenty minutes, depending on how well your team bands together to defeat the other team, be it the ranged-combat Marines, or the close combat Kharaa (or Aliens.) Each team has one player that plays from the perspective of an RTS. That player sees the game from a top-down perspective, places structures (which Marines have to build for the Marine team,) and works to guide the team. The main goal is to take out the other team's command station (that is, the Marine's Command Stations or the Alien Hives.) Thus, if the game isn't over quickly due to a Zerg-like rush from the Aliens or a stomping Marine power-play (which is fortunately rarer and rarer,) the game becomes a mix of putting pressure on the other team and capturing resource nodes and tech points. Each team does this quite differently. The Marines get all sorts of technological upgrades, like teleporters, mobile siege turrets, jetpacks, grenade launchers, shotguns, and the amazing Exosuits. The Aliens get biological upgrades, or evolutions, that provide additional abilities to their life forms. Examples of this are Carapace, which gives the aliens additional armor, Leap, which allows Skulks (the base life form that can run on walls.) to leap a good distance, and Stomp, which allows the Onos (the massive Gorilla-meets-Rhinoceros alien) to send a shock-wave through a team of Marines that knocks them down. There are many more than these, but you get the idea.

The graphics are slick, the gameplay is extremely well balance (if you read anything else, they were on a bad team or fighting a bad team. Two competent teams will have a balanced match.) and the teams are fun to play. Shooting is very solid, biting a little, tiny bit less solid, but still good enough on its own. Commanding is a blast once you get the hang of it (I particularly enjoy leading Aliens to victory.) Overall, this game has a little of everything, including unmatchable mod support, and community support. Unknown Worlds Entertainment owe their existence to the community, and they don't forget that.

10/10
Pros: Balance, Aliens are awesome, Marines are awesome, RTS elements are well done, maps are good, graphics are slick, performs fine on an i5-750 @ 3.0 GHz, 4 GB RAM, HD 6970 2GB.
Cons: Load times can be a bit long (should be addressed in a patch this week,) server browser can be laggy, occasional crashing and freezing for some users.… Expand

Perfect game, its not unbalanced to any side.. its unbalanced if you get a **** commander and team thats all. Real fun game, i prefer aliens due to the play style and I can say it definately is not easier for marines.

This game isn't easy, it has a high learning curve, getting used to the differences between marines vs aliens can be tough for new players, I stuck with it and got the hang of it after a few hours(I was still no ace) each side has a much different approach to win the game, and it doesn't have to be the same approach each time! with the Multiple upgrades. The Unknown Worlds Entertainment is so good to their community, the community is so good to them and new players, the steps they made to make this game is incredible it feels like a multimillion dollar game title but it was only made by a group of 7 and help from the community. If you're tired of the same old Call of Duty copy and paste from year to year, you can buy two copies of NS2 for you and a friend for less than 1 copy of Call of Duty Black Ops 2, and I guarantee you're going to have way more fun, especially if you enjoyed AVP, NS2 blows both out of the water.… Expand

Very good game, very unique. Has it very own style. I really like it. I hope they bring a demo soon for the undecided buyers among the players. Have fun with that game.

Awesome game, the original was fun and this is even better. They are allowing mods for the game, which I can only imagine that will take this game far.

Natural Selection 2 game play has a unique personality, which is rare in titles today. Sure there are other games that are Hybrid RTS/FPS, but they don't offer the same level of quality and depth. The game is simple, but offers a lot of strategy and each game feels different. Playing as a gorge (combat engineer), skulk (sneaky fighter), fade (quick medium assault fighter), lerk (combat support), or onos (siege and heavy combat) on the alien side all feel different. Playing as a marine or exo-suit (GOLIATH ONLINE) are fun experiences. If you enjoy team game play, you'll love Natural Selection 2 since each role benefits the team in a unique way.

Natural Selection 2 is basically a delicious cheap wine that will only taste better as it ages. For $25, this game is already a bargain and the developers have committed themselves to improving it post-release. Additionally, mods can provide additional content for no cost to the purchaser.

There are a few issues that need work including networking and performance. If it were a $40 or $60 game I might be a bit more strict on the performance of the engine. The developers have committed themselves to improving performance after release.… Expand

An awesome mash-up of RTS and FPS. For an independently developed game it easily puts many of the big AAA titles to shame. With constant updates through-out BETA and with continued support promised for a long time to come, NS2 is not only a great game getting better, it's got a great community behind it, pushing it further with mods and tons of support.

Ok, to all the people saying "it's only fun as marine" watch the tutorial videos and you'll see how to play as an alien because playing s an alien makes it a completely different game from being a marine. A marine plays like A N Other FPS but the aliens require tactics and learning your chosen form. Personally now I've learned it I prefer playing as alien and it really makes the game when you get on a server where people understand how to play as aliens and you end up with a great game.… Expand

Incredible fun with friends of solo. Had not heard of this before but was amazed by the quality of the game. Huge fun, atmospheric and if played in the dark at night can even be creepy when you hear enemy aliens crawling through the vents around you.

The game has depth and real substance to the gameplay, and team work is absolutely essential. For the commander, it is like playing a slow paced but deeply tactical Star Craft where your marines and units are real people with differing levels of skill.

at 18 quid on steam this game is an absolute steal - buy it, get your friends to buy it, and enjoy!… Expand

This game is just too damn impressive. Every competitive PC gamer needs to buy this. It can be rough for newbies, but its still super fun even when you're getting your ass handed to you. I love that this is a game where player skill makes a huge difference, unlike all the run and gun stupidity conquering mainstream FPS games. A pair of good players can totally carry a battle... but a good commander leading a squad of newbies can equally carry a victory. And the fact that such a small team designed such a great game engine blows my mind! I just wish all those big budget games would use an engine that looks and plays as smoothly as Unknown Worlds Spark engine. It looks frickin' amazing at 2560x1440 resolution!… Collapse

A game a long time in the making; originally designed for the source engine but it didn't suit their needs so the devs reaction? write their own engine that did. The result is the source engine which is still under heavy development even after the game has shipped, they are working on improving the engine and working on new content (which will be released free and not drip fed in a never ending torrent of pay for DLC) You get the entire source gameplay source code and all the dev tools to create your own maps and mods (gameplay code is LUA).

The game as it stands on build 228 (version 1.0 on steam) has now had a enough optimisations to dismiss most of the complains the people who only tried it in it's beta (which was a true beta and not a PR demo) and the servers can now support full populations for long term play with lots and lots of building and with no framedrops.

As for the gameplay it's a fantastic asymmetric mix of ranged and melee combat and a fusion of RTS and FPS combat for the most part works really well, overall each team is directed by a commander in RTS style and the rest of the team are playing an FPS game where weapon unlocks and creature evolutions are researched by the commander.
It's by far the most original mix of gameplay elements in many years and will appeal to players of most games apart from modern grey millsim games and chest high walls.… Expand

Its been years since this was a CS MOD and loved it. Now its back and its a Official game?! WhAT! saw it, bought it, LOVE IT. marine or aliens there both equally fun.... i sense no un-balance, feels both side equal witch i love. Win or LOSE! i cant stop saying.... I LOVE IT!!!!! i thought i was gonna be bored after awhile but still its so open with options of team work....i cant never regret buying this for 24.99 when normally i expect to pay 59.99 Lol, its a must have! Add my steam ID "Shinigami4Life" this is one of a kind game that best discribs the perfect game lol... no serious! :D i would write more to show the passion for this game but ill just end it here hehe :P… Expand

This Autumn is reach for great indie games. Not **** ones with pixel art, cubes and anime style, but for real titles not dumbed down by some publishers. First one was a Chivlary: Medeival Warfare. The second one is Natura Selection 2. They both came out of nowhere for me, and as for NS2, thrill of this game is on par with monsters like DOTA2 . Really, a game from indie studio on self-made engine easily beats most modern online games. There are few issues, lack of normal training mode but fear not. Once you learn how this game work, you'll spend days in it. P.S. While game engine is not some sort of DX11 monster like Frostbite 2 or CryEngine 3 I can tell for sure, infestation animation is the best visual effect I saw this year on PC.… Expand

Natural Selection 2 is a great game. Immersive game play and a really fresh feel for an FPS with good balancing considering the drastic differences between the two factions. This is a must have for any fps enthusiast.

It's an excellent game with a fresh combination of First Person Shooter and Real Time Strategy elements. If you look for a new experience, natural selection delivers it!

Natural Selection 2 is one of the best Tactical Shooter Games of the Year... Because no other one use a so likely concept... Good Work Unknown Worlds Entertainment!

Amazing game, sticking to it's roots as a PC mod and asymmetrical shooter. Refusing to dumb down their game and create a work of art independently this company developed it's own engine with a group of 5 or so people and the work they've done is ASTOUNDING, better then some supposed triple A titles with a huge budget and staff. This is one of the defining reasons why PC gaming is not dead and why it remains the best for real, raw and intense gameplay that is unique and not a retextured mess of everything sold to the kiddies on Xbox already. I tip my hat to Unknown Worlds and what they've been able to do.… Expand

This is an excellent example of an FPS that doesn't compromise to "compete" with games like COD or BF3. It sticks to its rots and remains largely the same game it was 10 years ago, only this time with actual production value. The shooting is solid, the teamplay is tight, and brings all of the asymmetrical gameplay [that made the original mod stand out] back to the table, with all the balance of the original. I'm not sure this is a game that will appeal to the "War Shooter" fan, but should stick out to anyone that's looking for a change of pace from the same old yearly releases we've been seeing over the last 5 or so years. There's a reason that we're all gushing praise for this game, because it's one that deserves it.… Expand

This is my favourite FPS/Strategy game so far. If you're fan of NS1, then for love of the god buy it. I really like the changes they did compared to NS1. The graphics are nice and gameplay is smooth too. Teamwork is key to success in this game, I really recommend to try this game. It's worth every penny.

Amazing game, I've been looking for a game that I won't get BORED of (pretty much most games out there right now), and NS2 is it. The shooting mechanics are more fun than any modern military shooter out there, and playing as an alien is a refreshing ton of fun. The strategy element is amazing if you are into RTS, because you have to use voice communication to be an effective commander.

An amazing sequel of the Half-Life mod Natural Selection. The developers have done an outstanding job and really pushed the limits of indie game design. This game deserves a 10 for many reasons, but the biggest has to be the perseverance and skill shown by the developers.

Possibly the best multiplayer game I've ever played. Strategy and teamwork are absolutely crucial to winning a round, and the feeling of satisfaction you get when your team moves to victory like a well-oiled machine is intensely gratifying. This, combined with frantic, fast-paced alien combat, makes for an absolutely fantastic multiplayer experience.

Absolutely fantastic. I have had a lot of fun with it so far, and I highly recommend. My only issue is the game's crosshairs, but I tend to dislike most game's crosshairs, and this game is moddable enough to allow for custom crosshairs to be out.

Also, if you're a fan of the classic NS, people have already begun releasing more classic NS Maps, as well as a Combat Mode mod.

Very fun RTS/FPS hybrid with what seemed like a very friendly community of players. With a game such as this the player base could easily have been hostile to new players, but that was not the case at all so don't be afraid to give it a try. Inside you'll find an "explorer" mode to walk around the maps at your leisure, helpful popup tips, and plenty of training videos to get you up to speed. As for the gameplay itself; if you are unfamiliar with this genre its basically a first person shooter with a lone player on each side taking on the commander role which involves building up and expanding your base, researching upgrades, and coordinating the players from an overhead camera view (basically your typical real-time strategy gameplay) and I've got to say it works really really well. I've played similar games that have given the commander way too much power with the ability to spam the map with turrets, but not here. Both the commander and the other players seem very much equal in determining the outcome of a match and that's refreshing. For the factions there are two and they offer contrasting styles of gameplay: The Marines and the Aliens. The Marines are definitely the more "jump in and have fun" faction for beginners as their learning curve is small and the gameplay familiarity is very high. Its like playing Doom except the aliens are controlled by human players and even if you don't know what you are doing it can be a lot of fun. The aliens on the flip-side have a brutal learning curve. They are very fragile and you'll mostly be relying on melee attacks. Having to go up against machine gun, grenade launcher, and flame thrower wielding Marines can have you staring at your re-spawn timer quite often until you get the hang of things, which you will find infuriating. But, if you stick with them they can be a very rewarding side to play and in my opinion the more enjoyable as their units encourage a more diverse style of gameplay much like the Scout, Medic, Engineer, Sniper, and Heavy makeup of Team Fortress 2. You'll be sneaking in vents at hyper speed, climbing up on walls and ceilings, lurking in the dark as the power goes out, and pouncing on those poor unsuspecting Marines followed by their agonizing screams as you take a bite out of their backside. The maps are well designed, the gameplay feels balanced, teamwork is highly encouraged, and well... watching the aliens transform the maps and the Marines trying to eradicate them is just plain awesome. So yeah. Check out some gameplay videos and if it looks like fun give it a try.… Expand

Extraordinary game. Brings me great joy to see UWE as an indie developer being able to ship a AAA-title. I believe there is something for everyone who is a fan of either genre in this game, go get it!

This game is deep and fun but overall is very original, having played the original mod all those years ago, its been created as a standalone game masterfully and has embarrassed the CoD clones in how the game plays and its intelligent design, ignore the haters its a masterpiece of MutiPlayer gaming.

Brilliant sequel of good old NS which was... legendary, it took best part of it and added some new awesomeness. It is stongly tied on a teamwork, good commander can do the match, and weak one fails it at the start. So don't try to jump to the console if you don't know what to do.

This game is stupendous. It manages to mix RTS and FPS, which alone is ridiculous, but it also has two completely different sides that are both a ton of fun to play... and it's balanced! Holy cow. The graphics are amazing and climbing on walls as aliens or flying around or teleporting is tons of fun. Easily one of the greatest multiplayer games since the original Natural Selection.

This game is a mint fresh breath in the gaming world. It's very innovative and a blast to play. What i like the most about the game is the way it supports and encourages MODS.

Based on a 10 year old Half-Life 1 mod, the developers set out to create a standalone sequel, company, and their own engine (The Spark Engine) to one of the most popular Mods ever created. No small feat. What they have accomplished has been nothing short of incredible. Not only is the game more fun and more accessible to new players than the first game was, but their source code & tools come with the game, so ANYONE can make their own mods in a simple scripting language called Lua. Teamplay is encouraged by the game mechanics themselves, which forces players to play together, encouraging a friendly vibrant community. With the community's backing, the amazing game and technology you get for such a low price, this might just make NS2 one of the most important games of recent times. Not just for how amazingly fun the actual gameplay is, but for what it could mean for Modders and total conversions in the future. This game might just spawn the next Dota. A truly spectacular achievement for such a small company.… Expand

This is a REAL PC game created by an indipendent studio consisting of around 10 members of staff.
It is an online, team based FPS/RTS which blends the two styles of game play flawlessly! The game is fully moddable and comes with all the tools you could ever want to make mods, maps, cinematics or even your own completely new game.
What I like best about the title though, is the aforementioned development team. They gave out 45,000 free copies for goodness sake. I think major games development companies should step up, take note and learn!… Expand

Simply put, I have never had more fun online than I've had with this game and it's predecessor. Unless you play games competitively, you've probably never experienced what it's like to play with a coordinated team, and NS2 through the subtleties of it's design accomplishes that with every pub game.

Amazing game where teamwork is not an option. FPS/RTS design forces cooperation in order to improve your own loadout as well as others. Your play is not completely dictated by the Commander as each person has personal resources to buy weapons with once they have been. Excellent gaming community which discourages trolls. Graphics are good and fast spawns, high movement speed and teleportation buildings make for low downtime. That said there is a high learning curve and the maps are complex especially the ventilation system used by the alien side. Can be unforgiving and cause you to lose your heavy weapons quickly. If you play games to become GOOD, don't mind working with a team towards team based goals and not just to get high K/D and unlock awards then this game is a must.… Expand

Natural Selection 2 is a fantastic game that blends first-person shooting with RTS elements. The dynamic map control reflected through growing/receding infestation helps to reinforce the atmospheric nature of the game. Probably the friendliest, most enjoyable community that I've ever seen in gaming, the mechanics of the game actually encourage helpfulness and cooperative teamplay. I'm not sure what else to say -- if you don't like this game, maybe team-based first person shooters just aren't for you.… Expand

The game is really great! The graphics are awesome with plenty of colors (compared to today

First of all I played the first one and god I played it a lot and had good times, so I was expecting a lot from NS2, and well...Unknown Worlds did a great job. The teamplay what ever the side you choose makes the gameplay really good. The sound and the visuals are perfect, specially the light effects. Sadly there's some performance issues, but they're still really small problems and the game is easily playable for a normal computer. For a small team, they achieved something really big that some big companies can't even make that perfect. Great game, obvious buy for 25$.… Expand

Apologies in advance for the horrible writing.


For me, this game is an extremely impressive feat, and a game I will be playing for a very long time. It's a fun team-based shooter that seems like a horrible gimic at first, but reveals itself to be an incredibly deep strategic game. The gameplay is wonderful and fresh. The aliens are fast and fun to play and have a variety of unique abilities, especially the fade with its ability to blink across the map at incredible speeds and slash down marines with its scythe-like arms. The marines are quite enjoyable as well, with their well designed weapons and tools. Mixing an RTS and a shooter doesn't sound like it would work at first, but is incredibly well implemented, with obvious care from the developers that really took care to make into solid game mechanic, rather than a horribly implemented gimic tacked on to a generic shooter.

The graphics are very impressive for an indie game, holding up quite well compared to even AAA titles, and are a surprisingly colorful getaway from the mottled grey-brown of modern military shooters. For the most part, the animations are very fluid and nice to look at, and the game feels very smooth in general. The game has an immense replayability as well, not only for its incredible mod support. Though there are only five, the maps are very large and conducive to a large number of strategies, and the random spawn points for each team add a great variety. What really impresses me is the game's ability to constantly surpise you with new things, even after playing for a while. The game naturally opens up to you piece by piece as you play, far more preferable to me than the standard "level-up" progression system. You start as a simple unit following the commanders orders, and eventually become experienced enough to dominate the field with a jetpack and shotgun as a marine or a fade as an alien. Once you realize the nuances of the strategy, you can assume the position of the commander and lead your entire team.

Above all, what I really respect about this game is the fact that it dared to deviate from the endless stream of modern shooters. The developers made it as a multiplayer game, and didn't waste resources tacking on an unnecessary campaign just to raise the price. They refused to add ironsights so the gameplay would be better, and didn't try to become a "me too" shooter. Unknown Worlds made an ambitious game with a clear identity and a clear purpose, and after almost six years of beta development they clearly care about their game. This game is a perfect example of quality over quantity. Hopefully Natural Selection 2 will set an example for shooter developers in the future. All in all, a highly recommended game that you can enjoy for a long time.… Expand

At last a PC multiplayer game that isn't a load of consolised trash, have a stupid unlock tree and xp system, and isn't a bunch of free to play ****

The game combines FPS and RTS seamlessly and there are fewer more satisfying victories in gaming than succeeding as a commander.

The first time I jumped into NS2 I was shocked that this game is so polished and enjoyable. It's amazing to see an indie studio coming from a mod doing such a great job. It's worth every penny and I know it will be a title to plays for months / years to come. Especially with the large amount of Modding and eSports support released with it! My only wish is that the Gamer Media would write more about it to get more players in!… Expand

One of the most fun games i hav ever played.
Unlike modern AAA fps shooters the Devs have not "Dumbed down" the game, so it has a refreshing high learning curve, most others miss.
No Pay to win dlc is another +
Game sourcecode is open source and modders have all-ready made some amazing content.
Superb balance, extremely beautiful, runs better then most AAA and the RTS elements are vary fun.

Natural Selection 2 is a game that you will want to show to all your friends. Anyone interested in a new multiplayer experience rich with teamwork and strategy should check it out.

The game is also going to be supported and updated well beyond it's release, so there is more content to come and common issues will be promptly addressed.

I have played this game for about 3 hours so far, and I've been having a blast with it! I think I prefer the marines over the aliens though, which does sometimes present a problem when joining a server that is full on marines. The graphics are good, it is on a fresh engine, NOT a recycled IW engine, Quake engine, UT engine, etc... what a refreshing experience. The combination of strategy and FPS is a great combination. As a long time CoD and Starcraft player, I think I will love this game.… Expand

I used to be a fanatic old school gamer, with games like TFC and NS1 being played daily. But ever since i got addicted to WoW for 5 years and lost my interest in every game that got released within 5 minutes.. until NS2! What a great game, fresh gameplay, actual teamplay, and moddable, can't wait for total conversion mods to pop up ( Warcraft fps/rts mod anyone ? ). Great bunch of developers, dedicated to update the game for years to come!… Expand

Excellent RTS/FPS hybrid, based on the original Half Life mod. Almost 10 years in development and it shows. A team of seven guys (only 3 the first few years) were able to put out something more refined, balanced, and enjoyable than most triple-A multi-million dollar titles. Incredibly unique gameplay, brilliant art direction, and jaw-dropping visuals. There are a few minor kinks with the initial launch, but the dev team is constantly on top of things, gathering community feedback, keeping everyone informed, and releasing tweaks & updates. Do yourself a favor, check this one out, and support an indie team of less than 10 guys that dedicated a decade of their lives to make this happen.… Expand

Yes! After years of waiting i finally get to play NS2. For me it's hard to imagine what new players might be thinking of NS2 judging from the launch trailer and some game play videos on You Tube. Since this page is already filled with great reviews i will try to give you a subjective impression of why NS2 is so special:

1. Team play and communication:
To me NS1 has always been the only sufficiently intellectually satisfying MP-game. And so is NS2! I've tried many great source mods. I am thinking of mods like "Dystopia", "The Hidden: Source" and the shamefully under-appreciated "Eternal Silence". Great games, but i always missed the kind of communication and teamwork i knew from NS. You simply have to work as a team if you want to stand a chance!

2. Versatility: even as a lone wolf with great aim you can make a difference (here i disagree with most reviewers. You still h. Taking out 3 unsuspecting Skulks can be a big blow to the alien team during the early stages of a match. But you better be an excellent shooter if you are going to try moving out alone. And if you aspire to aggressively fight back against Fades and the mighty Onos you better master your Jet Pack! For players like me sticking with a squad or defending an outpost is the more suitable task. Is the action outside of that 2. Hive location too hot for your skill level? Are you feeling like the most useless canon fodder? Move to the far end of the map and kill 2 or 3 resource towers. Your team will actually see the results in a reduction of the pressure put to the front line by the opposing team.

3. The community and the developers: even as a socially awkward bystander you can feel it! They gave away a free key of their game to every player who had purchased it during the beta just to celebrate the launch (and of course further spread the title). It's just incredible to see what these guys have achieved. I can only thank Unknwon World Entertainment for thousands of hours of fun both in the past and and in the future.

And now for a last round before i go to sleep...… Expand

Excellent game. This game easily competes (and exceeds) with AAA titles graphically and game-play wise. If you are looking for a game that doesn't cater to console gamers and puts the skill back into FPSs this is your game. No levels or achievements here, your reward after hours of game-play is sharpened skills and better strategies. In NS2 teamwork is crucial but finds away not to force it. The game as a whole will only continue to get better with free content updates and patches. If this product is just the beginning i cant wait to see what Unknown Worlds does next.… Expand

--- After more than 300 hours in the game, I can safely say this is an incredible game with a ton of replayability and amazing value at $25. It has a few issues, particularly technical glitches, but I would say they're minor, and don't take away from the main experience.

--- The game has many ideas that are either new or rare in video games:

-1- Distinct races, RTS + FPS: Each team has team resources, and each player has personal resources. Each team has one commander that guides the rest of the team. For marines, there is a very direct relationship; the commander places blueprints for buildings (such as resource extractors) that the marines themselves have to build (in first person view). The marine commander also drops medpacks and ammo to help his team during the intense battles, scans cloaked areas for them, and researches new technology that makes the marines fiercer in battle. On the alien side, the relationship is more passive; the commander still directs the team and the expansions to some degree, but there is more autonomy, and there are even some aliens that can build defensive structures using their personal resources. Distinct races are not entirely new (e.g. Starcraft 1/2 had distinct races) in RTS games, but quite rare in FPS games, and even more rare is it being this distinct, yet well balanced and fun.

-2- Fully dynamic lighting/shadows in a multiplayer game. Marines build power nodes to power their structures and their lights, and aliens can destroy those power nodes. In the dark, the marines can use their flashlights (severely affecting peripheral vision, primarily), and aliens can turn on their own unique vision, which makes the marines and structure easy to see (but makes the environment harder to navigate, because it's a little harder to recognize in alien vision mode).

-3- All the game logic/code is available. ALL OF IT! Okay, not the barebones graphics and physics stuff, but everything on top of that is available when you buy the game, and can be modded. So you can make a completely unrelated single player game with it, or add a third race, or whatever. There are already tons of mods for the game, and hopefully more to come. Yes, there are many games that you can mod in some way or another, but it's very rare that the entire game logic is available with the game, and very rare that modding would have this much support in an indie title.

--- Biggest issue I've seen people have trouble with is framerate... the things is, you are likely to have trouble getting the game to work well until you play with the graphics settings in the game (and there are many). As you change the settings, you can see your FPS change in real time, so at least it's easy to do once you know. Also, based on prior experience (and so far, true since launch), Unknown Worlds will continue to fix and improve the game, add more maps, optimize performance, etc, so this game has a long lifetime ahead and will only get better with time.

--- Do yourself a favor and give it a shot. At $25 (that's less than $0.10 an hour for me at this point), it's a bargain. Just expect to die a lot at first. :) Stick to your teammates and listen to your commander, and prepare to enjoy the best team game on the market!

PS: It's a shame that GameSpot tarnished the game with its review, but at least the review has been pulled since then: http://www.gamespot.com/news/natural-selection-2-review-pulled-6399748
Hopefully MetaCritic will remove that 6/10 critic review and add the new review by GS.… Expand

I used to be a big fan of NS1, so of course I got exited for the sequel. The beta wasnt that much fun mainly because of the poor performance, but UWE has done great job optimizing the game just before the release and now it runs very well. And it is as much fun as NS1 used to be.

This game is absolutely amazing. Community is great. Game is asymmetrical but still balanced. Kill are difficult but rewarding. Initial loading times are long but worth it. Commanding is hard but rewarding. Love playing every time. Really the best part of this game is the people. when you get a good talkative group together its less about winning and more about having fun. That's why i love this game. I recommend it for anyone who wants a real and challenging FPS or a interesting new type of team work based RTS. Mod support is really good too.… Expand

This game was/is created by the community. It is a complex, but rewarding game. The learning curve is steep, but worth it. The game is open source as well, meaning you can do whatever you want (modding wise). There are consistency checks when you log into a server, so there are not hackers all over the place. 95% of the people I have talked, and played with are very helpful, and would take the time to explain any questions to a new player. I can't write enough about how the game plays, feels, looks, because it has to be seen/experienced for yourself.

I gave this a perfect score because even now, post-release the developers are improving the game play, the maps, the art, the load times, and putting new things into the game (more buildings, more abilities)… Expand

Funniest and most original game of the year. ****************************************************
********************** 10/10***********************

I didn't like NS1, I found it too difficult. But when I randomly decided to buy NS2 I was pleasantly surprised. The game is absolutely amazing, and I have been hooked on it since I bought it. It's like a combination of Left 4 Dead 2, StarCraft, Aliens and Counter Strike which just works perfectly. Pros:

+ 2 completely different teams that are both fun to play as
+ Helpful and friendly community
+ Game that encourages teamwork and it actually works
+ It's challenging to learn to play every class (and especially commander), but very rewarding once you do
+ Every game plays out differently
+ Some really badass moments (running into alien hive and killing spawn eggs with flamer-thrower anyone?)

Cons:
- Some players might be put off the fact that you have to learn to play this game (you will constantly get killed at start)
- Dependance on teamwork (but 90% of games have it)
- Dependance on a good commander (you can learn to play commander offline and do it yourself)… Expand

We (the fans of NS1) have been waiting for a long time for this gem. This game has it's own in-house developed engine, it's not an eye-blow, but it's cool ! The infestation is spreading dynamically, power loses can be really spooky. I love this game, it's both good for causal and competitive gaming ! A legend. 10 out of 10.

I'm not going to talk about what this game it, that has been covered enough. How this game makes me feel?

This game evokes such extreme emotions while you play. Not many games are able to illicit this kind of response these days and for a multi player game to do it? Simply amazing. Fear, Hope, Exhilaration. As a marine while heading to an important location that your commander has asked you to capture. You cross over into alien territory, its already dim but then you hear the aliens take one last bite on the power node and the lights go out. You gulp as you flick on your flashlight, look at your team mate to make sure he has not run away in fear. You hear the pitter patter of skulk feet some where above you, looking around frantically you finally see it as it drops down onto you. You manage to blast it clean in the face with your shotgun. Pure Exhilaration! You hear chomping and you realize that your team mate is under attack and the first skulk was a distraction. Its too late, you are both dead.

The feeling of power as you hop into a dual minigun exo suit! Amazing! Time to go get revenge and push back the alien scum.

Evolve as an ono's and charge into a Marine base. Amazing. Teamwork, Emotion, Unlimited replay-ability, Community mods, New Engine (Spark), Updates for the foreseeable future? All for $25(NZD)

BUY THIS DAMN GAME!… Expand

I created an account just for reviewing this game. The one ' yellow ' review was a mistake and cannot be corrected due to metacritic policy. I hope people see this and will not let them stop from buying the game.

450hrs in beta and continuing to add now its released, this game is addictive. My only problem is the high system requirements. This has a tough learning curve, I would strongly suggest going into "explore mode" and learning the alien classes. Buy a microphone, this game actually requires team work. The blend of RTS and FPS means commanding troops is often stressful but also rewarding.

If your bored of the CoD and Battlefield rehashes every year, give this a try. Its unique.… Expand

One of the Innovates games Out there!

Wall-running as a Skulk like an Alien in AvP, deep Strategic elements like in Starcraft, true Requirement of Team-play and a Fascinating Replay Value.

As a Pure Multiplayergame, this Indie Title from Unknown Worlds Entertainmant is a Masterpiece of its own Genre/s!

The best word to describe this game is simply "Amazing." Natural Selection 2 has great graphics, awesome game play mechanics , and a good RTS/FPS mix. On top of that there are many mods you can download for it which really helps with re playability. Natural Selection 2 is also only 25$. There is no reason to not get this game!

This is that classic alien vs humans game you've been waiting for with an element for ever type of player with great graphics it can over power computers that are not up to date but its actually built to run on a lower range graphics card a gtx450 so anything high should. fly i know mine does. I love the true team base play of this game as it brings players together to play as a team quite quickly and if your new just try asking a couple of questions in game and follow the others around the commander will help you out if there a good one. over all this game is a must play for team based shooters.… Expand

From one of the best mods, to a standalone game. As it was getting released i found myself hoping the developers wouldn't sell out and just dish out another Counter Strike/COD like game. I'm very glad to report that the game turned out great and that i'm waiting for more games from '' Unknown Worlds Entertainment ''.

I am a dedicated player, with an overall "experience" of nearly 20 years of gaming, not concentrated on one single genre. I had a lot of favorite games during this time and natural selection 2 is the best online team based and action oriented gaming experience seen so far in my opinon.
The start itself could be a bit hard for beginners, if you are new to this concept of first person shooter combined with real time strategy. so there are some learnings in the beginning: you shouldnt finally judge the game during the first played games. but if you invest some time to understand the differences of the alien creatures, the techtrees, general gameplay mechanics and maps, you will be rewarded with one of the best long-term motivating, innovative games ever created!

a well designed atmosphere, superb gameplay, exciting matches, good balancing, an active community and a developer with real passion for his title. nothing missing for me...… Expand

This is what all gaming should be like. You feel like you're in a science fiction action movie--crawling through vents and leaping onto soldiers as an alien in a hunting pack, mowing down invaders in a marine in an armored suit, or making your last stand as the enemy closes in. The game runs at 60fps on even my MacBook Pro laptop (under Windows) and is gorgeous. The air is filled with smoke, metal objects realistically reflect the environment, and you become splatted with gore during melee attacks. Teamwork is tight and essential. Because it is all-multiplayer on sprawling maps, every game is unique and I can't wait to jump back in at the end. This is the strongest game of the year, even though it is an indie title.… Expand

Natural Selection is one of the most innovative games I have ever played in my life.

The sheer value of this game is astronomical. What a neat idea of incorporating RTS with FPS. If you like team based multiplayer games, this one is for you. The team of 7 people did a phenomenal job of truly making this a sequel of Natural Selection 1. Highly Recommend this to everyone!

amazing upgrade from the first! still thrilling and fun, wish gamespot weren't screw ups and messed the score up because it definitely is not 7.9 being the fact that the users score it 9.3 out of 10 shows the fan based. The one thing I love about the game is the community, the fact that there not just immature teenagers playing a cod or halo is a blessing to this game... Fun RTS playing as commander but also allows individuals the ability to choose what weapons they want as oppose to NS1 where the commander would have to drop weapons .... bottom line is great game!… Expand

Anyone looking for some more strategy and sophistication in their online game should look no further than NS2. It's a refreshing change of pace from Call of Duty. Sure, there are problems and balance issues to work out, but the game is addictive, polished, and just a ton of fun. This is a team game through and through, so hot head rambo need not apply.

This is a must have for players who are looking for a challenge in First Person Shooters. After all this years there is a game which fits in what I was searching for. A game with brain and fast reaction which brings you to your limit. Only the huge hardware hungry engine is what feels unplaced in this genre but the netcode feels so right. I guess they will fix the performance in the future.

This game has the same vibe and feel of the first one, a game which I spent days of my life playing years ago. There is some room for optimization in the engine (it is brand new). I feel like the engine just needs a bit of work to make everything appear smoother, but the game-play is there, and I'm just as excited as I used to be to launch Natural-Selection 2.

Great game but gamespot ruined metacritic score :(. Not as good as NS1 but still great enough. This isn't helpful review but neither isn't first from gamespot. The real score is like 89/90 but I will still give 10 ;) In my opinion this game needs constant tweaking like NS1.. Game isn't fully ready and it does miss some features, game engine need some optimizing and balance tweaks in many years..

The concept for this game is fantastic! I have always been a big fan of the RTS and FPS, and having that freedom to switch between what is essentially two different games as commander or grunt is incredible. Have it be known that this game is by no means easy. A sense of team-building being absolutely necessary really starts to dawn on you as you begin to figure out the game. The only way a team succeeds is communication. The commander must direct his or her grunts, whilst the grunts must equally provide crucial information to the commander. I highly recommend this game!… Expand

This game is just Epic. The work these 3-4 people did is Godlike ... I am a programmer and i am impressed ... More maps will be out soon all for Free! You will get patches and Upgrades for free the next 2-3 years like NS1... The support from the modders is big like in Skyrim

The most fun I've had in a long time! I have got all my friends hooked on it. Definitely worth the money! Do not hesitate to buy this! You won't regret it!

I played Natural Selection mod for Half-Life and it absolutely thrilled me. As I heard about Natural Selection 2 is in developement I was following every single step from the dev-team regarding NS2 and when it came out I did not get disappointed. To me it is the game of the year and one of the best games ever created.

I loved the original and I love this even more. Standard NS mode is great for RTS/Strategy lovers and FPS fans alike. CO mode provides casual gamers with some simple, standard play with quicker rounds and have an experience based more on individual performance.

Natural Selection 2's game design is amazing. a seamless blend of RTS and FPS pits marines versus aliens in a fight to destroy the opposite teams command center/hive. While the game does suffer from the occasional crash or lag spike, it isn't very often and you'll hardly care because you will be having so much fun. One thing to note is that the Alien team does generally require a bit more skill to play effectively then the marines but after playing the Aliens for a day or two you will have mastered the tools you need to be an effective killing machine.… Expand

I created an Metacritic account for this game alone, for such careless Reviewers causing the game to orginally get a score of under 80%, which inturn put off at least 6 people i know not to buy the game despite my temptations. Savege 1 and 2 were both great games ahead for its time and exactly the same formular RTS/FPS
Now that Natural Selection 2 has been released the Type of game hopfully will mature to all walks of life.

Quickly sum it up:- Star Craft like RTS + Counter Strike/Team Fortress 2 Class FPS system + Quirky Combat from Alien Vs Pred that synagies really well is a game that will mature and survive, not to mention fully open source modding, to allow endless creations and fully Game Conversion Servers for Years to come!

A True Game, Made by Gamers, for Gamers!… Expand

What a fantastic game - a very original hybrid of many different genres of games, love every moment of it.
Apparently the developer made this game with only 7 people working on it, which is freaking astounding, now when you consider they made their own game engine from scratch, and the game is so polished and wonderful - I am in complete awe.

Get this - You will not be dissapointed
(Just please take some time to understand the mechanics and stategies in this game, otherwise you won't fare well - its a team game, you have a leader that you must follow to have a chance at winning)… Expand

I could have never imagine that the predecessor of the Natural Selection 1 Halflife-Mod, which i played many many hours, could be even more competitive! But it's true. The new elements especially the Expansion of your base is very well improved and well thought through. I love this game.
For new players the game will be disconcerting and complicated at first. But the learning curve is rising fast.
Don't forget to use a microphone. To get the full fighting and competitive experience it is absolutely necessary to communicate with your team!… Expand

Absolutely fantastic game,I purchased it the day ti came out and have put in at least a couple hours everyday. I cannot get enough,the game speaks for itself, buy it... you will not regret it

If they hadn't made a free weekend and sale I wouldn't have bought this very cool game it turns out, and no one should complain about having a bad commander, like if your that upset about it train to become one yourself then you can just blame the team and/or yourself but just try to have fun which is suppose to be the main purpose of playing. The maps are well designed and i'm even playing this game on the lowest settings so I don't lag which is going well. I'll be cutting this short, overall their are alot of great things about this game that you must try out especially if your into rts and fps.… Expand

Absolutely amazing what Unknown Worlds has done. This game is great and a lot of fun too. Pair up with some friends and it gets even better. I'm always a fan of watching the competitive matches in this as well. It seems as though less and less games have a competitive atmosphere nowadays.

a small development team and years of hard work producing THE greatest competitive fps game I have ever played. Battles are legendary, every round is unique, strategy and skill twine together to form a brilliant climax of a gaming experience. Slightly hard for new-comers, but impossible to stop playing once attuned to the game-play. the only game that has ever made my heart race from action. note: reaction times mean life or death and you need to think outside the box.… Expand

If you like teamwork-heavy strategic gameplay, shooters, and strategy games, you should like NS2. If you also used to like playing AvP, you should love NS2. The game loses a point for occasional performance issues, but gains it back in essentially free updates and new features for life.

Bought it yesterday and all I can say is fantastic! It's the best FPS I've played since TF2. The gameplay is unique and really enjoyable. It has such good controls that I am able to play the Skulk (Standard Alien) pretty decent now. It doesn't encourage teamplay every player is forced by the mechanics to be a teamplayer. The community seems pretty nice there are some scumbags not talking english in team chat getting upset if nobody understands them) but all in all this game is nearly perfect.… Expand

Never played NS1 but NS2 is really a great game. It's great fun to play with your team and the in-game voice-chat makes it perfectly doable to actually work as a team and to coordinate towards victory. Its totally worth to buy it! Enjoy!

I was apprehensive about buying this initially when my friend described it to me. However, his power of persuasion was good and he talked me round. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised and the game offers something for both RTS and FPS fans, personally I like munching on fresh marine flesh as a skulk! It really is a fantastic game and well worth the money. It continues to be supported by the developers with new features and items constantly being updated or added.… Expand

NS2 is one of the most fun FPS/Strategy games out there. This is a game that will keep you going for hours, and something to fall back on when new games suck. Great game play and back story its worth more then the $25 asking price on steam.

NS2 = NS1 on steroids. Just simply an Amazing MP experience. One of the best ever. When you win a round of NS2 (that can take up to an hour or more) you know that everyone on your team was working together and you literally see each others sacrifices result in hard earned area control on the battlefield. The game is balanced on a knife edge, where the thrill in the battle is the unknown of what your enemy is going to bring against you next. Did they upgrade to a shift hive or did they get jetpacks yet? One moment you feel like you are slaughtering the aliens and then a lone alien gets into your base while you're all off establishing a new front, manages to cut the power and suddenly your entire team can't respawn and the race is on to get back there before that bloody Onus arrives and starts mopping up.… Expand

There were a number of RTS/FPS mixed games 10+ years ago, but they seem to have died out. Kids these days probably don't remember them :)

It doesn't really add or take away anything from the original, but it doesn't need to. It's still a great game and much better than most big budget FPSs to come out recently.

I played the original Natural Selection back in the days of CAL and I'm glad to see the developers succeed with NS2. Unlike remake failures like CS:Source and CSGO, this game was actually developed by people with passion - and it shows. The controls are intuitive and the engine is gorgeous (*bad dum ching*). It may take a bit of time to learn how to play and com but you won't regret it.


9/10 - only reason is that there needs to be improvement in what was called 'interp' in NS1 but could also be called netcode.. Being killed when your character is 5 meters around a corner is an irritating and unnecessary part of the gameplay.… Expand