Natural Selection 2 is one of the best FPS online of the last years. It blends FPS and RTS perfectly. Buy it.

Quotation forthcoming.

Tightly designed version of the eternal struggle, aliens versus space marines. Maps make it too easy to lose one's bearings and biting/hitting a marine could use some visible feedback.

Natural Selection 2 isn't great only because it's different, but because it does asymmetrical multiplayer so damn well, offering up a variety of experiences in one small game.

Natural Selection 2 has quite a few things to be nitpicky about. Pared down strategy elements, scanty arsenal of weapons, lack of single-player missions and decent tutorials – yep, it's all there, but, in contrast to shooters that come off big assembly lines, the developers put love and effort into making of this game.

In keeping with its title, the steep learning curve is a form of natural selection of its own. If you're not willing or able to drop the badass space-marine demeanor you have been conditioned to adopt by other titles, you'll regularly play a huge part in the downfall of your team. At the same, it's a hugely satisfying experience to act as a well functioning military unit or monstrous collective. I'm sure this form of intergalactic Darwinism will continue to thrive in its own little biotope.

Natural Selection 2 offers a promising combination of strategy and first-person shooting, but disappointing execution holds it back. [Editor's Note: this quotation and score are from the original GameSpot review. Metacritic, per long-standing site policy, only accepts a publication's first review/score for a given game.]