Battle: Los Angeles

Battle: Los Angeles is a 2011 first-person shooter developed by Saber Interactive (through its Live Action Studios subsidiary) and published by Konami. Released on March 11, 2011 (same day as the movie) for PC (Windows via Steam) and Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade), with the PlayStation 3 version following on March 22, 2011 (North America) and much later in PAL regions (February 2016). It is a short, digital-only movie tie-in that puts players in the boots of a Marine fighting an alien invasion of Los Angeles, recreating key moments and set pieces from the film.

Core Story

You play as Corporal Lee Imlay, a U.S. Marine who joins the desperate defense of Los Angeles against a massive alien invasion force. The campaign follows the film’s plot closely: after command posts are destroyed and civilian casualties mount, your squad fights through the chaotic streets, highways, and urban ruins of L.A. to regroup, protect survivors, and push back the extraterrestrial threat. The narrative is told through in-mission radio chatter, briefings, and cinematic moments, emphasizing the intensity of modern military combat against overwhelming alien technology. It’s a straightforward “fight for survival” tale with little branching or depth beyond the movie’s events.

Gameplay and Features

The game is a linear, story-driven FPS with a heavy focus on tactical urban combat:

• Mission-based Campaign: Short, intense levels featuring cover shooting, objective pushes, and large-scale battles against alien drones, ground troops, and command ships.
• Weapons & Arsenal: Standard military firearms (assault rifles, shotguns, grenades, etc.) with some vehicle sections and mounted gun sequences for variety.
• Atmosphere: Attempts to capture the movie’s chaotic, documentary-style feel with 5.1 surround sound, realistic gunfire, and destructible environments in key moments.
• Length & Scope: Extremely short single-player experience (often described as 45–60 minutes long), with no multiplayer modes, co-op, or extra content.

It was designed as a quick, downloadable tie-in rather than a full retail game, which led to criticism for its brevity and repetitive gameplay. No post-launch updates or DLC were released.

PC Version (2011)

The PC edition launched on Steam and offered the highest visual fidelity at the time, with support for higher resolutions, FOV adjustments, and keyboard & mouse precision aiming. It ran on modest hardware (Windows XP/Vista/7 era specs) and delivered the sharpest image and smoothest performance among platforms. However, the game was delisted from Steam in December 2016 and is no longer available for purchase digitally on official storefronts. It can occasionally be found through third-party key resellers or physical copies (rare), but official support has ended. Community discussions in 2025–2026 note that keys are hard to come by and the game is effectively abandoned.

Console Versions

• Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade, 2011): The most commonly played version at launch, with stereoscopic 3D support on compatible TVs. It is backward compatible on Xbox Series X|S with improved resolution and loading. Digital delisting occurred years ago, so it’s only playable if previously purchased or via physical discs (which existed for some regions).
• PlayStation 3 (PSN, 2011): Similar short campaign with controller-optimized controls. Backward compatible on PS5 with upscaling. The PAL release came much later (2016). Like the others, it was delisted from the PlayStation Store.

No official Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5 (native), or Xbox One/Series (native) versions exist or have been announced as of April 2026. The game remains locked to 7th-generation hardware and its original PC release.

Quick Comparison

• PC → Best visuals and controls when it was available, but now the hardest to obtain legally due to delisting.
• Xbox 360 / Series X|S (backward compatibility) → Most accessible for those who already own it digitally or physically; solid for couch play.
• PS3 / PS5 (backward compatibility) → Reliable controller experience, though also delisted.

Battle: Los Angeles (the game) is a very short, low-budget movie tie-in that delivers a quick burst of alien-invasion action but lacks depth, length, or replay value. It’s mostly remembered today as a curiosity or “so-bad-it’s-fun” experience for fans of the film. If you can track down a copy (physical or old key), it’s a fast way to relive the movie’s battles: “They came from the skies… now it’s time to take the city back.” Note that due to delisting, official digital purchase is no longer possible on major platforms.