About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

Xenofex 2 is another fabulous special effects plug-in collection from the effects masters and plug-in pioneers at Alien Skin Software.



Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Highly customizable, photo-realistic effects
• Excellent documentation

Cons

• May require newer versions of host applications
• Processing time can be slow on some filters

Description

• 14 customizable special effects plugin filters, including 10 updated classics and 4 new effects.

• Natural phenomena effects: Constellation, Electrify, Lightning, Little Fluffy Clouds
• Distortion effects: Crumple, Flag, Puzzle, Shatter, Stain, Television
• Plus 4 brand-new effects: Burnt Edges, Classic Mosaic, Cracks, Rip Open
• Features the simple, uncluttered interface and flexible options of other Alien Skin collections.
• Swap effects without leaving the plugin; unlimited undo/redo; large, resizable previews with zoom.
• Comes with over 100 default presets with the ability to create, save, and manage custom settings.
• Requires Macintosh System Software 9 or later, OS X 10.1 or later; or Windows 98/2000/Me/XP.
• Host compatibility: Photoshop 6/7, Photoshop Elements 2, Fireworks MX, Paint Shop Pro 7 (or newer).
• May work with other host applications. See Alien Skin Web site for current list of compatible hosts.

Guide Review - Alien Skin Xenofex 2 Special Effects Collection

I've never been disappointed with any of Alien Skin's effects collections, and Xenofex 2 is no different. The plugins offer many customization options.

The documentation is very thorough and even offers tips for getting better results from each of the filters. Some of the effects are more impressive than others, but there are quite a few here that would be difficult to reproduce manually and Xenofex 2 makes it quite simple. My favorites are Rip Open, Electrify, Crumple, and Burnt Edges. Alien Skin only lists a handful of host applications, but I found it worked in Corel Photo-Paint 11 which is not on their list. Processing may be slow on older systems. Click on full review to browse a gallery of the effects and options offered in Xenofex.

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