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Aliens: Dark Descent launches June 20

Draugoth

Gold Member
Aliens-Dark-Descent-Dated_03-21-23-1024x576.jpg

Real-time strategy game Aliens: Dark Descent will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on June 20, publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Tindalos Interactive announced.

Here is an overview of the game, via Focus Entertainment:

About

In Aliens: Dark Descent, command a squad of hardened Colonial Marines to stop a terrifying Xenomorph outbreak on Moon Lethe. Lead your soldiers in real-time combat against iconic Xenomorphs, rogue operatives from the insatiable Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and a host of horrifying creatures new to the Alien franchise.
You are the commander. They are your weapon.
Infiltrate large open levels and annihilate enemies with your squad, dispatching orders strategically and intuitively at the touch of a button. Tread carefully, as your foes will adapt their tactics to your actions while hunting you down because death is permanent. Forge unique paths for survival, uncovering shortcuts, creating safe zones, and setting up motion trackers in a persistent world where your actions impact levels forever.
Customize your squad with a selection of different classes. Level up and specialize your soldiers with unique abilities and an arsenal of weapons, armor, and perks, for high stakes missions in treacherous territory. Develop your base to research new tech and improve your squad even further.
Manage your resources wisely and take calculated risks to outsmart the deadliest creature mankind has ever faced. Can you and your squad stop the outbreak before it’s too late?
Key Features
  • Face off in a gripping original Alien story against iconic Xenomorph creatures ranging from Facehuggers to Praetorians, Alien Queens and many more, including rogue human commandos and a brand-new threat unique to this Alien storyline.
  • Lead strategically and change squad tactics from mission to mission, carefully managing your soldiers’ health, resources, and sanity, to avoid permanent team losses and mental breakdowns.
  • Forge unique paths for survival in a persistent world, uncovering shortcuts, creating safe zones and setting up motion trackers to stay one step ahead of these creatures.
  • Assemble and level up squads composed of five starting Marines classes, with dozens of specializations, unique abilities, and weapons.
Watch a new trailer below, via IGN.

 

VN1X

Banned
Was eagerly awaiting that proper gameplay trailer and it did not disappoint: it looks so FUCKING good. I can't wait for this!
 
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H4ze

Banned
I pictured something else when I read RTS, but color me surprised, this does look like fun.

Will keep it on my radar just like those pesky xenomorphs.
 

CamHostage

Member
So is aliens not a popular enough brand to make triple a games from anymore?

A new Aliens project using UE5 was announced a year or so ago. By Survios, for PC/Console/VR. I dont know that it'll be "AAA" but that's likely the mainstream game people may look forward to if this isn't for them.

https://survios.com/studio/aliens/

(Also, Fireteam Elite came out in 2021.)
 
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Danknugz

Member
A new Aliens project using UE5 was announced a year or so ago. That's likely the mainstream game people may look forward to if this isn't for them.

(Also, Fireteam Elite came out in 2021.)
i played fireteam elite and it felt like a mobile game compared to alien isolation which came out 8 years prior
 

skit_data

Member
Keeping an eye on this to see wether the console versions are decent without M+KB.

I recently got into XCOM 2 a lot but that’s turn based and relies less on fast input which this seemingly does.
 
Alien Isolation was not only a fantastic game and a love letter to the fans but it was one of the best games of the previous generation.

I don't get why we can only have one good Alien game once every 20 years...
 

MagiusNecros

Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
Real-time strategy game
The only real time strategy Alien franchise game is Alien: Isolation.

Those wanting a sequel to Alien: Isolation aren't ever going to get it. Because they made one in the vein of Alien: Blackout on mobile. And it sucked.
 
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Coming from Aliens vs Predator Extinction, I'm looking forward to this.

But, ya'll gotta stop asking for a sequel to Alien: Isolation. As much as I loved the game and hope for a sequel, I believe it's highly unlikely to happen. The majority of A:I developers have left Creative Assembly which means the passion and talent are no longer there. It's pointless.
Plus, it wasn't sold well up to SEGA's expectations.
 
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Comandr

Member
A new Aliens project using UE5 was announced a year or so ago. By Survios, for PC/Console/VR. I dont know that it'll be "AAA" but that's likely the mainstream game people may look forward to if this isn't for them.

https://survios.com/studio/aliens/

(Also, Fireteam Elite came out in 2021.)
I have literally never heard of any of this studio’s prior games. And I LIKE puzzle bobble. It also appears that the overwhelming majority of their games are VR centric/exclusive.

The blurb on their website says this game will be about a grizzled veteran with a vendetta against xenomorphs. Coming soon to consoles pc and vr.

To me this screams action hero bug hunt shoot ‘em up.

1979’s Alien is my favorite movie of all time. It’s wonderfully paced, has a unique cast of Everyman characters. The story takes its time to flesh them out before ripping that flesh off. All set against a seemingly unkillable, unstoppable force. It’s always one step ahead, and foils every one of their plans. You can’t even see it when you’re looking right at it. There are two scenes when the alien is plainly in view on the screen but his design is so biomechanical you don’t even realize you’re looking at it. Even in the end they can’t kill it. They just have to get rid of it.

I want a game that treats the xenomorph with that sort of reverence. Alien is fear itself. It’s the unknown, the undulating shadow in the dark.

I can’t help but sigh and give up what little hope I’ve mustered for a new game like that, or at least one interesting and compelling. This game is just any of the other games that various posters have mentioned with an aliens skin on it. Getting new games in your franchise is a good thing unless they are consistently subpar and only further poison the well.

I’d rather have one game every ten years that people still talk about with respect today like Isolation than a smattering of forgettable titles. It really feels like the powers that be are just throwing whatever shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. But then not listening to feedback to give people more of what they want.

Okay I’m done.

TL;DR: Fuck this game. And fuck Survios’ game too while you’re at it. :mad:
 

Spaceman292

Banned
I have literally never heard of any of this studio’s prior games. And I LIKE puzzle bobble. It also appears that the overwhelming majority of their games are VR centric/exclusive.

The blurb on their website says this game will be about a grizzled veteran with a vendetta against xenomorphs. Coming soon to consoles pc and vr.

To me this screams action hero bug hunt shoot ‘em up.

1979’s Alien is my favorite movie of all time. It’s wonderfully paced, has a unique cast of Everyman characters. The story takes its time to flesh them out before ripping that flesh off. All set against a seemingly unkillable, unstoppable force. It’s always one step ahead, and foils every one of their plans. You can’t even see it when you’re looking right at it. There are two scenes when the alien is plainly in view on the screen but his design is so biomechanical you don’t even realize you’re looking at it. Even in the end they can’t kill it. They just have to get rid of it.

I want a game that treats the xenomorph with that sort of reverence. Alien is fear itself. It’s the unknown, the undulating shadow in the dark.

I can’t help but sigh and give up what little hope I’ve mustered for a new game like that, or at least one interesting and compelling. This game is just any of the other games that various posters have mentioned with an aliens skin on it. Getting new games in your franchise is a good thing unless they are consistently subpar and only further poison the well.

I’d rather have one game every ten years that people still talk about with respect today like Isolation than a smattering of forgettable titles. It really feels like the powers that be are just throwing whatever shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. But then not listening to feedback to give people more of what they want.

Okay I’m done.

TL;DR: Fuck this game. And fuck Survios’ game too while you’re at it. :mad:
Alien Isolation will always exist bro
 

Comandr

Member
Alien Isolation will always exist bro
Okay and? SoTN will always exist so no one should have a problem with castlevania only being pachislot now right?

I’ve played that game six times across four different platforms. I’m ready for a new story. It’s not unrealistic to ask for more of a good thing. Your post isn’t constructive or additive.
 

CamHostage

Member
I’d rather have one game every ten years that people still talk about with respect today like Isolation than a smattering of forgettable titles. It really feels like the powers that be are just throwing whatever shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. But then not listening to feedback to give people more of what they want.

It's not going to be one game every 10 years; it's so far been one game ever, and it may never happen again.

Alien Isolation was the only AAA Alien game ever made that's not trying to be an Aliens game (though some versions of Alien 3 back in its day were ambitious.) It's not a franchise that has a great tradition of videogame adaptations, and it's not necessarily a franchise that applies to video games well. (Particularly if you only like the Alien 1 style of lurking horror, as it's just one monster and that's incredibly difficult to make a game out of. There are very few one-enemy games that have even been tried, and fewer which have worked.) One of the best studios in the business tried it one time, they worked on it for four years, it came out pretty well, didn't move a bazillion copies despite the love from certain sectors of the audience, and they moved on.

And although one game actually managed to have the steady hand to try a game which denies gamers the injection of thrills they seek so it could aim to deliver something more intoxicating, that's even tougher to expand upon when the original was already intent on making every possible use of its particular encounter options. They did it, and they did apparently as much as is imaginable with it. The story can continue, fine, but what's the gameplay when seemingly everything in the book and beyond to do with lighting and sound and crafted tools and AI pattern recognition for sneaking around an alien was used up the first time? You're saying they should give gamers more of what they want, but what's more of there to give?

I guess to the question of is aliens not a popular enough brand to make triple a games from anymore, the answer is probably yeah, because it's a complete miracle it ever made for a milestone game the one time that it did. (And it wasn't a popular-enough brand at that time either, it's just that SEGA/Fox thought that maybe it had unmined value and that Creative Assembly really cared beyond its popularity value.) Most franchises don't even get that one time.
 
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Spaceman292

Banned
Okay and? SoTN will always exist so no one should have a problem with castlevania only being pachislot now right?

I’ve played that game six times across four different platforms. I’m ready for a new story. It’s not unrealistic to ask for more of a good thing. Your post isn’t constructive or additive.
Chill out I was just trying to be positive. It's not like bitching about it is constructive either.
 

Comandr

Member
It's not going to be one game every 10 years; it's so far been one game ever, and it may never happen again.

Alien Isolation was the only AAA Alien game ever made that's not trying to be an Aliens game (though some versions of Alien 3 back in its day were ambitious.) It's not a franchise that has a great tradition of videogame adaptations, and it's not necessarily a franchise that applies to video games well. (Particularly if you only like the Alien 1 style of lurking horror, as it's just one monster and that's incredibly difficult to make a game out of. There are very few one-enemy games that have even been tried, and fewer which have worked.) One of the best studios in the business tried it one time, they worked on it for four years, it came out pretty well, didn't move a bazillion copies despite the love from certain sectors of the audience, and they moved on.

And although one game actually managed to have the steady hand to try a game which denies gamers the injection of thrills they seek so it could aim to deliver something more intoxicating, that's even tougher to expand upon when the original was already intent on making every possible use of its particular encounter options. They did it, and they did apparently as much as is imaginable with it. The story can continue, fine, but what's the gameplay when seemingly everything in the book and beyond to do with lighting and sound and crafted tools and AI pattern recognition for sneaking around an alien was used up the first time? You're saying they should give gamers more of what they want, but what's more of there to give?

I guess to the question of is aliens not a popular enough brand to make triple a games from anymore, the answer is probably yeah, because it's a complete miracle it ever made for a milestone game the one time that it did. (And it wasn't a popular-enough brand at that time either, it's just that SEGA/Fox thought that maybe it had unmined value and that Creative Assembly really cared beyond its popularity value.) Most franchises don't even get that one time.
You’re right. Unfortunately, Alien was absolutely lightning in a bottle. So, too, was Isolation. The product of miraculous time, place, and circumstance. It probably won’t ever happen again. But I would sure like it to.

With creative assembly in shambles, I don’t even know who I would want on the project. I genuinely can’t think of a dream developer for it. Hell I don’t even trust Ridley Scott with it anymore. He proved he’s jumped the fuckin shark with Prometheus and David.

Who knows. Maybe this game will blow my tits off.
 

MiguelItUp

Member
We want a sequel to Alien Isolation, not this.
True, but that's on SEGA & Creative Assembly.

I'm just glad to see more xeno games, TBH. So, while I'll always hope for an Isolation sequel, a solid AVP sequel, etc. New decent/great xeno games are fine with me too.
 
Hell I don’t even trust Ridley Scott with it anymore. He proved he’s jumped the fuckin shark with Prometheus and David.

No kidding. He used to be so good, but he's really gone off the deep end. He was always one for stupid retcons (Dekkard was a replicant :rolleyes:) but at least they were never in actual movies until he started making stealth Alien sequels.

He's still talented, The Martian was great, but he should stay away from franchises. Thank god they gave Blade Runner to Villeneuve.

Anyway, I strongly recommend The Duelists to anyone who hasn't seen it.
 
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