Aliens, Continued
by Robert VerBruggen
by Robert VerBruggen
It doesn't look like Borderlands creator Gearbox Software is going to do
anything crazy with Aliens: Colonial Marines. In fact, the most
intriguing gameplay feature thought to be included—squad-based
tactics—has been dropped in favor of a more typical first-person shooter
experience. However, the upcoming game promises modern FPS gameplay and
a new story set in the Aliens universe, and if that doesn't pique your interest, you don't have a pulse.
The events of the game take place after Alien 3, David Fincher's continuation of the franchise started by Ridley Scott (Alien) and James Cameron (Aliens)—but in reality, it's more of a sequel to Cameron's movie. Familiar Aliens settings such as the Sulaco and the planet LV-426 will be included, as will the spaceship from Alien.
The plot itself focuses on Winter, a Colonial Marine who's searching
for his fellow Marines, who went missing on the mission to LV-426 that
was depicted in Aliens. Oddly enough, the story begins on
Hadley's Hope, which apparently miraculously survived the nuclear blast
at the end of the Cameron film. When Winter and his team arrive, they
are attacked by (wait for it…) aliens.
Acclaimed Battlestar Galactica writers Bradley Thompson and David
Weddle are taking the lead on the story, so hopefully their tale will
help rescue the franchise from its creative slump. First-person shooters
aren't exactly known for their gripping storytelling, but the amazing
history of Aliens—at least until the series took a turn for the
worse—should offer Thompson and Weddle fertile ground in which to create
something worthwhile.
Also, the game's creators managed to work with a lot of the talent
behind the original movies. They have met with Ridley Scott regarding
the forthcoming movie Prometheus, so the two stories may take place in the same universe. Syd Mead, who designed much of the universe for Aliens,
has chipped in some ideas that didn't make it into the classic film.
And the developers got their hands on some of the original sets from Aliens,
so they were able to make the game world look exactly like the movie.
Whatever the game's assets and flaws turn out to be, no one will ever
say the developers failed to treat the franchise with respect.
Aside from that, you can expect, well, the expected. If you're looking
for gameplay innovations, nothing too fascinating has been announced
yet, though the technology of the Aliens universe might make for
some interesting combat. This will include everything you remember from
the movies: turrets, flamethrowers, pulse rifles, motion sensors,
welders, etc. Otherwise, the game will have all the trappings of the
modern FPS, from regenerating health to an HUD-free screen (isn't it so clever
that your ammo count is printed on the gun itself, instead of on the
screen?). Not to mention lots of alien-killing, which since the days of
the original films has become a video game cliché.
Further, as this is a Gearbox game, there will be a few RPG elements.
You'll gain experience as you play, earning you the chance to upgrade
your character however you see fit.
You'll take on a variety of missions, many of them simply requiring you
to get from one place to another or defend a certain location from
swarms of enemies. The primary enemies will be the xenomorphs that
appeared in the franchise's first three films (the drone, the
facehugger, the runner, etc.), though you'll also gun down some
brand-new creatures and some human soldiers and mercenaries. There will
be some big boss battles, too, including a fight with the "mother"
monster, as well as countless references to the series' lore.
Fortunately, those who've seen the game in action report that the action
is expertly choreographed, with the alien attacks building to a
crescendo as the plot develops.
The graphics should push the envelope on realism, as well, with a new
lighting engine from Gearbox (coupled with Unreal 3) that should make
the environments look extra-creepy. There will also be a full suite of
multiplayer modes, including drop-in/drop-out co-op, as well as a
competitive mode that may or may not be of the aliens-vs.-marines
variety.
Fans of the Alien series will no doubt hold this title to a high
standard. It seems that Gearbox knows this and is going to great lengths
to avoid ticking them off—from bringing in Ridley Scott, Syd Mead, and
two top-tier sci-fi writers, to making sure that all of the most
important settings and aliens make it into the game. For once, a
first-person shooter might be remembered more for its story than its
gameplay—and if the writers and developers pull it off, fans might
finally get the Aliens sequel they've always wanted. If all the
cool technology makes for a compelling shooting experience too, well,
that's just icing on the cake.
By
AUTHOR
CCC Contributing Writer
CCC Contributing Writer