Aliens: Colonial Marines Preview

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	Gears of War 2 Platforms: Xbox 360 Release Date: 11/7/2008 Genres: Action Developer: Epic Games
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(34 Votes)

Sean Tonks, Senior Editor

Monday, July 28 2008

Even almost 30 years later the Aliens franchise holds some real weight in the sci-fi and horror genres of entertainment. Many movies, books, comic books, toys, and video games have been inspired by the tale of terror in space. Gearbox Software has been working since 2006 to bring us a new game set in the Aliens universe that aims to capture what has captivated audiences for so many years.

Set to release this Fall, Aliens: Colonial Marines sets out to answer some questions left open by the movies. Taking place after the events of Alien 3, the game picks up right after the squad of marines was wiped out on LV-426 [the moon where humans first discovered the Aliens].

You will play as a squad of four colonial marines and gameplay will revolve around shooter and squad-based combat, as well as those creepy horror elements paramount to the series. Each member of the squad will have different personalities, abilities, and specialties. For instance, one squad member is utilized to track the Aliens, find movement patterns, and keep your squad safe through intel on the field. This will prove to be an incredibly useful skill as the Xenomorphs will stalk your every move. They won't simply run out to be shot. They will creep along ceilings and walls to get the drop on their prey.

Aliens: Colonial Marines Preview

No word on the final roster of the different Alien species we can expect. From footage we have seen facehuggers, the standard black acid-blooded creeps, as well as a giant queen, are represented in a frightening level of detail.

Gearbox is working to accurately capture the horror and feel of the films, drawing most of their inspiration from the second film, Aliens. They have even hired on Syd Mead, the original designer of concept art for the movies, to get the sets and over all ambience for the game just right. Mead is bringing along all his original designs for the ships, and environments, as well as revisiting the Sulaco. Fans may remember that ship as the spacecraft Ripley used to escape at the end of Aliens, and that became derelict in Alien 3. The game will revisit this locale, and with Mead adding more to his original film design, it is bound to be a dark, visual treat.

Aliens: Colonial Marines Preview

Competitive multiplayer has been announced, though those details are remaining under wraps for now. However Colonial Marines will have co-op support, allowing four players to fight their way through the full campaign. The game will let players use both split-screen as well as Xbox LIVE, and be able to drop in or out at will without disrupting the game. This is a welcome feature as Colonial Marines seems freaky enough, even with a squad full of buddies. At least over LIVE, you can hide just how scared you really are.

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