First and foremost, Aliens: Dark Descent is a very good idea. Take the intensity that the Aliens titles offer (note the “s” at the end, which emphasizes that this is a more action-oriented corner of the expansive universe) and combine it with an isometric, strategic perspective. While this will give you better strategic insight, it will also underscore the paranoia that comes from guiding yourself and your team through Xenos-infected environments: you’ll see more, but also be more nervous when things go from manageable to get very, very screwed.
Studio Tindalos has mastered the art of delivering advanced yet easily controllable simulations in its two installments of Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, but compared to managing vast fleets of starships in interplanetary warfare, this is a narrower, denser and more fragile approach. You’re up against the Colonial Marines, and luck isn’t exactly on your side.
Dark Descent tells a new story in the sense that the game doesn’t behave or exist as an extension of existing events in terms of plot. A large space station orbiting the planet Lethe is mysteriously invaded by Xenomorphs. A spaceship carrying Colonial Marines is shot down and crashes to the planet’s surface. You control Mako Hayes and Jonas Harper as they try to find out how this outbreak began and what dark forces are behind it. It would be a shame if I told you more, but let’s just say that as much as the story and characters aren’t completely useless, they don’t open up new plot paths in this universe either. Some will be happy to know that philosophical tendencies (present particularly in the film) are present Prometheus) by Ridley Scott are nowhere to be found, but James Cameron’s compelling awareness of aliens also stands out in its absence. The story and the relationship that develops between the two main characters consists mainly of an enlarged stage to allow for more tactical actions and although some scenes here and there try to introduce drama, it ends up being quite flat. It’s not a disaster, but is it particularly exciting? Neither…
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I don’t know what you were thinking, but after seeing the first trailer I thought we’re talking about a turn-based strategy game in the style of Firaxis’ XCOM, but it has nothing to do with what Aliens: Dark Descent really is . In fact, it’s a full-fledged action game from an isometric perspective, where you control up to five individual units as a single group, moving them from one position to another. It’s much more intuitive with a mouse, and as far as I know you can’t move units with an analog stick stick or the WASD keys on the keyboard. As they move, you can shine the group’s lanterns in different directions, place towers, or make other strategic decisions. They also shoot while moving.
In short, this means you’re a sort of tactical high command, observing the battle from a more pertinent vantage point, and then systematically moving your team down each rank. You can always use slow motion to chain together various tactical decisions and see how the outcome unfolds, but the idea of Dark Descent’s match routine isn’t so much that you pull the trigger as it is that you’re the one are calling the shots.
There are several strategic options on the battlefield. You can weld gates behind you to avoid an ambush, place the aforementioned towers, or lead your enemies into a burning gorge. You can give individual orders to individual team members and thus achieve satisfying results and there is generally no lack of strategic resources, quite the opposite. However, this can be a bit excessive, especially for those who end up playing on a console, as you have to perform fast and precise movements and make tactical decisions in a matter of seconds. This is something you can’t do without without having a mouse and keyboard handy due to the layout and controls. After playing on the computer, I tried using a controller and had to put it down immediately.
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Still, the fun lingers on, which is quite a feat when you’re not scoped down at a ravenous Xeno. However, when your team moves through a dark and deserted base and sees the familiar flashes of activity on your motion tracker, you get the same feeling of other established alien stories: pure suspense.
While Aliens: Dark Descent isn’t XCOM, it’s clear that the Firaxis game was a major source of inspiration. Return to the wrecked starship Otago as you complete individual missions, upgrade your units’ equipment, send soldiers to the medic, and take a closer look at the next available missions. This is a great way to stay organized and get you more involved with the units you have. However, this also means that losing one is more painful as there is permadeath like in XCOM.
The main criticism is that while the individual systems work and the various storylines are connected enough to make for a cohesive and even effective experience, it lacks a bit of the pep that previous installments have offered. This alien title has all the elements to be really good, but not all missions have the excitement mentioned above, and it doesn’t help that the game’s graphical performance is so limited, with scenes where faces appear that move supposed to, but all they seem to do is suffer.
In addition, the gameplay fails to keep the player entertained the entire time. Of course, you’ll be excited when the Colonial Marines explore the environment for the first time while keeping an eye on your motion tracker in the lower right corner. The problem is that as the missions progress, it gets monotonous after a while, despite the level of stress that needs to be maintained, the resources, and the various tactics and skills to get away with it.
However, that doesn’t stop me from commending Tindalos for creating an experience full of great ideas and strong systems. Above all, Aliens: Dark Descent is a good idea and there’s no doubting the talent behind it, but it’s a clear example of how good an idea for a new part that would tweak and boost production values would be, and maybe goes to any of the Missions more analytical to ensure substantial variety.
