Two completely different game genres; one shared love of the greatest science-fiction franchise ever created. Both Cold Iron Studios (Aliens: Fireteam Elite) and Tindalos Interactive (Aliens: Dark Descent) had lifelong Aliens fans on their developer teams; this shared passion clearly shined in the attention to detail in the respective games. From Aliens lore to classic weapons, these developers pulled off fantastic games. But could Cold Iron Studios draw from Aliens: Dark Descent if and hopefully when they create a sequel to Aliens: Fireteam Elite?
There are a four standout qualities of Dark Descent that I believe would transfer well to a potential Fireteam Elite sequel.
- Highly intelligent, active hive: One of the can’t-miss design features of Dark Descent is that the Xenomorph hive is actively hunting you. Drones roam the map and when they find you, they alert the hive and a hunt is activated. Fail to deal with the hunt properly and a massive onslaught could be headed your way, a force of aggression so overwhelming, few marines survive the encounter. While Fireteam Elite has its share of major firefights, the combat is largely predictable; Xenomorphs close in from predetermined pathways in predictable numbers. What if player mistakes or failures could unleash a hunt from the queen?
- Tools, tools, tools: While Fireteam Elite has its share of customizable loadouts and gadgets, one very notable tool that Dark Descent gives players is the ability to weld doors shut. It’s an iconic moment in the second film when the Colonial Marines make their stand against the attacking hive by securing their location with the welding torch. Imagine the ways Fireteam Elite could build upon this, especially considering how much tactical control of the battlefield is a feature of the game.
- Advanced training: Dark Descent allows marines to receive on-ship combat training that boosts their skills and abilities in the field. Fireteam Elite . . . doesn’t even have a firing range. There’s certainly a lot of opporunity for growth here. But one way the game could incorporate the idea of combat training would be to give perk board benefits after assigning marines training. For example, maybe training would allow certain perks to take up half the space they did previously.
- Human Enemies: Dark Descent has the Darwin Era Cultists who believe they can ascend and achieve the next step in human evolution by merging Xenomorph genetics with humans. As such they are out to kill the Colonial Marines who stand in their way. Fireteam Elite has synthetic enemies to balance out the fights with Xenomorphs. While these are a nice change of pace from the Xenos, they lack the feel and emotional significance that fighting human enemies has. Including the Union of Progressive Peoples or other human enemies would be a welcome change.
Tell us what you think! Do you agree that an Aliens: Fireteam Elite sequel could draw from Aliens: Dark Descent? Share your reactions in the comments below or join in the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Facebook and Discord.
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