Aliens: Fireteam co-op shooter announced and I’m cautiously optimistic

Out of nowhere today, Cold Iron Studios revealed Aliens: Fireteam, a brand-new cooperative, third-person survival shooter set in the Aliens universe. Wait… where have I heard this concept before?

The announcement immediately triggered memories of Gearbox Software’s failed first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines, but Cold Iron Studios also released a gameplay trailer and I have to say — I’m cautiously optimistic.

For starters, I’m a sucker for the Aliens franchise. Alien and Aliens are two of my favorite sci-fi movies. And, yes, I even enjoyed Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Naturally, a game set in this universe already has my interest — despite being burned by Colonial Marines in the past.

But enough about the past, this is about the future and I’m excited about what I see in Aliens: Fireteam. Coinciding with the announcement was a trailer that showcased some of the action-packed gameplay.

Ooooh, boy. I’m so in. I mean, those shots of fighting back hordes of Xenomorphs. Game over, man!

As far as the story of the game, Aliens: Fireteam is set 23 years after the original Alien trilogy. Players take on the role of a Colonial Marine aboard the USS Endeavor, which is sent to answer a distress call from the outer colonies. Basically, we’re on an express elevator to hell. The description makes note of four campaigns that’ll take you to “overrun facilities, abandoned ruins and strange alien landscapes.”

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There will be over 20 “intelligent” enemy types, from Xenomorphs to actual Weyland-Yutani Synthetics. Obviously, each will require a different approach. Xenomorphs look to swarm through doors and vents, creating a sense of chaos as you never know what walls or ceilings they’ll pop out of. Meanwhile, combat against the synthetics looks like more of a stand-up fight utilizing cover-based tactics.

Missions are playable with two friends or AI teammates. There are five character classes, each with an expansive arsenal of customizable weapons and mods, as well as character progression.

For added replay value, players can activate the Challenge Card system. The press release didn’t get into specifics, only teasing that these “mutate each mission.” These sound like modifiers to make each mission more difficult.

Aliens: Fireteam is slated to release worldwide in Summer 2021 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Steam.