Aliens: Dark Descent Game Release Date & Gameplay Trailer

I can't wait

Good to know another new Alien game coming up so soon. This one looks similar to Fireteam (which is a great game) but I prefer a Alien Isolation part 2. Anyway, I am looking forward to it and the trailer looks good. 

@Jonesy, I don't think anyone is hearing our prayers for an Alien: Isolation 2 unfortunately... haha

Hopefully they make something new, going back to something that has been successful is to play safe, but it becomes too limiting. It's safe to travel a familiar road, but sooner or later it gets old, so I prefer if they make something new. Maybe games is something where they can try to make new things in the franchise? Somewhere there got to be a place to introduce new things, so we don't get limited to Xeno-monsters (Xenomorphs, not Neomorphs and so on, but the original Xeno-monster). Xenos are awesome, but there is a place for other things too. A franchise where you don't dare to have new things gets limited, stagnates, and eventually dies.

“A king has his reign and then he dies” Im not a huge fan of Prometheus but that line is interesting. We are born, live, and die. It’s what we do in our lives that count

Hopefully the reign of the Alien-franchise can be expanded, so it can continue to live and not die by just being repetitive (for example by always have Xenos in it). One thing to do this is to expand on the Engineers, games might be a way to do that. When you throw in the Engineers you can also create new things from there, maybe new worlds.

Explain to me, Thoughts_Dreams, how are you going to make an ALIEN game built around the Engineers? Hmmm?

ALIEN games have always either been about gunning down xenomorphs or hiding from xenomorphs since the good old atari days. It works, because the xenomorph has alot to offer for a video game enemy, they can have very diverse forms due to the xenomorph caste system/take on their hosts' traits, whether you like that idea or not, (it's been part of ALIEN canon since the original, according to the creator commentary)

This why Alien vs Predator games are very popular because when you throw in the Yautja, you get more enemies to fight and more gameplay options. Also the ability to play as a Colonial Marine, Xenomorph, and Yautja will always be a popular.

Androids are okay as enemies and while it would be cool to play as one, (we can in the Alien RPG), however gameplay wise, androids would be no different then the human players just with white blood.

Engineers would be interesting as a boss-type enemy but at a gameplay point of view, the engineers would just be tankier version of the Predator/Yautja player/mobs. Especially if we give the Engineers any advanced weaponry.

Cool

“how are you going to make an ALIEN game built around the Engineers?”

“ALIEN games have always either been about gunning down xenomorphs or hiding from xenomorphs since the good old atari days.”

I didn't say that you only got to have them as enemies, you can have Engineers and other things. To just have Xenos when you can also include other things (like for example hammerpedes, what ever) would a missed opportunity and boring to me. What you can do is also to heighten the importance of the Engineers in the game, kind of like how they tried to make the Engineers important in Prometheus. Don't limit the franchise to just Xeno-monsters (monsters with Xeno-traits), it gets repetitive. I would like to see new things, not just things that get re-chewed so to speak.

“... they can have very diverse forms due to the xenomorph caste system/take on their hosts' traits…”

Yeah I know, fair enough, but there could be other things than just Xeno-like creatures. I would like to see new things and not just Xeno-isms that we've had since the late 1970's. Not that Xenos are bad, but because I'm more interested in new things.

“... androids would be no different then the human players just with white blood.”

Eh, no. Androids are synthetic, humans are organic, but I see what you mean. Maybe, it depends on how they are made. There could be ways to build them as characters, in ways that I might not be able to see.

About the Engineers, I would probably give the same answer to you as I did with the androids. What's good about games is that you can come up with new stories and therefore try new things, they don't need to be strictly tied to what came before. You can add things, remove things. In case those things are interesting enough they might show up in a movie sooner or later, who knows. I would rather get new things instead of just having what we've seen a lot of times before. Just because you try new things doesn't mean that you got to start completely new, from square one so to speak.

Your thing seems to be that they (Disney or what ever) can't introduce some new things into the franchise, since they are in your world not alien, as in the franchise. My approach is that you can introduce new things and still have it in the alien-franchise. This seems to be a thing where we have different opinions, but that’s alright.

In general, I would rather take something new, instead of having a movie or game with the Xenos again and again. Just because you add new things doesn't mean that it can't fit with what's already there. As long as it makes sense, then why not? Prometheus for all its flaws added something new (Engineers) but at least it tried. You can have something new there that connects things, but at the same time try new things.

Thoughts_Dreams

Almost everything you said tells me you never played a video game.

What I meant about the androids, at a gameplay stand point they would be almost identical. Both resemble each other just one bleeds red and the other white. Now depending on the game's genre, you could add a stat difference especially if you are making the game an RPG, but an FPS the synthetic will just be a human with blood gameplay wise.

Take the AVP games and Aliens Fireteam, you have synthetic enemies but the differences between them and the human enemies was cosmetic. The one partial exception is AVP2, were the android's don't emit an aura for xenomorph players.

I am all for monster diversity, Fireteam Elite and AVP2 added non-xenomorph enemies to the game. Fireteam added pathogen monsters in the vein of the Neomorph and Fifield, while AVP2 Primal Hunt had the native wildlife of Lv-1201 as your enemies.

You said the Engineers don't need to be enemies, well I think you forgot to read the part of them being playable characters. What would make them different from the Yautja player? Outside of cosmetic differences?

Xenotaris

I'm not a gamer, you got that right

“You said the Engineers don't need to be enemies”

I meant that they don't need to be the Only enemies, you can have them and other things. Maybe I forgot one word or two, things like that happen sometimes.

“What would make them different from the Yautja player?”

I don't know, that would be up to the developers of the game to do. It would be a missed opportunity to not add them as an enemy in the game at some point, and just have the same old Xeno-like monsters, or the Predators. By using them they could add new things, maybe something that Prometheus didn't use in the movie but that was in the scripts.

I would love to see the Engineers in an Alien video game. I think they are long overdue for more than just a cameo appearance.

I'm going to list some video game genre that I think could utilize the engineers.

Shooters: Engineers would make an interesting addition to the roster for an AVP game. Although they would be very similar to the Predators and Marines but you can add some extra lore bits that could make them more distinct. Like maybe shielding technology.

Strategy: We don't get many strategy games set in the Alien universe but the Engineers could be a sort of Beast Master faction since they created the xenomorphs and other related beings.

Role Playing Game: A kind of combindence of the above two examples.

You want there to be more non-xenomorph enemies or a complete absent of xenomorph enemies correct? Having more enemies that aren't xenomorphs would add more variation to the game and would give the players a break from fighting the xenomorphs (depending on the genre).

But making an ALIEN game without xenomorphs will never happened. It would be like making a Grand Theft Auto game without the ability to steal cars.

I think that you have some interesting ideas when it comes to how you can use the Engineers, that's something to think about.

“You want there to be more non-xenomorph enemies or a complete absent of xenomorph enemies correct? Having more enemies that aren't xenomorphs would add more variation to the game and would give the players a break from fighting the xenomorphs (depending on the genre).

But making an ALIEN game without xenomorphs will never happened. It would be like making a Grand Theft Auto game without the ability to steal cars.”

If you by non-Xeno enemies mean things like the engineers or maybe some enemy of the engineers, then sure. This doesn't mean that you can't have Xenos, or some monsters that are related to them in the game (think about how the Neomorphs are related to the Xenomorphs, for example). You can have a mix of new things, and old things. Just because it's new doesn't mean that it's good, just because it's old(er) doesn't mean that it's bad. Maybe the traditional Xeno can be in a cameo-role so they can focus on new things.

I'm not pointing the finger at the traditional Xenomorph, but I would prefer if they put in other things and expand the alien-universe. Eventually this could mean focusing more on the Engineers or some other civilization that would compete with the engineers for power… maybe. You can have those things in games or maybe in a future movie.

I have to agree with Thoughts_Dreams on this one....

Looking at the Gaming Franchise, there does-not seem to be too much of a Difference in HOW they Play.... I think yes you could have some Different Xenomorph Hybrids/Mutations so that they OFFER something Different to say the Xenomorph from ALIEN/ALIENS. But i am not sure HOW like Groundbreaking this would be.. and its been done before.

Fire Team Elite did add some other Monsters based from the Prequels which i think has Potential. But if just vs Standard Xenomorphs then i think it would become a bit Limited and Repetitive.

So adding other Enemies to the Mix gives some Variation, within Context to the Franchise you would have Rival Human Interests...and yes you can add Synthetics, but also some Synthetics do-not need to LOOK so Human (take Alien Isolation as a Example).

In Terms of a Synthetic would be the same as a Human, i would disagree if the Game Mechanics would take into account that a Synthetic would be Quicker, Stronger and more Resilient than a Human. If you was Playing as a Synthetic then you could have things like Night Vision as Standard.  Have the Game FPS like Slower a bit so that Attacks and Shots from the Enemy are say 10-20% Slower so the Player can React Better to them.... this would give the Player a Advantage and Portray the Quicker Reflexes of a Synthetic.

I would also not say a Engineer would Play the  same as a Yautja (Predator), a Yautja would have a Speed/Agility Boost over a Human as well as Strength, and then they have Various Enhanced Vision due to their Technology but its their Weapons/Cloaking Tech that gives them a Advantage.

We know so LITTLE about the Engineers... they were Intended to be 10ft Tall (down from 12-15ft) but alas as RS did-not want to use any Special Effects etc we Basically had 8ft Engineers suited...and Unsuited it would appear we have a 7-7.5ft Tall Humanoid.

What we have seen from Prometheus, is the Engineer suits do offer a Considerable amount of Protection and so would take more Damage than a Yautja. I would say it showed the Engineer to be Stronger than a Yautja also.

But we need to bare in mind this is the Military/Clone Engineers from Prometheus we are talking about. Which appear to be Genetically Engineered/Enhanced versions of their Race, much like a Replicant is to a Human.

When it comes to Weapons, Tools and Technology then the SKY is the LIMIT, as these Engineers are Millions of Years ahead of Humanity and so Potentially their Technology would be more Advanced than the Yautja.

And so i dont think they would PLAY like a Yautja it depends on HOW you deal with their Technology.

"In Terms of a Synthetic would be the same as a Human, i would disagree if the Game Mechanics would take into account that a Synthetic would be Quicker, Stronger and more Resilient than a Human. If you was Playing as a Synthetic then you could have things like Night Vision as Standard.  Have the Game FPS like Slower a bit so that Attacks and Shots from the Enemy are say 10-20% Slower so the Player can React Better to them.... this would give the Player a Advantage and Portray the Quicker Reflexes of a Synthetic."

Wait wouldn't that give the synthetic player an unfair advantage over the players of the other species? 

"And so i dont think they would PLAY like a Yautja it depends on HOW you deal with their Technology."

Well I meant they would play similar to a Yautja, just beefier, but I see your point.

Wait wouldn't that give the synthetic player an unfair advantage over the players of the other species? 

As a Enemy i think Synthetics would provide to be a more Tougher Opponent, when it comes down to a Playable Character it depends if the Game is a FPS etc and so YEAH what i said would be a Unfair Advantage over a Human, but then the Predators have a Unfair Advantage also... so you would have to find a Balance.... for Example a Synthetic maybe would NOT show on a Yautja Infa-Red Vision.... they would also NOT have a Aura around them for Xenomorph Vision... but you could have Instances of areas with HIGH Magnetic Fields or Technology that is like a EMP  that has a Adverse Effect on a Synthetic.

"they would play similar to a Yautja, just beefier, but I see your point"

I think to a degree yes, it depends on the Technology i think Unarmed then the Engineers should Inflict more Damage and yet NOT sustain as much, but i feel you have to give the Yautja more Agility and Speed. Then i think the KEY would be their Technology you have to make it so they are NOT too Similar in HOW their Tools/Weapons Perform.

You also have to be Careful to NOT make the Engineers Tech too Powerful as Especially if its in a Multiplayer VS Role but this could be effected by the Numbers Game.

The Movies seemed to indicate the Engineers as having NO WEAPONS... as such... and for such a Ancient Species you would IMAGINE at some Point they had Weapons... maybe they Advanced to a Point they were at Peace with each other and they knew other Species were Technologically going to NEVER be a Threat and any that shows SIGNS of Advancing would be taken Care of by their Biological Warfare.

But do we ASSUME they are so Naive? to think they have NO THREATS in the Galaxy? And so you have to Expect they would have other kinds of Defensive/Offense measures.

Especially for a Video Game as you cant have them Limited to walking around and Throwing and Punching everything... they are a Advanced Race and so would likely come up with Weapons.

But maybe their Power Lies in how Ancient and Evolved they are so they have more Advanced Brains and so would have some kind of Super Powers, like the Jedi Force?

I think anything is OPEN with regards to them as they have NOT been Fully Explored so the Door is OPEN as far as Powers and Technology/Weapons but yes you have to come up with some kind of Balancing... it could come down to them being FEW in Number.... i mean a Xenomorph Queen would be Powerful if every Player could Choose to be one.... so the limited Numbers could Balance things.

Well the Fire and Stone comics gave an Engineer an energy "minigun" that blasted two humans into oblivion.

Thoughts_Dreams

 

"Maybe the traditional Xeno can be in a cameo-role so they can focus on new things."

 

So if we were to implement that into an AVP game (which is basically the Call of Duty of Alien and Predator games), what about the xenomorph players? Do you deny the players the xenomorph campaign? Because cameo-role in this instance means no playable xenomorphs, just a cameo appearance.

 

Video Games are a tad bit different than movies. Since they are interactive, you can do more with a game than a movie. Video Games are not restricted to a two and a half hour movie. Video Games stories can last up anywhere from three hours to fifty eight hours; sky's the limit depending on the game.

 

Meaning you can have an ALIEN game with xenomorphs (and their relatives) and have the non-xenomorph alien (Engineers, Yautja, new sapient alien or new non-sapient alien) and non-alien threats, (Humans and androids); All in one game.

 

Let me put it to you this way. Getting away from AVP and coming up with an original Alien game.

Pre-Level 1 - This episode would focus on learning the controls of the game.

Pre-Level 1-1 - This scene introduces the character and a taste of what's to come in the story.

Level 1 - Now you are walking around getting to know your surroundings and getting to know your mission or purpose.

 

Level 2 - Shit hits the fan, in this level you would see the xenomorphs to codify that this is an aliens game, you might glimpse of a predator or hear it or a glimpse of another threat.

Level 3 - More xenomorphs but now you can introduce a new species of creature completely unrelated to the xenomorph or play up more of the human threat.

 

Level 4 - Now you’ll see an Engineer or some new sapient being. Is it a threat? Is it not a threat? You don’t know yet.

Level 5 - The xenomorphs or an offshoot make a cameo appearance while the new creatures are now dominating the screen space to show they are the new threat.

 

Level 6 - Level 8 - More the same as level 5 as in the xenomorphs will only appear briefly, while you mostly fight the new threat.

Level 9 - You’ll take a break from fighting the new aliens. You’ll be reintroduced to the more familiar xenomorphs or the Engineers return. Maybe even throw in a new variation to this old foe to act as a mini-boss.

Level 10 - Level 14 - You’ll face the new alien enemies again but they come back with stronger forms.

 

Level 15 - Major Boss battle

 

Level 16 - Level 19 -More or less the same as Levels 10 to 14.

Level 20 - a repeat with level 9 but with the new Alien instead of a xenomorph or engineer.

Level 21 - Final Boss Battle.

Oh they released a new trailer to this game, looks better than the announcement trailer

This game is EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The new gameplay looks solid, I was also checking out the jenny mod recently and it reminded me how different mechanics can change the way you approach action games.