Geek Review – Aliens: Dark Descent

In the realm of sci-fi horror, the Alien franchise is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels, shocking and awing audiences with high-stakes action and inaudible screams in space. But while it would have felt easy to translate all of that success to the video game space, that challenge has seldom met with great success. This gargantuan task is the one facing Tindalos Interactive and Focus Entertainment’s Aliens: Dark Descent, and unsurprisingly, the end results are a mixed bag.

Like the acclaimed Alien: Isolation, Aliens: Dark Descent does really well when it comes to instilling fear whenever the Xenomorphs make their move, a core pillar of what the entire franchise is about. Yet, there are certain parts of this real-time strategy experience that go haywire, preventing us from calling this game an actual triumph.

Whisking players off to the planet of Lethe, the events of Aliens: Dark Descent is familiar fare. A Xenomorph outbreak has led to chaos, and after regrouping, it is up to you to figure out just what is going on, recover valuable supplies, and send every Xenomorph into an acidic grave. That feels like a bare minimum of a story in this particular universe, and it proves to be by the end of it, but done without venturing into anything deeper or more meaningful.

Then again, perhaps a strong narrative is not something certain players care about when there are dangerous Xenomorphs scurrying about. Those hoping for a tense time will find plenty of solace in Aliens: Dark Descent, with its top-down and strategic perspective doing its best to focus on all the potential horrors that await.

Each mission sees players controlling a squad of marines, all acting as a singular unit unable to run off and do their own thing unless it’s retrieving an item or interacting with an object. This setup essentially forces players to be engaged all the time, be it when cautiously exploring the darkened hallways of an outpost or heading deeper into underground mines.

With limited space and cover, any conflict is a potential disaster waiting to happen, and when that familiar ping of that motion sensor sounds off, the tension is immediate and utterly satisfying. This is because the Xenomorphs are legitimate threats in Aliens: Dark Descent, not cannon fodder, and any encounter can turn into a life-or-death situation.

Making tactical decisions under stress is the name of the game. Making a run for cover might sound like a good idea until you learn that your marines can’t sprint and shoot. Slowing down enables firing, but the numbers game might not be in your favour. Add in surprise attacks via vents and even those nasty Facehuggers, just to name a few, and there is always something to worry about in the darkness.

It is not just the physical well-being of these space marines that players have to look after; accumulating stress from being hunted can lead to some truly bad situations. Marines suffer debuffs from stress, and while the balancing can be refined further to prevent situations which players simply cannot recover from, it is a system that fits perfectly in this world. 

In such circumstances, stealth is and will always be the recommended approach when facing the Xenomorphs in Aliens: Dark Descent, which further expands on the gameplay formula. Any significant action can catch the attention of the Xenomorph hive, such as firing a gun. Drones are then sent to hunt down the team, and with each subsequent encounter, the aggression gets turned up a notch. Even with a seasoned group of soldiers, more powerful Xenomorphs giving chase is never a good time, so be patient, make smart decisions, or watch everyone get dismembered by the hive in no time flat.

With such circumstances, it becomes confusing when Aliens: Dark Descent throws in set-piece encounters that force players to embrace combat wholeheartedly. Sure, it may feel fun the first time when setting up chokepoints and issuing orders in anticipation of an oncoming siege, but it gets old pretty fast, and loses the tactical element that the game’s inspirations usually have. 

Players are also given the option to call for extraction at any time during a mission, regardless of whether objectives are completed or not. Knowing when to quit is key to longevity in Aliens: Dark Descent, and it also helps players maintain that engagement when it comes to base building and management of their marines, at least for a little bit.

Just like in XCOM, players can build structures that open up new options in the world of Aliens: Dark Descent. Injured soldiers can heal up, equipment can be manufactured, and squads can be sent to train to gain XP and become just a little better. Yet, something feels off in how it’s all presented in the game, and the lack of impact on the actual gameplay makes things even worse. 

The weapon variety is limited, veteran marines don’t feel much different from rookies, and upgrades, as well as new equipment, just do not create the sense of excitement they should in such situations. While the fear factor remains a vital part of the experience, easily losing a seasoned space marine to a drone just feels doubly sad and disappointing, and prevents players from truly bonding with their squad after putting in the time and effort.

All of the good and bad of Aliens: Dark Descent contributes to an experience that ultimately fails to scale the heights it could have. The focus on controlling a squad against an insatiable threat feels excellent and is enhanced by the atmospheric visuals and sounds, and the Xenomorph threat has never felt more real and dangerous. Unfortunately, the lack of meaningful growth both in relationships and other mechanics of the game renders this fight more meaningless than significant, which is becoming a disappointing norm for the franchise in this space.

Aliens: Dark Descent is available on Steam for S$45.90.