Aliens: Colonial Marines

Written by John Scalzo  on August 13, 2001

First (and Last) Impressions: Do you remember that scene in Alien where the alien bursts out of the guy's chest, it kinda feels like that.

Tweet

Comments

Editor's Note: Aliens: Colonial Marines, based on the Aliens movie franchise that started in 1979, has been officially cancelled by EA. Read on for what could have been.

In 1979 Alien was a very important movie. After years of all those touchy feely aliens that just wanted to live in peace and happiness with us, we could finally go back to the monstrous alien force trying to destroy every last human it could in such classics as The Thing, Independence Day, Predator and my personal favorite from the Alien series: Aliens.

As you all I'm sure remember, Aliens brought Ripley back to the Alien planet with a group of Marines ready to investigate where all the colonists went and to listen to a little girl say "mostly" a lot. Then of course the Aliens reveal themselves and the non stop alien blasting action (and my favorite part in the movie) begins. But after all that, after Ripley has escaped again, more Marines drop in on the planet. They just have to know what happened to their other squad. Let's see though, colonists, dead, first Marine squad, dead, maybe going down to the planet isn't the best idea.

But without going down to the planet we wouldn't have Aliens: Colonial Marines. We pick up right where the second squad goes in and guess what, you get to lead the squad through the dark hallways. So that first face hugger is coming for you! But you won't be alone Marine! You'll be leading your squad into battle with you! OK, enough of this drill sergeant bit. But yes, you lead your team into the bowels of the planet, fighting the Aliens wherever they may be. And your squad is there to help, they'll give cover fire, they'll get scared like I would. Hell, you can even put yourself in back and let them do all the dirty work.

But since you are the leader, if you of your boys gets caught by a face hugger, you'll have to go save him before his chest goes all bursty. And that means going into the Alien nest and that means you'll need a lot of firepower. Now if you've watched Aliens before, you know what that means. These guns are really cool, with grenade launchers, pulse rifles, and of course, the flamethrower.

Aliens: Colonial Marines takes place in the standard First Person perspective that we'll come to know and love. The game is also set up in mission-based levels. And as you move through the various levels, you know this is Aliens. The dimly lit hallways, the sounds of little Alien feet in the shafts above, the Alien slime that covers over everything, and of course the poor bastards that have a little chest buster stewing in their stomach lining the walls. And in a really nice twist in the game, you can save these poor souls and get them to join your squad. That is until an Alien rips it's way through his chest and says "mama."