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Updated: Aliens: Dark Descent Is Out Now! (Review Roundup)

Posted 43 Comments

The tactical squad-based shooter Aliens: Dark Descent has now been released! You can now play the anticipated Aliens shooter on PC, PS4, PS5 and X-Box One/X/Series X.

In Aliens: Dark Descent, you can command a squad of hardened Colonial Marines to stop a terrifying Xenomorph outbreak on Moon Lethe. Lead your soldiers in real-time combat against iconic Xenomorphs, rogue operatives from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and a host of horrifying creatures new to the Alien franchise.

The first critic reviews have started to trickle out and Dark Descent is getting a mixed to positive reception. Reviewers are praising the atmosphere, environments, sound design and story but lamenting the numerous game-breaking technical issues where players have to restart whole missions.

Some are saying that had it not been for the technical issues, this would have been the best ever game based on James Cameron’s Aliens. Hopefully, these bugs will be fixed in due course. Aliens Dark Descent is currently sitting on a score of 75 on Metacritic. Here’s the review roundup so far:

Aliens: Dark Descent Is Out Now! (Review Roundup)

You can pick the game up on PC, PS4, PS5 and X-Box One/X/Series X.

Positive

Softpedia (5/5)
WorthPlaying (9.4/10)
God is a Geek (9/10)
ButWhyTho (8.5)
wccftech (8.5/10)
GameSpew (8/10)
TheSixthAxis (8/10)
CGMagazine (8/10)
NoisyPixel (8/10)
PC Gamer (84/100)

Mixed

IGN (7/10)
GamesRadar (3.5/5)
Eurogamer (3/5)

Negative

The Gamer (1.5/5)

Aliens: Dark Descent Is Out Now! (Review Roundup)

Aliens: Dark Descent is out today!

All the reviews above are for the PC version. I haven’t managed to find any specific to the consoles.

Have you guys picked the game up yet? My PS5 preorder still hasn’t been dispatched yet, unfortunately. For those that haven’t bought it yet, you can order the PC version on Steam or the console versions on Amazon for £34.99/$39.99. You can post your impressions of the game in the Fan Reviews thread in the forum.

Update: Publisher Focus Entertainment also released a new trailer for the game to celebrate its release:

Make sure to keep a close eye on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest intel on Aliens: Dark Descent! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums!


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Comments: 43
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  2. TheBATMAN
    Posted
    Good review but im not sure how he didnt encounrer any bugs on the PS5. Game is in desperate need of a major patch. I lost count of the amount of times I had to reset. Even the interaction button became completely non responsive at one point.
    Reply
  6. [cancerblack]
    Posted
    Quote from: Predatorium on Jun 28, 2023, 10:08:34 AM
    Quote from: [cancerblack] on Jun 28, 2023, 09:12:09 AM
    Quote from: P1NK8C1DBOOTS on Jun 27, 2023, 06:48:05 PMIs anybody else struggling with this game? I want to like it but just can't get onboard with it.

    I have no way to play it, but honestly even if I did, I wouldn't, despite the fact that in theory it's everything I've ever asked for in an Alien game. But the older I get, the more I find that all I can play is boomer shooters on easy or medium, and that any level of resource management beyond ammo count, or multi-tasking beyond target priority, is just impossible for me.

    Play with the pause function then. It becomes a slow chess game then ;D

    Well, like I said, I don't have any devices that can handle it. Pacing isn't my issue so much, as keeping track of multiple things is. I've always been a terrible multi-tasker and it's not getting better with age.
    Reply
  7. bobby brown
    Posted
    Quote from: Predatorium on Jun 28, 2023, 06:01:22 AM
    Quote from: XENOMORPHOSIS on Jun 21, 2023, 02:09:24 AMAny thoughts on the final boss at the end of the game?

    Meh

    Spoiler
    I liked it! so glad a studio had the balls to invent a new silhouette. Tired to death seeing these tame alien remixes with different variations of crests and dorsal tubes. James Cameron certainly wasn't scared to invent something new.

    I liked that it had no legs because the space jockey probably doesn't have any. I was wondering how the hell a tiny facehugger could infect something that big, but that was answered, right?
    [close]
    Reply
  8. Predatorium
    Posted
    Quote from: [cancerblack] on Jun 28, 2023, 09:12:09 AM
    Quote from: P1NK8C1DBOOTS on Jun 27, 2023, 06:48:05 PMIs anybody else struggling with this game? I want to like it but just can't get onboard with it.

    I have no way to play it, but honestly even if I did, I wouldn't, despite the fact that in theory it's everything I've ever asked for in an Alien game. But the older I get, the more I find that all I can play is boomer shooters on easy or medium, and that any level of resource management beyond ammo count, or multi-tasking beyond target priority, is just impossible for me.

    Play with the pause function then. It becomes a slow chess game then ;D
    Reply
  9. [cancerblack]
    Posted
    Quote from: P1NK8C1DBOOTS on Jun 27, 2023, 06:48:05 PMIs anybody else struggling with this game? I want to like it but just can't get onboard with it.

    I have no way to play it, but honestly even if I did, I wouldn't, despite the fact that in theory it's everything I've ever asked for in an Alien game. But the older I get, the more I find that all I can play is boomer shooters on easy or medium, and that any level of resource management beyond ammo count, or multi-tasking beyond target priority, is just impossible for me.
    Reply
  11. jacobo1122
    Posted
    I mean it's not like graphic are the best, it's visible that the budget was smaller, but with what they had, the game looks pretty good, thanks to mentioned stylyzation and isometric camera.
    Reply
  13. P1NK8C1DBOOTS
    Posted
    Is anybody else struggling with this game? I want to like it but just can't get onboard with it. Granted it's not my usual type of game I play so will naturally find it more challenging but I can't even get past mission two! The mechanics just don't work for me, and does anyone else think the graphics look pretty dated??
    Reply
  16. yuppy
    Posted
    The game, having played well over 19 hours, is a love letter that is the cutest Aliens experience that oozes in authenticity and story based narrative and you should take your sweet time with it. Don't rush finishing anything until you polish each location off with finding things.  Its well worth the time to revisit and obtain resources while taking more days to recover (which increases the threat level). But you get to buff your squad. It amounts to something in the end I trust.
    Reply
  20. Predatorium
    Posted
    Haha they already patched the voice-lines:
    "We're pleased to release this first small patch to answer to your (by far!) most requested change.

    Patch Notes :
    Drastically reduced the occurence of the squad leader's acknowledgement after an order
    The "Double Time" line will not play anymore after a walk order (but for your pleasure can still be triggered by a run order)
    Fixed some crashes

    We wanted to provide this first improvement quickly and we're still monitoring closely all your feedback and are already working on the next patch to address the most common issues as soon as possible.

    Now get back to work Marines!"
    Reply
  21. jacobo1122
    Posted
    I'm few hours in and I'm enjoying it so far, but it has some problems. I think introduction wasn't so great, it shows smaller budget with things like simple animations and I encountered annoying bugs. It's alo quite overwhelming at first, but it's maybe a good thing, I mean, when I was swarmed by Aliens it was pure chaos, I didn't even know when one of my marines was snatched away and it was great moment, like hive scene from Cameron's movie. I think that this game evokes suspense of Aliens far better than any shooter can.
    Reply
  22. morseman
    Posted
    This game is a bit of a no brained for me, I've been looking for darker XCom 2 style game for a while now and, well it's Aliens! I really hope there will be a good stream of dlc for this, particularly customisation. Some Aliens customisation like Vasquez headband, Drake's chicken bone baseball cap and dare I hope maybe some likenesses too, extra voice packs or at least good modding support :)
    Reply
  24. XenoPredAlien
    Posted
    I'm enjoying the game very much. Playing on medium to get a feel to it before i go on the hardest difficulty even on medium you have to think and make quick decisions if not you team will be wiped out in seconds or in a minute. The game mechanics and atmosphere of the game is great RTS games have a unique especially with games like XCOM every action can be a plus or it can be consequence depends on what you do. Projects like this i believe are in a step in the right directions especially how awesome Alien Isolation and Alien Fire Team are.
     
    Reply
  25. aliens13
    Posted
    Quote from: GreybackElder on Jun 20, 2023, 10:32:15 PMWhat did you think of Amnesia: The Bunker? I beat it on normal and I'm replaying currently on Hard Mode. But wow. I loved that game. Perhaps right up there with Amnesia: TDD.
    I loved Amnesia The Bunker, the sound design, the environments, the creature, the sense of claustrophobia and the feeling of always being in danger are excellent. I think that the length of the game it was fine, maybe a longer game would became to repetitive, also I love that al the items are aleatory.

    Man, this Amnesia game makes me want Isolation 2 so bad. I will give Aliens The Dark Descent a chance just because I'm a fan despite that I don't like the type of gameplay, but the game's story is just so good.
    Reply
  26. Grimwillows.
    Posted
    Graohics are fantastic on PS5. Load times are like 3 seconds. Very pleased sofar. Worth watching a few videos with tips on character upgrades. Mista Fi0th channel had some really helpful tips regarding where to allocate points and clearing negative character effects.
    Reply
  27. Predatorium
    Posted
    It's pretty good so far! Nice atmosphere and gameplay mechanics!. except for the immersion breaking Double time! Let's go! yelling team leader when you are trying to keep things quiet :P
    Reply
  28. (Bad Blood)
    Posted
    I'm sorry but the artistic choices and general art direction, specifically the people and aliens make this game look like it came out in 2009 a lot of the time, it really works against all of the great atmosphere and texturing.
    Reply
  29. Eal
    Posted
    I feel like The Bunker with just a bit more length (only an hour added perhaps), set aboard the Nostromo would be a fine game.

    And like a Frictional Game, Ripley would probably use the catbox to skatboard out of bounds and complete the game ending cutscene.


    Glad to see that the franchise is getting some good entries though. It's been a while since I've looked at anything tactic-related, maybe I'll give it a shot.
    Reply
  32. aliens13
    Posted
    https://www.3djuegos.com/juegos/aliens-dark-descent/analisis/porque-existe-alien-isolation-sino-este-seria-mejor-juego-saga-diferencia-analisis-aliens-dark-descent/amp

    3D Juegos (Spain): "Porque existe Alien Isolation, si no este sería el mejor juego de la saga con diferencia."

    "Because Alien Isolation exist, this isn't the best game of the franchise with difference."

    I have to say that I didn't expect to this be so good, I was more excited for Amnesia The Bunker than this. Maybe because I'm not to much into the strategy games like this. I will buy it when they put it on sale
    Reply
  33. krisztian
    Posted
    @Preadatorium
    yeah, me too. I don't like stressful gaming.

    Unfortunately, this game comes too late for me. I'm in fantasy mood currently, not in scifi mood.
    I Guess I wait for some time.
    Reply
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