We were lucky enough to bypass the line and check out the new Aliens: Colonial Marines game that promises to be a true sequel to the first films at E3 today. Vetted by Fox with amazing graphics, you feel like you’re in the game. This is Xenomorph killing at it’s finest.
We were shown a demo by a Gearbox Software representative who was more excited about the game than anyone I’ve ever heard. Here’s what he had to say. I’m freaking out! I got to make an Aliens game! I have been stealing from Aliens my entire career! I finally have the real thing here. I’m not kidding. One of the other Gearbox founders, Brian Martel and I…we had met each other and worked with each other at 3D Realms, and we were working on Duke Nukem. There were face huggers in the game, and all the alien walls were totally ripped off Giger’s artwork. Even after that. When we founded Gearbox, the first games we made were all of the expansions and all of the console versions of Half-Life. And there are head crabs and all kinds of other Aliens references in Half-Life.
Later, Microsoft and Bungie trusted us to bring Halo to the PC. As you played Halo, you know, you recognize the drop ships. Heck, even the Sergeant from Halo…it’s Apone from the movie. We’re all seeing this, right? We’ve…all of us, have been inspired, touched by Aliens. One of the greatest science fiction franchises of all time. So one of the reasons we’ve all been borrowing from it is, we wanted to have an interactive experience with that fantasy…
So, here is what we saw. We start out in a damaged ship, hurtling towards a planet. After the crash, we see things from the perspective of one of the soldiers. There was a great moment when, with our eyes still blurry from the crash, one of the other soldiers asks how many fingers he’s holding up. We give him the finger and hear him laugh, He’ll be alright.
The ship we just destroyed smashed Hadley’s Hope (which you’ll remember from the film). Radar scanners show blips and you know what that means. Xenomorph aliens are coming from all directions, fast and furious. Your fellow marines are being pulled through air ducts and screaming their heads off. There are heavily armored bull aliens out there as well, in case you thought you were home free with the little guys. They just keep coming. This is one of those games that will have you on the edge of your seat.
There is drop in/drop out co-op play for up to four players and the game is already in development for the new Nintendo system, the Wii-U. The game looks like non-stop action, and any chance to revisit this particular franchise is worth it.
Aliens: Colonial Marines will be released in Spring 2012 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC.
