Aliens: Fireteam has unveiled a first look at some of the new Xenomorph types players will be going up against. An unexpected title set in the Alien universe, Aliens: Fireteam is introducing (at least) six new Xenomorphs, none of which have ever been seen before.
Developer Cold Iron Studios' third-person, three-player PvE co-op survival shooter takes place just after the events of the original Alien trilogy. Surprise-revealed last week with an official Aliens: Fireteam gameplay trailer, the title looks to capture the horror of the original films, while also adding some new nightmare fuel to the fire.
Beyond established terrors like Xenomorphs, Facehuggers, and Synthetics, Aliens: Fireteam is adding several new creatures into the mix. The new lineup of fully-fledged Xenomorph types are sure to give players all kinds of trouble. First off are Runners. Essentially the "standard" Xenomorph from the Alien film franchise, Runners attack in large groups, and quickly charge. Generally exhibiting similar behavior to Runners, Bursters burst into a pool of lethal acid.
Meanwhile, Drones are opportunistic hunters able to navigate air shafts, waiting for the right moment to burst through walls. While most Xenomorphs get up-close and personal, Spitters prefer attacking from a distance by shooting acid from their mouths. Prowlers prefer pouncing on top of their target before killing it, and are visually distinctive with a reddish exoskeleton. Last of all is the Praetorian, the largest of the new varieties. Sporting a bulletproof armored head plate, Praetorians are extraordinarily difficult to take down.
Players can see some of these Xenomorph classes in action in the 25 minute gameplay trailer that was also released, which highlights Aliens: Fireteam's roster of enemies, various classes, and intense co-op combat. Throughout the trailer, Cold Iron Studios' CEO and CCO reveal that there are over 20 Xenomorph types to battle, along with four different campaigns and in-game algorithms intended to add variation to repeat encounters, so players are always on their toes.
The Alien franchise appears to be going through a bit of a renaissance. In addition to Xenomorph and Ripley skins crossing over into Fortnite and a Marvel comic in the pipeline, an Alien TV series is coming to FX. Set to take place on Earth, many fans believe the series will finally pull back the curtain on the mysterious Weyland Yutani corporation, the mysterious financiers behind the series' various disastrous expeditions.
The new additions to Alien canon are sure to provide many gamers with plenty of fear and anxiety. While the game unfortunately isn't expected until late summer at the earliest, at least it already looks better than Aliens: Colonial Marines ever did.
Aliens: Fireteam will hit PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X later this year.
Source: IGN
