Kotaku
They had us at "Alien-based FPS", but Sega and Gearbox decided to go the extra mile and deliver some details on their upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines title, heading to the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 late this year. The squad-based game puts you in the shoes of a United States Colonial Marine, part of a squad that must face an alien assault unlike anything the world has ever seen. The story is written by writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, perhaps best known for co-writing scripts for episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Battlestar Galactica. Players will engage in squad-based combat with classic Aliens weaponry like flamethrowers and pulse rifles through environments both old and new, including the abandoned interior of the Sulaco - the ship the marines used in Aliens. The game includes a standard single player mode along with four player co-op, allowing players to team up to make things a bit less terrifying. It sounds to me like the Aliens version of Star Wars: Republic Commando, and seeing how that's my favorite non-KotOR Star Wars game of all time, that is a good thing. Hit the jump for more details!
SEGA Reveals Details Of Upcoming Aliens: Colonial MarinesTM Video GameFirst-Person Shooter Based on Popular Motion Picture Franchise Coming to Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION®3, and PC in Late 2008
LONDON AND SAN FRANCISCO (February 21st, 2008) - SEGA Europe Ltd. and SEGA of America, Inc. today revealed details of the highly anticipated squad-based first-person shooter video game, Aliens: Colonial Marines™. Licensed through an exclusive agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising and developed by Gearbox Software, the game will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC in late 2008.
In Aliens: Colonial Marines, players are part of a United States Colonial Marine squad and must prepare to face an alien assault more intense and horrific than ever before. Driven by a compelling and original story penned by renowned writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle Aliens: Colonial Marines will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Aliens experience.
Packing classic Aliens weaponry ranging from pulse rifles to flamethrowers as well as brand-new equipment and skills all within a squad-based combat system, players will become an elite United States Colonial Marine. Featuring claustrophobic environments, a brooding soundtrack, and a multitude of surprises and shocks, players will battle against menacing alien hordes in strikingly detailed levels that include the stark interiors of the abandoned Sulaco and unique environments created specifically for the game.
Aliens: Colonial Marines will feature a story driven single-player mode and an all-new four player co-op mode allowing players to share the chilling experience with three friends. In co-op mode, each player will assume the persona of a Colonial Marine and have a distinct role to play in the completion of every mission. Additionally, more multiplayer modes will be revealed later in the year that will complete the Aliens video game experience.
Since its 1979 debut, Alien and its three sequels have grossed more than $557 million worldwide, garnering numerous awards, including two Academy Awards®.
Comments
Great writers :)
This sounds cool, I love that we are getting treated to a bunch of Alien games now. I hope we can see footage soon.
Can't wait for this game
This is gonna blow every other Aliens-related game outta the water. Online Marines vs Aliens pleeeeease!
Awesome. Does this game have anything to do with the previously canceled Colonial Marines game? Just wondering if they used the work that had already been completed as a starting point. That one looked good...
If this is as good as the Marine campaign in AvP2, I will be very happy indeed.
Does anyone know what engine they are using? What does Gearbox usually use, do they have a proprietary engine?
i'm pretty sure these are supposed to be some screens of the game
found it on CVG
[games.tiscali.cz]
Could be cool, but I'm not sold just yet
@Raziel66: The newest GI that I just got mentioned that it was a completely unrelated game.
@Crosswayboy: also stated there would be 4 player co-op online
co-op over live would be really atmospheric. I'm seriously (for once) looking forward to playing this online and using the mic.
A sci-fi FPS Gearbox game. I'm sold.
Game over man! game over!
Please let this not suck. The last Aliens game I liked was the AvP CapCom brawler from the 90's.
Fucking facehuggers! FUCK!
Any word on the rpg?
Aliens + BSG writer + Gearbox = Epic Win
@Massiah: Really? When was the last time Gearbox made a good game>?
Seems like I heard about this game back in 2000 or 2001, always wondered what happened to it. I've been geared up for this cense I heard about it.
I'd like to hear more about Obsidian's RPG. All I know about it so far is that Avellone is doing the writing. Which is, you know, awesome and all that.
@poser85: Gearbox did the Brother in Arms series, and those were pretty fun squad based shooters.
I'm actually pretty excited about this, I'll definitely check it out when it drops.
I am indeed pleased.
@poser85: @Massiah:
Brother's in Arms was an excellent game if you ask me, so I'm not about to complain about Gearbox.
[www.avpgalaxy.net]
scans ^^ :D
Thats nice and all Sega but how about announcing when( or if?!?) we'll get Valkyrie of the Battlefield over here in the states.
[kotaku.com]
Sweet mother of all things that are awesome...good god that looks awesome! I just hope the story holds up. I wonder if they used the comics as a reference for anything.
I'm going to end a lot of friendships by yelling "Game Over Man" during co-op....over and over.
I love DS9, and they worked on a few very good episodes ... so, that's very promising. Gearbox is a very solid developer, too -- so, I actually have very high hopes for this.
@AndrewG009: Yup, totally agree there, and I'm looking forward to Hells Highway too.
I was sold at "Four-player coop".
those scans look too good ther probably renders of what the intend the game to look like at the end of production kinda like Killzone.
anyway ive been waiting to play something other than zombie horde on CS:S.
Wonder how they will deal with acid blood tearing up the enviroments, sounds like a job for HAVOK here.
@JerrD74: hopes his license issues get fixed soon:
Thanks! Have gotten that issue yet :( Don't what's going on with my subscription. I always get 'em late.
Yes!!!!!, now the ball is in there court because this franchise is basically what all those other alien themed fps get their roots from. And these aliens will have more of an impact on the players because of their history and nostalgia(atleast for me). I can't wait to hear that authentic sound of the pulse rifle and the screams of the aliens while your firing at them. im getting goose bumps thinking of how they can give this game that authentic feel and detail because of todays technology! please don't screw it up sega! thank you and goodnite!
@Gray665: They are using the Unreal 3 Engine on their upcoming Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway, so I'm assuming they will use that on Aliens too. Don't forget Gearbox also did Halo PC, which is still fun to mod and play!
This could be a very good game, but ... I just have nothing left for this property. Its done nothing but burn consistently after Aliens and the mystique and appeal has just ... been melted away by alien blood.
See, even in disinterest, I was able to pay homage to the series. Oy vey ...
The Sarge in the movie was really something:
WHAT ARE YOU? HUDSON! Get on the ready line, Marines, get some today! Get on the ready line! Move it out! Move it out, goddammit! Get hot! One, two, three, four! Get out, get out, get out! Move it out, move it out, move it out! Move it out, move it out, move it out! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven! Aaarrrrr, absolutely badassess! Let's pack 'em in! Get in there!
This better be awsome.
Either way, it's an excuse for me to whisper 'Keep it frosty marines' at every given opportunity.
:D
Game on Man, Game on!
"We're on the express elevator to hell!"
I don't know...to me the Alien(s) franchise seems to be built around the fact that just about everybody gets their brains chewed out by a xenomorph. It's weird enough to survive for two hours (like an Aliens movie), let alone survive for ~8 hours of fighting while dragging three other redshirts through with you.
I hope their engine supports acid blood and gi-normous nuclear explosions.
I'm so excited to hear more news about this, but I'm convinced it won't meet my expectations -- they're pretty damn high.
Republic Commando wa sthe best squad based shooter ever so far. It made everything simple and not overly complicated like GRAW or anything.
And with the announcement of 4 player co-op, i think i might excrement on myself. Gearbox so far have proven themselves as a pretty good developer, so i have faith.
BTW, Darkhorse needs to put out more Alien/Predator comics. Hellboy is cool and all, but come on. If they can pump out 25 different star wars series at one time, why not Aliens
Ah, so this is the major franchise that Gearbox was talking about a month ago. I'm slow.
This has the potential to be very very cool. They should ressurrect Hicks and Hudson for this....then again, Hudson would probably try to run away 5 minutes into the game.
"The Sarge is gone! Let's get the fuck outta here!"
awwww yeah....Now I can take the role of Hicks in my mind.
I must say I am really enjoying the coop trend that's reappearing lately
@GFX-187: Did you miss the footage that was shown at E3 last year? That sh*i was realtime gameplay...not CG cut scenes.
I read in game informer the game has no hud...should be pretty interesting as a game.
Looks fantastic, can't wait. AVP2 was amazing back in the day.
they have amazing multi-player potential..I ope it isnt squandered on cookie-cutter marine vs marine Capture the flag and Death match. Needs me some AVP style Xenos vs marines with each having distinct advantages and disadvantages WHILE being balance and fun.
Should be fun, but the sole existence of this game makes me want an AvP3 that much more. :(
hey @mandarin, have you ever been mistaken for a man?
4 Player co-op hell yes this is going to be kick ass.
i await with anticipation, but i know right now that the only thing ill be thinking when playing it is '... whither predators?'
Aliens: the Computer Game, 1987 (Commodore 64, among others)
This game contained some of the first rudimentary elements of FPS (and squad-based combat, to stretch my point nearly to breaking).
No corridors, IIRC. Just rooms leading to other rooms, any of which could contain eggs/facehuggers, bipedal xenomorphs, or the occasional Queen.
You could switch between 6 squad members, and had to keep enough of them alive to get through different parts of the map and simultaneously achieve certain objectives.
Conserving ammo, headshots, and the RE-style horror of a sprite alien turning towards you for a snack if you didn't blow it away within seconds of sighting it.
Hell of a game, back in the day. Not exactly scary, but atmospheric enough (by the standards of the times) to inspire several very weird dreams.
What's this? Picking up on the abandoned Sulaco that was forgotten about in Alien 3? HELL YES. Powerloader battles, here I come!
This is great and all, but will we be able to play as Newt? I know my wife will mostly want to be Newt. Mostly.
i wonder if we'll able to use the power walker. hmn.
www.consolepatrol.com
my jaw dropped when i heard about this. now i want an AVP game based off the Colonial Marines alien style like the pc games.