Aliens: Dark Descent

Aliens: Dark Descent is a real-time tactical squad game set in the grim sci-fi world of the Alien franchise. Players command a squad of Colonial Marines through claustrophobic, tension-filled missions where stealth, resource management, and squad stress play crucial roles. The game emphasizes atmospheric horror, with sound design and visuals faithfully capturing the Alien universe's dread and industrial aesthetic. Combat involves real-time movement with tactical pausing, and squad members can panic or develop trauma, adding strategic depth.

The Otago ship acts as a base for managing injuries, research, and mission planning. While the story is engaging and well-written, especially for fans, some players found the later narrative weaker. Despite generally positive reception for gameplay and immersion, the game suffers from bugs such as pathfinding issues, crashes, and frustrating mechanics like forced squad clumping and limited individual control. The difficulty is punishing but rewarding, with a unique save-point system preventing save scumming. Overall, it’s a worthy, tense, and memorable experience for Alien and tactical game fans.

Highlights

Players praise the game's authentic Alien atmosphere with excellent sound design and visuals that capture the franchise's essence. The real-time tactical gameplay with pausing offers a fresh, intense challenge, blending stealth and strategy effectively. The stress and trauma system adds meaningful depth to squad management. The story and character development receive commendation for being well-written and respectful of the Alien lore. The game’s unique mission structure, including the ability to retreat and revisit objectives, is also highlighted as innovative and engaging.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include technical issues such as crashes, pathfinding bugs, and UI glitches that disrupt gameplay. The lack of individual control over squad members frustrates players, especially with forced clumping limiting tactical options. The hunt and alert mechanics can feel unfair or overly punishing, and some missions, particularly late-game stealth sections, are seen as repetitive or tedious. Additionally, the time-limited missions and unskippable cutscenes detract from player agency and pacing. Some players desire more content, side missions, and improved base management depth.