Tom’s Take —
Xenomorph fans should check out Xbox Game Pass’ Aliens: Dark Descent
- Aliens: Dark Descent is a real-time strategy game developed by Tindalos Interactive
- Xbox Game Pass Tiers: Standard, Ultimate, and PC
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC
Developed by Tindalos Interactive, Aliens: Dark Descent tells an original story in the Aliens franchise, set 19 years after the original trilogy, and introduces never-before-seen enemies alongside Xenomorphs and rogue Weyland-Yutani operatives. Following an uprising on Planet Lethe, the Colonial Marines are called in to contain a Xenomorph outbreak that has unleashed hell on the planet as a result.
Dark Descent isn’t the first Alien game to make its way into Game Pass since the service, which has seen the fantastic first-person horror game Alien Isolation and third-person co-op shooter Aliens: Fireteam Elite both enjoy stints in Xbox Game Pass in years past.
Just as those two games are worlds apart in gameplay and style, Aliens: Dark Descent also treads a fresh path for fans of the legendary franchise. It’s a real-time strategy game that puts you in the role of a commander leading a squad of Marines through large open levels to bring order to the planet, or as what regularly happens, die trying — if you enjoyed Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus earlier this year, you’ll likely find some joy in exploring Dark Descent.
As I mentioned before, it’s a top-down real-time strategy game that sees you commanding a squad of five Colonial Marines through 12 gorgeously detailed levels as you attempt to find out who is behind Planet Lethe’s outbreak. From an environmental perspective, Tindalos nails the tones found in the movies, offering a dark foreboding level design that uses minimal lighting throughout.
This results in tense encounters as Xenomorphs with their sleek black frames dart in at your marines from the shadows, and the corridor you’re exploring explodes in flashes of light as Pulse Rifles unleash hell on their acidic aggressors and gore sprays across the floor.
It looks — and most definitely sounds — great, but every enemy encounter in Aliens: Dark Descent is a risk, as death is permanent for your Marines. Injuries will lead your Marines to continue on by being carried by their comrades or limping, severely slowing you down.
It’s fantastic, leading to a level of immersion that has you weighing up the pros and cons of evacuating your team or risking it all by keeping the battle-hardened grunts in the fight. Even as zoomed out as the camera is, I’ve found myself sitting on the edge of my seat as I urge my Marines to retreat to safety after biting off a little more than I can chew.
Replayable missions are operated out of the crash-landed USS Otago. When on base, you can train rescued Marines in various classes, upgrade their weapons, and the like. Dark Descent plays out over days, and Marines need to rest between missions, leading you to juggle a company of marines as some are taken out of action for days at a time due to injuries or mental health trauma.
Micromanagement is a major part of the game’s strategy elements, and sometimes some of your best Marines can be out of action, meaning you need to take less-tested troops on missions. If the threat of losing your Marines; dealing with their trauma, injuries, and training; and tactically moving through levels filled with deadly adversaries isn’t enough, the game all plays out on a timer.
Each day that passes by takes you ever closer to death as Planet Lethe will be nuked — with you on it — if you’re unable to complete your objective in time. Efficiency and learning the many mechanics are key to surviving in Aliens: Dark Descent.
If you’re looking for a new fantastic Xbox strategy game to dive into, I highly recommend Aliens: Dark Descent — let us know in the comments if you decide to take the elevator to hell and try it for yourself. With that said, my time was cut short due to other commitments when I last played it, so I’m going to hop back in myself!
