It’s Xenomorphin Time!

I have a confession to make. I didn’t give a shit about 2014’s Alien Isolation. I know, it’s a blasphemous statement but no matter how hard I’ve tried to enjoy it, I just can’t. The premise and everything is great but hiding in lockers from a big mean Xenomorph just isn’t my cup of tea. I will say it excelled at creating tension and is a genuinely horrifying game. It pairs well with the original Alien movie, creating a rich atmosphere and dreadful anxiety. I’ve always been more of an Aliens fan myself. James Cameron’s spin on the Xenomorph is what has solidified as a true film icon. Sure one Xenomorph is scary but what about an entire colony? In the original Alien we had no idea these toothy bastards had such a formidable force. Pair that with some badass Space Marines and you have movie and now video game gold.
There’s been a lot of shitty games based of the Alien franchise over the years and it’s understandable to be hesitant whenever a new one is announced. I myself was apprehensive about the latest endeavor Aliens: Fireteam Elite, even after watching trailers and gameplay. For starters I hate co-op games, mostly because I’m a loner Dottie, a rebel. Truth is I just don’t have many online friends so the appeal of such games is lost on me. Fireteam teams you with two other players and loads you to the gills with bad ass weapons. As a fan of Aliens I always dreamed of mowing down xenos with a pulse rifle or smart gun. They are two of the most iconic and gnarly guns in all of movie history and spraying bullets into a fast approaching hoard is pure bliss. Since I don’t have friends the game usually pairs me with two “synths” Alpha and Beta; I have come to love them both and rely on them to save my ass often. Surprisingly they do; most reviews I read stated that the AI was nothing more than “distractions” to keep the bugs off you but I haven’t seen that to be the case. The AI holds their own in large battles and are quick to revive when I’m down. In fact let’s just break down all the negative things I read about this game.
1. Lack of story- People cried that the game isn’t more story driven or deep or blah blah. Who gives a shit? I have a pulse rifle and there’s thousands of acid spewing aliens charging at me! Watch the fucking movies if you want a story, I have shit to kill.
2. It’s Repetitive- So you have missions and in each mission there are “levels” for lack of a better term. Some reviewers thought this gets boring since you find yourself grinding through the same levels to earn gear and money. These same people probably masturbate to every Destiny expansion. Destiny is a cancerous game that’s about as exciting as having impacted bowels. Fireteam’s combat is so satisfying that I find myself replaying missions every time I level up my gear just to see how much better I do.
3. Lack of mission variety- Let me be perfectly clear about this. I only have one mission, kill every fucking bug I see. That’s it, that’s all I wanted out of this game and it delivers. I’m glad there’s not nonsensical objectives and bullshit that’s gets in the way of my killin’.
For the most part Fireteam plays like Gears of War which isn’t a bad thing. It actually becomes a pretty blatant rip-off when you dive or later start taking cover from angry evil synths. Gears of War game play is never anything I would complain about like these video game reviewer mutt bags. The upgrade system is easy to learn and operate, simply click on the new magazine or barrel you want and poof! It’s there. You have the ability to customize your marine to a degree and I currently look like a hipster barista complete with aviators and man-bun. One down side to this is your combat level, you will need a recommended combat level for certain areas which means you’ll do some grinding. Again, the game is fun enough that I don’t mind replaying previous missions.
Of course you can’t have an Alien game with Xenomorphs and Fireteam boasts plenty. You’ll be swarmed by the little Alien 3 fellas and the drones are particularly nasty. They all bleed acid so don’t stand where you killed one or you’ll find your life seeping away. Later on you’ll encounter synths and other enemies which do a good job of changing up your combat strategy. There are red barrels galore to help with the killing and occasionally you’ll stumble upon crates containing turrets and mines. You will have to fortify your position often so these come in handy. If I had to find one flaw in Fireteam it’s that the PS4 seems overwhelmed at times by the amount of chaos on screen. I’ve had the game lock up and drop frames at times but I account most of this to being day one of its release. Hopefully some patches will fix this issue. The team behind Aliens Firestorm Elite, Cold Iron Studios, have planned a years’ worth of updates and add-ons so the quality should continue to improve.
If you’re a fan of the Alien franchise, especially the action based Aliens, then this game is for you. If you prefer the slow burn horror of Alien Isolation you may not enjoy the action packed chaos Fireteam offers. It is chaotic by the way, these buggers are on the ceiling, the vents, they bob and weave and spit, some attack you out of nowhere; triggering a quick time event to get it off of you. Its pure excitement and bliss. Now if you’ll excuse me, Alpha, Beta and I have some bugs to kill.