'Aliens: Fireteam' Promises An 'L4D'-Esque Survival Shooter Experience

A new third-person co-op shooter set in the “Aliens” universe is underway, and it’s looking promising. “Aliens: Fireteam” just got its Steam page up and running, and it’s already looking better than 2013’s “Aliens: Colonial Marines” did when it first launched.

“Fireteam” pits a team of three players (or one player with two AI companions) against hordes of Xenomorphs in an attempt to contain a massive infestation. The game is set 23 years after the end of the third “Aliens” movie from the original trilogy and will have four story-driven campaigns, Polygon reported.

Players will have access to a very wide range of lore-accurate equipment in the game, including the famous M41A Pulse Rifle, the Smart Gun and a handful of new and original designs. “Aliens: Fireteam” will feature an arsenal of over 30 weapons complete with more than 70 gun mods and attachments.

The gameplay is very reminiscent of the tried-and-tested formula that Valve’s “Left 4 Dead” series introduced, but “Fireteam” developer Cold Iron Studios has included enough spice to make their game stand out.

“Fireteam” will have five playable character classes: Gunner, Technician, Doc, Recon and Demolisher. Each class will have unique abilities and access to class-specific equipment such as an automatic turret for the Technician and a ground-slam move for the Demolisher.

The enemies in “Aliens: Fireteam” will be smart and very dangerous. The game will have over 11 types of Xenomorph, ranging from drones and facehuggers to massive Praetorians. Every Xenomorph type is programmed to behave differently, with varying levels of intelligence based on its strain. Players can expect ambushes on top of the traditional swarm-style attacks.

The aliens will utilize vents, crawl along walls and use stealth tactics to catch players off-guard.

Marines will also have to deal with Weyland-Yutani synths armed with various types of weaponry. Over 20 types of enemies are present in the game.

The game is designed with replayability in mind. Customizable character classes and player loadouts, challenge cards that shake up how missions work and a unique “Perk Board” system are all in place to make “Aliens: Fireteam” more than just another “Left 4 Dead” clone.