1UP COVER STORY
1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JUNE 4 | E3 2012
Aliens: Colonial Marines Multiplayer Follows in the Footsteps of a Classic Multiplayer Series
Cover Story: Multiplayer in developer Gearbox’s love letter to the Alien series appears to take inspiration from another excellent multiplayer series.
T
oday at E3 2012 I got a chance to play a multiplayer match of Aliens: Colonial Marines, a first-person shooter that both 20th Century Fox and developer Gearbox consider a canon sequel to the iconic film, Aliens. I first played ACM’s multiplayer a few months ago, but had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. The core conflict pits Colonial Marines against the deadly Xenomorphs of the film, which is expected, but Gearbox takes a smart approach to multiplayer through the use of different gameplay perspectives for each side.
ACM’s multiplayer is based around an asymmetrical gameplay style similar to the one used in Spies vs. Mercs mode from the Splinter Cell series, and that inspiration lends an interesting dynamic to the game itself. Colonial Marines pack powerful weapons like the pulse rifle and grenades and play from a first person perspective. They use motion trackers to locate enemy positions, but using them leaves a Marine vulnerable to attack. Marines have a distinct advantage thanks to their emphasis on ranged attack, but a nimble Alien can sneak around them and dismantle an unaware soldier up-close. Xenomorphs are nimble, faster, and tougher; they hit harder, stick to surfaces, and have the ability to track players through walls, but enough hits from a pulse rifle will make short work of them.
