Grave Gamer News & Views — aliens colonial marines

Aliens: Colonial Marines (PC/PS3/X360/Wii U - Fall)

“Another glorious day in the Corps! A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal’s a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I love the Corps!” - Sgt. Apone

Real Life Pulse Rifle

Modeled after the favored weapon of James Cameron’s space marines in 1986’s Aliens, Gearbox Software had an actual pulse rifle created during the production of their game Aliens: Colonial Marines.  The biggest difference between this replica and the props used on Cameron’s set?  Gearbox’s pulse rifle fires real .45 caliber rounds from the main barrel and 12 gauge shotgun shells from its under-barrel.

When asked why Gearbox wanted the replica to fire live ammunition, the studio could only answer, “Just in case.”

Aliens: Colonial Marines (PC/PS3/Wii U/360 - Fall 2012)

And here’s where the rest of my free time will go to die.  Gearbox recently pulled back part of the curtain shrouding Colonial Marines’ competitive multiplayer which pits xenomorph against marines, players able to control both sides.  So far, the versus is familiar ground for fans that recall Aliens versus Predator for the PC.  If not, you need look no further than the fairly recent Left 4 Dead, which the developer admits to as choice inspiration for this game.

But these comparisons are just a way of feeling our way through the dark.  Colonial Marines will reveal its distinguishing assets the moment our trigger finger lays waste to Gearbox’s horrifically – and awesomely – realized monsters.  There’s still a lot of solid information lurking in the shadows when it comes to this game, especially regarding multiplayer modes beyond death match, so expect to hear more during the agonizing wait until Fall.

“When I first watched Aliens, the very next thing I did was get my friends to watch it with me so we could have that shared experience. Well now you are not just experiencing it or kind of witnessing it, you’re participating in it. From the sequel, that’s actually a video game you are participating in it, and if you want to do that alone, great; you want to do that with friends, great. We designed it so it works in both contexts.”

Gearbox Software’s main man, Randy Pitchford, touching on the much anticipated sci-fi shooter opus, Aliens: Colonial Marines.  Try not to rely on the old phrase “safety in numbers,” though.  You’re trapped on LV-426 with a finite supply of ammo and the succinct disadvantage of having non-acidic blood.  Those are awful odds in any situation.

Gearbox hosted a promotional event where several seriously lucky members of the press were privileged to a hands-on helping of Aliens: Colonial Marines.  The event caused enough of a ruckus to stir the xenomorph queen herself.  There were no survivors.