• The Downfall of Aliens: Colonial Marines, What Went Wrong?

    As the release of Aliens: Colonial Marines drew near, rumors went around that maybe the game wasn’t everything I had hoped.  Everyone was quick to point out that there were no advance reviews, that the launch trailers were a lot of editing with little in the way of gameplay and substance. But this was Gearbox!  The guys who brought us Half Life: Blue Shift, Brothers in Arms, Borderlands 1 and 2.  They were all great games – these guys know what they’re doing. 

    Well I forgot about one thing: Duke Nukem Forever. 

    For those who may not know the whole story of DNF, a quick primer: after the wildly popular Duke Nukem 3D came out back in 1996, it wasn’t long before rumors and then an official announcement of the next game in the series came along.  It was going to be a true polygonal 3D game, like what Quake was to Doom.  Years past; we saw so many different versions of this game, and every time a new screenshot or trailer surfaced it looked better than ever.  But this went on for over a decade, DNF was vaporware: as far as anyone could tell nothing concrete existed, no one outside of developer 3D Realms had seen the game in action, and it seemed that we never would.  Then in 2010, 14 years after Duke Nukem Forever was announced, came news that Gearbox had picked up the game and were finishing it up for release within a year.  People were excited, as I was excited about Aliens: Colonial Marines. 

    This was a solid studio that seemed to have the chops needed to complete the game and ship what people had been waiting over a decade for.  Randy Pitchford, CEO at Gearbox, claimed that Duke Nukem Forever was “intelligent” and a “worthy successor” to its predecessor.  As you probably all know, the game was a huge flop - dated gameplay, dated graphics, at best it was worthy of the bargain bin.  

    It seemed that those 14 years far from giving the game any kind of polish or unique style had served only to make the game look and feel stale.

    Keep reading for more on the downfall of Aliens: Colonial Marines.

  • Sega Releases A Brand New Aliens: Colonial Marines Trailer

    Sega has released a brand new trailer for Gearbox Software's upcoming shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines. The game looks great but this trailer is...not safe for work. Or if you're around children.

    Corny voice acting aside ("If it moves, kill it. If it's not moving...kill it again!"), the gameplay looks solid and the environment in Colonial Marines looks worth of the Aliens franchise. If you're not familiar with the game, here's a quick debriefing on what you can expect. 

    Gearbox Software is taking the helm at development, bringing in iconic items, weapons and enemies from the film franchise. Aliens: Colonial Marines is being set up as a proper sequel to the 1986 film Aliens and follows the events of that movie. The story follows Corporal Christopher Winter, who has been sent with his squad to locate Ripley, Hicks and the rest of the crew from that film. 20th Century Fox is giving the game its full blessing as part of Aliens canon, so long-time fans of the series can put aside any doubts as to the integrity of the story that Gearbox is building.

    Check out the trailer below, Aliens: Colonial Marines releases on February 12th, 2013 on Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3 and Wii U. Remember, you're not just fighting for the human race. You're fighting for the title of baddest mothe - well, you get it.

  • Escape From Aliens: Colonial Marines Brand New Trailer


    You don't really want to escape from the latest Aliens: Colonial Marines, trailer. Because it's great. The game, which is currently in-development at Gearbox Software, is due out in February of 2013 but as PAX Prime gets underway here in Seattle, the team has released a brand new trailer for Escape Mode.

    Aliens: Colonial Marines is a proper entry into Aliens canon, and not just an awkward spinoff like many storied franchises seem to see. The game will incorporate many elements from the iconic film franchise including a variety of weapons and gadgets that were featured in the films; namely pulse rifles, flamethrowers and motion trackers.

    In the latest trailer, we get a glimpse of Escape Mode which is a competitive multiplayer mode where players can choose to play as Xenomorph or Marine. Check out the video above which shows the different types of Xenos that players will encounter in Escape Mode and presumably throughout the game.

    For more on Aliens: Colonial Marines, check out http://www.sega.com/alienscolonialmarines/.

  • Aliens: Colonial Marines Releasing in February of 2013

    SEGA and Gearbox Software have announced that their upcoming first-person/third-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines will be releasing in February of 2013.

    The latest in the Aliens sci-fi franchise, Colonial Marines plans to incorporate many elements from the iconic film franchise including a variety of weapons and gadgets that were featured in the films; namely pulse rifles, flamethrowers and motion trackers. Gearbox Software is no stranger to amazing co-op gameplay (Borderlands) so expect some pretty impressive action when it comes to Aliens: Colonial Marines drop-in, drop-out style co-op mode.

    The entire campaign can be played by yourself, or you can grab up to three friends to take down the Xenomorph threat. 

    Check out Aliens: Colonial Marines at http://www.sega.com/alienscolonialmarines/!