Aliens: Dark Descent

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Lead Colonial Marines through a Xenomorph outbreak, where stress and the hive both close in.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Stores: Steam
Price: Paid
Rated: Very Positive on Steam (88% of 18,982 reviews)
Players: 1
Controls: Mouse and keyboard or controller: select the squad, order moves, abilities and weapons
Made by: Tindalos Interactive
Released: 2023

Get it on Steam PlayStation Store (PS5, PS4)Xbox (Xbox One, Series X|S)Focus Entertainment (publisher's page)

What frightens You command a squad of Colonial Marines through dark colony buildings during a Xenomorph outbreak. Every time the squad is detected its stress rises, and stressed marines panic, miss shots and pick up lasting traumas; noise and contact make the hive hunt you in growing numbers, a beeping motion tracker shows movement you cannot yet see, and marines who die stay dead.
Content: gore, violence, strong language.

Aliens: Dark Descent is a real-time squad tactics game by Tindalos Interactive set in the Alien universe. You lead Colonial Marines through a Xenomorph outbreak on Lethe, sneaking past the hive, watching the motion tracker and keeping your soldiers' stress from breaking them, knowing that every marine lost is gone for good.

About Aliens: Dark Descent

Aliens: Dark Descent was developed by Tindalos Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment in June 2023 for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. It tells an original Alien story: a Xenomorph outbreak on Lethe, rogue Weyland-Yutani operatives, and a new threat made for this game.

You see each mission from above and give orders to a squad of marines in real time. The levels are large and persistent: you can weld doors, set up motion trackers and make safe zones that stay in place for later missions, and between missions you level up and specialise marines from five starting classes and develop your base to research new tech.

What makes it frightening is how little control you keep. Each time the squad is spotted its stress goes up; stressed marines lose accuracy, panic and can come back with lasting traumas. Getting noticed brings the hive after you in growing numbers, so most missions are a slow creep with the motion tracker pinging and too few medkits and too little ammunition to fight everything. Death is permanent, so a careless push can cost a marine you have levelled up over many hours.

It suits players who like Alien: Isolation's motion tracker dread but want to lead a squad, and fans of tactics games who want their strategy to feel tense rather than safe. It is a long campaign and leans on careful planning more than reflexes.

How to play Aliens: Dark Descent

Pick a squad of marines and their gear at the base before each mission.
On the level, move the squad together, watch the motion tracker and stay out of sight where you can.
When Xenomorphs attack, order the squad's abilities and weapons with a button press.
Weld doors, place motion trackers and set up safe zones that stay in the level.
Leave before the squad is worn down, then level up and equip them at the base.

Screenshots

Aliens: Dark Descent screenshot: marines fire rifles and a flamethrower at charging Xenomorphs on a burning deck while one works a console

Aliens: Dark Descent screenshot: a marine welds a door shut in red light while the squad, one carrying a wounded soldier, waits and Xenomorphs gather beyond

Tips

Retreat early: a squad that pushes on while stressed and wounded is how marines die for good.
Use welded doors and safe zones to control where the hive can reach you.
Spread classes across your roster so losing one marine does not cripple the next mission.
Watch the motion tracker more than the screen; it warns of what is coming before you see it.

Questions

Is Aliens: Dark Descent a horror game?

It is a real-time tactics game built to be tense: a hive that hunts you when you are spotted, a stress system that breaks your marines, scarce supplies and permanent death.

Can I play Aliens: Dark Descent on PlayStation and Xbox?

Yes, on PS5, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S as well as PC.

Is it multiplayer?

No, it is a single-player campaign.

Do marines die permanently?

Yes. The store page states death is permanent, so losing a soldier means losing their levels and skills.