Aliens: Fireteam Elite Reviews
Aliens: Fireteam Elite does precisely what it sets out to do: letting players kill Aliens and defend hallways. Expecting anything more is only going to lead to disappointment.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is tricky to judge. The gameplay loop is repetitive and retreads a lot of the tropes found in similar co-op shooter experiences. Its presentation is good but inconsistent. What it does well is capturing the visuals and sound of the movies and distilling them into a well-established formula. There's a good variety of combat classes and engaging ways to customize and improve builds, so players are incentivized to continue playing and get better as the difficulty ratchets up to add a thrilling survival component. I am concerned about the title's online matchmaking, which we were unable to test. Since the title does not support crossplay, the game's longevity and player base will depend on early adopters and future content releases to prove that this online shooter is here to stay.
Alien Fireteam Elite is enjoyable but not recommended for people looking for a single-player experience.
While Left 4 Dead is a clear influence, Fireteam Elite really hasn't grasped the notion that players need some room to breathe and collect their thoughts. Nowhere is safe, and the constant onslaught quickly becomes tiring. While missions only last about 20 minutes, they're unwaveringly stressful, and there's so much to take in that the motion tracker – annoyingly located on the far right of the screen – is practically redundant. If it's just you and the Working Joes on a squad then Aliens: Fireteam Elite can feel like hard work; it's very much at its best when played with friends, basking in the nostalgia of this resilient series.
Overall, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a solid and surprising entry in the Alien franchise. The game’s addicting nature, fun combat and gameplay really help it out. The game doesn’t try to be the best in the visual or audio department, but it does have polished game systems that are well thought out and fun to play with. Additionally, It sets a fantastic foundation for future content and seasons. While it’s unfortunate that the matchmaking was broken at launch for Xbox users and the game is lacking full cross-platform support, I still had a great time even when I played solo.
If you have the connection to support this “cloud play” game, it offers intense and compelling squad-based shooting
Besides the flatness of the levels and the AI/NPC issues, the game is actually enjoyable to play, especially if you are looking for a fun, brainless shooting game where all you have to do is unload bullets into creepy crawly things.
Aside from being a faithful take on the Aliens experience, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is simply a good game. Is it a shot-for-shot adaptation of its source material? Certainly not, but I definitely felt like I was in at least some version of an Aliens world through and through. Its loot and combat only improve with time without asking players to mindlessly grind just to keep progressing. The obvious push towards co-op, as opposed to single-player, may be a bummer to some, but even those who venture into Xenomorph swarms on their own will have plenty to look forward to in Aliens: Fireteam Elite.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a thin co-op horde shooter with an Aliens skin. And for many, that’ll be exactly what they are looking for. This looks and sounds the part of the 80s action classic and will tickle those nostalgia senses.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a solid multiplayer shooter that has a good range of ways to play. I would have liked it to have more missions, but it does have a good amount of replayability, especially if playing online with friends—and there have already been promises of more content on the way.
Fans of the Alien franchise have dealt with a heck of a lot worse, but they’ve also had better over the years. Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a solid entry that’ll provide many cooperative multiplayer thrills but one that doesn’t quite reach the highs of the film it is influenced by or the best of the genre.
In the run-up to the release of Aliens: Fireteam Elite, fellow Rapid Reviewer Ciaran McGinn shared a few of his thoughts on the perfect Alien(s) game. My own love affair with the Alien(s) franchise began in my childhood. I wouldn’t like to hazard a guess at how old I was when I watched Aliens (the film that began it all for me) – too young most likely.
Despite issues with repetition, Aliens: Fireteam Elite delivers where it counts; in its core gameplay. When you’re in the moment, obliterating hundreds of enemies using iconic weapons, against the backdrop of stunning locations that tap into the amazing cinematography the Alien franchise is known for, any shortcomings almost seem irrelevant. And, with the promise of free playable content to come across the next year, the rock-solid foundation which Cold Iron Studios has built could turn into something truly special.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite does something we already suspected, is a game that does more for the financial success of the IP than the IP for the game itself.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Aliens:Fireteam Elite is an excellent and thrilling take on the Aliens franchise.
As strong as the source material is, Alien games just statistically don’t manage to deliver. It wasn’t until the second chapter when I was fighting off androids that I started to have a little bit of fun. But to be frank, that was the most disappointing part of all. I was looking forward to enjoying an Aliens game, but the only time I really enjoyed myself was when the game looked the least like Aliens.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is pure joy to play when all the stars line up. By that I mean when playing with friends or when you're lucky enough to get matchmaking online to work. There's a lot to like here, from the intense moment-to-moment combat, to the deep class system and the exceptional weapon variety. It's really too bad the game is severely lacking on the matchmaking front so here's hoping this gets addressed quickly. If it does get resolved, I can see this being my main go-to online multiplayer game for many months to come.
What Aliens: Fireteam Elite needs is a generous dose of content, and arguably a bigger production.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is probably what I deserve for getting my hopes up. But just like my plans for Summer of 2020, my hopes have been taken from me and ejected into the cold vacuum of space.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is extremely fun to play once through with your friends, but when you’re expected to play the same stages multiple times, the gameplay wains on the player. It becomes more tedious than anything because the stages themselves just aren’t that interesting. Playing higher difficulties provides more challenge to your crew, but it gets repetitive. You’re expected to want to do this for more gun customization, but that’s barely interesting. Regardless, I have to admit, shooting down waves of aliens with friends sure is entertaining.