SGF 2022: New ‘Aliens’ game called ‘Dark Descent’ announced

Geoff Keighley kickstarted Summer Game Fest 2022 by revealing a new game in the Aliens franchise. Aliens: Dark Descent is coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2023.

Dark Descent will be developed by Tindalos Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment. Here’s the game’s official logline on Steam:

In Aliens: Dark Descent, command a squad of hardened Colonial Marines to stop a terrifying Xenomorph outbreak on Moon Lethe. Lead your soldiers in real-time combat against iconic Xenomorphs, rogue operatives from the insatiable Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and a host of horrifying creatures new to the Alien franchise.

You are the commander. They are your weapon.

Infiltrate large open levels and annihilate enemies with your squad, dispatching orders strategically and intuitively at the touch of a button. Tread carefully, as your foes will adapt their tactics to your actions while hunting you down because death is permanent. Forge unique paths for survival, uncovering shortcuts, creating safe zones, and setting up motion trackers in a persistent world where your actions impact levels forever.

While the developers have refused to elaborate further, it looks as though Dark Descent will be a top-down shooter despite its third-person cinematic trailer. If the trailer didn’t make it clear enough, the franchise’s iconic villain, known as the Xenomorph, is making a comeback.

Fans weighed in, reacting to the announcement. One simply assessed, “Aliens: Dark Descent. Love it.”

Another, being a more specific kind of enthused, said, “Smooching all of the xenomorphs in Alien: Dark Descent.”

This year’s Summer Game Fest runs through 4 pm ET.