Alienremains one of the most-revered sci-fi horror films ever. The IP eventually spread beyond just its franchise to become an important pop-culture reference, with the titular species from the films, the Xenomorph, remaining one of the most iconic movie monsters of all time. Coincidentally, the release ofAlienwas concurrent with the rise of video games, resulting in video games based on the franchise being both numerous and popular throughout the history of the medium. 2024 was great for the franchise’s films with the release ofAlien: Romulus, and now two games based in theAlienuniverse are closing things out with a bang.
Kicking things off in December is the highlighted title from the month’sPS Plus giveaways,Aliens: Dark Descent. A compelling RTS and turn-based tactics hybrid,Aliens: Dark Descent’s gameplay and atmosphere make great use of theAlienfranchise while delivering an enjoyable, yet challenging, experience. ButDark Descent’s giveaway is far from the onlyAlien-centric highlight of the month, as the VR-exclusive first-person survival horror titleAlien: Rogue Incursionis set to launch on July 22, 2025. Between a criminally underratedAlientactics game and a terrifying-looking VR title,Alienfans have a lot to look forward to as the year comes to a close.
Aliens: Dark Descent Is a Compelling RTS/TRPG Hybrid That Nails the Films' Atmosphere
In addition to its unique approach to tactical gameplay,Aliens: Dark Descentstays true to the aesthetic and tone ofJames Cameron’sAliens, honoring the action-laden sci-fi of the 1986 classic and continuing its plot of corporate hubris gone awry. Once again, players have more to contend with than just the Xenomorphs, as rogue Weiland-Yutani corp employees and malfunctioning synthetics also stand between the colonial marines and their goals. As a bonus,Aliens: Dark Descentdoes a commendable job at translating a genre that typically favors mouse and keyboard to standard controller inputs.
Players Can Go Face-to-Face With a Xenomorph in Alien: Rogue Incursion on December 19
Later in the month on December 19, the highly anticipatedAlienVR title,Alien: Rogue Incursion, is set to launch for both PC and PS5 courtesy of the PSVR2. A first-person survival horror title akin to the critically acclaimedAlien: Isolation,Rogue Incursionis promising to be one of the most harrowing experiences players can have in VR, tapping into the cat-and-mouse chase ofIsolationwhile offering an unprecedented level of immersion.
The initial announcement ofRogue Incursionwas met with a bit of a mixed reception thanks to fans assuming that the trailer was for anAlien: Isolationsequel. But with the official announcement of anAlien: Isolationsequelcurrently in development,Alien: Rogue Incursionnow has the chance to stand on its own two feet and impress players with a wholly different kind of experience, even if it’s built on the foundations laid byIsolation.
