History VideoGame / AliensDarkDescent

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: The game states in the item descriptions that its plasma weapons have an output in the low milliwatt range. In other words, even the [=APCs=] twin-linked PlasmaCannon hits with the awe-inspiring destructive power of a lit candle. Given how useless this weapon is, this value might just be accurate. The plasma rifle available to level 10+ marines is far more powerful than that, though.

* NoticeThis: In a more interactive example than is typical, players can make the squad sweep their flashlights around in player-directed orientations and anything interactable in line of sight that the flashlight catches will be highlighted.

* RaceAgainstTheClock: About halfway through the game [[spoiler: Weyland-Yutani will start a countdown to sterilizing Lethe with a nuclear bombardment. At that point you need to complete the main quest before the countdown reaches zero, or else the ''Otago'' will still be on the planet when the surface gets vaporized.]]

* BodyHorror: Aside from the usual [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong Xenomorph]] [[ChestBurster lifecycle]], there's the Guardians, cultist who have been implanted with a device known as Embryostasis which replaced most of their torso, neck and mouth, and holds the Chestburster inside them on stasis, slowing its gestation process while allowing them to walk among the Aliens without being attacked by them. The end result makes the Guardian look at home in ''VideoGame/{{Scorn}}'' with how severely transformed they are to accommodate the embryo.

* GiantMook: [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}}. In the final level, there is an entire field of giant-sized alien eggs. [[MesACrowd One of the Marlos]] encourages the heroes to walk through the eggs to reach him, [[FalseReassurance reassuring them that they're perfectly safe since the eggs aren't meant for someone with their proportions]]. He then asks them to hurry, claiming the eggs are opening, when they're halfway through, [[{{Troll}} despite the eggs remaining firmly shut]].]]

* MesACrowd: The BigBad and leader of the cult, [[spoiler: Dr. Marlow, sick of Wey-Yu office politics, ultimately decided the only person he could trust was himself, and thus created a few dozen Synth clones of himself to serve as his assistants. At the end of the game, you learn the real Marlow [[DeadAllAlong died from chest-bursting long ago]], and his Synth copies have been continuing his work since then.]]

* AmbiguouslyHuman: [[spoiler: Director Pryce]] of all people. Hayes speculates that they may be actually synthetic as an explanation for their behavior throughout the game but it is never proven one way or the other.

* BaitAndSwitch: [[spoiler:A portion of the final level requires your soldiers to run through a cluster of abnormally large eggs. But despite the setup and some {{troll}}ing by an android, you never have to face [[GiantMook giant facehuggers]], because [[CripplingOverspecialization they would be too big to infest a human]]]].

* MoraleMechanic: Marines have a stress mechanic representing how badly the carnage and horror they witness is affecting them. Fight enemies, taking injuries, and watching comrades get injured/killed all causes this to rise, and if it hits one hundred percent, they'll start developing traumas that impair them in missions. Stress can be reduced by having soldiers rest (either between missions at the ''Otago'' or in Havens created by welding all doors to a room shut in-mission), while Trauma is managed by using the Psychiatric Care Unit in the ''Otago'''s medbay. Treatment for trauma takes days, encouraging you to manage stress carefully.