History Videogame / AliensColonialMarines

With Creator/NeillBlomkamp's ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' sequel ignoring the events of ''Film/{{Alien3}}'', this game has been placed under CanonDiscontinuity. However, ''Alien: Isolation'' is still canonical, due to taking place before ''Aliens''.

A prequel, ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation'', was released in Octiber of 2014 developed by Creative Assembly. It was made with a similar engine to ''Colonial Marines'', but plays [[GenreShift considerably differently]] than its predecessor, emphasizing [[NothingIsScarier atmospheric]] SurvivalHorror over simply shooting Xenomorphs (and given critical response, it seems to have worked).

* GeniusBonus: The Raven doesn't look or act very raven-like, does it? That's because it's named for older, variant definitions of "raven"--"to seize violently" or "to tear apart." Given that it does the former and looks like it received the latter, it's simultaneously fitting and ludicrously obscure.

A prequel, ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation'', was released in Octiber of 2014 developed by Creative Assembly. It was being made with a similar engine to ''Colonial Marines'', but will play [[GenreShift considerably differently]] than its predecessor, emphasizing [[NothingIsScarier atmospheric]] SurvivalHorror over simply shooting Xenomorphs (and given critical response, it seems to have worked).

A prequel, ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation'', is in the works, being developed by Creative Assembly. It is being made with a similar engine to ''Colonial Marines'', but will play [[GenreShift considerably differently]] than its predecessor, emphasizing [[NothingIsScarier atmospheric]] SurvivalHorror over simply shooting Xenomorphs.

* ArcWords: "No Marine Get's Left Behind." Much of the plot is driven by these old fashioned and honorable words.

Despite all of the criticism, however, [[AuthorsSavingThrow Gearbox issued a series of patches]] to bring things up to scratch, and the first DLC pack received praise for its content. Though the response is still lukewarm, critics were more positive to the effort and noted that the patching is a step in the right direction. It was also one of the most successful games of the year, selling over 50,000 copies.

* EliteMooks: Weyland-Yutani Elites wear white armor and helmets, and can take about twice as much damage as the regular grunts. They still go down pretty quickly, though. In multiplayer, the Xenos have Boilers and Crushers, which have powerful special abilities but can only be unlocked by scoring a lot of points.

* SimpleYetAwesome: The standard Pulse Rifle is the first weapon seen in normal gameplay, can be augmented to include a variety of different attachments (including a grenade launcher with several types of ordinance), has plenty of ammo for it lying around most levels, and is effective at putting down xenomorphs with one or two bursts.

* AwesomeYetPractical: The standard Pulse Rifle is the first weapon seen in normal gameplay, can be augmented to include a variety of different attachments (including a grenade launcher with several types of ordinance), has plenty of ammo for it lying around most levels, and is effective at putting down xenomorphs with one or two bursts.

A prequel, ''Alien: Isolation'', is in the works, being developed by Creative Assembly. It is being made with a similar engine to ''Colonial Marines'', but will play [[GenreShift considerably differently]] than its predecessor, emphasizing [[NothingIsScarier atmospheric]] SurvivalHorror over simply shooting Xenomorphs.

* NoOneShouldSurviveThat: The subject of much dissonance in the Aliens fandom, is how did the colony survive the explosion when its Atmosphere Processor went critical in ''Aliens''. As Bishop clearly stated the entire area will end up being a cloud of vapor the size of Nebraska. [[OutrunTheFireball They escaped from a massive explosion in the 2nd dropship]], yet in the game, its all largely intact.

Despite all of the criticism, however, [[AuthorsSavingThrow Gearbox issued a series of patches]] to bring things up to scratch, and the first DLC pack received praise for its contents. Though the response is still lukewarm, critics were more positive to the effort and noted that the patching is a step in the right direction. It was also one of the most successful games of the year, selling over 50,000 copies.

'''''Aliens: Colonial Marines''''' is a FirstPersonShooter developed by Creator/GearboxSoftware, set in the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' universe, and follows a group of United States Colonial Marines as they investigate the circumstances behind what happened to Ellen Ripley and the survivors of the USS ''Sulaco''. Colonial Marines is presented as the "true sequel" to the ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' film, and boasts authentic locales from the film universe. It features a story driven single-player mode as well as a four player co-op mode and multiplayer.

The game was released across several platforms on February 12, 2013, only to be panned almost universally. Despite looking very promising with regards to previews and trailers, the game fell short due to [[ObviousBeta numerous bugs and issues]], and for coming out generally disappointing; even the few critics that didn't slam it completely went into great detail about the game's graphical and mechanical failings.

Due to the largely-negative response, the Wii U version was cancelled. Despite all of the criticism, however, [[AuthorsSavingThrow Gearbox issued a series of patches]] to bring things up to scratch, and the first DLC pack received praise for its contents. Though the response is still lukewarm, critics were more positive to the effort and noted that the patching is a step in the right direction.

A single-player DownloadableContent campaign, "Stasis Interrupted", was released on July 23, 2013.

'''''Aliens: Colonial Marines''''' is a FirstPersonShooter developed by Creator/GearboxSoftware, set in the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' universe, and follows a group of United States Colonial Marines as they investigate the circumstances behind what happened to Ellen Ripley and the survivors of the USS ''Sulaco''.

Players are put into the shoes of Lieutenant Christopher Winter, a Marine who is tasked with assisting two squadrons of Marines who have boarded the USS ''Sulaco'', which has mysteriously reappeared over the planet LV-426. When the situation becomes desperate and Winter's unit is forced down onto the planet's surface, they discover an alien infestation more intense and horrific than anything they could have imagined, and must fight to escape the planet and stop the xenomorphs once and for all.

Colonial Marines is presented as the "true sequel" to the ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' film, and boasts authentic locales from the film universe (including the U.S.S. ''Sulaco'' and the Hadley's Hope colony, among several others) and classic weaponry ranging from pulse rifles to flamethrowers, as well as new equipment and skills all within a squad-based combat system. It features a story driven single-player mode as well as a four player co-op mode allowing players to share the experience with three friends.

The game was released across several platforms on February 12, 2013 but, sadly, received almost universally negative reviews. Even the few critics that didn't slam it completely went into great detail about the game's graphical and mechanical failings. However, the game was near-universally praised for the detail that the developers went into as far recreating the environments that were present in ''Film/{{Aliens}}''.

Due to the largely-negative response, the Wii U version was cancelled. In response to the criticism, [[AuthorsSavingThrow Gearbox issued a series of patches for the game to make the final product play more like the E3 Demo]]. Though the response is still lukewarm, critics were more positive to the effort and noted that the patching is a step in the right direction.

* HelpFaceTurn: [[spoiler: In ''Stasis Interrupted'', Dr. Levy turns on Michael Weyland and teams up with Hicks in the final two missions, Michael Weyland's speech about how humanity is nothing but expendable dregs being the last straw for the doctor.]]

** Lisbeth in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC.

** Weyland-Yutani themselves. In the three films they (or their representatives) are featured in, their role is largely relegated to a "behind-the-scenes" benefactor who resorts to duplicitous or shady actions to get what they want. In ''Colonial Marines'', not only are they willing to massacre civilians (in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC), their own military or the Marines themselves to get what they want, but they set up a full-scale operation with a queen producing eggs for their own use.

* BadassNormal: Cpl. Winter himself. In the first chapter alone, Winter heads into a hive [[spoiler:in the Sulaco]] by himself to investigate (and subsequently saves a fellow Marine), fends off a xenomorph attack in the cargo bay, then manages to climb out of a depressurizing transfer bridge after [[spoiler:Keyes blows it up]].

** A log in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC has Bishop explaining that Hudson enjoyed the knife trick he performed in the mess hall.

* DecoyProtagonist: [[spoiler:Lisbeth Sanders in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC]].

** "Stasis Interrupted", a campaign DLC which bridges the gap between the second and third films and the main game, from multiple perspectives.

* ForegoneConclusion: As [[spoiler:Lisbeth is first seen pulling a facehugger off herself]] at the beginning of the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, [[spoiler:she will die]] in the course of the story. Likewise, [[spoiler:Hicks]] has to survive until he is found by Winter and O'Neil, and [[spoiler:Hicks will be too late to save Ripley]].

** In the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, [[spoiler:Lisbeth overloads the Legato's engines to kill the surviving Weyland-Yutani soldiers and xenomorphs infesting the ship, just as a chestburster comes out of her]].

** In "Stasis Interrupted", [[spoiler:Stone tells Hicks that there may be a way to save Ripley]]. It turns out to be an aversion/ForegoneConclusion when they [[spoiler:reach Fury-161 just in time to see Ripley kill herself]].
* HowWeGotHere: The beginning of the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC.

* LateArrivalSpoiler: For both ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' and ''Film/{{Alien 3}}''. The story trailer for the game even mentions that all of the Marines who were dispatched to LV-426 on the Sulaco should be "considered KIA".

* LevelInReverse: In the last two missions of the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, [[spoiler:Hicks and Levy]] travel through a similar route that Winter and O'Neil take in the latter half of the main game (communications tower, Queen's holding pen, Derelict, FTL ship), except in reverse.

** The first half of "Awakening" in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC has Lisbeth having to sneak past turrets, Weyland-Yutani soldiers and xenomorphs.

* PointDefenseless: The Sephora attempts to return fire against the Sulaco, trying to disable the Sulaco's guns. As this happens, one marine companion comments that the guns "Aren't that accurate." Both ships are within a few hundred meters of each other at most. In space terms, that is spitting distance.
* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler:Stone is executed]] at the beginning of the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, and is later seen and spoken to (as well as being playable) in [[spoiler:Hicks' flashback]].

* ShoutOut: Whilst exploring the Weyland-Yutani lab, you find a room full of chestbursters being held in suspended animation in big glass tubes. In a small room you can find an empty container with a straw hat and cane in it, a nice shout out to ''Spaceballs''.

** Much like [[CallForward Ripley's response]] as she's falling into the lava, [[spoiler:Lisbeth grabs her own chestburster and holds onto it as the Legato explodes]] in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC.

* TortureAlwaysWorks: The basis of the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, as [[spoiler:Hicks]] is tortured for information using a variant of a truth serum that causes him to explain what happened leading up to the events of the main game.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Levy is presumably captured by Weyland-Yutani (along with [[spoiler:Hicks]]) at the end of the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, and is not seen or referenced in the main game, which takes place afterwards. While it's likely that he was executed by the company for treason, no mention is made of what happened to him.

* WhyIsntItAttacking: In the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC. When Lisbeth hides in a storage locker aboard the Legato, a xenomorph approaches it, hisses at her and goes to another locker, where it eviscerates the man hiding inside. She realizes afterwards that it didn't attack her because [[spoiler:she's carrying a chestburster]].
* YouAreTooLate: In the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, [[spoiler:Hicks and Stone]] arrive at Fury-161 just in time to see Ripley swan dive into the molten lead.

* POVSequel: Two-thirds of the game take place on Hadley's Hope, making it the same plot as the second film (escape the planet while fighting off a horde of xenomorphs), told from the perspective of the reinforcements that were called to assist the previous crew (of the Sulaco) who were there.

* {{Rewrite}}: The "Stasis Interrupted" DLC retcons the fire in the Sulaco cryopod chambers as being due to a firefight, one that isn't heard or seen as the acid falls on the ground in the film itself. Likewise, [[spoiler:Hicks is wearing a shirt instead of the bandages he had on at the end of ''Aliens'', and a colonist from the Legato (Turk) inadvertently takes his place in the cryopod]].
* {{Revision}}: ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'' began with the Sulaco two weeks out from LV-426 before it evacuated the cryopods, while ''Colonial Marines'' has the Sulaco orbiting the planet once again. The explanation is that Weyland-Yutani boarded the ship sometime between the destruction of LV-426 and the beginning of the game, [[spoiler:captured Hicks and made him a prisoner, turned the ship around and sent it back to the planet, where they began using it as a testing ground for a new xenomorph hive]].
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Lisbeth in the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC, after learning that [[spoiler:her parents were killed by Weyland-Yutani]].

* AscendedExtra: Michael Weyland, the man who tried to convince Ripley not to sacrifice herself in the third film, plays a key part in the game's narrative.

* AwesomeButPractical: The standard Pulse Rifle is the first weapon seen in normal gameplay, can be augmented to include a variety of different attachments (including a grenade launcher with several types of ordinance), has plenty of ammo for it lying around most levels, and is effective at putting down xenomorphs with one or two bursts.