Aliens: Infestation is a 2011 side-scrolling shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and WayForward Technologies and published by SEGA for the Nintendo DS. The game follows a team of Colonial Marines as they locate and investigate the USS Sulaco following the vessel's disappearance after the events of Alien3.
Infestation initially began development as a Nintendo DS port of Aliens: Colonial Marines early in that game's development cycle. However, when development of Colonial Marines stalled, the DS version was cancelled, but when production of Colonial Marines subsequently resumed, the DS version was completed as a new game and released under the title "Aliens: Infestation". Due to its origins as a port, the game's plot features many similarities to that of Aliens: Colonial Marines (the Marines are initially investigating the disappearance of the Sulaco, they arrive on a vessel called the Sephora) but otherwise does not tell the same story and features a completely different cast of characters.
Publisher's summary[]
GAME OVER, MAN! The Xenomorph, the ultimate killing machine, returns. Only the universe's toughest, the Colonial Marines, can exterminate the galaxies most feared specimens. Can you fight off the terror of an alien infestation?
Plot[]
Following the discovery of the USS Sulaco adrift in space some 18 weeks after events on LV-426, a team of Colonial Marines are dispatched aboard the USS Sephora to investigate. They quickly discover the presence of hostile Union of Progressive Peoples (U.P.P.) soldiers, as well as Xenomorphs that have established a Hive aboard the ship. After encountering and defeating the Xenomorph Queen, the Marines descend to the surface of LV-426 to continue their investigation. There they discover that the U.P.P. are attempting to harvest Xenomorphs for their own use. The Marines eliminate the U.P.P. presence in the area and destroy their satcom.
As the Xenomorphs attack, the squad escapes the area in an APC. However, the APC crashes into the derelict, ending up inside the Pilot's chamber. There the Marines face off against a Jockey-Xenomorph, ultimately defeating it. The continued Xenomorph presence suggests that the Weyland-Yutani Corporation is also involved in events. The Marines travel to a Weyland-Yutani research facility located on the Martian moon Phobos, where they discover a series of experiments being run on the Xenomorphs, including the creation of Gorilla Xenomorphs and a giant tank-like Xenomorph. The Marines, now aware of Sean Davis' plans, return to the Sulaco where they face off against a gigantic Queen (possibly the Queen Mother), with the Sulaco ultimately being destroyed.
Characters[]
Playable characters[]
Infestation features a plethora of playable Marines, each with differing personalities, idle animations and armor colors. Initially, the player will start with a four man squad, which is the maximum number of Marines that the player may control. If a playable character dies, they will remain killed throughout the rest of the game. The playable characters will eventually encounter other Marines. Should the player encounter another Marine when they have fewer than four squad members, the new Marine will join the player's squad. Otherwise, they will not join the squad and will give supplies to the current playable character instead.
The player will control one Marine at a time, and they can freely switch out one Marine with another when inside a checkpoint room. The player cannot control marines who have not joined the squad beforehand.Regular
Enemies[]
Bosses[]
- Queen
- Jockey-Xenomorph
- Gorilla Alien Praetorian
- Unknown boss (possibly a Xenomorph Empress or a young Queen Mother)
Cut Content[]
Aliens: Infestation once featured stages with flooded areas, which the player could traverse by swimming and diving. These sections were cut prior to release, as the developers felt they did not fit within the course of the adventure.[1]
A non-player character named "Coolerbot" was also cut late in development. A robotic, walking water cooler, Coolerbot would have followed the player around on certain floors, offering water along the way. Naturally, Coolerbot could be damaged by the player's weaponry.[1]
Media[]
Aliens: Infestation was featured on the Feb. 25th episode of the video game documentary series "All Your History Are Belong To Us" on the Machinima YouTube network.
Goofs[]
- The design of the Sulaco's interior is almost completely different from its design in Aliens.
- A M41A Pulse Rifle sound effect plays each time the player successfully repels a Xenomorph tackle, regardless of the weapon equipped at the time.
Gallery[]
External Links[]
- SEGA's website (archived)
- WayForward's website
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chris Buffa (October 5, 2011). "Aliens: Infestation Interview- Building Better Worlds".