Aliens: Dark Descent

Item: Aliens: Dark Descent
Rating: 81
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2025-07-30

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Summary

Engaging, unique real-time tactical squad combat
Authentic Alien atmosphere and intense tension
Persistent game-breaking bugs significantly impact experience
Inconsistent enemy AI and repetitive encounters
Frustrating save system and clunky squad controls
Weak story and disappointing ending

Emotions

Satisfaction34%Frustration15%Excitement12%Disappointment10%Joy4%

Reviews (sample size): 2000
Helpful reviews: 79%
Unhelpful reviews: 20%
Protest reviews: 1%

81%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
19%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 5037
Negative points: 3318
Gameplay points: 2810
Perf. points: 127
Rec. points: 951
Misc points: 452

Point	Description	Importance
Engaging & Unique Gameplay Description Players consistently praise the game's core gameplay as highly enjoyable, unique, and deeply engaging. It offers a fresh take on tactical strategy, providing a challenging yet rewarding experience that keeps players hooked for extended periods. Importance 98%	Players consistently praise the game's core gameplay as highly enjoyable, unique, and deeply engaging. It offers a fresh take on tactical strategy, providing a challenging yet rewarding experience that keeps players hooked for extended periods.	98%
Authentic Alien Atmosphere Description The game excels at capturing the authentic atmosphere and essence of the Alien franchise, particularly the second film. This is achieved through meticulous attention to visual and sound design, faithful lore integration, and a constant sense of dread and tension. Importance 84%	The game excels at capturing the authentic atmosphere and essence of the Alien franchise, particularly the second film. This is achieved through meticulous attention to visual and sound design, faithful lore integration, and a constant sense of dread and tension.	84%
Intense Tension & Fear Description The game masterfully builds and maintains a high level of tension and fear, often described as nerve-wracking and genuinely scary. This is significantly enhanced by the immersive sound design, particularly the motion tracker, and the constant feeling of being hunted. Importance 47%	The game masterfully builds and maintains a high level of tension and fear, often described as nerve-wracking and genuinely scary. This is significantly enhanced by the immersive sound design, particularly the motion tracker, and the constant feeling of being hunted.	47%
Compelling & Well-Written Story Description The game features a compelling and well-written story that keeps players invested from start to finish. It offers narrative depth, intriguing twists, and a coherent plot that expands on the Alien universe in a respectful manner. Importance 18%	The game features a compelling and well-written story that keeps players invested from start to finish. It offers narrative depth, intriguing twists, and a coherent plot that expands on the Alien universe in a respectful manner.	18%
Fluid & Tactical Combat Description The combat system is highly praised for its fluidity, tactical depth, and unique blend of real-time action with a pause mechanic. The game effectively balances stealth and direct confrontation, making both approaches tense and rewarding. Importance 15%	The combat system is highly praised for its fluidity, tactical depth, and unique blend of real-time action with a pause mechanic. The game effectively balances stealth and direct confrontation, making both approaches tense and rewarding.	15%
Replayable & Polished Experience Description The game offers a surprisingly long campaign with high replayability, supported by well-tuned and customizable difficulty settings. Players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and the game's overall polish and lack of major bugs. Importance 11%	The game offers a surprisingly long campaign with high replayability, supported by well-tuned and customizable difficulty settings. Players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and the game's overall polish and lack of major bugs.	11%
Deep Squad Management Description The squad management and customization systems are a highlight, allowing players to develop a strong bond with their marines. The unique squad movement, stress mechanics, and detailed progression system add significant depth and replayability. Importance 10%	The squad management and customization systems are a highlight, allowing players to develop a strong bond with their marines. The unique squad movement, stress mechanics, and detailed progression system add significant depth and replayability.	10%
Tense & Varied Missions Description Mission design is consistently praised for its ability to generate tension and offer varied objectives. The pacing of missions, including the ramping difficulty and strategic extraction options, contributes to a satisfying and engaging experience. Importance 8%	Mission design is consistently praised for its ability to generate tension and offer varied objectives. The pacing of missions, including the ramping difficulty and strategic extraction options, contributes to a satisfying and engaging experience.	8%
Authentic Marine Experience Description The game successfully immerses players in the role of a Colonial Marine, emphasizing their vulnerability and the need for careful resource and stress management. Authentic sound design, particularly the pulse rifle, enhances this feeling. Importance 7%	The game successfully immerses players in the role of a Colonial Marine, emphasizing their vulnerability and the need for careful resource and stress management. Authentic sound design, particularly the pulse rifle, enhances this feeling.	7%
Satisfying Progression System Description The game provides a satisfying sense of progression, with noticeable character development and a rewarding unlock system. This encourages players to continue playing and experiment with different strategies. Importance 6%	The game provides a satisfying sense of progression, with noticeable character development and a rewarding unlock system. This encourages players to continue playing and experiment with different strategies.	6%
Challenging Xenomorph AI Description The Xenomorphs are depicted as intelligent, lethal, and unpredictable adversaries, requiring strategic planning for every encounter. Their behavior and visual design contribute significantly to the game's intense atmosphere. Importance 5%	The Xenomorphs are depicted as intelligent, lethal, and unpredictable adversaries, requiring strategic planning for every encounter. Their behavior and visual design contribute significantly to the game's intense atmosphere.	5%

Aliens: Dark Descent

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