Aliens Dark Descent Review - You Heard The Man And You Know The Drill!

[@MrJenssen]

This feels like an older game, like something that'd come out in the early 2000s, back when different developers tried different things, before everything in the gaming industry got so homogenized. Both the fact that it's a SP only game, without a COOP component, or a "social live service" thing, but also how the gameplay works. It doesn't ape after other popular games out on the market. It's not an "Aliens"-version XCOM, it's not an FPS, it's not a low-budget RTS. It's literally its own thing, hard to compare to anything else in the gaming landscape today. Ironically, it feels like an old game, and that gives it a breath of fresh air.

[@Mustang1984]

Red Solstice 2.

[@kylel7158]

Great break down; I may have to buy it

[@hschan5976]

Watched a couple play throughs and it actually reminds me of Company of Heroes II, not the vanilla game but the Wikinger mod. Basically your sentry guns are your hmg team and they're one of your greatest assets on the battlefield when placed at correct locations. Your marines are your infantry squads that you use to capture strategic points and can be upgraded with various weapons and perks as the game progresses. And you apc is your basically tiger/pershing ie your mobile strong point that helps you punch through.

[@By_the_gods]

Weirdly enough, I think the game closest to Aliens Dark Descent is Darkest Dungeon. If you already know, then no explanation is needed.

[@TheUltimateBastich]

I would say it's XCOM 2 (base management/timer), Darkest Dungeon (stress mechanic) and Dawn of War 2 (squad based rts) mixed together. I wish they ported AVP Extinction to PC, that was decent RTS.

[@alvin2021]

The only time you want a game released full of bugs👍

[@vycanismajoris5501]

the only good bug is an alien bug.

[@AurioDK]

@@vycanismajoris5501 Do you want to be a citizen?

[@HubertCumbadale02]

This another stand up fight or another bug hunt?

[@Johny40Se7en]

"All we know is, we've lost contact with the colony, and that a xenomorph maybe involved..." ..."Anymore questions?" - "Yeah, how do I get out of this chicken shit outfit?" 😅😆🤣

[@mancamiatipoola]

"Just another bug hunt!"

[@dino6080]

1:49 LOLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOL oh shit i laugh so hard LMAO

[@gannicusii4163]

I always know if a game is truly good when he says "I want to play it again differently"

[@mindsoulbody]

Except that this game plays the same way in higher difficulty skill with a different dmg and stat stuff. For more watch other reviews. Always watch multiple reviews. ACG, Mandaloregaming, Splattercatgaming, and more. Worth a buy is great but leaves out huge amount of details that could effectively make or break your experience with the game. For example... You can't skip the tutorial that is at the beginning of the game. On harder difficulty, you get the same thing. Annoying. You don't get to do much other than replay the same game, this is not alien swarm: reactive drop that has huge replay value due to having same maps but mods and more contents. Up to 8 players coop and so on. That game came out in 2017. Has PvP, leaderboards and more. This game, compared to that: what else can it provide other than same maps? Price point: $40. Too steep. It's good but still for that money how much value?

[@BeefHammer1]

@@mindsoulbody The value is measured by the individuals experience of the game that makes it worth it in their opinion. For example 60 aint shit, I spend at least twice that amount at dinner minus drinks. So a few hours playing a game I got some enjoyment out of is worth it TO ME. You're also recommending other reviewers to people who watch Mack for very specific reasons. Right off the bat he mentioned annoying quest reminder dialogue from npc's. This is something most reviewers wouldn't mention let alone mention it right off the bat(it bugs tf out me when games do that, especially read dead 2) He also mentions graphics first which is huge for a lot of people me included. I aint playin Diablo cuz fuck blizzard, id rather play this regardless of other great Alien games like Isolation and the AVP fps games.

[@BigB70]

4:18

[@Coyotekins]

@@mindsoulbody Alien swarm is a twin stick shooter and looks dumb as hell. It is not tactical whatsoever like this game nor does it have any atmosphere at all.. The gameplay trailer makes it look like a kids game. There is no comparison.

[@Tomoyuki_Tanaka]

@@BeefHammer1 Ironically, the reviewers he mentioned - ACG, Mandaloregaming, etc. actually recommend the game and point out its strengths. And they are unanimous is praising its value for money (being only 40 bucks). I dunno why he cherrypicked the weaknesses and didn't mention the strengths at all, despite these reviewers being more positive than negative about the game.

[@Censorshift]

Better than IGN reviews by far

[@michaszparaga6241]

What comes out of IGN can barely be called reviews IMO. Usually just sponsored buttlicking by copywriter level "reviewers". That's why we're all here for Mack I guess ❤

[@catalinborz5445]

Now you made me courious to see that one too

[@theyfearme1379]

As always!

[@Dja05]

not a high bar to pass...

[@Blaze92NL]

@@Dja05exactly my thoughts 😂

[@kondor99999]

Nice to see an Aliens game that’s actually good.

[@KHKsuger]

Thought it was a sequal to Alien isolation. Now im dissapointed

[@Dahellraider]

i liked fireteam and isolation. imo the only bad one was colonial marines, and the last avp game was just meh compared to the olds.

[@MartinT]

I liked Isolation and Fireteam Elite

[@JINGWA64]

still waiting for a proper sequal to AVP2, been 20 years of trash...or the wrong style of game, so yet to get my fix.

[@williams6334]

isolation was excellent! You're right though, it shouldn't be too bloody difficult to make a decent Aliens game. This looks like fun though :)

[@boots5539]

Glad to see they were able to make another good Alien game. I think the atmosphere is always key and that's what made Alien: Isolation so great.

[@EDFCentral]

I thoroughly enjoyed Alien Isolation, but once I finished it I had no desire to go through it again. For me it had zero replayability. It was a great one and done game for me. I'm looking for a game with more replayability and this may be it.

[@benfennell6842]

​@@EDFCentralgood thing it's a long game then lol

[@messiahshow]

​@@EDFCentralWait a few years and you want to play it again.

[@boots5539]

@@EDFCentral Alien Isolation was a stressful game for sure - One that you're almost relieved to have finished. I think that some of the set pieces were incredible. I went back for the DLC but never did the main story more than once. This game seems to have huge replayability which is really exciting!

[@Finnisher_DAD]

"It got a few bugs" Yeah I would imagine it does 😂 Thanks for the review as always might give this a spin.

[@allanspraggon7207]

To the point it is frustratingly broken. 8/10 for a Work in Progress seems a bit too high.

[@arefrigerator396]

Love the review. So glad they came through on this. Aliens is one of my all time favourite franchises. Thanks!

[@ChimeraArchive]

Always good to see more independent coverage of games. You do an excellent job of a condensed highpoint/lowpoint review based on gameplay.

[@tomsim22]

Good to hear it, been waiting to hear your review on this. Ill pick it up today

[@jamesprice9560]

Thanks for the review, I’m definitely checking this one out when I get a chance

[@richardjacksmith6070]

Wow! I've been looking forward to this review. Excellent as always. I was sceptical about Aliens Dark Descent as I don't play many top down real time strategy games. Found it difficult to get into Darksiders Genesis for example. Anyway, my interest in this Aliens game has skyrocketed due to your thorough and perceptive analysis. Incidentally, I recently completed my first playthroughs of Half Life 2 and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Great games. Your reviews got me inspired to play them. Finding more and more I prefer the older titles which don't have X-ray vision, waypoints, bad AI and so on. Thanks for your amazing content. I'll definitely be watching this again soon.

[@DruuzilTechGames]

2:22 - One does not simply descend into darkness.

[@plasticcowgames6415]

Good to see another Aliens game that isnt just a soulless cash-in

[@1993russy]

Thanks for your review Mac! I was on the fence about this game but your seal of approval was all I needed!

[@Simte]

isolation was the last game I played of this universe I love. Most new releases have been awful. Glad to see it is something great for a chance.

[@DeadManSinging1]

I feel like there was only 1 game since Isolation

[@SharkiDarkerTB]

Thanks Mac, I'm a huge aliens fan, and was waiting for something like this. Excellent review, really excited to play this.

[@eternyti]

I hadn't heard of this until now and ngl for more than a second I thought it was some high budget parody / crossover between Aliens and Amnesia with that title lmao

[@MrAdam802]

Still want an actual good modern Aliens story-driven single player FPS.

[@Wolfsheim23]

Well that's Alien Isolation, and it's still modern.

[@AParticularlyConcernedCitizen]

@@Wolfsheim23 Calling Alien: Isolation an FPS is like calling Metal Gear Solid a third-person shooter. Sure you can do it, but is it really the focus of the game? No. This guy wants AVP 2 but modern and without the VP.

[@AParticularlyConcernedCitizen]

@@mablesfatalfable6021 2010 was 13 almost 14 years ago.

[@MrAdam802]

@@Wolfsheim23 That's Alien, I want Aliens.

[@MrAdam802]

@@mablesfatalfable6021 I just want Aliens only, not predator. Basically something like what Aliens Colonial Marines should have been.

[@James_Bee]

Sounds like something passionate modders will fix and make even more immersive.

[@tethys17]

Not seen your channel before but your red and green logo made me think of you'd have an italian accent. I laughed so hard when I realised you were a geordy! Great, honest review. I'll definitely watch more of your vids.

[@etholus1000]

I’m sure the marines complain about stagnation because they just want to get the job done and get the hell out of there 😂

[@flippedoutkyrii]

Never thought I'd see Mac and MandaloreGaming cover the same game, let alone on the same day!

[@blooperman1997]

6:09-7:20 Hmmm. I actually don't love that. I think a better system would be to be able to equip more than you need and then manually place excess in containers for other squads to pick up later.

[@OJW280483]

I’m so glad Mack likes this. Been looking forward to it!

[@Bongface.]

First game in years I pre ordered. Wanted to show that Aliens games are sought after. I definitely want an Isolation 2 but will be happy with this until then. Also give me and Isolation type game with Predator in the Jungle or in a City. That would be awesome.

[@robotomatotomas4459]

Was hoping you'd do a review for this one, Mac. Had my fingers and toes crossed that the game didn't suck. So glad to hear they nailed it! 👍

[@morketthedarkspirit285]

I expected this kind of Alien game for such a long time! And now it's here for us! Let's rock Mac!🤘❤🦇🦇🦇

[@shaun_177]

So glad I pre ordered. After work tomorrow I'm diving in to this nightmare

[@ilmarinen79]

Yeah, a great game indeed! In the beginning it actually took me a while to realize that all the warning yells from the team weren't actual danger situations, it was just ordinary patrols moving or a static wall-bug. At first I was panicking like "where?? WHERE IT'S COMING FROM?" only to realize that it's generated every time you have dots on the radar and they aren't actually closing in, in any manner. I hope the yelling would be a bit more sensical, though it would be pretty cool if only that would happen _only_ with some personality states or stress states.

[@yuriyui]

Did I not hear a bell ring? wow...gonna grab this next week then :D

[@NR-rv8rz]

This game looks amazing. I've been waiting for Alien Breed 4 for a long time :) A few concerns though. - The audio sounds flat, the guns sound sooooo generic. The hip gun and the pulse rifle in the movie sounded way way better and those sounds were designed almost forty years ago. - At 11:01 the dude is on fire and his mate bandages his arm to put the fire out :) - At 11:02 the burned guy just stands in a small pool of green, acid alien blood while he loots a box. - I like the fog of war where you can only see a room once it has been in line of sight. But having everything be so murky all the time, despite being atmospheric, just make the graphics look muddy.

[@brentvdx]

Thanks for the review!

[@nickjames2521]

Fantastic review! Highly relevant and entertaining (ie: funny as hell!) commentary, concise and informative: well done sir! I just bought this game and I couldn’t agree more, it’s incredible. Cheers from London- ❤

[@davidmartin9459]

Yes Mac, I'm loving this game. Not sure I'll make it to the end though. Lots of bad decisions so far I'm afraid. Maybe we could build a camp fire and sing songs

[@WorthABuyreviews]

Yeah I wasted loads of time early on and it's biting me in the ass now

[@stelonous]

@@WorthABuyreviews advice for not wasting time in the beginning?

[@MrShadowfax42]

We made a decision and.. it was a bad call, David, a baaad call...

[@LitlBlackDragonNinja]

Game over man! Game over!

[@712Jefferson]

As an avid fan of the original films, for decades I've wanted to see this style of game but focused primarily on base defense. Basically, a spiritual recreation of the Hadley's Hope sequences from Aliens. Would be even better if you could play some earlier missions completely marine-less as the colonists in their desperate attempt to survive. It's a real shame that no one has ever capitalized on that opportunity. Perhaps this is a step in the right direction.

[@Wolfsheim23]

Ya Aliens would be a great theme for a They Are Billions game.

[@Skrenja]

Why is it so hard to make a good modern Aliens game? I just want Alien Isolation 2.

[@capnphuktard5445]

With action

[@ninjaruss4205]

This one looks really good but i agree. Alien isolation is my favorite horror game

[@mariodrv]

With guns, marines and room fortifying.

[@DigDowner]

@@capnphuktard5445 But not too much. You should feel helpless against the almost invincible xenomorphs, that's what made the first game so unique

[@joshkilluminadi7158]

I just want a remake or port of avp extinction

[@diffsmasher4824]

Always authentic. best reviewer on Utube. thx for being real.

[@herodotus63]

Something like this, though based on a Deathwatch Squad/ Kill Team on a space hulk in W40K would have tickled my fancy better. “Aliens” is just done for me, just as the “Starship Troopers” RTT is the finish for that title. I guess the licence is cheaper, but still … I guess I have “Red Solstice” until this game's price plummets, as I will get it.

[@BobertBaratheon]

Finally an Aliens DD review! That’s it, I’m pre-ordering.

[@sinephase]

noooooooooo!

[@MrShadowfax42]

"Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?"

[@mattius3]

Glad you reviewed this and got a key ! For some reason I thought this was an FPS and wasn't going to get it but after this review I got it and I'm loving it so far !

[@HubertCumbadale02]

Looking forward to getting this games 😊 The reviews are mostly good..... mostly

[@ck-kt1go]

So glad you reviewed this, I can buy it now with confidence

[@Johny40Se7en]

Reminds me of Alien Swarm on Steam, which is still and always will be free. Amazing asymmetrical shooter. Great atmosphere in this game, but clearly ruined by annoyingly shit AI that doesn't shut up. Love the way you have to use forethought with the resources you collect. That's really engaging and thoughtful.

[@mancamiatipoola]

Yeah buddy. I played the heck out of that game with a work buddy. I was basically Aliens but without the franchise specific characters. I see this ADD as a spiritual successor of Alien Swarm and also heavily inspired by X-com, especially in the base management. What a great game. I wish i had a rocket PC to run it...

[@Johny40Se7en]

@@mancamiatipoola So many wonderful mods on Alien Swarm too, one of which is the Pulse Rifle, Smart Gun and the Flame unit, all with the right sounds. Wicked stuff.

[@Sam13lfc]

Didn't expect this game to be as good as that

[@tomasburian6550]

I was watching a playthrough and it looks real good. I like the inclusion of Hayes and seeing the beginning through her eyes. Makes the game more personal, so far it looks like a game worth its money.

[@MrXcbeast]

Yay, an aliens game that isn't crap

[@winfriedmaus]

The one review of this game that I've been really waiting for. Thanks!

[@runeaeik]

Dark descent is one of the top 5 games I’ve played ever. Will play it again later on with higher difficulty 👍✨

[@2009jonb]

Quality review and my go-to reviewer these days. So funny and informative at the same time 😂

[@scallywagsrus2278]

Saw this on steam come on to KZbin to check it out.... Almost knew Mack would have this reviewed... Wasn't disappointed 😁

[@NUKEMDOWN08]

Thanks for your honest review. Just started playing it. It is great.

[@GHO5T3DFreelance]

All i needed to know....my body is ready.

[@GODzilla_FH]

I think you might be the first review, good work. The "1st!!!!!!111oneeleven" of game reviews. :D

[@IC82Hillford]

"I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

[@TheMiniJunkie]

I’m curious how many hours (ballpark) of game time this has.

[@waffleswafflson3076]

As a DM, players making smart tactical decisions instead of running into my big set piece is annoying. But the answer is to lure them where you want them not to force them.

[@Vasanum777]

Always check the Worth a buy reviews when I'm on the fence about a game

[@Bob-Mugabe]

Watched the trilogy while smashing this for 200% immersion. “Another glorious day in the marine core, a day in the core is like a day on the farm, every meal a banquet, every pay check a fortune, I love the core!”

[@ShonG]

Corp*

[@apex403]

Oh good, i just bought this and then realized I forgot to watch your review lol Glad it worked out this time

[@Ozymandiaz80]

Cons at the end on the summary: "a few bugs" LOL

[@nixielee]

Modern games and their talkative characters. Even Path of Exile 2 has this in the trailer, every time you changed skill she'd announce it. Image listening to that for 500 hours

[@dr3v240]

The lift was off in the second floor mac , you have to call it from second floor and it just works. It's not a bug

[@nintendsoad]

Im someone who can easily have their immersion completely shattered by cringe dialogue. I just cannot move beyond it when characters are quipping and making stupid jokes when they should be terrified and fighting for their lives.

[@taureanwilliams2900]

This game looks awesome.

[@lukestringfellow861]

This game is awesome having ton of fun , I want a resident evil game like this

[@delcien9697]

looks so good!! great review

[@tiredtyrant370]

I wish this game had more base customization and RNG mission generation.

[@Orosian5]

Aliens: "There's a few bugs."

[@KOOKMON1]

Came in for the title. Just started playing this and always awesome to have an excuse to rewatch all the alien movies. The game is great

[@therealmcgoy4968]

I ended up getting it. It was worth it. The game reminds me somewhat to that old The Thing game on Xbox 1. The game also reminds me of a mix of dawn of war 2 (with just one squad), with rpg elements and of course the game gives a slight horror aspect found in alien isolation. I’ve heard this game compared to xcom as well (I’ve never played). So far I’m three hours into the game and loving it.

[@ilikeknives1000]

nah i basically run through the game it actually works after you complete the goals you go through and get the supplies when applicable along with a few other upgrades and perks the later levels actually get a little easier

[@SEPK09]

"That's just frickin Great man"

[@desertfish74]

Game over man

[@HubertCumbadale02]

Hudson, you secure that shit!

[@gcfddddfhhhhhhfrre]

Nice Review Mac gonna grab this at weekend. Bonus for it not being a cartoon or xray vision😂 oh no xray vision sneaked in😂

[@alexashman5183]

So glad this is actually decent

[@Dexton0742]

Great review that mate. Gonna buy it on ps5 and start it today

[@C-P_ELG]

is it true that mid game missions will start implementing a timer?

[@purefoldnz3070]

"Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen!"

[@ye3139]

I’m new to the game, what’s the biggest thing to avoid doing early on?

[@Kentish9494]

Just ordered it on strength of your review

[@rashidhumine]

Is the Slow Motion infinite use or has a timer? As that Alien Queen Boss died so fast whilst in the Slow Mo and its kinda looks Easy Mode.

[@sittingduck4771]

Yes looks amazing! Gonna wait for a discount on the Series x tho. Looks like an awesome couch game on big screen in 4k 👌... but first the price needs to drop a little imo.

[@MyAteSpiders]

Am I the only one who says worth a buy the same way when I see a thumbnail? 👌👌🤣🤣

[@danielmurray2522]

This review is 100% the best and accurate. I just finished it and whilst I enjoyed the game, ALL of the things you mentioned happened and could’ve ruined it!

[@Wolfsheim23]

Great finally another good Alien game. It's been awhile.

[@axtonjcranston1064]

I watched your stream of this, great game, good job Mack.

[@monsterenergyaxe]

Thanks for the review. I will pirate it in a week or 2 when it hits torrent. The vocals were enough for me.

[@Calin89us]

Goddamn it Mac, I'm glad you uploaded this video. Now it'll make my like even worse. I was planning on buying Diablo IV this weekend...now I have to buy both and have time for none. :D Great video, btw.

[@andreas4417]

If I see your face on the opening pic, I upvote, that is how it works. :)

[@moon12349100]

love the emotional 10 min rant about the merc voices haha

[@Charlotte_WilliamsFYTG]

This looks like a good game, and thank you Mac for the review.

[@lordainsleyharriot3252]

I was a little hesitant to preorder this or to be hyped since I heard about this game but it does look like a game I will be losing hours of my life to

[@joshkilluminadi7158]

You shouldent pre order anyway there isnt going to be a shortage of copies

[@MrShadowfax42]

Is there any benefit to be gained by pre-ordering?

[@joshkilluminadi7158]

@@MrShadowfax42 no

[@bigdaz7272]

Someone just make AVP III already with some proper MP shenanigans again. Imagine that shizzle with all of todays awesome realtime lighting effects ect. Hell a spooky shit yer pants times :)

[@Bishop1664]

That ammo system seems like it needs rethinking.. "can loot everything but it doesnt respawn if you revisit" it would make more sense if you could loot it all, then take more ammo with you from the ship on subsequent missions...

[@ShankAMuffin]

Will you be reviewing Battlebit Remastered, Mack?

[@nickb4356]

mack this review is great and all, but just wondering if you are doing diablo 4

[@vanceg4901]

Nothing beats Aliens Colonial Marines , per Randy " Magic Man" Pitchford.

[@skywalkerranch]

Thanks for this review, Mack and also for all your hard work in saving others from wasting their money on bad games.

[@RamssesPharaoh]

Six hours in and loved every minute so far... or should I say every day 😅 Great review 👍Thank you.