If you're anything like me, you love the Aliens series of movies.  However, the most recent entries aren't nearly as cool as the first two (or three depending on who you talk to).  It's only natural, then, to be curious about upcoming co-op shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines.  Perhaps in video game form, the Aliens franchise can return to its former glory.  After watching a video showing a quick ten seconds of footage from the game, we think that there is, indeed, hope.  Shacknews has the video, featuring a nice burst of acid blood and the classic handheld motion detector.  Let's hope Gearbox, the developer, does this game up right and we don't have to nuke them all from orbit (it's the only way to make sure). 

Ping....ping....ping.  That's INSIDE THIS YEAR!  Game OVER MAN...GAME OVER!

That's right folks, according to Joystiq, the four player co-op friendly Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available before the end of the year.  Originally moved back into a 2009 release slot, the game was bumped back up till late 2008!

The Co-Op mode is set to support true drop in and drop out support with distinct roles for each player.  We guess this means each player will support a weapon type like assault, shotgun and flamethrower - but perhaps like the above screenshot suggests - there are other roles like recon and engineer to weld doors shut.   We can't wait for Aliens: Colonial Marines to hit the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC later this year!

Update:  It appears we are wrong.  The game is still slated for sometime in 2009.  Sorry for the mixup!

August has been a month of casual or arcade games for me. I've either been busy or sick, so they fill a nice niche for me. So, the approach of Castle Crashers has me excited, and since it's still a week from release, I had to satisfy my arcade game craving. Thankfully, The Behemoth (the Castle Crashers dev team) already had it covered. After all, they have made another XBLA game, and it features co-op. The game I'm speaking about is Alien Hominid HD.

I played the Flash version of Alien Hominid a while back and found it to be a solid game. It had cool art, fun gameplay, and a generally funny vibe. Naturally the XBLA version of the game has all the greatness of its predecessor, along with many useful additions, like co-op and a bunch of cool minigames. The "HD" in the title of the game certainly means something, since the game is much more crisp and vibrant than the Flash version and the last gen version (which came out on Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox). But what's the co-op version like? Pretty much single player with another player thrown in. However, that's not a bad thing, not at all.

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What do Aliens, Co-Op, and Battle Star Galactica all have in common?  Well in some way or another they are all involved with the upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines title from Gearbox Software.   According to a Shacknews interview with Gearbox head honcho Randy Pitchford, the game's story has been written by two veteran BSG writers.   Both Bradley Thompson and David Weddle helped write the story, so much story in fact, that they could make an "entire TV season" out of it...ironic I know.  So how did Gearbox manage to snag these fine folks away from the awesomeness that is Battlestar Galactica?  Two words: writers strike. 

This game is shaping up to be a surefire winner with both 4 player co-op, drop-in/drop-out support, a killer setting, and now some Hollywood talent behind the story.  Can this get any better?  You be the judge, just look at the new screenshots.

From the NES to the PC to the arcades, many games have been based on the storied Aliens franchise.  Desperate marines gunning down hordes of slimy xenomorphs in confined spaces make for compelling gameplay.  The graphical firepower and online capabilities of next-gen systems look to continue this trend in "Aliens: Colonial Marines".  GamesRadar reports a few new details about the game, which is being developed for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.  These tidbits look quite promising, especially for those who prefer to duke it out against the Aliens with a friend (or three) at their back.

Set after the third Alien film, the game features a squad of Marines (naturally) waging war against the Aliens in order to locate Ripley and other characters featured in the films.  Locations throughout the quest will be varied, including wide open outdoor areas and cityscapes as well as the expected confined spaces.  Players will be able to reenact the tension of memorable scenes from the movies during Make A Stand scenarios.  In these events, Marines will be given time to seal doors, set up traps, and dig in before a near limitless horde of Aliens arrives and the bloodletting begins.

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If there's one game that ever needed co-op, it was a game based on the Aliens franchise.  After previous games based on the series failed to deliver, it looks like Gearbox Software (Brothers in Arms, Half-Life Blue Shift) is ready to step up to the plate. 

The game is called Aliens: Colonial Marines and will be available for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Windows PC late this year.  The story is being penned by famous authors Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, and its' a story that promises to drive a 4 player cooperative experience. 

Aliens: Colonial Marines will feature a story driven single-player mode and an all-new four player co-op mode allowing players to share the chilling experience with three friends. In co-op mode, each player will assume the persona of a United States Colonial Marine and have a distinct role to play in the completion of every mission.

Packing classic Aliens weaponry ranging from pulse rifles to flamethrowers as well as brand-new equipment and skills all within a squad-based combat system, players will become an elite United States Colonial Marine. Featuring claustrophobic environments, a brooding soundtrack, and a multitude of surprises and shocks, players will battle against menacing alien hordes in strikingly detailed levels that include the stark interiors of the abandoned Sulaco and unique environments created specifically for the game.

This has the potential to be really incredible.   Hopefully the 4 player co-op experience is available online...or GAME OVER MAN! GAME OVER!

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