Can Gearbox prove that video game adaptations of movies work?

Jan 5, 2013 11:41 GMT  ·  By

What we know:

Aliens: Colonial Marines has been in development for quite some time and while many fans have lost hope in the game, developer Gearbox Software and publisher Sega have continued to focus on the upcoming squad-based shooter.

While the two companies did make a mistake by announcing the game just as development began on it, new videos and screenshots have showed that the title is staying true to the original Aliens movies by capturing the same intense atmosphere and emphasizing survival at all costs in front of the deadly Xenomorphs.

As with the movies, the story is quite important, as players take control of a colonial marine sent alongside his squad on the derelict USS Sulaco in search of Ellen Ripley. Their search quickly takes them to the infamous LV-426 planet and, as you can expect, they'll have to survive the deadly Xenomorphs if they want to make it back to Earth.

In order to really emphasize the squad mechanics, Colonial Marines also supports drop-in drop-out cooperative multiplayer, as well as a competitive mode, in which players control either marines or aliens.

Why it matters: Already quite a few titles have proved that video game adaptations of existing properties can work, including the Batman Arkham titles or the more recent The Walking Dead.

With Aliens: Colonial Marines, Gearbox can prove that adaptations of movies also work, provided the developer is talented enough and receives plenty of time and proper support from the publisher, Sega in this case, and from the license holder, Fox.

Throw in the fact that Gearbox promises great features for the Wii U version of the game and we can expect a pretty good experience once the game is launched.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is going to be released on February 12, for the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U.

The full list of Incoming 2013 articles can be read on Softpedia right here.