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2010 · Valve Corporation · Science · Shooter

Alien Swarm

Alien Swarm is a game and Source SDK release from a group of talented designers at Valve who were hired from the Mod community.

Released: 19 July 2010
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Science Shooter
Developers: Valve Corporation
Publishers: Valve Corporation
Series: Alien Swarm
Modes: Co-op Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Action Science fiction Warfare
Engine: Source
Country: United States
Age ratings: ESRB M PEGI 16
Languages: English
Time to beat: 2hmain story4hwith extras4hcompletionist
Composers: Mike Morasky

About

Alien Swarm is a multiplayer top-down shooter video game developed by Valve. It is a remake of a mod for Unreal Tournament 2004, and it was developed by the original team, who were hired by Valve during the course of the development process.

The original Alien Swarm was released on July 19, 2010. On April 20, 2017, an enhanced version called Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop, developed by a group of community volunteers, was released as a separate standalone game, containing numerous additional features like new co-op campaigns, a single-player mode with bots, PvP modes, support for up to eight players, Steam Workshop support, more achievements, and an expanded arsenal of weapons. Both games follow the same premise, in which each player takes the role of a space marine as part of a squad that is fighting off swarms of hostile alien parasites while attempting to accomplish various objectives.

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Gameplay

Alien Swarm is a top-down shooter, where four players can join a single co-operative game, the aim of which is to progress through science fiction-themed levels while eliminating waves of aliens. Players can choose from 40 different pieces of equipment, ranging from weapons like assault rifles to grenade launchers and offhand items like mines and healing beacons. The game includes persistent statistics, unlockable equipment, and achievements.

The game is class-based, with players choosing from the roles of Officer, Special Weapons, Medic, and Tech. Each class has two selectable characters, differentiated by their abilities.

Story

In the game's only official campaign, Jacob's Rest, a swarm of invasive aliens have taken over a colonized planet in December 2052. Marines deployed by the Bloodhound dropship arrive to search for survivors and, if need be, to destroy the colony to prevent the aliens from spreading. The task force kills a large number of not only "normal" Swarm aliens, but alien eggs, large tumor-like growths, parasites and other creatures. They soon find out that the colonists have all been killed by the alien infestation.

The marines then guide a thermonuclear bomb (originally meant for excavation purposes) through the complex and activate its timer. They return to the drop ship before the bomb detonates.

Development

Alien Swarm was originally a mod for Unreal Tournament 2004. The mod was Mod of the Year for GameSpy in 2004, and was a runner-up for Computer Games Magazine's 2004 "Best Mod" award, losing to Red Orchestra: Combined Arms.

A Source engine sequel to the original Unreal Tournament 2004 mod was announced in 2005, under the title of Alien Swarm: Infested. However, by late 2007, the development blog had stopped updating, leaving its status uncertain.