There’s a new PvE shooter coming up, and it’s centered around the Alien film franchise. We’re, of course, talking about Aliens Fireteam Elite, which is bringing co-op, multiplayer action against Xenomorphs and more!

In case you haven’t already read it, be sure to check out our full preview impression of Aliens Fireteam Elite. The TLDR version of it all is that we absolutely loved it. Now, having spent a large amount of time with the game, there were certain things I just couldn’t fit into the preview. Therefore I have decided to compile a list of everything we learned during our time with the preview.

Hope you enjoy and learn something new!

Everything We Learned About Aliens Fireteam Elite From Over 10 Hours of Playtime:

• Big one – You can turn off the Xenomorphs outlines and red cross (kill floater) via settings, regardless of what difficulty. You can even turn the motion tracker off. However, as far as we can tell, you cannot turn off the audio cue for getting a headshot.
• There are four campaigns, each with three missions a piece. 
• Based on our playtime of the two campaigns, we are looking at an estimate of 6-9 hours for the campaign alone.
• Afterwards you unlock two new difficulties (details below), one new class, and a new mode.
• Horde mode is unlocked upon campaign completion per in-game description. Not available in preview.
• Four classes are playable out of the gate with Recon unlocking after campaign completion. Not in preview build.
• Each class is based in some way on a character from the movie. Gunner = Hicks, Demolisher = Vasquez, Technician = Hudson, and Doc = Dietrich.
• Every class and gun has their own individual levels that unlocks perks and attachments. You as a player also has a level as a whole, which I believe has rewards such as credits, resources, attachments, an even cosmetics.
• Each character has their own Grid loadout that has a total of 32 slots for perks. Think Tetris, where each perk is a specific size and you need to fit them in a certain way. Slots are locked at first, with class leveling unlocking them.
• Some perks are exclusive to their class, with others being universal. You may need to play as a certain class however to unlock certain universal ones.
• Most exclusive perks are related to class abilities. For example, you can change out the Demolishers Micro Rockets to Napalm, or Concussive Rockets. Technician can have their turret upgraded to a heavier damage, yet slower fire rate among other options. 
• Each class has two weapons slot. Certain classes can only use certain types of weapons, like a Medic can’t use a Smartgun for example.
• There is a third weapon slot, however this is reserved for a stock pistol that cannot be upgraded or changed out. 
• The USS Endeavor (spaceship) serves as a hub in-between missions where players can talk to different NPCs. Some offer new story details, though the preview build may have been limited. 
• You can invite friends to your party and they will join you in the hub.
• Not exactly a shooting range, but in the back of the USS Endeavor you will find a few cans that you can shoot at. You can freely test guns anywhere on the ship.
• There is a vendor onboard the USS Endeavor that you will frequent, as they sell weapons, attachments, perks, and even customizations.
• We were told that there are 30+ weapons with 70+ mods and attachments. 
• There are some customizations that fans may be familiar with, such as the UK-7 and US Tricentennial decals as seen in the first Alien movie. 
• The vendor also sells outfits and different headgear. Again, the preview build was pretty limited in this regard, we expect a lot more in the final release.
• Consumables such as turrets, mines, drones, and more can be purchased from the vendor and equipped during the prepping stage of a mission. They can also be found within missions.
• Every mission has a hidden cache that can reward consumables, attachments, and even cosmetics.
• Character’s base appearances can be modified anytime in the hub via loadout menu.
• Anyone in the party can pick a mission, this isn’t limited to just the party leader (host).
• There are daily and weekly challenges that players can complete for credits, resources, and a random gun attachment.
• If everyone is split from one another, and one user finds the hidden cache, every player gets notified.
• The preview offered 3 of 5 difficulties, a full breakdown of all 5 is as follows:
  • Casual – For those looking for a more relaxed experience. Like standard, with the following changes:
    • Enemies have less health and deal less damage.
    • Reviving a teammate is quicker, and you can do so as many times as is needed.
    • Synthetic teammates are more effective.
  • Standard – Provide a good challenge for those familiar with shooters.
    • Enemies are highlighted when aiming down sights (this can be changed in the Gameplay Settings menu).
    • There’s plenty of tie to revive downed teammates, and each player can be revived up to four times.
  • Intense – The true Aliens experience, the way it is meant to be played. Seasoned survival shooter players should find a challenge here. Like Standard, with the following changes:
    • Enemies are not highlighted when aiming down sites (this CANNOT be changed via Gameplay Settings).
    • Your gun deal light damage to teammates.
    • Enemy melee grapples are more difficult to escape.
    • Xenomorph acid is deadlier.
    • Enemies deal more damage and have more health.
    • There’s less time to revive downed teammates, and each player can be revived only three times.
    • Max Ammo is reduced,
    • Synthetic teammates are not recommended.
  • Extreme – I can’t lie to you about your chances but… you have my sympathies. Unlocks after completing the full Campaign. Like Intense, with the following changes:
    • Your gun deal moderate damage to teammates.
    • Acid and enemies deal severe damage.
    • Enemies have even more health.
    • You’ll find fewer aid kits.
    • Max Ammo is further reduced.
    • There’s even less time to revive downed teammates, it takes longer to revive them, and each player can only be revived twice.
    • Synthetic teammates are not recommended.
  • Insane – That’s it man, Game over, man. Game over! Unlocks after completing the full campaign. Like Extreme, with the following changes:
    • Your gun deal full damage to teammates.
    • Enemies deal even more damage and have even more health.
    • Enemy grapple attacks can kill, and some foes have instantly-lethal grapples.
    • You have only seconds to save a downed teammate, and each can be revived just once.
    • Synthetic teammates are not recommended. 
• Acid actually does hurt if you walk into it, and on those higher difficulties its pretty lethal.
• Every player in a party (up to 3) can pick a challenge card before deployment on a mission. These do not stack based on the preview and one will be selected at random. They are not mandatory and you can go into a mission without selecting and using one.
• We aren’t sure how many different kinds of challenge cards there are. Last I checked, I had 26 available, with my co-op friends having some other ones I didn’t have. Expect a lot, and they are all different.
• One challenge card introduced a new Xenomorph (Praetorian) that wasn’t in any of the 6 missions we played originally. 
• As mentioned in my preview, the AI companion bots are horrible and should only be used on the lower difficulties as recommended.
• Enemy AI will change placement from time to time. We aren’t sure how this works for the general Mobs, but we did notice they sometimes spawn in different parts than in previous runs.
• We also noticed in the first mission that some objectives will be skipped or be a little different than in previous runs. It’s not a drastic difference, but there were some alteration, such as bypassing a section altogether. We’re not sure what triggers this.
• The Xenomorph’s AI is pretty fun to deal with. The different variants all feel like they have their own set of behaviors to follow, some with rush you, some will fight from a distance, while others will play stealthily and pop in and out of vents. 
• There are collectible audio logs that you find during each mission. These offer additional story details.
• Some of the NPC will offer some lore, though the preview seemed limited in this regard.
• It is recommended that you read the prequel book, Aliens Infiltration, as it will offer everything you need to know about the game’s story. For those who have read it, expect plenty of references and character’s fates to be revealed/concluded.
• Game takes place roughly 20-25 years after Aliens 3.
• All the locations are very H.R. Giger inspired, which is no surprise since he helped shaped Alien into what it is today. It’s just great seeing a studio capture it so well.
• Some environments are so great looking that the developers even give you a moment to focus on them and have unique sound cues that play. 
• Working Joes along with a variety of new Synthetics are featured in the game. There will be references to Seegson Corporation, which many should recognize from Alien Isolation.
• Speaking of Isolation, there is a Elite Xeno Drone that will spawn on the map from time to time. They tend to be sneaky, run and hide in vents and stalk you around like the one from Isolation. 

There is a lot more stuff that we didn’t get to experience (and some I didn’t want to spoil,) but for the most these are all the major things we noticed during our two campaigns (four total). Honestly, a lot of work was put into Aliens Fireteam Elite, and you’ll get to see all of it come the August release. Till then, stay frosty and don’t be looking at weird, wet eggs. 

Aliens Fireteam Elite is set for release this August 24 on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.