Aliens: Dark Descent is a squad based tactical RTS in which players command a squad of Colonial Marines as they battle with a variety Xenomorphs and crazed fanatics on the planet Lethe. From the command station aboard the USS Otago, players can make a variety of adjustments and preparation in between each mission deployment, including the customization and promotion of Marines. Each Marine has a unique skill set and Personality Traits upon their recruitment. While these personality traits are largely negative, they can be removed over time as Marines progress through the ranks.
With each deployment, Marines will earn XP, which contributes towards their overall rank. Players can develop inactive Marines passively by using the Training Room in the Otago's Barracks once they have unlocked it. When a Marine is ready for promotion, a leveling up icon will appear next to their name, and the player will be notified at the Otago's main Command Deck before deployment. When promoting units, there are two main areas of focus: Upgrades and Attributes, each of which will provide the Marine with their own unique deployment bonuses. As they are promoted, Marines will also be able to select a Class, which will further specialize their skills and create a versatile fighting force.
Upgrades
Upgrades can be applied from the main unit screen when a Marine is selected. From here players can customize the Marine's appearance, and if enough materials and available upgrade slots are available, they can also apply specific upgrades to individual units. These can range from small stat boosters such as Aiming Shot, which will increase the unit's overall maximum accuracy, right the way up to the deployable M56 ACT Machine Gun and the M11 Drone.
Each Marine has a total of five upgrade slots, and will unlock a new one at levels 2, 3, 6, and 10. These upgrades can vastly improve the combat effectiveness of individual Marines, and many upgrades will provide benefits to the entire squad. It is important to ensure that the roster of marines has a diverse set of upgrades equipped since there is such a large variety and group upgrades will not necessarily be stackable with multiple Marines.
Attributes
Another component when it comes to upgrading Marines are Attribute Perks. These bonus skills act in a similar way to Personality Traits and can be used for a variety of purposes. Some perks will alter the Marine's psychology, and some, such as the Redemption perk, can even be used to remove the Marine's negative personality traits. Others will provide combat upgrades such as increases in Accuracy or Armor Points, or reductions in Stress levels, and the ability to self-heal Trauma.
Unlike Upgrades, many Attributes will be stackable across the entire squad, withy perks such as Team Spirit and Fast providing a bonus to all members of the team. While there are fewer options when it comes to Attributes, and they will not vary from class to class, they can still make a huge difference when it comes to deploying the most combat-effective squad available.
Aliens: Dark Descent is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.