Aliens: Fireteam Elite

Lore & Background

The game takes place in 2202, 23 years after Alien 3, aboard the USS Endeavor. The Endeavor receives a distress call from the Katanga refinery station orbiting LV-895, which was thought destroyed. A fireteam of Colonial Marines boards the station to find it overrun by Xenomorphs. They rescue Dr. Timothy Hoenikker, a Weyland-Yutani scientist who reveals that the corporation discovered Xenomorph eggs and a mutagenic substance called the Pathogen on LV-895, and had been breeding Xenomorphs before containment was broken. The Marines descend to LV-895, discovering Engineer ruins and a rogue Mother AI named SN/TH/YA, who activates 'Asset Zero'—an intact Engineer starship loaded with Pathogen aimed at Earth. The Marines sabotage the ship and later destroy the Xenomorph hive on Katanga, but Xenomorphs and Pathogen remain on LV-895, with Weyland-Yutani and Hyperdyne Systems both vying for control. The Endeavor stays to prevent the infestation from spreading. A prequel novel, Aliens: Infiltrator by Weston Ochse, tells the backstory leading to the game's events.

Reader's Guide

Aliens: Fireteam Elite received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic, with OpenCritic noting 34% of critics recommended it. IGN praised the wild shootouts with xenomorphs but cited awkward pacing and repetitive level design. Eurogamer highlighted the tension from xenomorphs attacking from any direction, while GamesRadar+ criticized the lack of cutscenes and frozen character animations. Game Informer found the levels repetitive, lacking distinct objectives. GameSpot enjoyed the rewarding perk system tied to each class. PCMag called the visuals cinematic but the audio generic and grating. PC Gamer liked the Challenge Cards for making missions chaotic and rewarding. Destructoid criticized the AI of co-op bots as inconsistent. Kotaku noted poor pathfinding leading enemies from few points. Polygon appreciated the balancing, where soldiers' lack of power made victories more satisfying. The game was the best-selling retail game in the UK in its release week. In Japan, the PlayStation 4 version sold 2,919 physical copies (21st best-selling), and the PlayStation 5 version sold 2,077 copies (30th best-selling). A paid expansion, Pathogen, released August 30, 2022, adding three missions, eight weapons, outfits, perks, emotes, accessories, and new enemy types from Alien: Covenant. The Nintendo Switch Cloud version shut down on August 5, 2026. A sequel, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, released on August 25, 2026.

Did You Know?

• The game is set 23 years after the film Alien 3.
• It features seven character classes: Gunner, Demolisher, Technician, Doc, Phalanx, Lancer, and Recon.
• The first paid expansion, Pathogen, was released on August 30, 2022.
• A sequel, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, was released on August 25, 2026.