Aliens: Dark Descentis asquad based tactical strategy gamewhich sees players command a group of Colonial Marines as they engage an unknown alien threat after a catastrophic cargo disaster. Throughout the game, players will have to manage a variety of different facets to ensure their squad’s survival, includingStress,TraumaandFatigue. In addition to the various enemies players will encounter throughout the game’s dark, sci-fi, semi-open world, these very human problems will torment the Marines and need to be addressed to ensure maximum combat effectiveness.
InAliens: Dark Descent, Stressis indicated by a small heartbeat icon in the lower left of the Marine’s display panel, next to their weaponry at the bottom of the screen during deployment. The amount ofStressa Marine is sufferingis indicated by a percentage number, withTraumadeveloping whenever this reaches a critical level.
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Shelter
One way to mitigate the effects ofStressand preventTrauma Traitsfrom developing is toconstructShelterswhile deployed. This will protect the squad from any outside threats while simultaneously giving them the opportunity to recover, thereby increasing their combat effectiveness and decreasing the likelihood of developing new negative traits.
Players can build an effective shelter in any room, provided it does not haveVentsor aHivefrom which Xenomorphs might be able to gain access, by welding shut all the access points. The squad will then be given the option toRest, which will pass time and recover the squad’s Stress and Fatigue levels.
Trauma
When Stress levels reach 100%, Marines will then gain a level ofTrauma. Stress works in three stages:Anxious,PanickedandTerrified, and when the third stage has been reached, the afflicted Marine will develop negative traits which can have serious implications for combat. These negative traits are as follows:
If a Marine is suffering negative Trauma traits, they can be treated at thePsychiatric Care Unitin the main base’sMedical Bayaboard the Otago, which players will have to unlock as they progress through the game. It is wise to allow Marines the time to rest and recover fully in between missions, since stacking these negative traits will be detrimental to the Marine’s survival.
Aliens: Dark Descentis now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
