Alien Swarm - Free Team Shooter by Valve

Major gaming companies usually release either small things for free (a couple of cards for a newly released hit, wallpapers for the desktop, and the like) or something completely outdated (for example, the publication of id in 2005 Quake 3 Engine: cool, of course, but slightly irrelevant), but something that allows you to play longer and get pleasure from the game – this holiday happens very rarely with gamers. The last time we were lucky was with Valve, allowing us to download for free from their Steam service the already cult game Portal, which has not lost its charm for new players. And now Valve is delighting players again, releasing a free arcade game that is reminiscent of Crimsonland, Left 4 Dead, and The Thing (veterans remember). Welcome Alien Swarm!

The essence of the game is simple: join a squad of four people as a brave soldier, a hacking specialist, or a medic (each with their own quirks and special equipment that unlocks as you play) and break through to the base captured by alien insects, and, in the words of one of the game’s characters, introduce the aliens to the atomic era. That is the goal of the only game campaign so far.

The gameplay is both simple and complex. On the one hand, the gamer needs three simple things – to shoot accurately at the approaching insect-like creatures in the style of the aforementioned Crimsonland, dodge their attacks, and occasionally solve simple puzzles. No complications or small details of gameplay at first glance. On the other hand, an easy game turns into a hardcore nightmare if the four gamers in the team do not get along well with each other, and the team members do not perform their roles properly.

It is not possible to quietly and peacefully exterminate insects on your own: without teammates, none of the eight available fighters will have enough strength to break into the enemy’s lair (and they won’t send you on a mission without a team), and computer-controlled teammates refuse to accompany the player beyond the first mission. So welcome to the world of friendly fire, profanity in voice chat, and perpetually late medics – in the difficult battle against aliens, thousands of fellow freebies lovers are ready to help you, just like you. In short, everything as usual.

The campaign in the game is short. After making their own mistakes and getting used to the levels, the team is capable of completing the entire game in half an hour. But, firstly, those will be half an hour of pure adrenaline, and secondly, no one has canceled the Hard and Insane difficulty levels.

Even if you don’t consider the price, Alien Swarm is worth downloading and playing at least a couple of times, and if you do consider the price, even more so. As they say, the cold northern concrete jungles are calling!