Life as a Colonial Marine isn’t easy, especially when you’re sent to all corners of the universe to deal with the acid-wielding, highly agile and downright homicidal Xenomorphs (and a Synth or two). Nevertheless, it’s a job that’s never done, as evidenced by Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2. Following up on the 2021 co-op shooter from Cold Iron Studios, the sequel is bigger in almost every way, from the number of levels to the actual spaces you’ll be fighting in. With its launch set for August 25th on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, let’s break down ten of the biggest changes from the original, starting with…
More Missions
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 will feature 15 levels at launch, though it’s unclear whether they’ll be divided into separate campaigns like the original. The latter only featured 12 missions initially, making up four campaigns with distinct objectives. It’s worth noting that the Pathogen expansion added three more missions for a total of 15 to the original. But instead of going back to baseline, Cold Iron Studios is starting with the same number, offering more bang for the player’s buck.
Also, director Chris Cross told Space.com that the team focused on “clarity of narrative and mission” in Fireteam Elite 2. “It’s more than just go here, get to point B, and then shoot the thing. Playing this game, there’s an actual throughline with the story.”
4 Player vs 3 Player Co-op
The other big change is one that fans have perhaps demanded the most – four-player co-op. While the original stood out with its three-player squads, it just didn’t feel right, and that’s even more so nowadays with how many indie and triple-A titles boast four-player co-op at a minimum. Of course, the benefits extend beyond just adding another player because of how the build variety and revamped classes add more strategy to the mix. But perhaps most important of all is the environments that you’ll be fighting in.
More Space, More Mayhem
Claustrophobic corridors with ample choke points where Xenomorphs could traverse along the floor, ceiling and walls are what it’s all about in the franchise, though the first game had its share of open spaces and killing fields. With the addition of another player, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 offers larger environments and even more enemy numbers to compensate. “It’s 25% more space that you need and 25% more damage. It definitely presented some challenges, but absolutely worth it. Fireteam Elite 2 is still the same flavor, but it plays better,” Cross said in the same interview.
But how will you be tackling some of the meanest creatures in the galaxy and making it out alive? With the new revamped classes, of course.
Five Redesigned Base Classes
The original Fireteam Elite offered five classes – Gunner, Demolisher, Technician, Doc and Recon. If the names weren’t enough indication, each fulfilled a very specific role beyond slaying out. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 takes those same classes and evolves them into the Duelist, Machinist, Marauder, Hunter and Medic. While still broadly fulfilling the same roles, they now offer more options and ways to play alongside new perks.
For example, the Marauder has the Blast Cannon ability, firing an explosive straight into a Xenomorph’s face. However, you can upgrade it into either the Blastwave or Thermal Cannon – which is a straight-up flamethrower – depending on your needs (or what looks cool). It also has Titan Rockets for launching a powerful missile, which can once again be modified into a Phosphorous Rocket or Rocket Mines. One of its key Perks is Rampage, where killing an enemy grants a stack, and at 25, your movement speed, fire rate and reload speed are heavily buffed for 8 seconds at the cost of stability. Perfect for grabbing a shotgun and going wild on a horde of Xenos.
Then you have the Duelist, whose Stay on Target perk grants two percent increased damage whenever you hit an enemy, capping at 20 percent. You better keep landing those shots though, because the stacks start disappearing if you stop. Its Burst Configuration activates an experimental weapon which can be upgraded to damage in fragments or in a singular precision hit. All in all, if you’re looking for a specific playstyle, be it support or taking on a more defensive role, Fireteam Elite 2 has you covered.
The Endgame Specialist Class
But what if none of the above quenches your appetite for total Xenomorph destruction? What if parts of them all do? Well, that’s where the new Specialist comes in. Unlike Fireteam Elite 1, which added new classes in Season 1 and 3 with the Phalanx and Lancer, respectively, the sequel offers a sixth class from launch itself. It’s endgame-focused, which means you’ll need to put time into the other classes first, but you can essentially mix and match different abilities and perks into this one build. That includes any weapons as well, granting true freedom to create a build specifically tuned to your liking – something that the original outright lacked.
Primary and Signature Weapons
Another significant change from Aliens: Fireteam Elite is how loadouts now work. Originally, you could select one Primary weapon, with the dinky sidearm serving as your backup. In the sequel, there’s now a Primary and Signature weapon setup with the sidearm kept as your third weapon. One example of a Signature weapon is the Machinist’s Plasma guns, which consume less ammo than other weapons if managed properly. Meanwhile, a Marauder has access to heavy weapons like Smartguns, Rocket Launchers and Heavy Flamethrowers, while Hunters can utilizes rifles and beam weapons.
The key difference is the Duelist, which can wield two Primary weapons and has increased ammo reserves overall, fitting the gung-ho fantasy of jumping in, guns blazing (sans jumping). And of course, the Specialist is free to use any weapons, including Signature weapons, from the other classes. Want a Revolver Rifle as your Primary and a Smartgun as your Signature? Go ahead.
Augments and Weapon Progression Changes
Much like the first game, weapons can be customized with different muzzles, magazines, and optics. And while using it more unlocks different options, they’re a little bit different in Fireteam Elite 2. Based on various previews and gameplay, weapons now have slots for Traits and stats like weapon assist or handling, besides one for changing the color scheme. It’s the last slot which is most interesting because it enables Augments, like Incendiary Ammunition, which can ignite enemies but reduces stopping power. Augments seemingly have different rarities, like Unstable, so the best options may have little to no drawbacks. Either way, this new system enables more free-form customisation rather than following a set upgrade path, and we like it.
Fully Customizable Sidearms
Let’s talk about sidearms in Fireteam Elite. Actually, let’s not, because there’s nothing to talk about. These were backup weapons when your primary ran out of ammo and offered little more than slight reassurance when facing a horde of Xenos. Thankfully, Fireteam Elite 2 now allows you to customize sidearms, instilling traits, additional stats and Augments as they rank up while equipping different attachments. And based on footage thus far, it appears to be an actually viable weapon in the sequel.
Larger Perk Grid
The Perk Grid returns, once again providing a grid where you can allot perks depending on how many blocks they occupy. The original offered a 32-block Perk Grid, but with all these different options for customizing each class, not to mention the sheer number that the Specialist opens up, it makes sense for Cold Iron Studios to expand on that. To that end, Fireteam Elite 2 has a 42-block grid, which means more damage, utility or survivability when you need it. Or really just more damage on top of damage.
Crossplay at Launch and Cross-Platform Voice Chat
When Aliens: Fireteam Elite launched, it infamously lacked cross-platform multiplayer. That would eventually change almost a year after launch, but it still lacked cross-platform voice chat, which meant needing to hop on Discord to coordinate with allies. Chalk up another win for Fireteam Elite 2 because not only does it support crossplay out of the metaphorical box, but it also packs in voice chat that applies across all platforms.”
