Alien Swarm - HARDCORE, by pro's only

oldassgamers

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LV426-Colonist

Used to play this game. Good times.

Temphage

I loved this game's concept but never actually got into playing it for real (with other peeps). It was sort of a niche title, kind of a cult following I guess. Most people I don't think have ever heard of it.

lolfighter

The biggest problem with it is that it's only fun with friends. Think Left 4 Dead: You play it with strangers, and you get no communication, you get no teamwork, and it's either jaw-achingly boring because the difficulty is too low or it's impossible because the difficulty is right but your team doesn't have its ###### together.

Now amplify that. Alien Swarm is more difficulty than L4D, and it's far more generous with the instant kills as well. You HAVE to have your ###### together. You HAVE to communicate. You HAVE to work together as a team. You HAVE to have three like-minded friends on call, or you can forget about this game.

Drfuzzy

Alien Swarm is probably one of my favorite games, but they made it way too easy compared to the UT2k4 mod. Hell I've soloed the whole campaign on hardcore a few times already.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Alien Swarm is more difficulty than L4D, and it's far more generous with the instant kills as well. You HAVE to have your ###### together. You HAVE to communicate. You HAVE to work together as a team. You HAVE to have three like-minded friends on call, or you can forget about this game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Not really, there are no aliens that can incapacitate you instantly like L4D. Once you learn how to use the flame thrower correctly you can literally walk through the entire game while everyone calls you a hacker.

Temphage

Yeah I only played the UT2K4 version and I recall it being brutal. Even on the normal difficulty you could only take like three hits and you were down.

LV426-Colonist

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lolfighter

<!--quoteo(post=1924714:date=Apr 12 2012, 09:26 PM:name=Drfuzzy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Drfuzzy @ Apr 12 2012, 09:26 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1924714"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Not really, there are no aliens that can incapacitate you instantly like L4D. Once you learn how to use the flame thrower correctly you can literally walk through the entire game while everyone calls you a hacker.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There are the parasites, which can only be removed by a medic and will otherwise sap all your health and kill you. Once a parasite attaches to you, you're doomed if there's no medic in the group. Or he's dead. Or too far away. Or not paying attention. Or you're too low on health.

Drfuzzy

<!--quoteo(post=1924789:date=Apr 12 2012, 05:29 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Apr 12 2012, 05:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1924789"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->There are the parasites, which can only be removed by a medic and will otherwise sap all your health and kill you. Once a parasite attaches to you, you're doomed if there's no medic in the group. Or he's dead. Or too far away. Or not paying attention. Or you're too low on health.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Parasites pretty much die instantly though, especially after just being touched by a flamethrower.

Uk2k4 version the flame thrower would screw your entire team easily, source version you can practically run through the map spitting fire in circles to win. I just don't think they made it tough enough, hardcore should have been medium.

Retales

I wonder if there's any players for this game anymore. I'm going to have to install it again and see for myself some day. It'll be a ###### to once again remember to not reload after every shot.

And I don't suppose there's been any other (official) campaigns for it than the original one? (Assuming there are still players and good community maps) can you join a game with a custom campaign and the game will download it for you, or do you have to rassle with external websites and downloads?

Temphage

I tried playing a game of it, and I came to the same conclusion I did with Left 4 Dead and, of all things, Dungeons and Dragons Online.

They're good games, but the best experience to be had is when you play it the first time. Left 4 Dead tries to mix it up with the AI Director, but ultimately you always know what to expect - when you activate <x>, zombies come, stand at <y> and shoot them. You know the best paths through the level, where the aliens pop out of, or where all the traps are at.

DDO was probably the worst because even though the multiplayer experience was surprisingly quite good with well-designed dungeons, you'd always have someone in your party who's played that dungeon before and knows how to run through and where all the secret bits are, thereby removing all suspense from it completely. Or, on the other hand, you might be interested in running through it with a few other blokes who have too to grab some loot, but feel slowed down by someone who's never done it before and keeps tripping over the traps and such.