Aliens: Fireteam Elite is the perfect co-op romp for Xbox Game Pass

Have you ever been bored hanging out with friends, so you scrolled through Netflix and found something dumb to watch together and waste time? Well, you can do the same with video games on Xbox Game Pass, and Aliens: Fireteam Elite is the perfect game for that situation. On December 14, Cold Iron Studios finally added this cooperative sci-fi shooter set in the Aliens universe to Microsoft’s gaming subscription service, and you won’t find another title on Xbox Game Pass that matches Aliens: Fireteam Elite’s mindless, schlocky fun.

In Aliens: Fireteam Elite, you play as a Colonial Marine dealing with a resurging Xenomorph threat decades after the original films. Ultimately, this game is a level-based cooperative shooter where a team of up to three people fights through hordes of Xenomorphs on space stations.

Players have several classes to choose from — Demolisher, Doc, Gunner, Phalanx, Recon, and Technician — each of which has unique abilities. Players can also customize their loadout with various weapons, ranging from regular shotguns to chaotic flamethrowers. And yes, you can make your grizzled soldiers too kooky little dances with emotes.

After equipping the suitable class and gear on the U.S.S. Endeavor, your fireteam ventures out into one of several levels, completing simple objectives and slaying waves upon waves of Xenomorphs and eventually Combat Synthetics. It’s competently made, if not highly original.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is like the white bread of cooperative shooters, with its Aliens setting and aesthetic being the only thing that sets it apart. Despite their portrayal in the films, most Xenomorphs and Synthetics never feel that intimidating as they can be taken down pretty quickly.

It’s easy to turn your brain off and enjoy blasting through tons of Xenomorphs while catching up with your friends on the game’s lowest difficulties. Your conversation will likely be the highlight of the night, more so than the game. It’s a nice background distraction for a more extensive digital gettogether, and Xbox Game Pass is tailor-made for situations like that.

With Xbox Game Pass, it’s easier to give games that you wouldn’t usually buy a shot. I wouldn’t recommend that you go out and pay between $40 and $70 for Aliens: Fireteam Elite. But as a freebie on Xbox Game Pass, it could make for a delightful game night.

There are much better games than Aliens: Fireteam Elite on Xbox Game Pass. Hell, there is even a better Aliens franchise game on the service with Alien: Isolation.

But if you’re tired of games like Back 4 Blood and Outriders and are looking for a mindless horde-based shooter that will let you go on a power trip and hang out with your friends, then try giving Aliens: Fireteam Elite a try during your next gaming session.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is available now on Xbox Game Pass.