As part of an ongoing series, we are very honored to post the first Developer Diary from the good folks at WayForward, creators of the upcoming Aliens: Infestation. The first entry discusses the team at WayForward and their general philosophy, while offering insight into the Aliens world that they are building into. These developer diaries are shared between the SEGA blogs (you are here!) and the Gearbox community blog at Gearboxity.com. We hope you enjoy the first entry!

Who is WayForward and What is Their Design Philosophy for Aliens: Infestation?

Adam Tierney of WayForward (Director):
Every now and then, we get an opportunity to work on a brand so ingrained in our youth, that shaped us so deeply as storytellers and game designers, that it is (quite literally, sometimes) a dream come true. For many of the people at our company, that game was Contra 4 on Nintendo DS. Reigniting the Contra series was an incredible opportunity that combined our company’s love of classic gameplay mechanics and beautiful character animation, with a brand that many of us grew up loving. We had a blast making that game, and the fan response was incredible.

But for me personally, Aliens is a step beyond that. James Cameron’s 1986 movie is arguably (and I WILL argue this) the greatest action film ever made, and holds up remarkably well to this day. Not just because of the horror (which is there) and the action (BOY is it there), but because of the incredible characters and world Cameron wove together. Everything felt like it extended beyond the boundaries of those two hours we saw.

So when we got the call from Sega and Gearbox about making a 2D pixel DS game based on Aliens, needless to say we were pretty ecstatic. And when I say based on Aliens, I mean BASED ON ALIENS. This isn’t just an action title that happens to feature Xenomorphs. This is a game firmly set in the world and events established by James Cameron, and Ridley Scott before him. It’s a game that pays homage to both of those films, without recycling from either, and continues where they left off.

It also came along at the perfect time for WayForward. Having just finished Contra 4 on the Nintendo DS, we were in the perfect mindset for another 2D action platformer. Contra 4 had been very well received by both critics and fans for its retro feel and tough-as-nails gameplay. But at the same time, Contra is a very reactionary series: run, something appears, kill it before it kills you. There are few subtleties in a world of shirtless mercenaries. And while the two brands certainly share the same intense action, we knew creating a game based on Aliens would require a deeper connection between the characters and their world.

So we took a long, hard look at what worked so well in the James Cameron film. And we found that it all essentially boils down to two things: love and loss. James Cameron’s recipe for success was to write the most endearing, badass, memorable action heroes ever, and then kill them off one by one. Love and loss, that’s what the film was built on, beyond all the fantastic action and inventive sci-fi visuals.

We realized a true Aliens game would only work if players got as invested in our characters as we were in Hicks, Vasquez, Apone, Bishop…yes, even Hudson. We had to make players love everything about our Marines: their weapons, their abilities, their appearance, their personalities, even their humor. So that when they died (and we’re talking real, permanent death), it actually meant something. That’s a pretty tall order for a game where the characters are only 40 pixels tall.

So right from the start, it was apparent that the heart of the game rested with our troops. And once we figured that out, we knew we were on the track to creating a really unique experience for players.

Onward to Gearboxity.com for part 2!

But wait, there’s more! Head over to the Gearboxity blog and catch part 2 of the WayForward Developer Diary which touches on all things Gameplay from Cole Phillips (Lead Designer) and Jeff Pomegranate (Producer). Onward to Part 2!

Aliens Infestation is coming soon, launching in Europe on September 30th and in North America on October 11th. The game has been getting all kinds of praise from folks who get their hands on the game and today we have a trailer to show it off.

The first outing is a bit action packed, but wait there’s more … Aliens Infestation is a classic lock and key style game, some might call Metroidvania. Crafted by WayForward, one of the top 2D developers, you know it’s going to be a good one. Don’t just take my word for it, we had some recent coverage from both Comic-con and Penny Arcade Expo that you should read:

1up.com enjoyed their hands on and had this to say:

It doesn’t happen very often, but every once in a while I come across a game that seems so similar to what I’d design for myself if I had the time and talent that it’s almost unnerving. Sega’s Aliens: Infestation is one such game. In fact, it hits pretty much all the sweet spots I look for in an action game.

Gamefront enjoyed Infestation and created a list of seven reasons why you should pick this game up!

Despite its humble DS home, Infestation does all it can to be as authentic an Aliens experience as possible. From sound effects to visual design, WayForward has done an impressive job of making Infestation look, sound and feel like a Xenomorph-flavored game. You’ll fire pulse rifles, weld doors, use flamethrowers to burn through obstacles, and drop flares to mark positions.

Destructoid awarded Aliens Infestation one of it’s top games of the PAX 2011 show, an award only 9 others received.

I absolutely loved what I got to play of the game and I’m very much looking forward to playing more. The beautiful sprite-based animations, comic-book personality, surprising atmosphere and panic-inducing challenge sets the scene for what might be one of the best Aliens games ever made. I can’t wait to get my hands on more!

Lastly 4PlayerPodcast wrote up a preview that had us all laughing, even getting a spot on our wall of awesome, here’s a tease:

To put it simply, Aliens: Infestation plays like an amalgamation of Metroid and Shadow Complex, expect transpose Metroids and soliders with Xenomorphs. It has everything you would expect from a Metroid experience; the large non-linear explorable map, the upgrading of weapons to allow access to previously inaccessible areas, and all the atmosphere and tension we have come to expect from an Aliens experience.

Well, the Gamescom show is over, but we’re not done yet! We have five new Aliens: Colonial Marines images for everyone to enjoy.

Don’t forget to come visit us at Penny Arcade Expo to check out the game! We’re looking forward to seeing you!

E3 is now officially over! Officially now that we’re in the office and the E3 smell has been washed out of our clothing and life for another year. With the return to the office and a steady connection to the outside world, we can do a bit of a round up on all things Aliens: Colonial Marines! As noted in our E3 Show blog, the Aliens: Colonial Marines booth was decked out and themed to the Aliens universe with a theater, live Colonial Marines (see above!) and even holograms of the Aliens on the sides. While the outside looked cool, inside was the only place to view the demo of the upcoming SEGA and Gearbox title. The demo ran for about 30 minutes and we had folks queued up all day long to get in and get a chance to see it; when they got out, they were excited for the upcoming game!

There’s certainly a lot of interest in the title, so I didn’t list everything, just the lengthier articles that had a different perspectives or notable moments that they could catch from the presentation. I know that there is much more on the way as far as impressions, so keep your eyes open for more links and articles from the E3 show floor!

Impressions & Previews

MTV Multiplayer Blog has impressions up from the preview, read it here!

“Gearbox Software has been developing “Colonial Marines” for years now, but they finally took the wraps off the game at this year’s E3. Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox, is referring to this game as the “true sequel to ‘Aliens.’

The Wall Street Journal’s Blog, Speakeasy, had a chance to check out the game, check their preview here

Fans will be happy that the first-person shooter has all of the familiar elements from the movies, including pulse rifles with over/under grenade launchers, flamethrowers, power loaders and acid alien blood that will do you serious damage if you get into a “close encounter.” The designers have even incorporated the sentry gun robots from the director’s cut of “Aliens.”

Ars Technica has a very in depth article about the demo, including a quote that I’ve listed below – be sure to read the full article here.

I caught up with Gearbox’s Minister of Art—his actual job title—after the event, and asked about the danger of dealing with a property so many people love, one that has been somewhat abused in the past few years. “There were a few figures that were made when the movie came out, like a xenomorph that’s a praying mantis, and we have them tacked on our wall at the office to remind us what mistakes to avoid,” he told Ars. He said that everyone on the team is a fan of the franchise, and they have a strong sense of how to respect it without crossing any lines.

Video Game Writers posted their impressions, you can read them here.

Before beginning the live gameplay presentation, Pitchford joked that the game industry has been ripping off ideas from Aliens for years, and it was awesome to finally do it officially.

Examiner.com has lengthy impressions up as well, you can view the full article here.

Using a shotgun and later a pulse rifle the demo showed that even with great firepower the marines are at a huge disadvantage. The battle moved from the blast damaged observation area complerte with the ruined atmosphere processor in the distance.

VideoGamer.com has an excellent write up that covers off so much, you can tell they are big fans of the movies and certainly anticipating the release of Colonial Marines. Read their full writeup here.

There’ll always be at least one ally to hand, however, as drop in/drop out co-op play is available at all times, for a maximum of four participants. Perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise given the success of Borderlands, but it’s certainly excellent news all the same.

Kotaku has a long preview up, peppered with details from the demo and their interviews – a great summary and overall read!

The position beyond saving, Winter and his pal run back upstairs where they see aliens streaming into the room through vents in the ceilings and walls. The aliens drop to the floor, jump over crates, bound toward you. The lights go out, in the silence and the black you can hear the motion tracking beeps of an approaching horde.

Gamespot has a write up of their impressions of the demo, read it all here…

The main character whipped out his handheld radar scanner and soon found several blips dashing toward the unit from the west. Naturally, the creatures were the titular Xenomorph aliens. One of them darted through the broken airshafts, wiggled out the other end, and snatched up an unlucky marine. It was time for our protagonist to get out of this sticky situation fast.

Finally Joystiq has a preview up of the demo presentation that also has a ton of detail, don’t miss out on the full article!

Gearbox told us there are other throwbacks for fans, like seeing Bishop’s torn legs in the USS Sulaco hanger bay, checking out the vent where Vasquez martyred herself, and seeing Newt’s doll head. But the game isn’t all throwback; in order to deliver a compelling narrative of its own, Gearbox received some early help from Bradley Thompson and David Weddle of Battlestar Galactica fame to augment its in-house writing talent.

Please Hold Your Questions until the End

Previews from press are one thing, and questions to the Gearbox developers are yet another – while the folks at E3 had a chance to get in and see the game, we have an in at Gearbox to get your questions answered! Take a look at the previews and let us know if you have any questions about the game in the comments below.

It’s finally here! Day one of the E3 show, ready to rock and show off one of the most anticipated SEGA titles in recent years – Aliens: Colonial Marines! As you’ve seen from the Booth photos, the SEGA E3 space is amazing and quite a site to behold. Colonial Marines right in front grabbing your attention when you first arrive at the booth.

What are we showing? Glad you asked! As you can see from the photos, we have an incredible theater showing off the game with a demo from the Gearbox team. The theater itself is really cool with lots to look at from the outside before you get in to see the game in action. Right off you can see our real life Colonial Marines manning the floor and keeping people in check. We also have a very cool 3D Alien images that unfortunately do not come out very well in photo form – we’ll see if we can get a bit of video to show them off, because they look pretty slick.

Inside, visitors are treated with a full gameplay demo of Colonial Marines and a chance to meet the Gearbox team. There’s a lot to see, but unfortunately we can’t show you any images or videos – the only way to get a glimpse of the game in action is right on the E3 Floor! The lucky few who get in to see the game also walk out with an Aliens: Colonial Marines shirt that fans may recognize from the Aliens movie (slight modification to have our line art match the game though!).

With that in mind, we want your questions for the Gearbox team! By now, previews and impressions should be flooding the web and we want to take your questions straight to the source. Post in the comments below!

Not to leave you entirely empty handed, we have 3 new screens of the game! Be sure to click in and see them in their full resolution on our Flickr page!

We’ve got more on the way for E3, so stay tuned for coverage from the show floor!

E3 is just a few days away ( #SegaE3 ), and we’re excited to announce our roster of titles to be shown! We will have more than 13 new games across all major platforms, including several games in stunning stereoscopic 3D, support for PlayStation Move for the PlayStation 3, Kinect for the Xbox 360, and Nintendo 3DS. The lineup spans multiple genres and includes adaptations of blockbuster film franchises, an original squad-based shooter from the creative mind of some of SEGA’s most popular franchises, the first “M-rated” game on Kinect, AAA digital titles, an all-new title from critically acclaimed developer PlatinumGames, and many more!

Also, as you probably know by now, we’ll celebrate this year’s 20^th birthday of Sonic the Hedgehog with Sonic Boom,  featuring Sonic Generations™ on Wednesday, June 8^th, 6PM PST at the Club NOKIA in Downtown Los Angeles.

We’ll be posting lots of blogs, Facebook updates, and tweets during the show! We want to hear what you think, so please use the hashtag #SegaE3 for tweets about all of our E3 activity, including our games, our booth, and Sonic Boom!

The list of titles in display at SEGA’s E3 booth (South Exhibit Hall, Booth 2023) includes among others:

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Aliens: Colonial Marines  (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC) – Launch Date: Spring 2012

From the award-winning first-person shooter powerhouse Gearbox Software comes Aliens: Colonial Marines, the highly anticipated horror-based action FPS set in the Aliens universe with cooperative multiplayer at its core. Bringing new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise, the game pits players against the universe’s ultimate alien killing machines, the Xenomorphs, in claustrophobic environments guaranteed to produce horrifying shocks and surprises.

ANARCHY REIGNS

ANARCHY REIGNS  (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ) – Launch Date: January 2012

ANARCHY REIGNS is the much anticipated next title from critically acclaimed developer PlatinumGames. With ANARCHY REIGNS, PlatinumGames will be using their hallmark creativity and technical excellence to challenge the boundaries of the conventional brawler genre by allowing multiple players to get involved in heavy-hitting action simultaneously. ANARCHY REIGNS incorporates a diverse range of multiplayer modes to provide players with different challenges, including a co-op survival mode and an all-out Battle Royal mode, where players can challenge others in a full-on fight for victory. Additionally, all modes will be available as offline single-player experiences as well. In the single player campaign mode, players can choose between Jack and Leo for different story experiences.

Binary Domain

Binary Domain (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) – Launch Date: Early 2012

Binary Domain is an original IP by Toshihiro Nagoshi, the creator behind some of SEGA’s most well-known video game franchises, including the critically acclaimed Yakuza series. The atmospheric squad-based shooter puts players in the middle of a fast-paced and intense battle against hordes of deadly robots, and a secret that could threaten all mankind. Fighting upward through the derelict lower levels of 2080 Tokyo into the beautiful upper city, players control an international Special Forces squad, specializing in covert ops, which sets out to battle to the heart of the crisis.

Captain America: Super Soldier

Captain America: Super Soldier (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS) – Launch Date: (US) July 19; (EU) July, 15, 2011; 3DS in Fall 2011

Become Captain America, the ultimate Super-Soldier, in the darkest days of World War II as you face the Red Skull and his army in this epic third-person action adventure. Wield Captain America’s legendary shield to take out multiple enemies at once, deflect incoming fire back at your enemies, solve puzzles, and scale walls. Above all, hurl yourself shield-first into the fray, with the superior force of the world’s first Super-Soldier at your fingertips. Engage in devastating open combat and acrobatic platforming to infiltrate Hydra’s massive and mysterious castle complex and battle the infamous Iron Cross, the forces of Hydra, and a host of nefarious enemies serving the Red Skull in an all-new Captain America story and adventure.

CRUSH3D

CRUSH3D (Nintendo 3DS) – Launch Date: (US) September 6, (EU) September 9, 2011

Redesigned for Nintendo 3DS, CRUSH3D is the unique platform game that gives you the ability to change perspective from 2D to 3D as you try to solve brain-teasing puzzles. Built on the foundation of the award winning CRUSH, CRUSH3D features a host of exciting new features specifically designed for the Nintendo 3DS system, including new locations, characters and an intuitive hint system. Navigate across the surreal platforms of Danny’s mind by ‘crushing’ your way from a 2-dimensional to a 3-dimensional world and back again whenever you need to.

Guardian Heroes

Guardian Heroes (Xbox LIVE Arcade) – Launch Date: Late Summer 2011

Coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE® Arcade, get ready for more swords and sorcery than you can shake your magical staff at. An ancient evil threatens the world after years of peace. Step into the shoes of one of five mighty heroes; each with their own unique attacks and customizable stats. As you fight through forests, graveyards, castles and volcanoes, your every decision will decide the ultimate fate of the world. Do you have what it takes to be a Guardian Hero? Due out this summer, Guardian Heroes features Co-Op and Online play for you and your friends, multiple game modes, optimized graphics, and brand new achievements for Xbox LIVE.

House of the Dead: OVERKILL Extended Cut

House of the Dead: OVERKILL Extended Cut (PlayStation Move for PlayStation 3) – Launch Date: (US) October 25, (EU) October 28, 2011

The pulp-style reinvention of the classic light-gun shooter comes to the PlayStation 3 in this exclusive Extended Cut with an avalanche of new content including brand new levels, weapons, mutants and more. Experience the over-the-top, mutant blasting madness with your PlayStation Move motion controller for PS3 all in stunning 3D and re-mastered HD graphics.

Renegade Ops

Renegade Ops (Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, PC digital download) – Launch Date: 2011

Created by Swedish developer Avalanche Studios, Renegade Ops will unleash unprecedented mayhem and exhilarating destruction. Players are sent behind enemy lines in a mobile commando unit to defeat Inferno, a madman intent on global domination. Defeat enemies across a range of stunning environments using a wide variety of vehicles and weapons, from dispersing electromagnetic shock waves to the deployment of a huge Gatling gun armed to the teeth. Players have the choice to fight alone in single-player mode, team up offline with two-player split screen or join the dynamic 4-player online co-op experience.

Rise of Nightmares

Rise of Nightmares (Kinect for Xbox 360) – Launch Date: TBA

Rise of Nightmares offers a spine-tingling horror experience unique to the massively successful Kinect. Using their whole body the player will experience fear and tension as never before in this first-person horror adventure. Fight off hordes of undead creatures and mad scientists in this uniquely horror themed adventure that sees players desperately searching for their kidnapped wife.

SEGA Rally Online Arcade

SEGA Rally Online Arcade (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) – Launch Date: Out Now on Xbox LIVE Arcade, Coming Soon on PlayStation Network)

When was the last time you enjoyed getting dragged through the mud? Race through five different types of terrain in more rally-bred vehicles than a baker can shake his dozen at – including the Ford Focus RS, the classic Lancia Delta Integrale and the ferocious Bowler Nemesis. Play through a slew of modes including Time Trials, Single Races, and Championship Events. Cut to the chase and face off online in a variety of 6 Player multiplayer racing events – isn’t it about time you showed your friends who’s numero uno?

Shinobi

Shinobi (Nintendo 3DS) – Launch Date:  September 2011

Shinobi for the Nintendo 3DS sees the eagerly anticipated return of the legendary Shinobi. We follow our hero, Jiro Musashi, through a wide variety of exotic locations as he battles his way past hordes of enemies using magical Ninja powers in this intense action-filled title. Shinobi will include some classic gameplay elements found in previous Shinobi titles, while introducing several exciting new features and experiences specifically designed to take advantage of the technology offered by the Nintendo 3DS system.

Sonic Generations

Sonic Generations (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS) – Launch Date: Holiday 2011

Delivering the definitive gaming experience for Sonic fans old and new and part of the celebrations for Sonic the Hedgehog’s 20th Anniversary, Sonic Generations sees Sonic the Hedgehog playable as both the much loved classic 1991 character, and the modern day video game hero he has become. In this exciting new fast paced adventure set across three defining eras from 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog, you can now speed through some of the most iconic environments, playing as Classic Sonic in re-imagined 2D side scrolling levels, and as Modern Sonic in all new, stunning 3D levels.

Where to Find Us

SEGA will be located at BOOTH 2023 in the South Exhibit Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

“It’ll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night… mostly.”

Today we are very excited to a full press release, screen and teaser for the upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines! The anticipation around this game is unlike any other, with fans constantly requesting info, details, media – anything at all to satisfy their need for more Aliens hunger. For us, in community, this is huge, as we’ve been waiting so patiently to let loose and show you what’s been cooking for some time now – so don’t wait, read on for the full scoop and let us know what you think!

Press Release

SEGA Europe Ltd. and SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that the highly-anticipated first-person shooter, Aliens: Colonial Marines™, will be launching in spring 2012 on PC, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. In partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise. The game pits players against the universe’s ultimate alien killing machines, the Xenomorphs, in claustrophobic environments guaranteed to produce blood curdling thrills that the movie is renowned for. A first look of the game is presented in the South Hall at SEGA’s booth #2023, at this week’s E3 in Los Angeles.

“To Gearbox Software and its peers throughout the industry, ALIENS is one of the most influential science fiction properties of all time,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “Aliens: Colonial Marines, designed as an interactive successor to the landmark films from Twentieth Century Fox, is a dream project about which our studio is deeply committed and passionate.”

“Aliens: Colonial Marines will be THE definitive ALIENS gaming experience,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “Gearbox Software are doing a brilliant job translating the thrill and horror that ALIENS stands for into an action-packed shooter experience with co-operative gameplay at its core.”

Gary Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President of New Media for Fox Consumer Products added, “It’s no easy task to take on one of the most influential films of all-time, but SEGA and Gearbox are not going to disappoint. This game will be a must-have for fans of the ALIENS franchise and gamers around the globe.”

Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe. Aliens: Colonial Marines features authentic environments, such as the surface of LV-426 and Hadley’s Hope, weapons inspired by the film series and is designed to provide an exhilarating and engaging new chapter in the Aliens universe.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available spring 2012 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The game is also on display in the South Hall at SEGA’s booth #2032, at this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

Teaser Trailer

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to go check out the WonderCon comic book convention here in San Francisco. Basically it is a huge event held annually for the last 18 years to celebrate comics, sci fi, and movies. This year was WonderCon’s fifth year at the famed Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco after its early reign across the bay in Oakland.

Convention-goers from all over the globe arrived in droves to check out all the cool merchandise, artists, costume, and the huge hype surrounding the preview of the new X-Files movie and appearances by David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chris Carter, and Frank Spotnitz. In addition to the X-Files preview, attendees could also expect appearances by Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway promoting the new Get Smart feature, a first look at the new Street Fighter 4 game, and a endless bundle of other movie and comic related insider panels.

I arrived around 11:00 AM with camera in tow to be greeted by a totally massive line wrapping out the front door and out to the street. Luckily for me I had pre-purchased my ticket and just needed to hop in the speed line to obtain my badge and get the train a-rolling.

Once I walked into the main convention center, I was pretty overwhelmed by where to start my journey. I had a few definites on my agenda, but with about 8,000,000 of my my closest friends in attendance, I would have to wade through a sea of people to even begin to find some of the unexpected surprises that would await me below.

I gave my buddy ChillAura a call as he had just shown up as well, and we rendezvoused near the Artists’ Alley to check out some of the premier comic and sculpture artists’ work. We got the chance to scope out Jim Lee (one of my favorite X-Men artists), Tim Sale (Grendel, Hulk Gray), Mark Brooks (Arana, Marvel) and a ton of other great pencil and ink guys among the company of artists’ booths positioned in the hall’s northeast corner.

Chill and I were pretty stoked on all the Artists’ Alley stuff, but we had other things on our agenda that we had to take care of, so we headed to the far west end of the hall to check out the merchandisers, to see what new gear we could pick up. There was actually one ominously towering T-shirt vendor that caught our eye (along with the eyes of anyone not legally blind) and we made our way through the sea of fans and costumed heroes and villains to see what kind of deals we could score. Chill was able to add to and replenish his impressive collection of shirts, but one shirt in particular caught my eye — and it was on sale to boot!

Alright, now that we had dropped some cash and had some tangibles to bring home with us, it was time to take in some of the other sights. Not much effort was needed to be expended on our end, luckily, as the barrage of visuals and costumes was upon us whether we liked it or not. It just so happened I ran into Rex Adams, member of the USCM, a really cool group of guys dedicated to Aliens-inspired replica armor, weapons, and memorabilia that I’ve had the pleasure to get to get to know and meet recently. It looked like Rex had already caught the attention of a small group of people blown away by the detail of his USCM armor, pulse rifle, and working motion tracker — I know I was!

Rex and I headed over to meet up with his fellow USCM buddy David Wong over at his Sci Fi Military booth. We got to talk about all their gear and the differences between the types of armors and ways the guys have built replica weaponry to be as accurate as possible to the characters and movies. It’s amazingly impressive and I look forward to getting my chance to put together my own project. Rex also shared with me some info on this great Aliens movie project he and some of the guys have been working on called Drop Zone Copernicus, which judging from the trailer they have on their site and the passion behind its production looks to be pretty amazing once it is done. I was happy to get to share some of the work being done on the upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines game here. They seemed really excited about the game and its direction, which was great, because I know these gusy are harsh critics when it comes to Aliens, the Colonial Marines and video games.

I parted ways with Rex and David to try and get over to the main hall, where they would be premiering the new X-Files trailer. Earlier in the day, the line for people trying to get front row was pretty incredible, so I had my fingers crossed that I would be able to get in quickly and find a reasonable seat. Luckily for me (seems I’m two-for-two on avoiding lines today) a friend had been camped out and had an extra seat next to her that would let me snag a great view. The first look at the X-Files movie didn’t tell a whole lot, but I think that the push behind this and the direction definitely sounds like fans who have been waiting for more X-Files will be pleased. The Q&A with David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chris Carter, and Frank Spotnitz was actually pretty great as well. I was slightly taken aback with Gillian’s candor as her role as Dana Scully is so much different than her relaxed and sarcastic presentation I saw during the Q&A.

A good hour or so had now gone by and I was pretty much starving — too much excitement on an empty stomach can be hazardous to your convention-going health, so Chill and I booked it across the street through the (now pouring) rain to grab some BBQ at the Metreon food court. After reliving some of our adventures for the day, we decided to head back over for one last pass through to make sure we didn’t miss anything and snag some more pictures of some of the cool costumes we saw there.

During our quest to find the coolest and most elaborate costumes, I stumbled upon a booth that had some pretty well-done Marvel masks. Unfortunately I didn’t see anyone actually dressed up as Dr. Doom or Iron Man, but word on the street was there were a few Marvel costumes I missed. I guess I will have to head to ComiCon in San Diego this year (which I hear has an even larger percentage of costumed fans) and bring my own motion tracker to seek them out.

So with the rain letting up, Chill and I decided it was time to split. Before we left, however, I had to find this guy I had heard about earlier from the USCM guys, who was rocking an Aliens T-Shirt with a real 3-D chestburster coming out of it. I had nearly given up with my anxiety levels rising with the tide of the crowd, but just as I hit the last booth before the door I found him! How cool is this?

For more pictures of the event, check out my Flickr set here. If anyone else was at WonderCon, what cool stuff did you see? Miss anything on your ‘must see’ list of things to check out, or find any really good merch scores? Epic.

-EggShen

Today a new Press Release was sent out in regards to the upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines game. It contains some basic background on what to expect from the game and some stuff on the movie series as well. Hopefully we will get some more stuff on this soon I can share, but for now — check it out!

SEGA REVEALS DETAILS OF UPCOMING ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES VIDEO GAME

First-Person Shooter Based on Popular Motion Picture Franchise Coming to Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION®3, and PC in Late 2008

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (February 21, 2008) – SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today revealed details of the highly-anticipated squad-based first-person shooter video game, Aliens: Colonial Marines™. Licensed through an exclusive agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising and developed by Gearbox Software, the game will be available on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC in late 2008.

In Aliens: Colonial Marines, players are part of a United States Colonial Marine squad and must prepare to face an Aliens assault more intense and horrific than ever before. Driven by a compelling and original story penned by renowned writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, Aliens: Colonial Marines will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Aliens experience.

Packing classic Aliens weaponry ranging from pulse rifles to flamethrowers as well as brand-new equipment and skills all within a squad-based combat system, players will become an elite United States Colonial Marine. Featuring claustrophobic environments, a brooding soundtrack, and a multitude of surprises and shocks, players will battle against menacing alien hordes in strikingly detailed levels that include the stark interiors of the abandoned Sulaco and unique environments created specifically for the game.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will feature a story driven single-player mode and an all-new four player co-op mode allowing players to share the chilling experience with three friends. In co-op mode, each player will assume the persona of a United States Colonial Marine and have a distinct role to play in the completion of every mission. Additionally, more multiplayer modes will be revealed later in the year that will complete the Aliens video game experience.

Since its 1979 debut, Alien and its three sequels have grossed more than $557 million worldwide, garnering numerous awards, including two Academy Awards®. In 2002, Alien was deemed “culturally significant” by the United States Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Aliens: Colonial Marines is also available for pre-order at www.gamestop.com.

Link to full Press Release here

And so it is! The current issue of Game Informer has a HUGE feature on the upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines game that is due out next year. I have say, after seeing the article with the screens concept art and some commentary on gameplay, I am super stoked on this one. I’m generally not a big FPS guy, but I AM a huge Aliens nerd and this one looks particularly awesome. But, instead of just gushing about how cool I think it looks, maybe I should just pass along the tangibles. So here you all go, one-stop shopping for the first look at Aliens: Colonial Marines!

The magazine ships today in the US, so subscribers should be seeing it as early as this weekend. If you don’t have a subscription and want a peek, you should be able to pick this up in the periodicals section of your local bookstore or newsstand. For now you can check it out online at the Game Informer website.

This should stoke the coals of my excitement for a while at least. Anyone else looking forward to this release? For you FPS fans, what do you hope to get out of the game? And for all the Aliens diehards, what key elements from the series do you expect to have incorporated?

EggShen