With New York's Comic Con in full swing this weekend, Gearbox and SEGA recently announced that a special guest would be in attendance for their Aliens: Colonial Marines panel.
That guest? None other than one half of the evil conglomerate Weyland-Yutani, or the famed android Bishop (it all depends on which Alien movie you're watching), Lance Henriksen.
Henrikson has the distinction of being featured in three of the "Alien" movies - "Aliens," "Alien 3," and "Aliens VS Predator - one less than primary "Alien" protagonist, Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley.
Henriksen will be reprising his role of Bishop from "Aliens," voicing the android in Colonial Marines.
The panel, dubbed "Designing the Videogame Sequel to ALIENS - Aliens: Colonial Marines and the challenges of scale and canon," sees various members of Gearbox staff joining Henriksen, including CEO Randy Pitchford, co-founder Brian Martel, creative director Mikey Neumann, and design director John Mulkey.
Gearbox and Henriksen will share insights into the game's development, and the burden of creating a "video game sequel to one of the most talked about cult classics of all time."
Set after the events of "Alien 3," Colonial Marines have been dispatched to find Lt. Ellen Ripley, and what happened aboard the USS Sulaco, the Marine transport ship where Ripley slugged it out in a power loader against an Alien Queen. In addition to the Sulaco, the marines are also expected to engage in bug hunts all throughout Hadley's Hope, the doomed human colony on LV-426. Other familiar environments from the movie are expected to make an appearance as well.
Just like Hicks and Hudson did in Aliens, players will be able to set up automated turrets, and defend specific areas by welding doors. Marine firepower like the smartgun, flamethrower, and the infamous pulse rifle will once again be used to blast away. Remember: short, controlled bursts. Both the Alien films and videogames have a history of tense, creepy moments, and paranoia. Marines is expected to be no different, so stay frosty.
In addition to the classic chestburster, Queen, and facehuggers, Pitchford promises some new xenomorphs will make their debut. "We do have some awesome new variants to reveal for the first time, so we try to get value out of those moments for the experience when you're playing the game."
The panel takes place tomorrow, Oct. 13 in Room 1A07 at the Javits Center from 11:00 am -12:00 pm, and Aliens: Colonial Marines is set for release on Feb. 12, for Windows PC, PS3, Wii U, and the Xbox 360.