| Alien Swarm | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Valve |
| Publisher(s) | Valve |
| Composer(s) | Mike Morasky |
| Engine | Source |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | July 19, 2010[1] April 20, 2017 (Reactive Drop) |
| Genre(s) | Top-down shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Alien Swarm is a multiplayer top-down shooter video game developed by Valve. It is a remake of a mod for Unreal Tournament 2004, and it was developed by the original team, who were hired by Valve during the course of the development process.[1][2]
The original Alien Swarm was released on July 19, 2010. On April 20, 2017, an enhanced version called Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop, developed by a group of community volunteers, was released as a separate standalone game, containing numerous additional features like new co-op campaigns, a single-player mode with bots, PvP modes, support for up to eight players, Steam Workshop support, more achievements, and an expanded arsenal of weapons.[3] Both games follow the same premise, in which each player takes the role of a space marine as part of a squad that is fighting off swarms of hostile alien parasites while attempting to accomplish various objectives.
The game was well-received by most critics, and praised for its gameplay and graphics, despite some reviewers believing it to be overly generic. The setting and gameplay was noted as being heavily reminiscent of the 1986 film Aliens.
- ^ a b Meer, Alec (July 19, 2010). "Valve to release free shooter and source code". GamesIndustry. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ Walker, John (July 16, 2010). "Valve Announces New Game: Alien Swarm". Rock Paper Shotgun. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
- ^ "Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.