Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 might be the videogameist game of 2026, and I mean that in the best way possible. Like the first entry into the Fireteam Elite series, Cold Iron Studios has delivered a faithfully crafted third-person shooter set in the expansive world of Aliens.
If you’re a fan of the Alien franchise, or simply enjoy third-person shooters that you can shut your brain off to for a few hours and play with a couple of friends, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is a certified good time. Spread across 4 biomes, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 features 15 missions that should take most players roughly 8-10 hours to complete.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2’s narrative starts with a rescue mission that quickly gets messy as it becomes evident that Weyland-Yutani is up to its old tricks, experimenting on Xenomorphs. The simple but effective setup makes for a solid excuse to introduce a variety of Xenomorph mutations and subspecies that change up the otherwise bog-standard infestation of drones and movie-accurate big bads. In addition to new Xenomorph enemy types, Fireteam Elite 2 brings back the Working Joe Synths, which now also feature taniker variants that make for some more exciting encounters, on top of Weyland-Yutani drones and a few other surprises I won’t spoil towards the end of the campaign.
“Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is a certified good time”
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 features five distinct classes, in addition to an unlockable specialist class that essentially allows players to make their own customized loadout, making for a fun incentive for late-game shenanigans. The various classes in the game come complete with unique special attacks and abilities, such as deployable turrets, AoE healing rifts, aggressive rocket attacks and more, making it worthwhile to experiment or plan, particularly if you’re playing with friends.
In terms of challenge, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 can surprisingly get tough, with chaotic enemy patterns and sometimes overwhelming amounts of targets on screen. Unfortunately, the volume of enemies can sometimes result in poor performance (both on my 7900XTX rig and a base PS5). Thankfully, despite the sometimes uneven performance, the move to Unreal Engine 4 brings a much sharper level of visual polish, particularly in its lighting and volumetric detail, such as fog and mist, selling the illusion of Alien’s iconic aesthetic.
On the topic of aesthetics, adhering to the visual language set by the Aliens franchise shouldn’t mean a limited set of biomes to explore, but sadly, like most video game renditions of the world, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 mostly consists of derelict colonies, Xenomorph nests and the occasional rocky valley and Space Jockey abode. I sincerely hope the Fireteam Elite series continues forward, with future instalments perhaps pulling from the comics, or even more original ideas that stray away from the iconic but expected smattering of locations.
Some of the larger, more imposing enemy variants were the highlight for me during my time with Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, something I wish the game pushed further, such as having more boss encounters or unique, one-off threats that would take away from the routine of simply clearing wave after wave of enemies. Fortunately, the variety of options, including custom stocks, stat augments and cosmetics, made the otherwise familiar gameplay fun from start to finish.
“Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 can surprisingly get tough, with chaotic enemy patterns and sometimes overwhelming amounts of targets on screen.”
For those playing on the PC platform, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, like its previous instalment, relies on Unreal Engine and therefore works rather well when bruteforcing VR on capable machines. Playing Fireteam Elite 2 in VR via UEVR is very cool, making the game a must-play for those who can stomach it. Of course, even without VR, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 can be a lot of fun when played with friends, something made easy thanks to the title supporting full crossplay between PC and consoles.
Priced at a modest $49.99 USD for the standard edition of the game, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is a solid co-op experience made better for fans of the source material. As far as sequels go, Fireteam Elite 2 adds a much better amount of enemy variety, but ultimately doesn’t feel like a huge improvement or departure from the first, making it a harder recommendation for those who were not sold on the first time around.
Ultimately, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is a solid game, but one that doesn’t evolve or raise the bar from anything before it, making it only worthwhile for diehard enthusiasts or those who just want a fun but ultimately unremarkable co-op experience to sink a few hours into.
