Alienation adds four-player local co-op next week

Tweaks to loot and more difficulties, too

I am so down with Housemarque’s twin-stick shooter Alienation, and I bet if you played it, you would be too. The game’s lack of local co-op has understandably kept some folks away, but the studio is addressing that omission next Tuesday, July 5. Go tell three of your closest friends (or maybe don’t, because there will be tussles over who gets what from loot crates).

Another common criticism is the lack of end-game content and progressioℱn. At a certain point, you just end up running the same exact missio🗹ns and growing increasingly annoyed at lackluster weapon drops.

With the new update, there will be new Expert and Master difficulty settings, three extra Trophies, “a richer Arkship experience (with new rooms, harder enemies, better loot), adjustments to Legendary weapons loot drop rates, and [an] increased Hero levels cap.” You’ll also be able to customize your bullet color by participating in weekly Leagues, rising the ladders, and earning unlocks.

Some paid DLC is in the works. The first add-on, Survivor’s Pack ($5.99 standalone, or $9.99 for the full season pass), will let you use all main weapons with all classes. It also introduces the Vortex Grenade, “which sucks all enemies to a central gravity point dealing constant damage,” and three exclusive bullet colors. I’m not sure I care for any of those additions — I prefer the boomerang to grenades — but everything else dropping on July 5 sounds compelling enough to get me back into Alienation.

[Thanks, shlevai]