Alien Swarm

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 457 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 331 out of 457
  2. Mixed: 106 out of 457
  3. Negative: 20 out of 457

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  1. MegaGamer37
    Aug 20, 2010
    10
    This game, while small, is a great game from Valve that's like a top down version of Left4Dead except with alien bugs. It runs on the Source engine and enables people to make their own maps which is a plus. I like how weapons are unlockable but the default weapons still can stand a good chance against enemies on higher difficulties. Overall, it's free and I can't think of a reason not toThis game, while small, is a great game from Valve that's like a top down version of Left4Dead except with alien bugs. It runs on the Source engine and enables people to make their own maps which is a plus. I like how weapons are unlockable but the default weapons still can stand a good chance against enemies on higher difficulties. Overall, it's free and I can't think of a reason not to buy it! Valve sure knows how to cater it's fans with free little gems like this game.… Expand
  2. grandpajoe6191
    Nov 10, 2011
    7
    "Alien Swarm" is a suprisingly fun 4 player co-op game with tons of stuff to do. You will have a good time upgrading and choosing characters and weapons to use for your battle with alien bugs. Oh and btw...It's Free.
  3. drake
    Aug 18, 2010
    9
    The game is free, has a very good gameplay and especially playing it at insane difficulty with some friends is really really fun.
    The only thing that is missing is more campaign, but thanks to the SDK it is only matter of time. Great work!
  4. Flash_Over
    Sep 21, 2011
    8
    The game lacks content, but it is truly a fun and addicting game allowing customizations and real time tactical game play with friends. and Oh did I mention it's Free?
  5. iburnaga
    Aug 27, 2010
    10
    Raw, free awesome. Make sure to play with people you are at least a little before going on modes harder than normal. Highest difficulty is where to go if you want a challenge and actual tactics. Also, expect to die on the harder modes at least as you first start out when you get better it becomes epic.
  6. Tacho
    Dec 1, 2010
    5
    This game, really doesn't bring anything new to the industry. I mean, the minute i knew it was being released, I immediately thought "Alien Breed". It is just so graphically similar, and Alien Breed 2: Assault had just released. The missions get repetitive, and the community made maps aren't that good... The only thing that made me play this game for a grand total of an hour was the greatThis game, really doesn't bring anything new to the industry. I mean, the minute i knew it was being released, I immediately thought "Alien Breed". It is just so graphically similar, and Alien Breed 2: Assault had just released. The missions get repetitive, and the community made maps aren't that good... The only thing that made me play this game for a grand total of an hour was the great leveling system, and the curiosity to know what you'd unlock next. But I guess you can't really ask for much more, considering the fact that it's free...… Expand
  7. Kurtz
    Dec 22, 2011
    6
    It is free so I can't really complain. It's a bit of fun but will wear thin quickly. Even though I don't want to put you off trying it I seriously doubt whether you will play it for more than 10 hours.
  8. avp2501
    Sep 27, 2010
    3
    This game had the potential to be really great but with valve's continued use of their "matchmaking" software you are not likely to join a server that has a great ping and your options on what maps / settings you play with are almost non existant.

    At least the game is Free and you have more choice than you get with MW2.
  9. mrpoolman
    Aug 28, 2010
    0
    I hate this game. Friendly fire ruins anything it had going for it. The game lags uncontrollably at multiple areas. A horrible mark on VALVe's record but i guess its free so that makes up for it... kinda
  10. h2o
    Sep 12, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Хох Expand
  11. Exogenesis
    Jan 4, 2011
    8
    This is easily the best free game ever made, i would easily pay 10-20$ for this great title, it may lack a bit of contend but i cant wait to see what the community will come up with!
  12. Ivan_Es_Supremo
    Oct 10, 2010
    5
    It's free. Although this is a remark that will easily justify any of the game's flaws, overall, it's a good game. I enjoyed the amount of teamwork and had a good experience with joining players online. It's really dull as a single player game though. The level design is really nice and the aesthetic certainly gives you a double take as you realize that the game is 100% free. However, beingIt's free. Although this is a remark that will easily justify any of the game's flaws, overall, it's a good game. I enjoyed the amount of teamwork and had a good experience with joining players online. It's really dull as a single player game though. The level design is really nice and the aesthetic certainly gives you a double take as you realize that the game is 100% free. However, being free isn't enough to make me recommend this over all the countless choices of top down shooters. I personally enjoy the Alien Breed games, especially the latest one. Perhaps try there if you want to have a better experience. For the entry fee though, Alien Swarm is certainly a game to try out for yourself no matter what anyone says. The lack of a fee and ability to play this on almost any PC rig for the modern man are definitely good reasons to dive into Valve's offering. Here's hoping for a better product though for their next outing. Valve's free content always seems to lack a certain quality that just fails to live up to the expectations of their full priced offerings.… Expand
  13. theedee
    Oct 13, 2010
    5
    COULD have been so great....

    Beside the fact that this game is free to play, the thing thats most important in the end is: Do you want to play the game. Alien Swarm has such great potential: The Graphic is good, Style pretty cool. It is cooperative, which is always great, but the community and the Multiplayer Platform ruins everything. The Server browser is a bad joke, the connections are    COULD have been so great....

    Beside the fact that this game is free to play, the thing thats most important in the end is: Do you want to play the game. Alien Swarm has such great potential: The Graphic is good, Style pretty cool. It is cooperative, which is always great, but the community and the Multiplayer Platform ruins everything. The Server browser is a bad joke, the connections are quite unstable, and in more than 80 percent of the games i "tried" to play woth strangers there was no teamplay, support or anything that would have made the stay worth my time.

    Another thing is the balance: No possibility to revive dead team members, bad. If the Engineer dies you have to restart in most cases. The Infection is totally "overpowered" Without a good Medic , who has to be at a fairly high level to have access to the heal gun, and who has enough "Ammo" ,one team member is surely dead, bad.

    This game is free, yes. But thats just a total lame excuse for a bad game. If you have 3 Friends and some spare time, enjoy the game for a few hours, but dont expect too much.    … Expand
  14. matdimond
    Aug 10, 2019
    7
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  15. Noman
    Aug 15, 2010
    8
    The game feels like it's in-between a very in-depth demo and one of those 10 dollar indie games that you can pull off Steam. Fortunately, the game exceeds beyond what one would expect to find from a game with no price tag. Cooperative multiplayer has always been second fiddle to competitive multiplayer, but this game champions the genre by being simple, free, and very fun. Like anyThe game feels like it's in-between a very in-depth demo and one of those 10 dollar indie games that you can pull off Steam. Fortunately, the game exceeds beyond what one would expect to find from a game with no price tag. Cooperative multiplayer has always been second fiddle to competitive multiplayer, but this game champions the genre by being simple, free, and very fun. Like any cooperative multiplayer game, it works best when everyone is actually playing cooperatively. Overachievers and one-man-armies who charge ahead without the support of the rest of the squad will be rebuffed with overwhelming swarms of talons, mandibles, and acid projectiles. The game encourages cooperation without strictly enforcing it with a heavy hand (experienced players can still gobble up most of the kills and carry the rest of the squad). The game definitely knows that it doesn't have a lot to offer, because leveling up is rapid and unlocks are plentiful. A player can see it all, do it all, and unlock it all within a dedicated day of play time. But that's fine, because there are few better ways to spend zero dollars.… Expand
  16. Nitroz
    Aug 12, 2010
    9
    It's been a while since i've played a top down shooter.
    And since this game was free I thought I'd give it a go. My first impressions of the game were exceptional, to put it in 1 word.
    Even though there's only 1 campaign to choose from but 6 or so sub levels within that. You get the impression this game should be a paid game. I was dissapointed on how many campaigns there were. But, it    It's been a while since i've played a top down shooter.
    And since this game was free I thought I'd give it a go. My first impressions of the game were exceptional, to put it in 1 word.
    Even though there's only 1 campaign to choose from but 6 or so sub levels within that. You get the impression this game should be a paid game. I was dissapointed on how many campaigns there were. But, it is a free game and you can't expect everything from it.
    The graphics are great on this game, it gives you an overall feel with the muzzle flashes and such.
    The weapons and characters are easily customisable and fully customisable in a matter of fact.

    All in all, love this game, worth getting for free.    … Expand
  17. ThomasF
    Aug 16, 2010
    9
    It's free, the graphics run on a modified version of the Source engine, tons of aliens, L4D style game play, leveling, customizable weapon layouts, this thing is everything a game needs.
  18. seandewar5
    Feb 12, 2011
    7
    Alien Swarm is definitely a great example of a game to introduce to new Steam users, which also adds to the positive fact of it being free. But, because of the freeness of the game, I believe Valve didn't really put the polish into this game as they did on their other games - still a work of art, though!
  19. Pjvandehaar
    Aug 25, 2010
    10
    An excellent game by all accounts. Best with friends, and given that it's free, that's easy. Low internet requirements, but internet is required nonetheless.
  20. Zurtrogx
    Aug 27, 2010
    8
    In Alien Swarm, you run around, with up to 3 more players, killing swarms of aliens (as the name of the game suggests). There are a variety of different difficult settings, which allows the game to cater for all skill levels. Lots of achievements to earn. Good graphics. And best of all - it is FREE. Just make a Steam account, and go try it out. You've got nothing to lose!
  21. SuddenJonatan
    Aug 29, 2010
    8
    Its free, its epic, it has co-op up to 4 player, its has aliens and its made by Valve. It got everything. This is another proof that Valve cant make bad games. Alien swarm is a excellent game for everyone. But it can be frustrating sometimes. Its difficulty is somwhat high, and friendly fire is lame, but the rest is just awsome.And its FREE! Head that people?? Free!
  22. ordoabchao
    Sep 1, 2010
    8
    This game is great imo.. for a free game. , friendly fire isnt too much of a problem if you have a decent Medic, and lag would have something to do with YOUR internet connection and not the game itself. I am waiting for them to release more campaigns, which I feel valve may put up for sale, other than that this game is great!
  23. Alan250
    Sep 3, 2010
    8
    Hey, that's a good game. What makes this game even more fun? ITS FREE! You can download, hate, and throw away if you don't like it. But i'm sure you won't do that. This coop top-down game is fun, although is quite short (the official campaign is short but there is lots of unofficial maps {but they do not give xp or any achievements}) but in compensation there is a great arsenal of weaponsHey, that's a good game. What makes this game even more fun? ITS FREE! You can download, hate, and throw away if you don't like it. But i'm sure you won't do that. This coop top-down game is fun, although is quite short (the official campaign is short but there is lots of unofficial maps {but they do not give xp or any achievements}) but in compensation there is a great arsenal of weapons that make the game more attractive. Recently a AI director has been added to the game to you never play the same mission, what was cool, but didn't help, the game is still repetitive and boring when you finish the campaign 4 or 5 times.… Expand
  24. Selector3000
    Sep 5, 2010
    9
    Alien Swarm is free. If you like co-operative gameplay and frantic action then look no further. It does lack longevity, though the release of the SDK will no doubt spawn hundreds of player-made campaigns, but it's free, so it doesn't owe anything.
  25. ThePessimist
    Sep 8, 2010
    8
    Very Left 4 Dead-esque, this co-op game offers, well co-op, persistent unlocks, decent graphics, and no cost. the only flaw that comes to mind right now is fact there is only one campaign, but I understand the modding community is working on that.
  26. JordyAtkins
    Sep 23, 2010
    9
    Considering that this is a free download from Valve, it's a largely impressive game. The view is top down, and you can choose to either alongside other people online, or go it alone and practice on the different difficulties. The unlockable weapons allow the user to get rewards for their progress and even with this doesn't necessarily make the game any different. The graphics for a game ofConsidering that this is a free download from Valve, it's a largely impressive game. The view is top down, and you can choose to either alongside other people online, or go it alone and practice on the different difficulties. The unlockable weapons allow the user to get rewards for their progress and even with this doesn't necessarily make the game any different. The graphics for a game of its style are pretty good, and the spec's to run it aren't overly high. Basically, its free and its fun, so give it a try… Expand
  27. Medevila
    Sep 23, 2010
    10
    Free. Valve. Aside from that being a ridiculously awesome combination, the game itself is actually quite good. Building upon the Unreal Engine version of the game, the Source version is much more polished. MUCH MORE polished. There are a lot of unlockables, and the community is great with campaigns coming out regularly thanks to a version of the Source SDK being released in tandem with theFree. Valve. Aside from that being a ridiculously awesome combination, the game itself is actually quite good. Building upon the Unreal Engine version of the game, the Source version is much more polished. MUCH MORE polished. There are a lot of unlockables, and the community is great with campaigns coming out regularly thanks to a version of the Source SDK being released in tandem with the game. The stock campaign is really nice too, and provides lots of fun. Coordination of firelines and such is a necessity because unless you use the [SPOILER?] cannon, in which case you don't have to worry about friendly fire. If you hit your teammates, it's your own fault, really.… Expand
  28. RMW_Critic
    Sep 24, 2010
    7
    Good game, just a little repetitive. Half the time you don't even know what you're doing, and the difficulty curve can get steep. Other than that, a typical Valve game with Alien Bugs. Worth the ranging download from 2Gb to maybe 3Gb.
  29. DavePhenomus
    Oct 16, 2010
    10
    I consider myself an avid gamer. I am also trained in the "arts" of computer hardware and software development. Having said that, it is in my interest to produce a mmo co-op action game with short films released revealing what the main character, Dave Phenomus, did to save Humanity from Global Genocide. To be honest, a lot more brain-storming, and a team are required for my game. AlienI consider myself an avid gamer. I am also trained in the "arts" of computer hardware and software development. Having said that, it is in my interest to produce a mmo co-op action game with short films released revealing what the main character, Dave Phenomus, did to save Humanity from Global Genocide. To be honest, a lot more brain-storming, and a team are required for my game. Alien Swarm is the perfect game to play for inspiration. For gamers in the top down co-op action genre. Have fun!… Expand
  30. nielsvk
    Oct 23, 2010
    9
    Great and free. Better than the paid-for Alien Breed. The 4 player co-op can be intense. Good character leveling/tiny RPG elements and many, many weapons which are actually useful. Only drawback is the story is pretty short and the actions stay the same during all reruns.
  31. Portal
    Oct 24, 2010
    8
    Really good game, but too short..-...................................................................................................................................
  32. Roxerg
    Nov 5, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. isometric shooter with 4 classes, leveling up, unlockable weapons, special attacks, 4 player co-op and a swarm of aliens to shoot, burn and smash. And all of it for free? I can't see any minuses in this...… Expand
  33. Marcbmann
    Nov 6, 2010
    10
    This game is awesome. Higher difficulties are challenging, but always fun. It mostly lacks re-playability, as the same strategies tend to work despite where and when the enemy may spawn. The game is short but its more than what I expected. On top of that, its free.
  34. ChuckJB
    Nov 22, 2010
    8
    A brilliant game that is a ton of fun to play with friends. The campaign is short, but the game is free and there are plethora of community developed maps available to give this title extended life. The action is fast paced and rewards teamwork. Online stats are extensive and allow players to compare performance for bragging rights. All in all you have nothing to lose by giving AlienA brilliant game that is a ton of fun to play with friends. The campaign is short, but the game is free and there are plethora of community developed maps available to give this title extended life. The action is fast paced and rewards teamwork. Online stats are extensive and allow players to compare performance for bragging rights. All in all you have nothing to lose by giving Alien Swarm a shot. Better than a lot of much more expensive games… Expand
  35. gubbePM
    Dec 13, 2010
    10
    Alien Swarm encourages team-play better than any of the zombie shooters sold on Steam. You can play the game whether you are a beginner or a pro; you'll find that it offers challenge and fun for everyone. Game-play is well structured. Weapon unlocks function perfectly, alongside promotions and difficulty levels. As far as graphics go, Alien Swarm looks beautiful offering stunning visualsAlien Swarm encourages team-play better than any of the zombie shooters sold on Steam. You can play the game whether you are a beginner or a pro; you'll find that it offers challenge and fun for everyone. Game-play is well structured. Weapon unlocks function perfectly, alongside promotions and difficulty levels. As far as graphics go, Alien Swarm looks beautiful offering stunning visuals while not demanding too much from your computer. While there is currently only one official campaign, the dev team encourages community participation and there are many custom scenarios available. What's more, the game is free, so considering the price/quality ratio, this game deserves 10/10 any day of the week.… Expand
  36. JonesR
    Jun 30, 2011
    6
    Basic top view shooter with unlocks and some RPG elements. It's got two pluses: the free price tag and online coop which warrants probably enough to at least try it out. But overall there's no new innovation here. They simply found another way to splice together two old school games, Gauntlet and Xenophobe.
  37. Mikester7
    Dec 22, 2010
    8
    Not really an amazing game to be honest, it is fun for a good few hours, but gets boring very quickly. However, I believe rating this game very low would be harsh as it is free. Now days nothing seems to be free, but to make a video game free is very generous.
  38. Itsapaul
    Dec 26, 2010
    8
    Not exactly a game you'll be playing forever, but it was fun all the way through hard mode. You rarely the get "run forward for the loot" crowd like with Borderlands, and it really feels co-op where you need everyone in the group. It definitely made me curious where this game engine's headed.
  39. creptor
    Jan 3, 2011
    7
    The game is very well designed and I liked it. First off, The game is just plain entertaining and exciting. However, It would be better as a FPS. Still if you have a steam account, the game is free, so you should get it!
  40. HuMaGe-040
    Feb 18, 2011
    9
    I am one of the 'old guys', started gaming waaay back in the days that 8bit systems ruled the planet. And your imagination created the game, and not the graphical artist who was involved developing it. When I found this little gem I didn't know what to expect, something for free can't be that good, or can it?

    Well guess what, Valve really hit the nail on the head with this one: This is    I am one of the 'old guys', started gaming waaay back in the days that 8bit systems ruled the planet. And your imagination created the game, and not the graphical artist who was involved developing it. When I found this little gem I didn't know what to expect, something for free can't be that good, or can it?

    Well guess what, Valve really hit the nail on the head with this one: This is clearly inspired by the old "Alien Syndrome" games (SEGA), which made their way to the kids back in the late 80's on the commodore Amiga. In which mass slaughtering aliens with a big arsenal of weapons was basically the entire gameplay in a nutshell. Unlocking new items and weapons due to your previous achievements was what kept you coming back for more... the same can be said for this title.

    There has been a remake of Alien Syndorme on the PS2 and Wii, but both lacked on many of the attributes that motivated me back in the days. This title, which is clearly a hommage to the old series, does what it supposed to do. It is simple, addictive, multiplayer gets you going for a really long time (players can build custom maps!) and it is easy to drop in and out... The positive:
    +Free, no charge
    +Good multiplayer
    +Nice graphical design
    +Awesome weaponary
    +Custom maps

    The negative:
    -Not a big variety of enemies
    -Very short (when not looking at the custom maps feature)

    Both thumbs up for this title!    … Expand
  41. Dylanmc12
    Mar 18, 2011
    7
    L4D for idiots.
    L4D for the Hobo.
    L4D for the special's. ECT ECT. Just like L4D, YOU MUST NEVER SEPERATE FROM THE TEAM. Just like L4D, IT'S SCARY AS **** Just like L4D, AMMO IS SCARCE SO GET YOUR ASS UP AND LOOK FOR SOME BEFORE YOUR TEAM DIES. And it's free, so if you like "Good" Co-Op instead of a 10 year old stealin' all the health kits, and you're saving your pennies for something    L4D for idiots.
    L4D for the Hobo.
    L4D for the special's.

    ECT ECT.

    Just like L4D, YOU MUST NEVER SEPERATE FROM THE TEAM.

    Just like L4D, IT'S SCARY AS ****

    Just like L4D, AMMO IS SCARCE SO GET YOUR ASS UP AND LOOK FOR SOME BEFORE YOUR TEAM DIES.

    And it's free, so if you like "Good" Co-Op instead of a 10 year old stealin' all the health kits, and you're saving your pennies for something a bit more smart and more valuable to you, go get it!    … Expand
  42. pro7otype
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    Frantic COOPERATIVE Free Fun. In a world of mainly PVP games it's lovely to play some CO-OP again. The game can be quite brutal and some of the weapons are not that easy to use, but with a bit of patience and three friends, you can have a quite enjoyable evening!
  43. Pomornik
    Jul 23, 2011
    9
    Pretty cool game, since its free there is no reason why you shouldnt try it. Only thing that pisses me off is the amount of peeple who have no idea how to play, and usualy go leeroy jenkins style instead of co-operating, but thats problem with the people and not the game, try to get a friend to play with you and you should be ok.
  44. slowjerk
    May 26, 2011
    10
    The game is free, runs excellent, has a decent amount of replay value, and it's really fun. If you play the game without taking friends with you, you won't enjoy it as much but it's still fun. The only real gripe I have with it is that there isn't a tutorial to explain some stuff. It isn't hard to pick up but knowing the details of stats, guns, some of the game options when creating theThe game is free, runs excellent, has a decent amount of replay value, and it's really fun. If you play the game without taking friends with you, you won't enjoy it as much but it's still fun. The only real gripe I have with it is that there isn't a tutorial to explain some stuff. It isn't hard to pick up but knowing the details of stats, guns, some of the game options when creating the game, and other misc. stuff helps a little bit. I think this game really shines when you are playing with friends. It is kind of like playing L4D with or without friends.

    All in all, I'd recommend this game because it is free and chances are likely that you will like this game.    … Expand
  45. oblivion2011
    Jul 3, 2011
    8
    For a free game, it actually has enough to keep you entertained. The main thing that brought this score down is the adrenaline mechanic, especially if you don't have a good enough video card...
  46. MrMayge
    Jun 13, 2011
    8
    Alien Swarm, for those who don't know, is a free game on (the mighty and honorable) Valve's game engine, Steam. It's very, very similar to Valve's zombie-apocalypse-shooter, Left 4 Dead; there are regular alien bugs, that the game refers to as "Swarm", just as Left 4 Dead refers to the generic zombies you mow down as "Common Infected". There are also several kinds of more powerful swarm,Alien Swarm, for those who don't know, is a free game on (the mighty and honorable) Valve's game engine, Steam. It's very, very similar to Valve's zombie-apocalypse-shooter, Left 4 Dead; there are regular alien bugs, that the game refers to as "Swarm", just as Left 4 Dead refers to the generic zombies you mow down as "Common Infected". There are also several kinds of more powerful swarm, like shield-bugs, which can take a near infinite amount of punishment from the front, and still ridiculous amounts from the back, like L4D's "Tanks".
    The game plays like a dream, once you customize the controls to your preferences. Playing by yourself with bots is fun, but you don't accomplish all the things you do online, like new levels and weapons.
    There is only one set of missions to play through, though there is a free map editor for the game, which requires many tutorials and walkthroughs to use.
    The game online is one of the most fun co-op experiences I've ever had. My friends and I play the campaign straight through some nights!
    I would reccomend this game to anyone who can afford it...oh, yeah, and it's free.    … Expand
  47. Diedeck
    Jun 16, 2011
    7
    this is a great game but isn't quite there it has amazing potential but needs to be scrubbed up that little bit more. plus a few more guns and equipment would also help. it has no need for a story line but i suppose you would just be running round killing bugs if it didn't have one. but as this game is free download it and then shoot away at the mindless aliens.
  48. AlexReborn
    Jun 23, 2011
    7
    This game is one of the 1st f2p on Steam, so it's a great plus: really good to play with friends, just need to create an account on steam. The multiplayer mode is as good as all classic steam games, easy to rejoin friends or other servers.
  49. Thugann
    Jul 22, 2011
    9
    Alien swarm is, for a free game, is really well produced. Graphics are adapted, game play is easy to understand, and a great particularity is the non-human shape of aliens, which really is a plus in the game.

    There is no maps enough, but hopefully they can be created by players, which make this game complete, and really fun to play.
  50. r4mes
    Jul 22, 2011
    8
    Very well made top view shooter.
    Alien swarm is a hectic top-down view shooter, which is best played with a few friends, although still very fun online.
    Each player fulfills his or her role as either medic, sergeant, support or technician, while fighting hordes of different alien creatures with each their strengths and weaknesses. It IS a team based game, the longer you move up the    Very well made top view shooter.
    Alien swarm is a hectic top-down view shooter, which is best played with a few friends, although still very fun online.
    Each player fulfills his or her role as either medic, sergeant, support or technician, while fighting hordes of different alien creatures with each their strengths and weaknesses. It IS a team based game, the longer you move up the difficulties you will realize this.
    Although it is very fun and challenging, the small amount of maps is a major downside. Although they are very replay-able, they will get very boring when you have played the maps 2-3 times.
    That said, the game is free to play, so it is a must to download and try out.    … Expand
  51. tech-noir
    Sep 6, 2011
    6
    For a completely free online multi-player shooter, this is fine. That is all you will get, and you should expect nothing more. The co-operative campaign can be completed in under two hours, and it is seven segments in length. There is a reasonable amount of weapons and equipment, but you will find that very few are worth using at all times. Enemy variety may be a problem for some as thereFor a completely free online multi-player shooter, this is fine. That is all you will get, and you should expect nothing more. The co-operative campaign can be completed in under two hours, and it is seven segments in length. There is a reasonable amount of weapons and equipment, but you will find that very few are worth using at all times. Enemy variety may be a problem for some as there are only ten different enemies in the game. After about six hours of this, you may grow tired, or you may be more interested in raising your level (which is not worth very much at all). In addition to these limitations, you will quickly realize that between zero and three servers with good latency are available at any time. There is fun to be had here, but it does not remain constant. There is simply not enough variation nor depth.… Expand
  52. wlmeng11
    Aug 10, 2011
    10
    This game is free, and it's made by Valve. Those 2 are reason enough to get it. Anyone who gives it a bad rating because of some minor bugs should think again. Since it is free, you have to compare it to other free games. You can't compare it with a paid game, since that would be unfair. Since this game is all about coop, don't blame someone else for your bad ping, and complaining aboutThis game is free, and it's made by Valve. Those 2 are reason enough to get it. Anyone who gives it a bad rating because of some minor bugs should think again. Since it is free, you have to compare it to other free games. You can't compare it with a paid game, since that would be unfair. Since this game is all about coop, don't blame someone else for your bad ping, and complaining about friendly fire is stupid, because that only happens if you are playing with noobs or trolls. The only slight downside is that there is only 1 official campaign with 7 maps, but that is okay, since they have a lot of replay value. (For example, trying to get a speed run or playing on a higher difficulty, as the difficulties range from easy to brutal.)
    Overall, being a free game, it gets a 10 out of 10 from me, since there are very few free games that can match this.

    PS: Don't complain about Steam, it's the best network once you learn how to use it. All the "unnecessary" regulations are to prevent spammers, and some can be disabled if you don't like them.    … Expand
  53. Tarkus
    Sep 9, 2011
    9
    Alien Swarm is a delightful game, especially being free. I remember when this was originally a mod for UT2004, back then it was extremely difficult. Now it's significantly more player friendly. Though not nearly as many players are online now, it is a great way to make friends. After beating the campaign the speed-runs are a wonderful way to draw that friendship even tighter as theyAlien Swarm is a delightful game, especially being free. I remember when this was originally a mod for UT2004, back then it was extremely difficult. Now it's significantly more player friendly. Though not nearly as many players are online now, it is a great way to make friends. After beating the campaign the speed-runs are a wonderful way to draw that friendship even tighter as they require nearly perfect coordination amongst players. The game is dreadfully short, but that's perfect, because it honestly left me wanting more, which is the sign of a good game. With server's so empty now, the worst thing about the game is that host lag will kick your butt. Seriously, everyone should have this game installed, for those nights when you don't want to pay any money, but want to play a great game.… Expand
  54. ScottReid
    Apr 28, 2012
    10
    Again, fantastic visuals from Valve. The gameplay is very, very fun (even more so with real players)

    It's free. So you can't complain. Infact, I don't see why you'd complain at all. I see nothing wrong with Alien Swarm (well, other than when you join a match you get the usual high-level snob with their remarks on how low your level is, so therefore you must be a bad player) That's not    Again, fantastic visuals from Valve. The gameplay is very, very fun (even more so with real players)

    It's free. So you can't complain. Infact, I don't see why you'd complain at all. I see nothing wrong with Alien Swarm (well, other than when you join a match you get the usual high-level snob with their remarks on how low your level is, so therefore you must be a bad player)

    That's not Valve's fault.    … Expand
  55. TAMPjackoon
    Oct 7, 2011
    8
    A generally good game, make that a generally great game. This gives you a new reason to stay up late, it's not scary, that's not what I meant, I mean it's addicting. Don't even THINK of going ahead, you'll need your team. It feels good blasting alien guts open with your friends, and it's a lot like L4D, but it's top-down and aliens instead of zombies. Bring your friends and it will give aA generally good game, make that a generally great game. This gives you a new reason to stay up late, it's not scary, that's not what I meant, I mean it's addicting. Don't even THINK of going ahead, you'll need your team. It feels good blasting alien guts open with your friends, and it's a lot like L4D, but it's top-down and aliens instead of zombies. Bring your friends and it will give a good night...or day.… Expand
  56. Gerivaz
    Jan 4, 2012
    8
    When I found out about a free source-powered game with aliens, I immediately felt like giving it a try, since I love the whole half-life continuum and alien-themed games in general. The game wasnâ
  57. Mushe
    Jan 17, 2012
    9
    This game has beautiful graphics / sounds pretty good and flashy (Use the Source Engine), promotes the game to continue playing with a system of rewards (Exp, Lev, Weapons, etc.) and Steam achievements. At the same time also to encourage replayability of these maps have a system that changes the location of the items and the spawn of vermin or other factors, to make each game differentThis game has beautiful graphics / sounds pretty good and flashy (Use the Source Engine), promotes the game to continue playing with a system of rewards (Exp, Lev, Weapons, etc.) and Steam achievements. At the same time also to encourage replayability of these maps have a system that changes the location of the items and the spawn of vermin or other factors, to make each game different from above. This very well optimized for the online and singleplayer. The CO-OP of the game is very good and very well done this is really interesting as they all depend on everyone. The only downside is that not much variety of maps (only 6 missions in a campaign), but the good thing is that you can add other mods using. And not forgetting the most important thing of this game, which is free, therefore it is extremely advisable to play it.… Expand
  58. t0bssu
    Jan 7, 2013
    8
    One of the best free games in Steam. Seriously worth loading and getting achievements to this is really fun. Valve should use some time for updates to this game because it's not bad at all. And quite many people play it.
  59. Firebad
    Dec 25, 2011
    9
    I liked the game, it was a long enough game to really sink some time into, while at the same time there was enough content in the game to unlock to keep it fresh, as well as give you goals to look for. the unlock-able content helped to make the game worth multiple playthroughs, and hey, even if it was awful, which it wasn't, you can't beat free.
  60. ChoicestGames
    Mar 3, 2012
    8
    A nice, little sci-fi co-op shooter game compliments of Steam - too bad it only comes with one campaign which you can finish in under an hour, but you can't complain about the price!
  61. JamesHead
    Apr 26, 2012
    7
    It is a short but yet very good game to play with your friends. The only thing that made me wonder is why would you use a level up system to unlock stuff when the only way to gain level is to repeat the only campaign over and over again? The game is pretty solid, the animations are smooth and the gunplay is awesome. The content that can be unlocked is also pretty nice considering thatIt is a short but yet very good game to play with your friends. The only thing that made me wonder is why would you use a level up system to unlock stuff when the only way to gain level is to repeat the only campaign over and over again? The game is pretty solid, the animations are smooth and the gunplay is awesome. The content that can be unlocked is also pretty nice considering that Alien Swarm can be downloaded for free. So you should give it a shot, if it doesn't bug you that there is only one campaign...… Expand
  62. vicente
    May 25, 2012
    5
    Alien Swarm. Alien swarm started as a mod for unreal tournament 2004, until Valve hired those guys who created the mod and turned it to a full game (just like what Valve almost always does when making games - - most of them start out as mods). While I understand that Valve's games other than Half-Life are all but "fillers", or games for us play with while they make HL3, they really shouldAlien Swarm. Alien swarm started as a mod for unreal tournament 2004, until Valve hired those guys who created the mod and turned it to a full game (just like what Valve almost always does when making games - - most of them start out as mods). While I understand that Valve's games other than Half-Life are all but "fillers", or games for us play with while they make HL3, they really should be adding more support for them (yes, I made a conspiracy). I mean, why would you wait for a game that's really cool while playing a game with a lack of content and repetitive gameplay?
    Uh, yes, you could play Valve's other multiplayer games. They're good too.

    Alien Swarm can be quite fun at the start, but after that, that's just it! There's barely any customization (you can change your weapons, new weapons are given when a certain level is reached or when promoted), but after playing each class and level, you're done! That's just it! Do player-created maps help? Not really. There is no big alien variety, which is a HUGE disappointment. The lack of customization is a big downside, too. The playable characters/classes have bland personalities.
    The action intended in this game quite misses its goal. I've almost always felt bored playing this game.
    The theme and atmosphere is quite dull. I've never had the feeling of fear or sadness despite the game being dark and the occasional sight of body piles. (PDA's showing logs or journals of now-dead survivors didn't help either) They could've worked harder on that, it would make this game quite better.
    Why didn't this game get a lower score? Well, for a free game, the content here is fairly sufficient, and will be fun for.. well, not that long.
    Flaws aside, the leveling system is quite easy and fun, and there are quite interesting weapons like the Tesla cannon, the mining laser and others. Overall, this is not the best nor the worst around, and is best fun online and with friends, and the fact that this is a free game, it quite makes up for most of the flaws.    … Expand
  63. Cinetyk
    Jun 18, 2012
    9
    This is a very good and fun game to play with your friends! Heavily inspired by the 2nd Aliens movie, it takes all the best from that sci-fi Aliens-like lore. The execution of the game's storyline is nice and of the gameplay elements just brilliant, powered by the Source engine. It plays as a top-down view 4-player co-op tactical shooter. There are 4 well designed classes of marines, eachThis is a very good and fun game to play with your friends! Heavily inspired by the 2nd Aliens movie, it takes all the best from that sci-fi Aliens-like lore. The execution of the game's storyline is nice and of the gameplay elements just brilliant, powered by the Source engine. It plays as a top-down view 4-player co-op tactical shooter. There are 4 well designed classes of marines, each with its strengths and weaknesses: Sarge, Weapons Specialist, Tech and Medic. You'll need each of them, so the game inuitively encourages the co-op of 4 friends and is at its best in that. As you play and work together you will feel engaged and rewarded for cooperating and coordinating with each other. The campaign has a good pace with multiple missions and a nice variety of objectives and situations, like those you would expect from the Aliens series. Before each mission there's a briefing screen when you can review the map and objectives and select the best gear for it. There's also lots of weapons and items to unlock as you level up. There are some really nice touches, like being able to draw on the mission map with your mouse, either in the briefing or during missions, to help plan and coordinate strategies, or reviewing your performance after a mission with different charts and an animation of the teams progress on the map. Connecting your friends together in the same game is effortless via the main menu. It lets you create public or friend-only games and lists friends playing and friend-created games available, which you can join with a click - no dedicated servers needed nor ip details. The only downsides I found are that the in-game voice chat support had some noise and that there is only one official campaign. But you can always use skype for voice chat and there are more fantastic fan-made maps and campaigns, like for instance the MapPack 1.2 which you can easily find. All in all, an amazing free to play game with lots of fun to be had especially in a group of 4 friends.… Expand
  64. Rihfok
    Jul 17, 2012
    9
    A wonderful, fast-paced action shooter. Spent a total of 45 hours playing the game, sure, the number of missions is small, but their fun, and can be played over and over. Don't bother with easy difficulty - real men start with normal right away, and eventually climb to Insane, and those who have the guts - Brutal (which I passed only once from start to finish. Something of the negativeA wonderful, fast-paced action shooter. Spent a total of 45 hours playing the game, sure, the number of missions is small, but their fun, and can be played over and over. Don't bother with easy difficulty - real men start with normal right away, and eventually climb to Insane, and those who have the guts - Brutal (which I passed only once from start to finish. Something of the negative - flamethrower is the most viable weapon on higher difficulties, often incompetent team members, and the fact that so few people want to play medic that I'm probably one of the best medics around in the game now. Regardless, the game is free, and and you should make the most of it. You will not be disappointed.… Expand
  65. SilentHightimes
    Jul 9, 2017
    6
    A fun short campaign all for free put it on hardcore with some friendly fire and play with a friend, makes it just right, a selection of different classes to use but always forced to use a tech class no matter what is a dumb idea.
  66. igor-qwe
    Feb 20, 2013
    10
    I remember "Alien Swarm" being announced the day before it's release. "Where is the next Half-life" question still makes gamers nervous, but back then it seemed like a big joke to release a game that nobody was expecting. Yet Valve never disappointed me, this time was not an exclusion. "Alien Swarm" is 3rd person action shooter that may be called a clone of "Alien Breed". Frankly speaking,I remember "Alien Swarm" being announced the day before it's release. "Where is the next Half-life" question still makes gamers nervous, but back then it seemed like a big joke to release a game that nobody was expecting. Yet Valve never disappointed me, this time was not an exclusion. "Alien Swarm" is 3rd person action shooter that may be called a clone of "Alien Breed". Frankly speaking, I would never pick up a game like that if it was not a product of such company as Valve. But it would worth any dollar.
    All levels of the game could be completed in less than an hour. But co-op experience and dynamic generating of alien hordes make each try a unique experience. Smart achievements, all of them I managed to unlock, added some more sense in replaying "Alien Swarm"
    The fact that the game is free of charge, makes me love it even more Needless to say, after release there were couple updates and that was all. The game was not supported any further by Valve, even developers never remembered it in any interview (it seems, everybody's mind is kept on HL, CS, TF, L4D and Portal). Try it, it is worth spending an evening on it.    … Expand
  67. TheWhiteRose000
    May 15, 2014
    7
    A really fun game that is truly enjoyable in a multiplayer setting although I do hope they fix the Microphone issue soon that truly is annoying to play with friends and only get static.
  68. Grouchygaming
    Mar 9, 2013
    9
    A very good game the perspective from which you view your characters is great. Although, there aren't very many players playing this game you can easily play with 3 of your friends on your own dedicated server
  69. NicePixel
    Aug 20, 2013
    7
    Alien Swarm is a great game, and I enjoy it. One this I don't like is that most enemies that you will see are the same. That's the only bad thing about this game that i saw.
  70. Meatoburrito
    Sep 19, 2013
    8
    I was recently introduced to this game with some friends, and its a blast.

    You can play though fine on lower difficulty with new people and has enough of a challenge for veterans. While a simple and small game, the controls are tight and the graphics vivid leaving me non butt-frustrated except when I goofed up. I would recommend this game to anyone with a couple of friends that    I was recently introduced to this game with some friends, and its a blast.

    You can play though fine on lower difficulty with new people and has enough of a challenge for veterans.

    While a simple and small game, the controls are tight and the graphics vivid leaving me non butt-frustrated except when I goofed up.

    I would recommend this game to anyone with a couple of friends that want a co-op experience.    … Expand
  71. debigman
    May 16, 2014
    6
    This game has a good back story, it is fun, challenging, and exciting for hours and hours. Unfortunately, the sound is awful and there is no single player,
  72. indirazzi
    Jan 28, 2014
    10
    The game shows you HD resolutioned graphics with online and offline co-op game mods.The game is wide view thirdperson but you can use firstperson using some console commands.Also On Steam Greenlit "Alien Swarm First Person now available to release. The Game supports customizable GUI like other Valve games (maps, huds etc).You should not spend your time reading more comments about game.The game shows you HD resolutioned graphics with online and offline co-op game mods.The game is wide view thirdperson but you can use firstperson using some console commands.Also On Steam Greenlit "Alien Swarm First Person now available to release. The Game supports customizable GUI like other Valve games (maps, huds etc).You should not spend your time reading more comments about game. Download it and play game!… Expand
  73. Termin8ter
    Apr 28, 2018
    7
    This game first caught my interest when I found out one of the devs of Narbacular Drop, the spiritual predecessor to the Portal franchise, worked on this game. So I looked into it. Basically, this game is Left 4 Dead except top-down, and has solid graphics thanks to Valve's Source engine. It's a good amount of fun, and is just as polished and well done as Valve's previous games. ItThis game first caught my interest when I found out one of the devs of Narbacular Drop, the spiritual predecessor to the Portal franchise, worked on this game. So I looked into it. Basically, this game is Left 4 Dead except top-down, and has solid graphics thanks to Valve's Source engine. It's a good amount of fun, and is just as polished and well done as Valve's previous games. It doesn't have an investing story or complex alternate approaches for every match like BF does, but it's still well done, polished, and fun. Give Alien Swarm a shot.… Expand
  74. DebelaPrasica
    Jul 12, 2015
    10
    I have never played this game, however it is free. From what i have read it is an isometric shooter with alien bugs, which is amazing. Hopefully this review is helpful to those in need of such a great review. Thank you. Notice I have no misspelled words.
  75. Demon2017
    Jun 18, 2022
    5
    Довольно неплохая кооперативная мочиловка, но очень короткая и однообразная. Компания очень короткая, а пользовательские карты очень плохие.
  76. Artomer
    Jul 9, 2021
    8
    Very good and fun game that you can play with friends. Highly suggest you to try.
  77. Black_S
    Feb 28, 2022
    0
    Another success of Valve! Game which must be in every user library because it is so amazing. Well, NO thanks #GabeNewellMore. Valve "charity" isn't what I wanted, want now or ever will want. Ugly PR tricks from GabeNewellTurd and Valve, which without Steam will be closed an dead.

    #FreeGameIndustry #StopSteam
  78. TEG_17
    Feb 5, 2022
    7
    Красивый интересный кооп, поиграли с другов кайф.
  79. KevLooney
    Apr 29, 2022
    6
    The game has a very limited field of vision. It makes it difficult to know what is going on at any given moment. Added with friendly fire and the reliance on teammates the game can't get past a 6/10.
  80. Ciocolici
    Jul 31, 2023
    7
    Alien Swarm is an excellent game with loads of potential, but I must highlight that there is an even better and newer version available named Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop. It is also free and accessible on Steam. While both games are essentially the same, Reactive Drop offers numerous improvements, including additional campaigns, updates, PVP mode, and continued support. If you are a fan ofAlien Swarm is an excellent game with loads of potential, but I must highlight that there is an even better and newer version available named Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop. It is also free and accessible on Steam. While both games are essentially the same, Reactive Drop offers numerous improvements, including additional campaigns, updates, PVP mode, and continued support. If you are a fan of Alien Swarm, I highly recommend giving Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop a try.

    Now, returning to the original Alien Swarm, it's a prime example of how a fantastic game can be left to decay over time. Despite this, it still provides a pure, enjoyable experience, especially when playing with friends. Although there is only one official campaign, the community has created numerous fan-made campaigns that enhance the game's replayability.

    However, it's essential to note that the player population in Alien Swarm might be relatively low. This is due to the significant draw towards Reactive Drop, which offers more content and features, leading players to migrate to the newer version, which as I said, is pretty much the same game.

    In summary, Alien Swarm is undeniably fun, and I encourage trying it out, particularly for the official campaign and the fan-made content. But if you're seeking a more updated and enriched experience, don't hesitate to give Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop a shot, as it builds upon the foundation of the original game and provides a superior gameplay experience.    … Expand
  81. Gliphy
    Mar 13, 2023
    8
    Интересная, но репетативная игра с видом сверху, которая очень напоминает Left 4 Dead, где приходится больше думать.
  82. xalugg
    Nov 30, 2022
    6
    O jogo e bem legal e a ideia e interessante mas a Valve poderia criar um segundo jogo
  83. xalugg2
    May 5, 2023
    6
    O jogo e bem legal e a ideia e interessante mas a Valve poderia criar um segundo jogo

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Best PC Game of 2010
32
#32 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. MEGamers
    85
    Addictive. Fun. Community driven. Free. Where can it go wrong?
    Read full review
  2. Gameplanet
    85
    Simply put, anyone with a capable PC should download this and try it.
    Read full review
  3. Destructoid
    75
    Despite the issues of repetition and somewhat contrary design choices, Alien Swarm is an enjoyable shooter at an absolute steal of a non-price.
    Read full review
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