I was getting game withdrawal symptoms so managed to persuade Mrs. Mcfonz to have a game of Xenos: All Out War yesterday afternoon.
The mission was simple. Get to the data point. Download the tech information and then leg it back to the APC to get the hell outa there. Two side quests that could have been obtained was to rescue the small girl and the ships cat but required additional searching/detecting and distraction away from the main goal. I was shocked at how quickly she decided that the mission was more important than the characters and plotted ways for her runner to get to the information whilst deploying the other two as expendable meat sacks...
Above: The runner at this point has gained the information and is avoiding at all costs, attracting any xenos so is just creeping about. Those two xenos pose no risk at this moment. The one on the floor writhing about a bit only leads the eye towards the real carnage.
Above 1st shot: To enable the runner to get up onto the platform and get to the data console the only trained military personnel member of the team of three, shot off their assault rifle injuring but not killing one xeno and attracting all of the others.
2nd shot: Having roused the attention of the near blind xenos that rely upon sound, the trooper then was left to fight rounds of melee on their own. One bite got through leaving them infected with god knows what... Eventually they fell down lifeless, well, that was until something burst from their corpse...
Meanwhile, on the stairs, the other team member was ordered in to take out a slightly bigger, slightly nastier xeno. Pulling out a wrench the fearless grunt swung and land a hit square between the eyes of the xeno. The first, and what would turn out to be only, head shot of the game. But his job was not yet over.
Having cleared the stairs to enable her runners quick and un blocked exit route to the APC, just one xeno stood in his direct path. This time, joined by the runner they threw themselves into combat. Between them they dispatched the xeno. That wrench looking a rather trusty addition to their weaponry. It was all then down to getting to the APC without any further horrible events.
Not even the sight of their friend being torn to shreds from within could stop them now. And they ran the last distance to the APC with the xenos unable to catch them as they did so.