Natural Selection 2 Monster Mash

Time to check up again on upcoming Half-Life mod-goes-pro Natural Selection 2: is it still bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and wet-nosed? Its creators Unknown Worlds have been dribbling out a stream of bestial teasers for this long-time coming multiplayer shooter. Natural Selection's big draw has always been man vs aliens - with the neat twist that those aliens are playable. And they're really not just A Man With A Funny Hat On...

Here's the boneheaded Onos, stepping proudly from concept art to in-game graphics:

His uber-power is to create a boneshield that makes him and his chums essentially invulnerable to forward attacks. Getting around this horny bugger will be quite the challenge, I suspect - with the added horror of not wanting to see his behind because of those unsettlingly floppy things on its back. More information on the thinking behind him and his purpose on his game over here.

Next, The Skulk:

Skulky here is described as the main character class for the aliens, and has no shortage of creepy cock-thingies itself. As revealed in the extensive write-up here, his base abilities are pretty analagous to the Alien - Geiger's beast always having been something of a touchstone for NS.

Finally (for now), the Gorge:

This hippo-like brute is the aliens' defender/healer type, so won't be doing too much stomping and head-munching himself. His write-up explains that his glowing enormo-belly keeps him plugged into the hive rather than roaming the frontlines.

Keep an eye on the NS2 site, as the Lerk and Fade are due for a reveal over the next couple of weeks. Also, they have a video of a turret render up. Woo.