Aliens: Dark Descent lets you slow the game down to issue orders, but if you really want to take your time, can you pause combat?
Aliens: Dark Descent is a strategy game and, like most strategy games, success or failure hinges on the decisions you make. But while you can slow the action down (using the right trigger on a controller), it’d be handier if you could pause it. So here’s how to pause combat in Aliens: Dark Descent.
To pause combat in Aliens: Dark Descent you first have to alter the appropriate setting in the main menu. So pause the game as you normally would, then press the Options button. Then, go to the Gameplay tab and switch the Pause Game setting from off to On.
Now, when you open the Skill Menu, which is what you’re doing when you hit that Right Trigger, it won’t slow the action down. Instead, it’ll pause the action completely. You can activate skills and also give some marines orders. Though, be warned, some orders will unpause the game.
The difference between pausing the game this way and just going to the main menu is that you can see what’s going on. You can think over your tactics, without those aliens getting any closer.
At least, that’s how it should work. We had an issue whereby, up until we hit the middle of the first mission, the game wouldn’t let us switch from pause to slow-mo. We’re not sure if that was a bug or something do with the game’s tutorial elements.
But at the very least, from the middle of the first mission you’ll be able to switch to pause and, by hitting that right trigger (or your keyboard equivalent) you can take a breather and assess your next move.
