Darkswarm’s Closed Alpha Brings Helldivers Energy and Alien Swarm Tactics — Here’s Why That Matters

Top-Down Chaos Returns: Why Darkswarm Caught My Eye

Helldivers 2 reminded a lot of us why overhead co-op shooters slap when they’re done right. It kept the frantic team banter and split-second decision-making of the original top-down Helldivers while dialing everything up. I’ve also got a soft spot for Valve’s Alien Swarm – still one of the best “how did more people not play this?” co-op games. So when Bitfire Games announced Darkswarm, published by Deep Rock Galactic studio Ghost Ship, I paid attention. It’s a class-based, four-player co-op shooter with procedural levels and a mix of tight corridors and open maps. Translation: if you love controlled chaos with friends, this is squarely in your wheelhouse.

• Closed alpha hits Tuesday, September 2; sign-ups are open now on the game’s Steam page via Request Access.
• Top-down, class-based co-op for up to four players with upgrade paths and loadout customization.
• Procedural missions across four biomes, with semi-destructible elements and multiple approaches: stealth, traps, hacking.
• Published by Ghost Ship (Deep Rock Galactic), signaling a community-first development cadence.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Darkswarm drops you into an elite merc squad tasked with pushing back alien hordes. It’s not just “shoot until the bar fills,” at least on paper. Classes have distinct roles and upgrades, and you can layer on a weapon mix that fits your squad’s plan. The trailer shows exactly the kind of close-quarters panic that makes Helldivers sessions memorable, then cuts to wider outdoor arenas for objective play. Think Alien Swarm’s surgical room-to-room clears but with more build variety and environmental play.

The procedural generation spans four biomes, and the semi-destructible terrain suggests on-the-fly problem solving – creating sight lines, blowing entry points, or just improvising when a choke point goes sideways. Bitfire also emphasizes alternative approaches: sneaking to set traps, securing routes before the big pull, or hacking terminals to influence the fight. If those systems actually matter on higher difficulties, it could separate Darkswarm from being just another horde shooter skin.

Why This Matters Now

Top-down co-op is having a mini-renaissance because it solves a modern co-op problem: clarity. You see the whole situation, you call shots, and you laugh (or scream) when the plan explodes. Helldivers brought that energy back, but there’s room for another contender that leans more into tactical roles and systemic missions. Alien Swarm has been quietly setting that template for years; Darkswarm looks like a modern attempt to fuse that DNA with the progression and community-driven updates that made Deep Rock Galactic so sticky.

That last point is key. Ghost Ship built DRG through early access with player feedback shaping biomes, mission types, and meta progression. If Darkswarm taps into that same iterative loop, the alpha could be more than a stress test – it could be the foundation for a long-running co-op staple.

Skeptic’s Corner: The Questions That Matter

I’m into what I’m seeing, but here’s where I’m reserving judgment until I play:

• Procedural depth vs. sameness: Four biomes is a solid start, but do objectives, enemy mixes, and modifiers change runs meaningfully over time?
• Readability in chaos: The overhead camera lives or dies on clear UI, ability telegraphs, and friendly fire rules. If I can’t parse threats, teamwork collapses.
• Class identity and synergy: Are roles truly interdependent or just different flavors of DPS? Do traps, stealth, and hacking matter on higher difficulties?
• Monetization: Cosmetic skins are mentioned. Cool. But is that all? Battle pass? Premium bundles? Be transparent early — co-op communities care.
• Netcode and lobbies: Dedicated servers or P2P? Region availability? Nothing kills a co-op launch faster than flaky matchmaking.

What You Need to Know for the Alpha

The closed alpha starts Tuesday, September 2. Access is via Steam’s Request Access on the store page — expect limited slots and the possibility of an NDA, so don’t assume you can stream or post footage. Alphas are rough by definition, so go in ready to give focused feedback: mission readability, class balance, enemy spawns, and how useful stealth and traps feel when the pressure’s on.

Bitfire’s CEO Hans Oxmond says, “We’re so thankful to our amazing playtesters who’ve already helped shape the game into what it is today, and we’re looking forward to continuing to build the game alongside our community as we push towards our launch in the future.” If that’s the plan, then the smartest thing players can do is stress every system and be honest about what works — and what falls apart when bugs and swarmers are breathing down your neck.

The Gamer’s Take

This caught my attention because it targets the exact overlap I want more of: Helldivers’ frantic teamwork, Alien Swarm’s tactical control, and DRG’s community-first growth. If Darkswarm nails that triangle, it could be the co-op game we rotate in when we want a break from stratagem roulette and exosuits. If it misses — if procedural missions feel samey, or classes blur together, or cosmetics creep into nickel-and-diming — it’ll fade fast in a crowded space.

For now, I’m cautiously optimistic. Sign up, squad up, and see if Darkswarm has the bite to match its buzz.

TL;DR

Darkswarm is a top-down, class-based co-op shooter from Bitfire Games with Ghost Ship (the DRG studio) publishing. Closed alpha kicks off September 2 via Steam request access. The pitch is Helldivers energy plus Alien Swarm tactics — promising if the procedural missions, class synergy, and netcode hold up.