When you think of a tough squad of sneaky Marines, say, a Fireteam, you might think of a bunch of rugged guys with guns. But that's actually not the case in Aliens: Fireteam Elite, a co-op shooter coming out in August, will allow players to choose from five different classes.

To put it bluntly, demolishers are actually very rugged guys with very big guns: in addition to the standard pulse rifle, they also carry heavy weapons such as the L56A3 Smart Gun. They can also deploy "blast waves" that knock back enemies and fire "micro rockets."

The "micro rockets" can be upgraded through character progression and have effects similar to incendiary or impact rounds.

Next is the Doc, properly called a "Field Medical Service Technician," who can treat wounded troops and enhance their combat effectiveness by giving them stims that increase accuracy, stability, stamina recovery, and movement speed. While this sounds illegal (or at least grossly unethical) in the real world, in reality such things have been done for decades and may be the most realistic part of the game. Docs go into battle equipped with pulse rifles and .50-caliber pistols.

The third class added to the list is the Recon class, a special forces unit with the ability to reveal enemy positions and call in support drones; the Recon class also serves as the squad's sniper and carries a "melee weapon" for backup. Drones can be upgraded through progression and can track and debuff specific targets or defend areas as "watchdogs."

Two other classes have already been announced but not detailed: the Gunner is a basic (but very effective) badass with pulse rifle, melee weapons, grenades, boosted fire speed, and stacking damage bonus, and the Technician is sentry turrets (upgradable through character progression) and can lay down a "charge coil" that shocks the enemy and slows them down.

Rather like the film, Alien: Fireteam Elite takes a more direct and head-on approach to xenomorphs than its immediate predecessor, Alien: Isolation. We said in our March preview that it "feels like a step back" from that uniquely wonderful experience, but sometimes you just want to have fun with a gun: hopefully Alien: Fireteam Elite will deliver. The game will be released on August 24. More information can be found at aliensfireteamelite.com.