This year, the colony survival sim Stranded: Alien Dawn closed Early Access. Not content with wiping out colonies of hard-working survivors with giant alien bugs, debilitating injuries and diseases, and deadly weather events, developer Haemimont Games is bringing in something new next month: killer robots.

Stranded: In Alien Dawn's first DLC, "Robots and Guardians," which arrives on November 7, your colony will have to battle an invasion of mechanical monsters: killer robots, flying combat drones, and walking turrets. On the plus side, if you defeat a few of these menacing robots, you will be able to use spare parts to build your own robots.

Why are hordes of deadly robots attacking your base in the first place? Your colonists have rescued the galaxy's first sentient android, Hope, from the hands of her ruthless (but apparently very clever) maker. A small group of survivors must now manufacture Hope and defend their planetary base from a giant corporation that wants her (and the colonists) dead.

It's not just about protecting Hope from the bad guys. It's about giving her time to grow into a real (albeit artificial) human being. At the beginning of the Guardians scenario, Hope is a blank slate. She shares basic skills with her human companions, but her proficiency is limited."

That changes as Hope, like the settlers, progresses through the scenario. As Hope gains experience and engages with other characters, she gradually unlocks new skills and acquires new traits." New characteristics include increased experience, increased movement speed, and increased operating efficiency. If she decides to unlock certain skills, she can also participate in combat.

Hope also has a happiness meter that is affected by boredom, recreation, and even favorite foods (strictly fuel type) and activities. On the other hand, the non-sentient robots you build can be used for a variety of purposes, such as gathering resources, cooking, and even fighting the metal armies that swarm the base.

This sounds and looks like a fun new way to experience an already challenging survival sim; Stranded's Guardian and Robot DLC: Alien Dawn DLC will be released on November 7 for $13/£10 and includes "new furniture, new weapons, and an automated process for gathering and transporting resources" will also be available as a free patch.