Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Getting Started

Welcome to Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2. You are a Colonial Marine deployed to hostile territory alongside up to three other players. This guide covers everything you need before your first deployment — controls, difficulty, class selection, and what to expect in the opening mission.

This wiki assumes you are playing on PC with keyboard and mouse, but the core mechanics and strategies apply equally to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Where platform differences matter they are noted.

What platform should you choose?

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. All platforms share crossplay from launch using peer-to-peer sessions with region-based matchmaking after Patch 1 — you can squad up with players on any launch platform regardless of store.

PC offers higher frame rates and Field of View customisation. Console offers the convenience of crossplay matchmaking with the largest player pool. Neither platform has a gameplay advantage.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 - Co-Op Showcase

Controls — the essentials

Open the full controls guide for every key binding on every platform. The most critical bindings to learn immediately are:

• W / A / S / D — Move. Never underestimate spatial awareness in tight hive corridors.
• Left Mouse Button — Fire. Hold for automatic weapons; tap for semi-auto.
• Right Mouse Button — Aim down sights. Tightens accuracy and reduces spread.
• E — Context action. Opens doors, revives allies, collects pickups. The most-used key in the game.
• R — Reload. Cancel a reload by firing or switching weapons.
• Q — Class ability. Each class has a unique ability — learn what yours does.
• Shift — Sprint. Drains stamina. Watch your bar during extended sprints.

Choosing your first class

Five classes are available from the start. One more — the Specialist — unlocks after levelling all five base classes to maximum rank.

If you are new to the game, Marauder or Duelist are the most forgiving starting points:

• Marauder — Heavy weapons deal high damage without requiring precise aim. The Blast Cannon and Titan Rockets are straightforward to use and extremely effective. Good for beginners who want to feel powerful quickly.
• Duelist — Two primary weapon slots give you flexibility to adapt mid-mission. More rewarding once you are comfortable with aim but forgiving enough for beginners who prefer rifle combat.

Avoid starting with Hunter or Machinist — both require more map knowledge and mechanical skill to reach their potential.

See the Classes guide for a full breakdown of all six classes and their roles.

Difficulty settings

Five difficulty tiers scale enemy health, damage, spawn density, and specials:

Casual — Lower density and damage. Learn rooms and class buttons here. No shame.

Standard — The honest co-op default. You need abilities and callouts.

Intense — Flanks, ammo discipline, and friendly fire start to decide runs.

Extreme — Isolated marines get deleted. Bring a plan.

Insane — Unlocks after you finish the campaign on any other difficulty. One positioning mistake can wipe the fireteam.

For your first session: start on Casual. There is no medal for suffering Standard before you know the doors. Full rules: How to Play.

Starting credits — what to buy first

You begin with a small pool of in-game credits. The most effective early purchases depend on your class:

Marauder — Buy a weapon that complements your shoulder cannon. The M41A Classic Pulse Rifle gives you reliable mid-range backup.

Duelist — Buy the DB-48 Daittyo Heavy Rifle. It is the most versatile primary and will serve you across all mission types.

Medic — Buy the Armat X1 Fireball shotgun for close-range encounters. Keep some credits for Combat Stims.

Machinist — Prioritise upgrades to your turret and drone deployables before buying new primary weapons.

Hunter — The BD-03 Djinn Railgun is expensive but worth it for the precision damage it provides.

Do not spend credits on cosmetics or cosmetic weapon skins early. Functionality first.

Your first mission

The opening mission serves as a tutorial. Expect minimal difficulty — the game is teaching you movement, combat, and class ability use. Key things to absorb:

1. Move constantly. Standing still in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 means dying. Even during the tutorial, practise circling around enemies and repositioning after each kill.
2. Use your class ability. The opening mission is where the game introduces your Q-key ability. Use it proactively — do not save it for emergencies. You need to build the habit.
3. Revive teammates. E to revive. It takes about three seconds. A single revive can prevent a squad wipe at a chokepoint.
4. Collect intel documents. Optional side objectives in every mission reward bonus credits and lore. The first mission has three intel documents in the starting area.

Between missions

After each mission you return to the barracks. Here is what to prioritise:

1. Spend credits on weapons that suit your current class. Keep enough in reserve for emergency purchases between Horde waves.
2. Check your class ability tree. Early ability unlocks are significant — each rank improves your core tool.
3. Experiment with other classes. Try every base class before committing to a main. Each class unlocks different fragments for the Specialist.
4. Start a Horde run once you have a basic loadout. Horde gives more XP per minute than campaign missions.

Playing with others

The game supports full crossplay across all platforms. To squad up:

• Add friends through the in-game Social menu or through Steam/PlayStation/Xbox friends lists.
• Crossplay is on by default. Disable it in Social settings if you prefer to play with only your platform.
• Use push-to-talk (Z on PC) if you have a microphone. Communication wins runs.

See the Crossplay guide for platform-specific setup instructions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to play the first Aliens: Fireteam Elite? No. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 tells a self-contained story. You do not need any prior knowledge of the franchise or the first game.

Can I play solo? Yes. Synthetic companions fill empty squad slots. Solo play works best on Casual and Standard. Intense and Insane are significantly harder without a human fireteam.

How long is the campaign? Approximately 8-12 hours on Standard with a squad. Solo extends this to 15-20 hours.

Is the game worth buying at full price? For co-op enthusiasts and Aliens fans, yes. The Horde mode alone provides dozens of hours of replayable content. The Specialist class system gives genuine endgame depth.

What happens if I play without a microphone? Text chat (T for team, Y for all players) works adequately. Voice chat significantly improves coordination but is not required for casual play.