The true scares of Halloween 2002 came not from monster movie marathons or college dorm parties but a multiplayer Half-Life FPS-RTS hybrid mod named Natural Selection, released that night by Unknown Worlds. Low-tech space marines and bestial aliens shrieked and spat out their trick-or-treated goodies in fright as inter-species war with terrifying tones of Aliens raged across derelict complexes among distant stars.

A solid real-time strategy lay on top of the action, with both sides vying for control of key map points including the resource nodes which paid for structures and upgrades. While Frontiersmen served under a commander who essentially played a top-down RTS, the alien Kharaa were ruled by consensus and chose their own upgrades and classes.

The next step for Unknown Worlds will be Natural Selection 2, a commercial sequel announced in 2006. We recently caught up with studio founder and NS creator Charlie Cleveland to discuss progress since then, the path from mod to commercial release, and improving one of my personal all-time multiplayer favourites... Read more

To celebrate the seventh anniversary of its Half-Life multiplayer mod Natural Selection, independent developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment today issued the first screenshots from its impending standalone sequel Natural Selection 2.

Powered by Unknown's proprietary "Spark" engine, the multiplayer-focused game mixes elements of strategy with first-person shooting action. It's slated to arrive via Steam in 2010, with those that pre-order getting access to the level editor in November.

For another glimpse of the sequel, check out the initial teaser trailer... Read more

Have an in-engine gander at Natural Selection 2, indie developer Unknown Worlds' commercial sequel to its positively sublime Half-Life mod, and some shiny concept art.

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Human Frontiersmen marines battle squicky aliens the Kharaa in a blend of first-person shooter and real-time strategy across dynamic levels both sides alter in their own way.

Natural Selection 2 is released on PC this fall. Pre-ordering for $20 gets you into the beta, or the $40 special edition also grants alpha access and exclusive black armour.