Alien is one of my favourite movies of all time. So, I am well aware of the pain that fans of the film have suffered as yet another Alien game has gone by as a flop, each time being hyped as the one which was going to actually capture the atmosphere and quality of the film. It happened many times across many platforms, however, I am delighted to say that that has finally changed with the release of Alien: Isolation, a game which I can call worthy of the Alien name.
Now, before I go any further, I will make one thing clear; Alien: Isolation is not perfect. While I would personally call it the best Alien game ever released, it still has its problems. However, despite this, it manages to deliver a thoroughly enjoyable experience which any Alien fan will be pleased with. What I can say with certainty is that Alien: Isolation does an excellent job of making the player feel helpless, scared and tense throughout the entire story.
Isolation is set 15 years after the events of the first movie and is based around Ripley’s daughter, Amanda. Weyland-Yutani, usually referred to as “The Company”, approach Amanda Ripley with the offer of a mission to attempt to recover the flight recorder of the Nostromo in an attempt to clarify the events which took place on board the ship. We learn that Amanda has had trouble moving on from the loss of her mother and agrees to go on the mission in search of closure. The recorder is being held on the recently decommissioned Sevastopol space station. Soon after Amanda arrives with her crew, an explosion separates them. Things begin to go downhill from here…
However, we won’t be revealing much more about the story, mainly because there is a serious lack of it throughout the game. The gameplay is phenomenal in almost every way, however, we find the events of the game to be a little lacking, with a lot of filler content throughout the approximately twenty-hour story mode. You will encounter a number of moments in the game in which you believe the game to be coming to an end, only to find that something else happens to Amanda and you are thrusted back into the game. However, while the story is a thin one, the incredibly tense and authentic gameplay compensates greatly, and certainly makes the game worth playing.
Isolation has a no-tolerance approach regarding player movement and tactics. If you make even the slightest error, you will be killed by the Alien. Every section of the game must be treated with great caution as you slowly work towards the exit; walking and running are not an option. If you get frustrated easily, Alien: Isolation is not for you, are you will die MANY times throughout the course of the story. Of course, for those who enjoy horror games, this adds to the tension and fear which is genuinely present when playing Isolation. Knowing any move could lead to your death keeps you on your toes at all times and truly does make you feel anxious.
AI surrounding the Alien is quite impressive in the game. You will likely be hit with a number of surprises throughout the game as the alien will adapt and recognise the tactics you use most often to escape. You may find yourself having to change your approach often to avoid detection, something which again adds to the pressure of the game. All of these elements combined together create something which is truly special; a game which instills genuine fear within the player, a very difficult task to accomplish in a game, and one which Isolation manages to do better than any other game that I have played.
Also spectacular is the design across the entire game. From the moment the game begins, you will notice that the environments, sounds and music have taken a huge amount of inspiration from the original movie (which is definitely NOT a bad thing). Everything from sound effects and door designs to vents and tension music has been taken from Ridley Scott’s masterpiece. Unfortunately, due to the fear players will experience when playing through the game, they likely will not notice the huge attention to detail which has been taken when creating the beautiful Sevastopol space station, but for those who do, the similarities will be constantly noticed.
Overall, I would have to say that Alien: Isolation is the Alien game we have all been waiting for. The sheer authenticity the game graphically and audibly exhibits when put side by side with the original film is outstanding. When this is coupled with the highly impressive atmosphere Isolation manages to create, we get an Alien game which certainly is worthy of the name. If you are a fan of Alien, this is the game you do not want to miss. Even though it has its issues, it still manages to be an exceptional production, one which Alien fans have been waiting a long time for.