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You're not alone
I am not, by any reasonable metric, an “Alien” franchise fan. I have only ever seen two of the proper “Alien” movies (Alien and Prometheus), and I have never played a single “Alien” game. I don't have any nostalgic attachment to the characters, or really understand what a Xenomorph is (beyond ‘scary alien’).
Yet, as I sit under a desk or in a locker - the music kicks in. While I make Ripley hold their breath, a demon made flesh prowls the room in front of me. I begin to understand. Just a total sense of helplessness and fear. No one to help you, nowhere to run, and nothing you can do except pray.
Publisher: Sega Developer: Creative Assembly Platform: Played on PC Availability: Oct 17, 2014 for PS3, PS4, PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One. December 5, 2019 for Nintendo Switch. |
Alien: Isolation is a survival horror game set in the “Alien” universe, a universe created (and primarily depicted) in the horror film franchise created by Ridley Scott. It's important to note this, as the protagonist of Alien: Isolation, Amanda Ripley, is the daughter of the main protagonist of the film franchise, Ellen Ripley.
That aforementioned sense of helplessness against an unknowable, unkillable enemy makes up the bulk of the experience in Alien: Isolation. Not just in terms of feeling, but in the gameplay as well. In fact, I would say that most of my time in-game was spent hiding from the Xenomorph.
There are various systems at play here - a crafting system that allows you to make tools and weapons in your fight for survival, hacking that allows you to open doors or set off alarms, and your basic combat mechanics. All of which coalesce to create the core of the game. Noise makers to attract enemies, Molotovs to harm or deter them, med kits to heal and so on.
While there are multiple enemy types (human, android, face-hugger, and Xenomorph), none really matter in the face of your reality - everything is in service of or related to avoiding the Xenomorph. You could shoot those guys with your revolver, but doing so will bring the Xenomorph to you, sprinting is faster but noisy, and so on. Every part of you is painfully aware that getting caught by these enemies can spell death for you.
Which is why I so often set the Xenomorph on the other enemies themselves. Tripping an alarm or throwing a noisemaker into a group of enemies is a sure way to clear them out, while also giving you a little more breathing room to get your tasks done. It can be risky - the Xenomorph may spot you and take you instead - but often worth the effort. It ends up being a much faster and easier task to just avoid the Xenomorph than both groups at once.
There are, of course, multiple tense sequences where the Xenomorph is scripted to appear, and these are generally well done. From the way the lights might cut in and out, to the clanking of footsteps in the vents, Alien: Isolation keeps you on your toes. The creature can even wait for you in vents, noted by dripping pools of saliva. Over time, the Xenomorph learns your habits and finds ways to sniff you out, making the experience even more terrifying.
All of this is accentuated by the score. Most moments are quiet, with only the sounds of your actions and movement taking place. But when you're being hunted or something intense is happening, those strings kick in, and man does it work. In many respects, it works in the same ways a movie score does, where everything bolsters what is happening on screen at a given moment.
The music is not the only similarity to the films. Thematically, Alien: Isolation fits right in with Ridley Scott's works, exploring the ideas of how corporate greed, malice, and incompetence serve to harm us. The Xenomorph itself serves as this primal force, untouchable in its fury, rendering us at once both insignificant and helpless. The game explores futility and purpose, creation and carelessness. Unfortunately, most of this comes in the form of walls of text and audio files scattered throughout the levels.
While the story is mostly fine, I think it's a bit too long, with the back third almost falling apart entirely. So much of the game is sneaking about and avoiding enemies, that it becomes fairly monotonous by the end. There's only so much desk crawling I can do before it starts to wear on me. I'm convinced we would not lose anything by cutting out at least a third of the levels. Despite this, I still came away appreciating the text and audio logs, and environmental storytelling on display.
I didn't come into the game as an “Alien” franchise fan, but the quality of work here certainly has me leaving as one. I need more. Thankfully, after I finish all the movies, there is a mountain of additional tie-ins to get through. They even announced a sequel to this game, and much like the Xenomorph hiding in the vents, my mouth is watering at the prospect.
Verdict Alien: Isolation succeeds in so many more ways than it fails. Everything in the game serves to make the experience tense and frightening, with the Xenomorph itself being the real star of the show. Level and sound design create a sense of paranoia not commonly felt in games like this. Oftentimes bleak, the story is done well enough and is bolstered by the excellent supplementary material found throughout the game. That said, if you are not a fan of that type of story-telling, it may not work for you. While it sticks around a little too long, it's a strong outing, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.  |
Image Credits: Taylor Rioux
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