If you’ve ever watched the first Alien movie and thought “I wonder what I would do in that situation?” then call Alien: Isolation your ideal simulator. The new survival-horror game allows you to play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) from the Alien movie franchise.
Developed by the UK-based company The Creative Assembly, Alien: Isolation perfectly emulates the ’70s retro-space aesthetic as imagined by Ridley Scott.
The story is engaging and the game world is startlingly immersive. You find yourself meandering through the colossal Sevastopol space station, crawling through the vents, overriding security doors and ultimately trying not to get killed by the deadly Xenomorph. The game forces you to ration and survive with as little as possible, often forcing you to use stealth over gun-toting bravado.
The soundscape plays a key part in the game, leaving you constantly on high alert. There are moments when fear clouds all judgement. The game’s audio is superbly orchestrated so that every whizz, whir and worrisome groan of Sevastopol Station will make you freeze in your tracks and duck behind the nearest desk.
The ‘Survivor Mode’ is top notch. The Alien is fast, ruthless and unforgiving. You think you’re safe in that vent? Well, you’re not and the alien will pull you out and impale you. The Artificial Intelligence is incredibly advanced, you can’t try to figure out the Alien’s stalking route because there is no stalking route.
The game allows you to depend on your instincts and motion tracker. Shall I use the flamethrower? Shall I run? No. Running is never a good idea in this game because the Alien will outrun you before you can yell ‘I should have stayed on Earth!’
Alien: Isolation may not have a multiplayer or co-operative mode, neither are you going to go into missions guns blazing but it’s better off that way. The game evokes fear and redefines the meaning of survival-horror, making it a standout game of this year so far.