by Michael J. Foy

There are spoilers here, but nothing that will ruin your experience of the main story arch or the many fun surprises along the way. Enjoy!

Allow me to start by saying that Alien: Isolation is the game I have been dreaming of since I was nine years old. (Yes, that’s when I first saw Alien & Aliens) The people over at Creative Assembly have done a fantastic job crafting an experience that looks and feels like the original film. For decades, the trend has always been to follow the action heavy sequel Aliens. This is not in and of itself a horrible idea, but has certainly cheapened the creature we have come to know and love. By stripping back the use of machine guns and hundreds of Aliens, they have managed to make the xenomorph scary again. This game has not only managed to break the mold, but obliterate it.

Picking up fifteen years after the events of Alien, we follow Amanda Ripley on a quest to find her long lost mother. Her journey brings her to Sevastopol, a free port space station orbiting a gas giant reminiscent of Jupiter. Unbeknownst to Amanda and the crew of the Torrens, the courier ship she hitched a ride on, the station has an Alien loose on board. Once on the station, Amanda seeks answers and tries to survive against a whole host of enemies.

The first hour or so of the game I was both exhilarated and terrified. I stayed crouched most of the time, jumping at noises in the vents above and below me. After some exploring, some cut scenes, and a few small heart attacks, the Alien arrived and literally changed the game. Once this things comes into play, all bets are off and as anyone who has played it will tell you, you will die A LOT. Running won’t save you and neither will your weapons for that matter. Just like in the film, moving as quietly and quickly as you can is your best bet. Over the course of the game, I must have died upwards of 200 times, many of which were simply trying to get from one room to the next. Easily could have been more, I lost count.

The Alien is adaptable. No matter how many times you may replay the same level, it will never act quite the same. There is a general pattern to how it will hunt you, but let’s say for example you throw a flare hoping to distract it. The creature may indeed be briefly intrigued, but then it will hunt for the source of the flare. If you had just stayed hidden, then perhaps it would have just gone back in the vents. I can’t say I have ever played against anything quite like it. It can smell you, hear you, and sometimes will try to trick you out of hiding. It is ruthless.

Having seen the films countless times and having played many of the different Alien games over the years, I was surprised to find myself scared silly for the duration of the game. The immersive experience that has been created here truly pulled me onto Sevastopol. No matter how many times I heard the creature drop from the vents, my heart would pound endlessly. The fact that you can not simply kill it, let alone save your game often or even safely at times, forces you to think on your feet and make every move count.

The game itself looks beautiful. All of the different environments of the space station are heavily inspired by the first film. Some of the technology is updated, but still feels cohesive. The station feels endless and there are plenty of areas to explore. In case danger is close, hiding places are not scarce, but some are better than others. The game also features a crafting system that allows you to build MacGyver esque weapons in order to distract or defeat certain enemies. Hiding under tables, in cabinets or vents, is a great way to craft the weapons you need out of sight. Still you must always be careful of your surroundings because loud bangs, the sound of the motion tracker or even simply breathing can give you away.

Now other than the Alien, you’ll also face groups of scarred survivors throughout the station. Having lost contact with the outside world, they’ve become paranoid, sometimes shooting first and asking questions later. You’ll also have to face the working Joe’s, the droids of Sevastopol. With bald heads, pale white rubber skin and glowing eyes, they easily stick out amongst the humans. Each of whom present there own host of problems when trying to take down or just evade.

The different sections of the ship will give you access to the many computer terminals of Sevastopol. Not only will they allow you to turn on or off different systems and power grids, they will also help to paint a picture of the events before your arrival. Some have complained that the story is a bit dull and uninteresting, but I disagree. Sure it’s familiar, but that seems to be more of a function of how people respond to this immensely stressful experience.

Besides the main campaign, there have been several DLC missions added as well. The first two feature the crew of the Nostromo in ‘Crew Expendable’ and ‘Last Survivor.’ The first features most of the original cast of the film dealing with creature on board, and let me tell you, there is nothing quite like Veronica Cartwright screaming in your ear while you’re trapped in the vents with the Alien. The second plays out just the end of the film, with Ripley setting the self destruct and desperately trying to escape in time. Both of these play almost as demos for the main game. They are definitely not the strongest, but for fans, it is indeed a thrill to get to play the movie.

The other DLC missions expand upon the main campaign. New maps and characters will give you the chance to experience Sevastopol both before and during the main events of the story. The latest pack for example, ‘Safe Haven’ features ten different challenges with only one life. You’re rewarded for your efforts after each mission, but only if you can complete the objective and return to the safe room alive.

Despite all of the things Creative Assembly got right, I do have a few criticisms. Now keep in mind that my thoughts are based on the Hard version of the game which is the recommended difficulty. The first is that the Alien is almost a  little too smart. There are times when you’re hiding, watching the motion tracker only to find the creature is just moving back and forth in the area you need to go. Sometimes it will eventually pop back into the vents, while other times it never leaves. This may not be too bad if you have a weapon of some kind, but items can be very scarce, leaving you without anything to defend yourself. In other sections of the game, items can be too abundant, forcing you to leave things behind. Now, this may seem a little nit picky, after all the game is certainly meant to be a challenge, but despite the realism of the environment, after hours of gameplay it can become annoying.

One general complaint I agreed with was with the length of the main story. For the first seventy five percent or so, I felt the game was progressing nicely, but once it reached this mark, it began to drag its heels. For me personally, I really love the universe of Alien and still enjoyed the rest of story, but the repetitiveness of gameplay really began to show.

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of Alien: Isolation. The game is well crafted, plain and simple. Unlike so many of the sub par games that came before it, this one finally allows you to live the movie. If the sequel incorporates some kind of hologram or virtual reality into the game play, I will seriously have a heart attack or stroke from fear. It may not be the perfect game, but honestly, what is? All I can say, is that it was a ride well worth the price of admission.

Score: 4 Out of 5

Developer: The Creative Assembly

Publisher: SEGA

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360

Genre: Survival Horror/Stealth