Alien: Isolation Reviews
Halfway into playing Alien: Isolation, I stopped to watch the first four Alien movies again. It wasn't just for research purposes, but mostly because the game had me yearning for more of the universe. Isolation has some flaws, but it's faithful to the film series, and I'd love to see a follow-up with a few extra alien evolutions.
While it has a few flaws, it's a frightening, innovative example of the survival horror genre, where AAA titles have been trending more and more towards action/horror mixes that, quite frankly, just aren't scary.
That idea of never being comfortable with how the game is unravelling is something that feels quite unique and it's extremely well imagined here. Plenty of survival horror games have you feeling vulnerable as you essentially fulfil the role of a hero but things are different here. In Alien: Isolation you're not the hero, you're the prey.
Alien Isolation is for people who can withstand a heightened emotional state for a prolonged period of time. Patience, observation, and fast action are paramount. There were numerous occasions, after being brutally killed again and again, that I had to step away and say, "Ok, that's enough." But the thing is, it wasn't. I kept going back to see if I could be a survivor, out maneuver the perfect organism, and get through the level alive.
Alien: Isolation is worth experiencing, but at the same time feels like lost potential. There's nothing quite like playing elaborate hide-and-seek with the alien, it's just a shame that so much baggage comes along with it. Fans may have finally gotten a good alien game, but they may have to wait longer for a great one.
[Alien Isolation] is a remarkable work fueled by fearful tension and exhausting stress.
Pacing problems and a lack of variety take their toll, but in its best most moments this is the most successful big budget survival horror in a decade.
If you can look past the technical hiccups, this is a challenging and entertaining horror game, irrespective of any franchise tie-in. Alien: Isolation reminds us what it means to be playing a survival horror game, with a heavy emphasis on survival. With amazing ambiance, a slow, high-tension pace, and even a decent use of the DualShock 4 and PlayStation Camera, The Creative Assembly has delivered a gem of a movie-based game, a feat that is seldom seen in this industry. This is a welcome addition to the horror genre, and the Alien series.
Alien: Isolation brilliantly recreates the world of Ridley Scott's 1979 classic while offering some fantastic survival-horror gameplay. A few issues crop up over the course of the game, but not enough to damage the overall experience.
Alien: Isolation feels like the kind of game by people who watched Alien over and over again on video-tape. That's a good thing
Alien: Isolation is a stressful, bold and brilliant interpretation of sci-fi's most terrifying monster. It's not for everyone.
Alien: Isolation on the Switch is fantastic, and is most definitely a game that deserves a spot on your shelf.
Alien Isolation is an essential horror game, and the Nintendo Switch version might even be the very best place to play it, as long as you can ignore the caveats mentioned above. With excellent picture and audio quality, thick atmosphere, and a beautiful aesthetic, it is one of the most interesting licensed games ever released, and a great stealth horror title to enjoy.
Alien: Isolation might lose you with its humdrum pacing and emotionless character, but in its many shining moments, you'll catch yourself anxiously biting through your fingernails in absolute terror and dread.
Padding is Alien: Isolation's unfortunate undoing, as there are a few too many recycled moments throughout the course of its seemingly never-ending single player campaign. Still, when it's on form, this is a nail biting affair, as you use sound and cunningly constructed items in order outwit your incredibly intelligent enemies. Outstanding audio and impressive art work make this more than just another bug hunt – but you'll be rolling your eyes rather than flinching in fear at points during the outer-space escapade.
Alien Isolation is a great game marred with problems that make it frustrating the longer it goes on, and it goes on for a lot longer than it should. I love the ideas, I love the environments and the atmosphere and I wanted to love the entire game, but it kept giving me reasons not to.
They say that in space no one can hear you scream. In real life your neighbour can hear your squeals of terror so prepare to explain yourself.
After years of fumbling with the license, it's refreshing to see Sega finally deliver a game worthy of the Alien branding.
Feral Interactive has ported Alien: Isolation to Switch with no cut corners. Simply put, this game is a timeless horror masterpiece that ratchets up the dread and doesn't let up, and it looks and plays amazingly on Switch. Don't pass it up.