Alien: Isolation Reviews
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.
Alien: Isolation desperately tries to give us something fearsome and memorable. But the inconsistent approach leads to periods of tedium thankfully interrupted by flashes of unmitigated terror. If you can revel in the highs and forge through the lows, you should emerge satisfied.
This is the best game that has ever been aligned with the Alien franchise and the rest aren't even close.
Contrary to what we were perhaps expecting, Alien Isolation performs incredibly on PC. Armed with just a GeForce GTX 750 Ti we were able to max everything out and achieve respectable frame rates without a hitch. The Creative Assembly's technical marvel is a visual and atmospheric tour de force, particularly once all of the volumetric fog and dynamic lighting is enabled. Don't spend too much time gawping at the environment though, you're always only seconds away from a grisly end.
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.
Scary good
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.
This isn't a horror game. Oh no, this is an Alien game.
Despite its incredibly creative design, unique premise and genuinely tense moments, Alien: Isolation is far too lengthy, repetitive, and frustrating to be the game-changing survival horror title it strives to be.
Despite having a few superfluous levels, Alien: Isolation ends up being a game Alien and survival horror fans can hold in high esteem.
It took me a while to get into Alien: Isolation and, I can't imagine that everyone will enjoy it but, if you're a fan of either the Alien series or scaring yourself into next Tuesday, I'd suggest giving it a try. The story itself isn't particularly inspired, but it's more about the parts in between the story that work for Isolation.
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.
Overall Alien: Isolation is the game Alien fans have been waiting for. In spite of the numerous broken promises in the last 35 years, Creative Assembly has successfully formatted a love letter to fans of the franchise, one that has taken far too long to get here. A golden standard has been set for all future titles in the Alien universe. Simply put, Isolation is the definitive Alien game that no fan should miss out on.
Alien: Isolation does so much right. It's beautiful, atmospheric and interesting, and it does a great job of maintaining the ambiance of the original film. When the game works, it is head and shoulders above any other title that uses the license. When it fails, however, it descends into frustration and tedium. A few critical design decisions have the potential to turn an awesome experience into a tiring one, and it's very hard for the game to maintain its atmosphere with an unhappy player. A better save system or a less flawed set of enemy AI patterns would've done wonders for Isolation. If you're a giant "Alien" fan, this is the game for you. More casual horror fans should only take the dive if they have the utmost confidence in their skills or a very high tolerance for frustration.
Missions have unclear objectives and way too much backtracking, made more frustrating by doors that go from sealed to open for no good reason and checkpoints triggered by obscure means.
I couldn't turn off Gremlins or Chucky or Bun Bun fast enough, tripping over myself to end the experience. But Alien: Isolation reels me in for more. If the light of the churning sun streaming through the window is the last thing I see before having my face torn off, then it was a good run. Next time I will happily take it slower.
There have been a handful of Alien games over the years, but none have delivered an experience so close to the intent of the films as Isolation. With visuals authentic enough to have been ripped right from the movies and a terrifyingly intelligent monster as the primary antagonist, Alien: Isolation makes for a memorable experience, and clear proof that Colonial Marines was the fault of the developer and not the material.
'Alien: Isolation' evokes the atmosphere and tension of the movies, but inconsistent xenomorph AI and antiquated design turn fear into frustration.
Alien: Isolation finally delivers the Alien experience fans have been waiting for.
Alien: Isolation projects an authoritative and unrepentant sense of despair consistent with Ridley Scott's 1979 classic. As powerful and affecting as its influence may be, it's applied with enough force to drive Isolation off its rails. It never crashes, but after an aggressively defiant start, it teeters and wobbles its way toward an unassertive and obedient conclusion.