Alien: Isolation

Greetings from Lithuania.

If you are a fan of "Alien" / "Aliens" - grab this video game immediately. If you are a fan of "Call of Duty" type shooters, think twice before getting in this world.

"Alien: Isolation" (2014) is hands down the best Alien theme game ever - period. It's all here - claustrophobic settings, sense of true terror, exploration, crafting, searching, shooting (a bit) and the star itself - Alien. And what a star it is. After you will encounter it in the game, every single minute of the rest of the experience will be true experience - the presents of this creature in the game changes everything - can't remember the last time in VG i have been hiding in looker room for 10 minutes just to safely crawl out of the room. The experience is mesmerizing. The AI of the creature is astonishing - no same patterns, every single time you will get the different encounter with "it" and it's only up to you on how this encounter will end.

This is the game based on "Alien" theme i've always wanted. Overall, if you like Video Games / survivor horror / "Alien" - do your self a favor and try this game. It's the ultimate "Alien" experience.

Best horror game I have ever played. Best Alien game made. Simple. Should get a sequel and more recognition.

Unlike most reviewers I have read from, I have neither played Aliens: Colonial Marines nor watched the original Aliens movie, so I do not have any real references to compare to. The only "horror" game I had played before this was Alan Wake - an excellent game in its own right. Alien: Isolation, however, is something else. It is not just a horror game, heck, it is not even just a game, it is an experience that has to be felt to be believed.

I started off at Medium difficulty, which I bet is the perfect choice for your first playthrough. Judging by the atmosphere and the survival-oriented resources, I quickly understood I had to play an excellent stealth game, which I did - crafting items, conserving ammo, never making a sound. All good until the Alien took me down for the first time - I was creeping through a vent, but with the Alien lurking around, I had made a bit too much noise before entering it. Suddenly, the Alien hopped down behind me with that terrifying metallic thud. It uttered its customary terrifying squeal and dragged me by my feet before I knew it, game over! I had headphones on with the volume turned up and it was 3 in the night, so it was apt that all my composure went for a toss - I was short of breath, my hands were suddenly cold & trembling and I could not resume playing without taking a break. No game has ever done this to me, and I doubt any game ever will. It is so good! The game is challenging, and I'd definitely say it is not meant for everyone. But, it is a masterpiece, there is no doubt about it. I have never played a game with such depth of atmosphere - the excellent graphics (e.g. the most realistic rendering of fire ever, period!) and the unbelievable sound design come together to create one of the best game worlds I have ever experienced. If nothing else, this game sets the precedent for truly immersive worlds in the gaming industry. Combined with the stealth-oriented crafting-based survival gameplay and an intelligent, deadly monster, this game is a blockbuster of sorts.

The game is not perfect though - the story could be much more taut and the human character models could be more lifelike. But, these factors take away only half a point from what is essentially a 10/10 game, just for the experience it provides.

I highly recommend this game to not just survival horror fans, but also anyone who wants to have an other-worldly, surreal experience in a game. Play before you die!

It's risky fare for Sega to pick up such a well-known franchise in an arena it has consistently failed to flourish. H.R.Giger's trademarked xenomorph has generally disappointed upon its plentiful player-immersing platforms, a cross-over plugging plunge that has always fallen short of expectation and in execution. But, the loyal fanbase continues to exist and for those inundated (and re-inundated) by 'Alien' prequel 'Prometheus', finally there's a game that lives up to the legend. For hardcore fans of the face-hugging fiends, 'Alien Isolation' co-exists in harmonious rapture to the first film of the franchise, controlling Ripley's daughter Amanda as she investigates the Nostromo to attain closure. An absolute delight whence interweaving Scott's feature within the game's plot, with a little aid from Fox, the game literally plays like the film - the production team have picked apart every element present within the film in great detail and recreated its brooding atmosphere, lo-fi retrogradation and deliciously dread-inducing soundtrack in making not only the best ever 'Alien' based game - fact - but have created much much more. SEGA have created the 'Alien' experience. For the ardent fan, the game is a must. For the gamer, however, its a necessity.

Experiential fabrication comes at a cost - and that cost was bucking the trend. With the capabilities of next generation consoles allowing for raging wars of epic proportions to engulf the screen, armies of thousands-strong battling it out have become commonplace for these supreme mega-bit simulations. Action revels in eponymous overture, guns blazing, kill everything in sight to win. Frankly, in todays market, all out warfare sells like hot cakes. 'Alien Isolation' renders this defunct. Or at least highly recommends against it. The aim of the game is to survive - any way that you possibly can, which means being strategic, being tactical, being stealthy, being quiet. It's a virtual game of chess between you and the alien. That's not to say you can't kill anything, it's just not advised - where you'd think offing the antagonist paves the way for linear progression, it's more worthwhile (and more satisfying) to plan out your undetected escape - be it in a locker, cabinet, under a desk or in a vent - it is for the virtues of patience and preparation that you will reap reward. As a minor con, the game is rather unforgiving, continual trial and error (and many a death!) will unquestionably frustrate the player, but the gratification is so much sweeter when you finally progress.

Graphically sublime, invigoratingly fresh, poignantly tense and foreboding; the wondrous intelligence of the game urges the player onto the edge of the seat and demands concentration. It's difficult, and at times rather repetitive completing an array of missions that require the player to go back and forth to fetch an item, but it's different. It's alien.

What can be said about Isolation that hasn't already been said by the big video game reviewers? This game is terrifying! And an incredibly faithful entry to the Alien Canon, I won't concentrate too much on story but obviously you are Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen, you find yourself on Sevastapol station in search for the Nostromo flight recorder to find out what happened to your mother who has been AWOL for 15 years, that's all I'm giving away.

What makes Isolation so special isn't its story, it's the un- predictable, radiant gameplay, one of my favourite moments so far was being spotted b a working Joe in an area I wasn't supposed to be in, they all start chasing me, I think I'm safe hiding in a corner until I turn around and find 7 of them staring at me, one grabs me by the neck and throws me into the wall and proceeds to beat the crap out of me, I whack him with my wrench ad run away into a locker, they give up looking for me, why this was so special is it only happened to me, did it happen to anyone else? Maybe, but certainly not in the exact same way, but it felt scripted, like it was supposed to happen, but it was pure chance and everyone who lays will have their own horrific story to tell that others would not have experienced.

This becomes more frightening when the Xenomorph makes his grand entrance.

The Alien in this game (There is only one) is un-scripted 95% of the time, it hunts you down like a real beast and is truly a complicated AI, and a true and horrific work of art, whenever you see it your skin will burn you will panic and find the nearest hiding place, don't bother fighting it, it will only become more aggressive, don't bother running away, it can run faster, hide or accept death and rethink your strategy.

Forget everything about last years Colonial Marines, if you're a fan of RIdley Scotts 1979 Alien, or survival horror in general, this game is essential, you will scream, panic and sweat but every survival will be something you laugh at and cherish in the end and this is easily the best £35 I have spent in a long long time, buy this game now!