Alien: Isolation

As my title suggests, stealth is paramount and abundant in this gem. Depending on the difficulty level selected (you can change it during game play) it ranges from extremely difficult to a piece of cake. I do not suggest wasting your time on mods that make the alien stupid just find the difficulty level that works for you and (i.e. you can't tell until the alien starts hunting you) and then strap in for a gorgeous immersive experience that will truly entertain you with a level of respect to the devs who obviously put a lot of work in the graphics and crafting the atmosphere that captures the original movie perfectly. I purchased this game on sale which was a real bargain but I also think that this is one of the few games that is worth the full price too. Unless stealth is not your thing, do not let this was get by you.

Finished the game in 30 hours. Played 70 % on second hardest, last 30 % on easiest. For most of the game, 4 stars, for the last 10-20 % of the game, 1 star. Thematically the game is: We need to get this done, and in order to do that we need to do this. But in order to do that we need to do this as well. But in order to do that we need to do that as well. Etc. In game terms this amounts to running this way and that and pushing buttons. And eventually, thematically, all your plans fail. I don't like this kind of design. Especially at the end it felt REALLY prolonged. The end also had a collection of scripted event deaths and small enemies that would've simply been better left out. The story has all the clichés of a similar game. Space station falls apart, station AI doesn't like you, Alien is killing you... It seemed like in the later parts of the game the alien AI became too aggressive for my tastes. This coincided (?) with getting the flamethrower, which allows you to keep the alien at bay. Then it was no longer a game of terror of not getting found, but strolling through the station and flaming the alien a bit if he showed his face. Even up until that point... I'm not sure. The game was most tense when the alien was not around. Either because you thought he MIGHT be around any second, or because of the android enemies that I found way creepier. Easier to deal with, but creepier. The alien AI has major problems, namely that on higher difficulties it's just constantly on your face and only moves within a certain radius of you. On easier difficulties the alien is around a lot less, which made the game more tense for me. Higher difficulties should've been about getting found easier when the alien shows up, not simply showing up all the damn time. As for reviews of "I need to hide in lockers for 5 minutes": you don't. You walk around normally, keeping an eye out for places to hide for when you need to. It's not a horror game, simply survival.

"Alien Isolation" is an exceptional adaptation of Ridley Scott's "Alien." The game masterfully captures the film's suspense, keeping players on edge throughout its lengthy gameplay. The story is engaging and well-developed, staying true to the original while introducing new elements. The graphics are outstanding, recreating the film's iconic look with incredible detail. From the retro-futuristic technology to the eerie environments, every aspect immerses players in the world of Alien. Overall, "Alien Isolation" is one of the best games ever made, combining suspense, a strong narrative, and impressive visuals to honor the legacy of the original film.

I remember playing Alien: Isolation on Xbox back when it was first released. I was in awe, The game starts great. The atmosphere is top tier. Every little sound you hear makes you think, "oh crap, is it the alien?" Then I was left utterly disappointed when the dumb alien AI walked in circles around the area for 30 minutes while I watched from a locker. I got frustrated and bored, then turned it off sold the CD back to the store. I never bothered with Alien: Isolation again until recently - when I learned of one mod that fixed the entire game. "It's better with mods" means the game is bad, and players have to fix it. Why do people pay for bad games we have to fix? What a world we live in. The alien operates on two AI's - the local AI, which controls the alien's senses of hearing and sight, and the tether AI, which acts as a soft GPS locator, telling the alien where the player is at. If it moves too far away, it automatically gets rebounded towards the player. This is meant to assure the player will run into the alien during general gameplay, and not exclusively at scripted events. The problem with this design is it directly contradicts the first rule of horror: in order to successfully instill terror in your audience, you need to imply the object of fear, not engage it. The idea of the monster is always going to be more terrifying than the actual thing. When you over-expose the monster, it quickly becomes "oh, just another creature," and ceases to be terrifying. In this case, it became a chore to deal with the alien. If you want to play this game "the right way," use a mod that cuts the tether on the alien, or at least extends its leash a great deal. It becomes entirely possible you will never encounter the alien at all beyond scripted events. And you know what? That's actually a good thing. You'll make better progress in an otherwise absurdly long game, and it becomes far more terrifying.