Alien: Isolation Review
MandaloreGaming・38 minutes read
"Alien: Isolation" is an intricately designed game with a focus on details, atmosphere, and immersive sound design, while facing some technical issues like sound desynchronization. The game's narrative centers around Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda Ripley, exploring a space station overrun by Aliens, with a variety of gameplay mechanics and challenges to overcome.
Insights
- "Alien: Isolation" was well-optimized for PC, offering high settings and good framerates even on older computers, but may now face sound desynchronization issues during scripted events, which can be resolved by locking the framerate below 100.
- The game's attention to detail, authentic design using original "Alien" movie assets, and incorporation of Japanese influence create a visually impressive and immersive experience, with a dynamic soundtrack that sometimes enhances tension but can occasionally detract from the atmosphere.
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Recent questions
What is the setting of "Alien: Isolation"?
15 years after the original "Alien" movie, focusing on Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda Ripley.
How is the sound design in "Alien: Isolation"?
Excellent, utilizing original sound banks from the movie.
What is the gameplay like in "Alien: Isolation"?
Involves exploring, scavenging, crafting, and resource management.
How does the Alien behave in "Alien: Isolation"?
Unpredictable, stalking rooms and reacting to sounds.
What additional content does "Alien: Isolation" offer?
DLC with challenge maps like Last Survivor and Crew Expendable.
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Summary
00:00
"Alien: Isolation" PC optimization and gameplay
- "Alien: Isolation" originally had excellent optimization on PC, allowing for high settings and good framerates even on older computers.
- Presently, the game runs smoothly but may face issues like sound desynchronization during scripted events.
- To fix sound timing issues, lock the framerate below 100.
- A tool called "Alias Isolation" can help reduce aliasing in the game, enhancing visual quality.
- The game's setting is 15 years after the original "Alien" movie, focusing on Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda Ripley.
- The game's attention to detail and atmosphere are exceptional, with authentic VHS tape recordings used for UI elements.
- The art team had access to original assets from the "Alien" movie, ensuring precise and authentic design.
- The game incorporates Japanese influence in its design, reflecting the 1980s perception of Japan's technological prowess.
- The visuals in the game are generally impressive, with detailed environments and intelligent lighting, though character models and animations may appear stiff.
- The sound design in "Alien: Isolation" is excellent, utilizing original sound banks from the movie to create an immersive experience.
10:51
Alien: Isolation - Crafting, Exploration, Horror, Tension
- The game's soundtrack is dynamic, sometimes enhancing tension and action scenes, but occasionally becoming grating and deflating the atmosphere.
- Creative Assembly, known for strategy games, developed the game, marking their first foray into first-person gaming.
- The game's presentation is widely acclaimed, even by those who dislike it.
- Players are recommended to start on Hard difficulty, offering a challenging experience.
- Initial gameplay involves exploring a seemingly abandoned station, scavenging for items, and uncovering blueprints for crafting.
- The game provides a map and various clues to guide players through Sevastopol's environment and backstory.
- Axel, a tutorial NPC, offers redundant guidance and interrupts the game's lonely pacing.
- Players face threats from both the Alien and hostile survivors, with the option to avoid killing humans.
- Working Joes, androids managed by the station's AI, Apollo, add a new layer of tension and unpredictability to the game.
- The game's design, reminiscent of "System Shock 2", emphasizes crafting, exploration, and resource management, with a focus on horror elements and a streamlined gameplay experience.
22:00
Alien game: hacking, survival, intense encounters
- The Alien in the game is portrayed as a formidable presence, with hacking doors involving matching symbols on tools.
- Stronger security systems may have more symbols, but the hacking process is not overly challenging.
- The Alien's arrival changes the gameplay dynamics, adding urgency and vulnerability to the player's actions.
- Save stations use a timer to recharge before saving again, warning of nearby enemies, particularly the Alien.
- The Alien's behavior is unpredictable, stalking rooms and reacting to sounds, making encounters tense and dynamic.
- The motion tracker is a key tool in detecting the Alien's presence through walls and ceilings.
- Players are encouraged to experiment with distractions and combat to ward off the Alien, as weapons are not powerful enough to kill it.
- Nightmare Mode intensifies gameplay by removing UI elements, making resources scarce, and increasing enemy awareness.
- The game's narrative involves Ripley's encounters with the Alien and the revelation of Weyland-Yutani's involvement in the station.
- The game culminates in a new threat as the Aliens nest in the reactor, introducing face-huggers and eggs as additional dangers.
33:10
Alien bioweapon, gameplay overrun, DLC challenge maps
- The Alien in the game is portrayed as a high metabolism bioweapon that kills quickly and then dies off shortly after. The reactor is not large, allowing Ripley to initiate a system purge swiftly.
- Despite the impending climax, Aliens continue to overrun the station, extending the gameplay for hours. The narrative shifts back to facing a single Alien at a time for the majority of the game.
- The game features impressive environments and setpieces that, while visually striking, do not significantly impact the gameplay due to a rewrite that altered pacing.
- Additional content in the form of DLC offers challenge maps with locations not included in the main game, such as Last Survivor where players control Ripley aboard the Nostromo, and Crew Expendable allowing a choice of characters like Parker.
