Nothing To Fear But The Alien Itself In Alien: Isolation

With Alien: Isolation, Creative Assembly have a struggle to prove the game’s credentials. Last year’s misstep damaged the franchise and those involved, but with a different studio behind the wheel, an appearance and announcement only when the game was ready to be shown and a focus on the survival horror aspects of the original Alien film, this holds a lot more promise. There’s also the confidence behind a public demonstration, as was seen at Rezzed last week.

The most striking thing about Alien: Isolation is a feeling of complete and utter authenticity to the stylings of the original film. This fairly small area, a circular corridor which goes around two rooms, has been recreated in a manner so completely true to the visual style of the films, and rendered in such high fidelity on the PS4.

It extends right from the metallic utilitarianism of the hallway to the tacky plastic look of the retro-futuristic computer consoles, VHS-based technology and even deeper into the finer details. Though empty and abandoned, aside from the android you find cut in half as you enter the area, it feels distinctly lived in. There are calendars up on the walls, family and holiday photos tucked into the gaps behind the computer screens, there’s a mess left over from breakfast and empty cups abandoned on many surfaces.

Taking control of Amanda Ripley as she explores this space is already very tense, even before the Alien actually appears, as you move through the world, trying to reach a computer console as your objective. Right away I’m pulling up the motion tracker, but it’s not showing anything, as I play with the ability to pull focus between the tracker and what’s ahead of me. It’s safe, but still a harrowing experience, as lights go out, you rely on a simple flashlight and you come across more bodies, this time from the human crew.

But after letting me familiarise myself with the world, search for items to pick up like slightly out of place canisters of petrol or the more immediately useful welder, it’s as I complete a small computer hacking mini-game that the noise of movement starts to come from the vents above. The Alien gracefully unfurls itself out into the room as Amanda shrinks behind the desk, obscuring my view as her stifled gasps of fear fill my ears, her heavy breathing adding to the tension at key moments throughout.

What was already a tense atmosphere from the anticipation of the Alien’s appearance suddenly becomes much thicker as I constantly check my motion tracker to see the Alien’s position. My only hope for survival is to get to the exit without alerting the Alien to my presence and the game excels as I cautiously move from cover to cover while catching fleeting glimpses of the Alien from around corners.

But as I reach my entrance point, a huge explosion tears through the Sevastopol space station, ripping the module from the rest of the structure, sending it hurtling through space and temporarily removing gravity before the back up systems can come online. From the relief of escape, it turns to dread as I now have to head to the exact opposite end of the level.

I’m still able to take my time, but the harried nature of the voice I’m hearing over the intercom, the sight of stars rapidly spinning and the threat of the Alien push me to go quicker than I should do. With the airlock in sight and the Alien heading in a different direction, I think I can make a run for it, going against everything the initial introductory video to the demo told me to do. It’s a terrible idea, and with a scream, I’m caught from behind, impaled on its tail and murdered.

I decide against running for my second attempt, sticking cautiously behind cover on my way to the airlock, but in triggering it, the Alien is again alerted to my position and I am not quick enough to react before facing another quick and grisly death.

It’s at this stage that I seemingly start to recognise some of the strings being pulled by the game. It’s slowly losing its creepiness as I realise that the Alien is simply stomping around quite loudly, so that I can have an inkling of where it is even without the motion tracker raised, and it seems to be following the same path each time I respawn, unless I alert it to my presence.

This is perfectly understandable, given the nature of the short demo, the punishing and absolute nature of your deaths and the need for the public at Rezzed to be able to pick up and play the game for 15-20 minutes. It highlights the disparity between such teasers of gameplay and the final game, wherein we should reasonably expect and have been promised more interesting and dynamic behaviour from the Alien, especially when this implacable foe is actively hunting traces of your presence within differing environments and situations.

The true horror within the genre comes from never being quite sure what to expect next. Trial and error sapped some of that from my time with the game, but still led to what was a true stand out moment. Triggering the airlock once more, I needed somewhere to hide for a few moments as it prepared to open. Quickly but quietly, I move to a nearby set of lockers and holed up inside.

With the motion tracker raised slightly and just a few slits to look through, I watch agonisingly as the Alien gradually comes into view, the distinctive sonar-like pings become ever more rapid and it turns to inspect the locker. I shrink back from the door, pulling back on the analogue stick and hold my breath both in game and real life, never quite sure if I’m doing enough to hide, until the Alien eventually retreats. Even so, it’s quite a long time before I trust the game enough to leave the locker and enter the airlock and end the demo with another climactic moment.