• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The History of Alien: Isolation - GVMERS



As of the early 2010s first-person survival horror games were a rarity, a space most notably occupied by the likes of indie hit Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Triple-A games in the genre, the Resident Evils, Silent Hills, and Dead Spaces of the world, had yet to move beyond the tried-and-true third-person perspective. Change peeked over the horizon by the middle of the decade, though, with another indie success, Outlast, and Hideo Kojima’s P.T. demo laying the foundation for a new wave of survival horror. Little did anyone know, an Alien project based on Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic would also move the needle.

The ambitions powering Creative Assembly’s vision for Alien: Isolation were grounded by far more than a shift in perspective. In using the original film as a stepping stone, Isolation tread ground that no other Alien-based video game had dared traverse. Previous interactive adventures through the sci-fi universe placed special emphasis on the action-oriented qualities of James Cameron’s 1986 sequel. Such titles supplied players with advanced firearms and assigned the arduous task of killing Xenomorphs—Alien: Isolation did neither. Creative Assembly instead encouraged players to avoid the creature, hide from and fear it, even distract it when necessary. But fully understanding the core of the experience they wanted to create proved a formidable undertaking for the team.

Four years of production were devoted to the project. A new engine and major gameplay changes imposed several challenges on a studio that lacked a survival horror pedigree. To the delight of many an Alien fan, however, those obstacles culminated in a one of a kind exploration of the seminal franchise.
 

CamHostage

Member
Ok, yes to this, but also... have you played Alien Vs Predator for Jaguar on original hardware with a CRT?



(*But nevermind that. I hear the Switch version of Alien Isolation is good, that may be my summer nights game when I can sit on the porch again.)
 
Last edited:

ZimZum

Neo Member
Did IGN said something about the review months or years later? I cant understand why they give such a low score
 

FunkMiller

Member
I keep meaning to install the VR mod for this game. I haven't played it in five years, and having another go in VR would be well worth it.
 
Last edited:

OmegaSupreme

advanced basic bitch
Ok, yes to this, but also... have you played Alien Vs Predator for Jaguar on original hardware with a CRT?



(*But nevermind that. I hear the Switch version of Alien Isolation is good, that may be my summer nights game when I can sit on the porch again.)
I understood that reference. I have. It's a tolerable game on a system with a horrible library.
 

Larxia

Member
monster AI and so on
Yes and no...
I loved the game, it was amazing, perfect atmosphere and best recreation of the feeling of the original movie, it's a better sequel for me than Aliens.

However, the Xenomorph could be incredibly frustrating for me at times. After a short time you quickly realize that the alien is constantly linked to you, tethered to the player. Instead of really roaming naturally around the station, it will just be scripted in different loop depending on the area, around you.
It was really annoying sometimes, especially near the beginning with the pharmacy level, this one drove me crazy and almost led me to give up on the game, thankfully I didn't.

It just felt annoying because it was sometimes too much, I was so annoyed of the scripted alien constantly being behind me that at some point I said fuck it and switched the difficulty to easy, something I usually never do, just to appreciate the atmosphere with less annoyance.

I would have really preferred if the alien had a more natural behaviour that felt less like an obvious script linked to the player's location, it would have been more immersive, and the times where you would hear the alien near you would have had more impact, because here at some point you just get used to it.

It's still a really great game, and I know I sound like I hated it, but I didn't, loved the atmosphere and most of the game, but it could have been a lot better with a better alien behaviour in my opinion.
 
Last edited:

Sorne

Member
Yea, have really fond memories of this game. They just nailed the whole atmosphere, and artstyle. Truly an homage to the original Alien movie.

If I had to say something negative about the game, it would be that it's a tad too long and gets somewhat repetitive towards the end. But still, that's not a bad complaint overall.
 

Hugare

Member
Yes and no...
I loved the game, it was amazing, perfect atmosphere and best recreation of the feeling of the original movie, it's a better sequel for me than Aliens.

However, the Xenomorph could be incredibly frustrating for me at times. After a short time you quickly realize that the alien is constantly linked to you, tethered to the player. Instead of really roaming naturally around the station, it will just be scripted in different loop depending on the area, around you.
It was really annoying sometimes, especially near the beginning with the pharmacy level, this one drove me crazy and almost led me to give up on the game, thankfully I didn't.

It just felt annoying because it was sometimes too much, I was so annoyed of the scripted alien constantly being behind me that at some point I said fuck it and switched the difficulty to easy, something I usually never do, just to appreciate the atmosphere with less annoyance.

I would have really preferred if the alien had a more natural behaviour that felt less like an obvious script linked to the player's location, it would have been more immersive, and the times where you would hear the alien near you would have had more impact, because here at some point you just get used to it.

It's still a really great game, and I know I sound like I hated it, but I didn't, loved the atmosphere and most of the game, but it could have been a lot better with a better alien behaviour in my opinion.
The station is city wide in terms of scale

So realistically, Ripley could finish all the objectives in the game before even getting the chance to find the Xenomorph.

It's always in the same location as you because otherwise, the game would become boring as fuck. It's by design, and for me, it works. Because I was always tense during the whole game knowing that he was around.

And you would be able to easily cheat the game by reloading your save so the alien could spawn at another location on the ship.

I've finished the game 4 times, and I think that the pressure is perfect.

You are meant to feel like you've barelly survived the game. I always feel exausted by the end.
 
Might get around to playing in vr soon. I hear conflicting things on how to play it. Either turn the game on easy for he doesn't appear so much, or do a mod that makes the ai not snap to you and always know your position.
 

Esca

Member
One of my two fav games from last gen (bloodborne being the other).
I loved everything about the game except one thing. Once you got the flamethrower the alien wasn't a threat anymore
 

Arachnid

Member
One of my favorite games of the generation

Just brilliant all around. Amazing atmosphere, sound design, level design, monster AI and so on.

Sad that it wasnt patched with Pro/X support. Would like to replay it once more with improved res.

Hopefuly they will make a sequel one day
Agreed. Best survival horror game we've gotten since OG Silent Hill games. Definitely one of my games of the gen. It's criminal how under the radar it went and it should have made millions more.

Never Forget this abhorration. Never.
dyv0mGX.png
 

Hugare

Member
Agreed. Best survival horror game we've gotten since OG Silent Hill games. Definitely one of my games of the gen. It's criminal how under the radar it went and it should have made millions more.

Never Forget this abhorration. Never.
dyv0mGX.png
I usually dont give a damn about scores, but they meant a lot to Alien Isolation.

Coming after Colonial Marines, people were very cautious about a new Alien game.

So yeah, a 5.9 from IGN meant a lot, and probably fucked A LOT of sales. So for this reason this review is one of the worst if not the worst ever, due to its repercursions.

Fucking Ryan McCaffrey. Probably the worst jounalist in gaming that I've ever seen. With shitty or incorrect opinions time and time again across the years.
 
Last edited:
Might get around to playing in vr soon. I hear conflicting things on how to play it. Either turn the game on easy for he doesn't appear so much, or do a mod that makes the ai not snap to you and always know your position.
I've been waiting years to play with the VR mod. The creator is supposedly working on proper motion controls.
 

RJMacready73

Simps for Amouranth
Has the Dev team responded to why they haven't released a VR/Pro patch? I'm assuming costs but man imo Sony should pony (groan) up the cash and get this as a PSVR exclusive, I mean the game is custom built for VR and would be an insanely good experience
 

Jack Uzi

Banned
Has the Dev team responded to why they haven't released a VR/Pro patch? I'm assuming costs but man imo Sony should pony (groan) up the cash and get this as a PSVR exclusive, I mean the game is custom built for VR and would be an insanely good experience
It’s bugging, they worked on putting it on the Switch but couldn’t patch it for Pro/X while they were at it.
 

Spaceman292

Banned
Yes and no...
I loved the game, it was amazing, perfect atmosphere and best recreation of the feeling of the original movie, it's a better sequel for me than Aliens.

However, the Xenomorph could be incredibly frustrating for me at times. After a short time you quickly realize that the alien is constantly linked to you, tethered to the player. Instead of really roaming naturally around the station, it will just be scripted in different loop depending on the area, around you.
It was really annoying sometimes, especially near the beginning with the pharmacy level, this one drove me crazy and almost led me to give up on the game, thankfully I didn't.

It just felt annoying because it was sometimes too much, I was so annoyed of the scripted alien constantly being behind me that at some point I said fuck it and switched the difficulty to easy, something I usually never do, just to appreciate the atmosphere with less annoyance.

I would have really preferred if the alien had a more natural behaviour that felt less like an obvious script linked to the player's location, it would have been more immersive, and the times where you would hear the alien near you would have had more impact, because here at some point you just get used to it.

It's still a really great game, and I know I sound like I hated it, but I didn't, loved the atmosphere and most of the game, but it could have been a lot better with a better alien behaviour in my opinion.
Are you the guy who wrote the IGN review?
 

Nikana

Go Go Neo Rangers!
For people wondering about the IGN review.

 

Larxia

Member
Are you the guy who wrote the IGN review?
... I said I liked the game, and I disagree with the IGN review, nothing comparable. I just think the AI of the alien is far from being great and that it could have been better, because it felt too much like a script, that's all.
 

Arachnid

Member
I usually dont give a damn about scores, but they meant a lot to Alien Isolation.

Coming after Colonial Marines, people were very cautious about a new Alien game.

So yeah, a 5.9 from IGN meant a lot, and probably fucked A LOT of sales. So for this reason this review is one of the worst if not the worst ever, due to its repercursions.

Fucking Ryan McCaffrey. Probably the worst jounalist in gaming that I've ever seen. With shitty or incorrect opinions time and time again across the years.
Yeah, he has no business calling himself a "journalist".

I wonder when the next time I'll get a survival horror game of this caliber will be.
 
cool game. didn't like this video tho. Its 20 mins of explaining Alien isolation...and like 3 mins of talking about behind the scenes stuff
 

PhoenixTank

Member
cool game. didn't like this video tho. Its 20 mins of explaining Alien isolation...and like 3 mins of talking about behind the scenes stuff
I seem to remember the noclip video being a bit more in depth if you haven't caught it. Interviews and such.



Still free on Epic until Thursday for anyone on the fence.
 
Top Bottom