'Alien: Isolation' Brings Survival Back to the Masses

Evan Slead ‘16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

There once was an era in the video game timeline that belonged to the survival horror genre. During the 90’s, most of the horror films released were either sequels monopolizing on their franchise prowess, or straight to video chuckle fests. Thankfully fans of fear entertainment were blessed with games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill to keep their survival senses sharp and lust for blood appeased. The most appealing aspect of these games was not solely in their horror roots, but that they placed players into a truly desolate environment. Low ammo, no clear indication of how to end the terror, and the need for street smarts created a beautiful blend of survival education and facing fear of the unknown. As the years passed, however, the style that was so perfect started to dwindle away into nothing but an action gore party. Thankfully, like a beacon of light in the abyss, the developer team of Creative Assembly partnered with SEGA to harness the origins of the survival horror genre and combine it with one of the most beloved horror films ever. Alien: Isolation is a modern throwback to what horrific gaming truly was, and more importantly, what it can be from this point on.
Much like the film Alien, the story does contain many twists and plot stains that are fully appreciated when playing through the game on your own. The initial setup is as goes: Amanda Ripley is looking for her mother. Fans of the Alien franchise will recognize the last name Ripley as the name of Sigourney Weaver’s character, Ellen. This Ripley, however, is the daughter of the Ripley from the films. Captain Samuels offers daughter Ripley a job to investigate the space station Sevastopol. Being an engineer for Weyland-Yutani, Amanda has the same blue collar background that her mother did. Hesitant to accept at first, Amanda is persuaded to take the job after learning that the flight recorder from Ellen’s ship, the Nostromo, is on the space station. Believing her mother could still be alive, Amanda decides to follow the bread crumbs back to her mother. Once she enters the derelict Sevastopol though, the situation turns from a search for her mother, to a fight for survival.

The first aspect to note about Alien: Isolation is the atmosphere. The art direction is utterly fantastic by placing focus on the environment of the ship as a playground for mystery. Right when Amanda enters the space station, the feeling of isolation is palpable. Broken pipes spewing steam, endless announcements for evacuation and contamination breaches, and electrical fires engulf the player from go. There are no prompts on the screen of where to go or what to do, its just forcing the player to analyze their environment and decide the best course of action. There is a pre-conceived meta knowledge that a Xenomorph alien will appear at some point, but even if this game was handed to a player with no title or explanation of what to expect, the feeling that something is wrong is ever apparent.
Before the threat of an alien even crosses consciousness, the state of the space station jumps the player into survival mode. Like the survival horror of old, the environment is the key to understanding what the entirety of the game will be. Players will have to find ways of getting from point A to point B with broken door locks, elevators, and the onslaught of deteriorating corridors. Many modern games just focus on creating a giant beast or killer that players will have to outgun while following button commands to escape the environment. Alien: Isolation makes the environment a friend and foe for the player instead.

Now, the real star of the show, the Xenomorph. As many times as an individual has seen an Alien film or even a picture of a Xenomorph, the developers expertly created a new fear around the iconic creature. As players get used to the mechanics of the gameplay, they will encounter the alien MANY times. Most AI for enemies keeps them to a rail or set path so that players can succeed in trial and error. The developers for Isolation made sure that the alien does not stay to a set path when entering a room. A player may be in the loading docks when the Xenomorph slinks in, searching the area for human flesh. Hiding behind cargo and slowly moving to the opposite door may work for a spell, but the alien will then sense a change in the air and come right to them. So the player tries again with the knowledge of where the alien will walk now. However, this time the alien just stands and looks back and forth for a few minutes. The player is then forced to come up with a completely new strategy on how to avoid it. This keeps the game not only fresh and exciting, but also completely terrifying. Instinctually, most players will want to hide when the alien enters their environment, however if they stay too long it will start checking the crevices and hiding spots. Its as if the alien learns the players actions as well and is ready to be one step ahead. Note to all players: you will die a lot. A LOT.
The last notable approach that Alien: Isolation incorporates into the gameplay is how players can fight back against the alien. There are weapons like the flamethrower to keep the alien at bay if it gets too close, but its only a temporary fix. Players can never fully damage the alien which forces  them to rely more on their strategy for survival and escape. Along with the defense weapons, there are other people stranded within the space station. Some of them are good people that are just trying to survive, but some have nefarious plans to take advantage of the isolated experience. Amanda can use these baddies to her advantage by causing loud distractions to draw the alien to that group. Just like the environment, the alien can be a tool for survival. Set an explosion next to a group of baddies and watch as the Xenomorph enters to take their lives. This gives players time to search for a new exit and also know where the alien is at the time.
Alien: Isolation is a fantastic update to the mummified survival horror genre. Fans of that genre will undoubtedly find pure joy in dusting off the cob webs of their survival instincts. Gamers with no previous experience will also find enjoyment in playing a truly terrifying game that forces them to think instead of shoot. However, this game is divisive. It will upset and frustrate even the most experienced of players. Those who think of themselves as expert gamers may find the unpredictability cheap and unfair. That is the genius of Alien: Isolation though; creating an experience that will frustrate and enrage but most importantly, entertain.
Overall Rating: 9/10