Alien: Isolation

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1445 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,198 out of 1445
  2. Mixed: 142 out of 1445
  3. Negative: 105 out of 1445
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  1. Velsuan
    Oct 3, 2015
    7
    That's a decent game for sure. Not as good as SOMA (more recent this one). The production value is really nice. Graphics are superb. In the sound department, that's a joy! The Alien is a s.o.a.b, and sometimes he seems a little bit too persistent (like mentally ill "focused"!). I've found that if you don't hide inside a box or a locker, the beast tend to keep his distance a little more....That's a decent game for sure. Not as good as SOMA (more recent this one). The production value is really nice. Graphics are superb. In the sound department, that's a joy! The Alien is a s.o.a.b, and sometimes he seems a little bit too persistent (like mentally ill "focused"!). I've found that if you don't hide inside a box or a locker, the beast tend to keep his distance a little more.... and that walking is an option as long as there's shadows. I almost forgot about the story... err, maybe because the Hide & Seek game with Big Al is waayy to tedious and repetitive. I don't know. I'm not that impressed about that aspect of the game. Good game overall.… Expand
  2. Leonchi970
    Dec 7, 2015
    7
    The story mode is interesting, and the game play cool, but repetitive. There's no online mode, but a Survive Mode. But we have to play if we want to play other modes and maps.
  3. Archulysses
    Dec 12, 2016
    7
    Story - The game is the direct sequel from the critically acclaimed 1979 Aliens in which Amanda Ripley, daughter of the movie heroine Ellen Ripley, is on her quest to find the whereabouts of her mother and know what happened to her. This leads her to the decrepit and mad place of Sevastapool of which is full of desperate and aggresive individuals trying to survive and the dangerousStory - The game is the direct sequel from the critically acclaimed 1979 Aliens in which Amanda Ripley, daughter of the movie heroine Ellen Ripley, is on her quest to find the whereabouts of her mother and know what happened to her. This leads her to the decrepit and mad place of Sevastapool of which is full of desperate and aggresive individuals trying to survive and the dangerous xenomorph which is the titular alien in the game. The story for me is really average at most and the characters tbh, are forgettable and no one really gave me that emotional impact to feel bad when they die. Overall, it is your typical survival horro storyline with really no new things to show you. A fair score of 5/10

    Gameplay - The gameplay can be two ways depending on your enemy, if you are against humans or working joe's you can either play stealthily or play aggressive against them. However, playing stealthily is your only choice when you are up against the xenomorph since that thing is almost untouchable and invincible. guns are useless against it though you can use fire to scare it away. Overall, I really loved the AI of the xenomorph, in fact, it is the most advanced AI i have ever encountered in all my gaming experience, it will adjust to your playstyle, will look on places you usually hide from and will ambush you and trap on some parts of the game, it is masterpiece level of advanced AI mechanic. I really loved it that it gave me the greatest of my scary and uneasy moment ingame. However, the cons of the games occurs on the second half of it when you are up against the working joe, the game will turn from a stealth game to a shooter/action game. Of which despite the aggresiveness of the joe's i never really felt interested in that part of the game. A score of 8/10.

    Graphics - As to the environment, i really loved it. From the narrow corridors, the smoke coming out of the pipes, the numerous tubes you see, the destroyed surrounding. etc. is spot on and gives you that scary and uneasy feeling you should feel in a horror game whether or not enemies are around the corner. The xenomorph design is also detailed and really put their effort in gving it life. My issues in the game is the facial expression of the characters though, they look like they have no emotion whatsoever, Amanda Ripley in cutscenes you wont know if she's scared, worried or angry if you look at her face. Everyone in the game looks like a robot without much face movement. Still though, a good score of 8/10 will do.

    Music and Sound - Out of all horror games i played, this game has the most haunting soundtrack i have ever experienced. I cant stop my heart beating from the loud music that plays when the alien is around and looking for you and in timed sections in the game. It also has some haunting music in dark areas in which you are alone and exploring. As to the sound, Voice acting is average if not good. while the sudden loud sound is good and the xenomorph's screams when it saw you is shocking at times. Really a good sound and music system to give you that horror experience. A score of 9/10

    Overall score = 7.5

    Creative Assembly really put a good effort of making this game. It is haunting, scary and will give you that adrenaline rush in pressuring parts of the game. It needs some improvements, but overall, it is a really good horror game out there that deserves your attention. I was dissapointed when IGN and even Gamespot gave this game bad review of which it doesnt deserves thats why bad sales came to its way. I hope there is still a chance for this game to continue since i enjoy to play it.    … Expand
  4. Zyglroxenon
    Oct 27, 2014
    7
    This game is a prime example of a very good game that is simply bloated and loses some of its appeal after a while. The first several hours (5-6) are very entertaining. You are playing hide and seek with the alien, and whenever he shows up, your heart will jump in your throat. It will be a tense experience. Unfortunately, this is the whole mechanic the game is based on, and the fact thatThis game is a prime example of a very good game that is simply bloated and loses some of its appeal after a while. The first several hours (5-6) are very entertaining. You are playing hide and seek with the alien, and whenever he shows up, your heart will jump in your throat. It will be a tense experience. Unfortunately, this is the whole mechanic the game is based on, and the fact that they expanded it into approximately 15 hours of gameplay, is kind of silly. The game just started to drag, and I lost the sense of tension, and the sense of suspense, as it gave way to frustration and tedium. There are a lot of instant death situations that you will be put into that are, well, nearly unavoidable. The game is challenging, yeah, and I like challenging games, but not this kind of challenging, this is the trial-and-error kind of challenging. The encounters with the androids are kind of daft too, as the game isn't really built to be a first person shooter but they needed to add some variety into a long game of hide and seek.

    However, the game's presentation is fantastic. It really nails the vibe of the first Alien movie as the art direction, sound design, and lighting are spot on. Overall, it is a great game, but it's a chore to finish it. If they have another bash at this, I really hope they get the pacing right next time.    … Expand
  5. hemmo1986
    Oct 15, 2014
    7
    Alien: Isolation is at heart the closest recreation of Ridley Scotts original Alien movie. The atmosphere is just amazing, the Alien,truly frightening. The look and feel and the amount of detail that has been achieved in this game,pays true homage to the Alien universe.

    Where Alien:Isolation stumbles is in its repetitive game-play and at times truly frustrating design. Where the Alien    Alien: Isolation is at heart the closest recreation of Ridley Scotts original Alien movie. The atmosphere is just amazing, the Alien,truly frightening. The look and feel and the amount of detail that has been achieved in this game,pays true homage to the Alien universe.

    Where Alien:Isolation stumbles is in its repetitive game-play and at times truly frustrating design. Where the Alien is at first truly terrifying,over time it becomes more of an annoyance and becomes a relief when its not around, simply because when its not around it means you wont die and have to repeat what just took you thirty minutes to achieve, simply due to the lack of save points.

    Alien:Isolation is almost the Alien game we all have been waiting for.......almost.    … Expand
  6. visiblelight7
    Jan 5, 2018
    5
    IT gets a perfect 5/10 of which it deserved every single mark! The presentation , the sound and the atmosphere was TOP NOTCH. This game is quality but it had a core flaw that ruined it. They absolutely had the right idea and the talent.

    Unfortunately, they completely ruined the game from being fun by turning it into a tedious fetch quest on a space ship. Basically, you spend the whole    IT gets a perfect 5/10 of which it deserved every single mark! The presentation , the sound and the atmosphere was TOP NOTCH. This game is quality but it had a core flaw that ruined it. They absolutely had the right idea and the talent.

    Unfortunately, they completely ruined the game from being fun by turning it into a tedious fetch quest on a space ship. Basically, you spend the whole game being told "get this generator. Push this lever, go to room C. Ok Go back and push the lever". I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is the gameplay. They throw in an alien in the middle while you do this repeatedly. It gets old really fast...

    The game was trash to be honest. Don't believe me? Go ahead, you'll get suckered in and enjoy the first 3 hours and after that....well... I told you so.    … Expand
  7. DirigiblePulp
    Oct 1, 2017
    5
    I don't get the love for this game. The stealth is atrocious. The A.I. is broken, it always seems to hover around you and can spot you through cracks and behind walls and if it gets too close. The alien doesn't move very smoothly. It walks around like a hulking nemesis most of the time, waiting to spot you instead of hunting you. First person controls are imprecise for stealth too, goodI don't get the love for this game. The stealth is atrocious. The A.I. is broken, it always seems to hover around you and can spot you through cracks and behind walls and if it gets too close. The alien doesn't move very smoothly. It walks around like a hulking nemesis most of the time, waiting to spot you instead of hunting you. First person controls are imprecise for stealth too, good luck trying to escape and do something with precision.… Expand
  8. wade22fan
    Nov 16, 2015
    6
    Alien: Isolation is the highly anticipated horror title developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega. You are put in the shoes of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, who was played by Sigourney Weaver in the films Alien and Aliens. The game takes place in 2137, 15 years after the events of Alien and 42 years prior to Aliens. The creators of Alien: Isolation do a fine jobAlien: Isolation is the highly anticipated horror title developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega. You are put in the shoes of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, who was played by Sigourney Weaver in the films Alien and Aliens. The game takes place in 2137, 15 years after the events of Alien and 42 years prior to Aliens. The creators of Alien: Isolation do a fine job crafting their own story and tying it in to the old films. The game even opens up with a VHS-like 20th Century Fox presentation. This makes Isolation feel like it fits right in with those classic horror flicks. As Amanda, aboard the space station Sevastapol, you must find the flight recorder of Nostromo, but things take a turn for the worse as you discover an alien is on board, relentlessly killing all crew and passengers.

    The first thing you’ll notice about Alien: Isolation is the presentation. It opens like a movie from the 70’s, with those classic VHS lines and quality hitches. It’s complete with retro music too. You’ll literally feel like you are watching one of the old Alien films. Soon enough though, after a somewhat laggy but mostly realistic cutscene, you’re thrust into darkness and horror. The opening gameplay set pieces truly invoke terror. The superb graphics help add to the realism and fear. The detailed environments make you feel as if you’re really in Amanda’s shoes…and you know you are not alone on the space station. Lighting effects are especially great, along with the little things, such as smoke and fire. Everything looks pretty darn good. The weakest aspects, visually, would probably be the characters themselves, but they still look great. Being that you have little ammo and minimal weapons, it’s easy to be afraid in the opening stages of the game. The sound effects are implemented with precision, as you can hear every detail around you. Sometimes, it’s the alien scampering around in the air ducts, while other times, it’s lights exploding or enemies approaching. Whatever it is, you’ll be impressed and probably pretty scared.

    The gameplay in Alien: Isolation is good, but not great. Sure, the visuals and audio are both superb, but things tend to die down and unravel in the latter part of the game. It is about 20 hours, which some claim is too long. This does in fact, water down the experience because the story and gameplay wither after a while. If the game was only 10 hours, the game would have actually been better. For example, later in the game, you get better weapons, which sort of defeats the purpose of what the game originally set out to do. You will feel overpowered, even though you can’t kill the alien. Also, the alien ‘disappears’ for a while in a certain section of the game, which leaves you to deal with the computer-generated human-like enemies, who are albeit creepy, but are not as imposing as the alien. All of this combined makes for a less impressive second half. On the positive note, the gameplay gets some diversity via the weapon/item crafting and puzzle-solving. The crafting is very much like The Last of Us, as in you combine different pieces of scrap you find throughout your quest and build items such as noisemakers, first aid kits and mines. The puzzles in Isolation are somewhat easy but they are also needed, because they freshen things up in cool ways.

    The alien itself is pretty scary, but the real fear comes from trying to proceed to the next objective without being seen or found by it. Most of the time, you’ll have to be very patient and of course, stay hidden. There are plenty of places to hide such as lockers and boxes. Near the beginning of the game you will get a radar device that tells you where the alien is, or more specifically, if it is near you. By the way, it’s much faster than you, so if it sees you, you’re dead. There will be times you’ll have to re-play certain areas, which will become frustrating for some players. But then again, it’s all about survival in Alien: Isolation.

    As a whole, Alien: Isolation nails the look and feel of the classic films it attempts to replicate. The developers did a nice job tying the story into the original films as well. This adds some cohesiveness and intrigue as you play through. The audiovisual presentation is fantastic. However, even with its strengths, Isolation fails to capitalize in the long-term, with a transition from fear and terror to guns-blazing, overpowering gameplay. This also takes away from the story because it changes the whole mood and feel of the game. Isolation is also upwards of 20 hours long, making things drag for too long. It’s not the Alien game you have been waiting for, but it’s still the best Alien game on the market today.    … Expand
  9. Notonlytheend
    Oct 25, 2014
    7
    Suspenseful but not truly scary. There's a good deal of trial and error in attempts to stay alive. I started on hard, which was a mistake unless you enjoy reloading every 4 minutes. Isolation is fun on lower levels, but again, you're still going to end up reloading a bit. It's not because it's too hard, but because luck is a factor later in the game. If you're a big suspense and stealthSuspenseful but not truly scary. There's a good deal of trial and error in attempts to stay alive. I started on hard, which was a mistake unless you enjoy reloading every 4 minutes. Isolation is fun on lower levels, but again, you're still going to end up reloading a bit. It's not because it's too hard, but because luck is a factor later in the game. If you're a big suspense and stealth game fan or if you can't get enough of the Alien universe, you should definitely grab this game. All and all, it fits better with the universe than anything else with an Alien title after Aliens.… Expand
  10. Deschain89
    Oct 15, 2014
    7
    With excellent voice acting, an eerie atmosphere, and a masterful soundtrack; this game finally does good service to the first iteration of the Alien franchise. This game is what Alien 3 should have been.

    Outlast is tense, you have to hide from the enemies since there is little you can do... wait, I lost my train of thought for a second: Amnesia: the Dark Descent is a powerful game in    With excellent voice acting, an eerie atmosphere, and a masterful soundtrack; this game finally does good service to the first iteration of the Alien franchise. This game is what Alien 3 should have been.

    Outlast is tense, you have to hide from the enemies since there is little you can do... wait, I lost my train of thought for a second: Amnesia: the Dark Descent is a powerful game in which you will feel overpowered while you try and find some fuel for your light source... Again, I apologize, it seems these games are terribly identical to the source matter.

    On the other hand, it would be preposterous to give this game a bad score, since it is a functional piece of software that will satisfy those who desperately crave a survival horror experience. But truth of the matter is, we have already seen many a game with the same premise, same gameplay, and this falls short because of it.

    Was this not a blatant copy of the whole Amnesia: Dark Hide and Seek, was this game to come five years ago, it would have blown everyone's mind, twice, possibly three times. Nowadays, it is a good experience, a deserving game for the franchise, but nothing else.

    Besides, once you learn the simplistic AI can't do anything but run around in circles doing the same interactions over and over, you will grow past this game, feel bored by the premise, and never touch it again. You have weapons, but on the hardest difficulty, which is the recommended setting, you might as well not have them, since you will waste all your ammo on an android, only to have a couple more come and join the fight, and the alien is invulnerable to everything. You can craft items, but this feature is far from enjoyable, it feels more of a chore; just give me a chaff grenade instead of making me collect 3 stupid sensors, go to the crafting menu, select all solitary components, and then create the improvised grenade. Pointless features, the fighting and crafting in this game.

    Don't let the nitpicking discourage you from playing this game, for at it's core, it is a good game, with a nicely acted story, deserving of at least one playthrough, just borrow it in a week from one of your wealthy friends, they will surely be bored of it by then, and give it a go.    … Expand
  11. Tgooding01
    Oct 17, 2014
    7
    This game does some things very well and others... not so well.

    I'll begin with the positives. The graphics & atmosphere are amazing. With regards to creating a place that you could believe was real this is up there with Bioshock. The problem is the Alien. While at first it creates tense moments it soon becomes more of a pain. For something that is meant to be roaming a massive space    This game does some things very well and others... not so well.

    I'll begin with the positives. The graphics & atmosphere are amazing. With regards to creating a place that you could believe was real this is up there with Bioshock. The problem is the Alien.

    While at first it creates tense moments it soon becomes more of a pain. For something that is meant to be roaming a massive space when its on you, its on you like glue. It can disappear through a door at the end of the corridor then fall from the ceiling right above you. You can ride trains to new locations for it to be there ready to kill you on arrival.Fair enough its an alien and how do I know how it would behave but its almost like you're a dog on a lead and its never far away from you.

    You will die a LOT. While fun at the start as you curse yourself for walking under than ceiling vent without thinking it might be there after the 10th time you'll be annoyed, After the 50th you'll be ready to give up. At this point its not scary, its annoying.

    To give them credit they tried something new and brave here and they almost pulled it off, I'm not sure how things could be fixed, its almost like they came up with a good idea without the knowledge of how it would actually work.    … Expand
  12. Heater
    Oct 28, 2014
    7
    Prepare to be a little scared and sneaking around most of the game. Remember that in the movies the people who survived moved in the shadows and kept quiet. In this aspect of the gameplay it actually feels very much like you would expect. The sounds, environments, and support characters' dialog all lend to the feeling that one wrong move will put you in deep trouble real fast. QuickPrepare to be a little scared and sneaking around most of the game. Remember that in the movies the people who survived moved in the shadows and kept quiet. In this aspect of the gameplay it actually feels very much like you would expect. The sounds, environments, and support characters' dialog all lend to the feeling that one wrong move will put you in deep trouble real fast. Quick thinking and a being aware of the hiding places around you will get you out of tight spots but save often and approach each area with caution and you'll do fine.

    Sadly the game gets very repetitive after a few hours of sneaking around the station. The AI is not exactly predictable when it comes to where enemies will wander but if you sit still long enough you'll find the openings you need in tough spots. And believe me you will be sitting still a lot trying to wait out enemies you can't kill. This does give you a feeling that you're up against something you just can't beat but that's what Alien is all about, overcoming impossible odds to survive long enough to be rescued.

    One of the things that actually intrigued me about this game was the way they tied the story into the Alien universe. If you take some time to listen to the recordings, read the emails, and catch on to the dialog you'll notice pieces of the movies shining through. Not only that but for those who didn't catch on during the movies you'll start to better understand the nature of the xenomorphs. Although this did tend to get me more immersed in the game, already knowing what happens to Ellen Ripley made me feel like the main character's objective to figure out what went wrong and what happened to her mother was somehow irrelevant.

    If I choose a rating based on how much I enjoy a game combined with how long it takes to finish and how replayable it is, I'd have to rate this below average. The gameplay gets so repetitive that I was glad when the game ended even though it only took about half the time that I was expecting from a survival horror game. I didn't like hiding so much but it made finding ways around enemies fun once you had devices to distract them or secret places to hide. Sadly the replay value doesn't seem to be there because the objectives were too linear to hope for any variance from my first playthrough. That being said, if you're a fan of Alien this game is a must play and you will have some fun leading Amanda down memory lane.    … Expand
  13. Ishi123
    Oct 27, 2016
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't think I need to explain why people love this game. It's gripping. It's intense. It's downright terrifying. The alien is unpredictable and lethally good at murder. It's the first in a long line of supposed "scary" games that actually reaches the point of being actually scary. The game looks absolutely beautiful, and perfectly captures the feel of the original Alien movie. Sevastopol looks right at home in Ridley Scott's universe, with retro 80s sci-fi that looks ripped straight out of the movie. The sound design is top-notch, and the game absolutely MUST be played with headphones if possible. Not earbuds; pure over ear headphones. The sounds in this game are incredible, and you can hear every tiny detail in the environment, from pipes bursting with steam to your own cautious footsteps, to the footsteps that are definitely not your own creeping up behind you. Every tiny detail of this game is absolutely stunning, and great care has been taken to make it look genuinely like you're playing the movie.

    HOWEVER

    All of the praise I have for the game applies strictly to the first half of the game, because the second half is absolutely nauseating. The game should have ended hours before it actually did. The instant the alien leaves the scene, the game falls quickly from the dizzying heights of awesomeness down to the disgusting, putrid and torturous depravity that I genuinely had to fight with myself just to complete. Once the androids start becoming the main enemy of the game, it becomes an absolute slog, and I didn't enjoy a single bit of getting throttled constantly by 5 different androids that obviously I can't shoot because that would be too easy. Also I can't EMP them because that would also be too easy.

    The second half of the game is an absolute nightmare, and not in the way the first half is. It's boring, it's repetitive, and the game just refuses to just stop and end properly for a good 6 to 8 hours after it should have. 6 to 8 hours of horrible android tedium that, despite how much I adore the first half, definitely ruins the overall experience for me. I will never, EVER go through the second half of the game again. I actually get angry whenever I think about the second half again, because of how atrocious it was, and how difficult it was for me to just drag myself kicking and screaming through the entire thing.

    Thank Christ the alien comes back eventually to alleviate some of it, but in the end despite everything the game does beautifully right, I can't ignore how awful the experience of the second half was for me, and as much as I want to give the game a higher score, I just can't, because of what it did to me.

    So, if you're looking to play the game for the first time, here's some advice: play the first half, and when you pull an Ellen Ripley on the alien, just stop. The game is no longer worth playing. You will have a better sense of closure than anything the game could produce afterwards.    … Expand
  14. babaganush
    Nov 4, 2014
    6
    giving it a 6, stuck it out to the 13th or 14th mission, which every trophy it auto gives you for completing a mission, after mission 3 each trophy was considered "rare" so lots of people are not sticking the game out so far.

    it is a stressful, long winded game that is very difficult when running from the alien, it was good and has been the 1st game in a long time to give me that kind    giving it a 6, stuck it out to the 13th or 14th mission, which every trophy it auto gives you for completing a mission, after mission 3 each trophy was considered "rare" so lots of people are not sticking the game out so far.

    it is a stressful, long winded game that is very difficult when running from the alien, it was good and has been the 1st game in a long time to give me that kind of challenge. otherwise the game is slow and doesnt give those good kind of challenges enough even though i was always glad when i was done being hunted by the alien but that was still the best part.

    until they come out with more updates or much bigger expansions or better online stuff, this game is only a rental or worth buying if it ever gets down to 20$ or less. good game but choppy cutscenes like they were unfinished or cant handle their own graphics power. plus the game also crashed a couple of times which would have been bad if i had not saved recently.

    a step in a good direction for alien, they just need to add better combat when fighting the alien or androids, speed up the pace because it is really slow when your not around the alien, it goes from crawling to fast sprinting, it doesnt seem like they got a good balance going on. also as i said more multiplayer stuff. so unless i want to torture myself and throw it on hard then there is no replayability for me just yet.    … Expand
  15. angryw0mb4t
    Dec 4, 2014
    5
    Very fun and thrilling for the first hour or so... then quickly devolves into a repetitive stealth game. The good: Fantastic atmosphere, the sounds and design really feel like the original alien movie, the first hour or so of the game has the all-alone and claustrophobic feel of the movie. The bad: once you actually get past the awesome intro and into the meat of the game it's frustrating,Very fun and thrilling for the first hour or so... then quickly devolves into a repetitive stealth game. The good: Fantastic atmosphere, the sounds and design really feel like the original alien movie, the first hour or so of the game has the all-alone and claustrophobic feel of the movie. The bad: once you actually get past the awesome intro and into the meat of the game it's frustrating, there's so much potential, but no story, poorly designed AI (humans repeat what they are saying about every 30 seconds when you are hiding) and nothing that really motivates me to keep playing.… Expand
  16. tdebug
    Oct 12, 2014
    5
    I have to say I love the original Alien story and the way how it was reproduced in this game.
    However, gameplay is as clever as it was on NES consoles.
    Pipes/other environment blows right when you come close to it - check Right all of the androids suddenly became aggressive, despite all the "impossibility" and all, anyway they're are aggressive because it was EASIER for developers to    I have to say I love the original Alien story and the way how it was reproduced in this game.
    However, gameplay is as clever as it was on NES consoles.

    Pipes/other environment blows right when you come close to it - check
    Right all of the androids suddenly became aggressive, despite all the "impossibility" and all, anyway they're are aggressive because it was EASIER for developers to make them so. Otherwise, helpful (as they should be) androids - boring and story enriching job - check.
    Especially funny in some locations - try to run and alien will teleport to the vent right above you - check.
    Alien's "AI" can see through walls and travel in no time between distant locations within the station. It is specifically looking for Ripley, who cares about other ppl on the station. Alien always knows where you are and always endlessly searching exactly in the premises you are now.
    Tons of clichés and thinking inside the box - this is how gameplay can be described at best.

    No, actually NES games were often more clever and unique.

    Story, surrounding - 10.
    AI, gameplay - 0.    … Expand
  17. mhay78
    Mar 28, 2015
    5
    Unfortunately for me Alien Isolation is almost unplayable. This is the first game in almost 30 years of playing games that makes me feel physically sick. Of what I have been able to play of the game I can say the sound design is great, atmosphere created in the slowly falling apart space station is good. Certain minor gripes include not being able to jump or climb over small obstacles likeUnfortunately for me Alien Isolation is almost unplayable. This is the first game in almost 30 years of playing games that makes me feel physically sick. Of what I have been able to play of the game I can say the sound design is great, atmosphere created in the slowly falling apart space station is good. Certain minor gripes include not being able to jump or climb over small obstacles like a couple of suit cases or over e barrier etc are a bit naff in this day and age.

    The rectile is small and hard to see and certain crucial items and gear are easily missed. I've only been able to get a couple of hours into the game so I can't say how nerve racking other bits are but then this is my review based on my experience.    … Expand
  18. ChaosBreakGamer
    Dec 22, 2014
    6
    Alien Isolation, a much anticipated title among all fans of the "Alien" and "Aliens" franchises. Taking a path reminiscent of survival horror games over 2013's disappointment "Aliens: Colonial Marines". The story is a very strong part of the game, following Allen Ripley's (Protagonist of all 'Aliens' movies) daughter, Amanda Ripley. Amanda has made it her life's mission to find out what,Alien Isolation, a much anticipated title among all fans of the "Alien" and "Aliens" franchises. Taking a path reminiscent of survival horror games over 2013's disappointment "Aliens: Colonial Marines". The story is a very strong part of the game, following Allen Ripley's (Protagonist of all 'Aliens' movies) daughter, Amanda Ripley. Amanda has made it her life's mission to find out what, really, happened to her mother during the events of the movies as she has gotten no word from or about her mother for 20 years. As she and her crew mates get a distress signal from a space station they rush to help as it is discovered that her mother's story may e intertwined with the distress signal from the station. When arriving you are separated from your crew, left to wonder aimlessly through the station's claustrophobic halls and breathtaking environments.

    The gameplay is solid and impressive, without many bugs to speak of and controls that keep you engaged through the entire story mode campaign (Approx. 13 hours). The atmosphere of the game is very clear and simplistic, yet, terrifying as you are always aware that the alien is - to some extent - always watching you. This causes you to never feel at ease (even in the air ventilation systems) as the alien has the ability to crawl into those as well, causing you to stay on your toes at all time. The game introduces another type of enemy, a 'Working Joe', which are androids who work for the station and attempt to 'assist' you on your journey; Unfortunately, as you soon find out, you have to sneak past them, causing them to consider you an 'enemy' and attempt to kill you on sight. The game also implements some clever mechanics when it comes to avoiding the alien: use the motion tracker when he is too close and he will hear you, when he is near the locker that you are hiding in you must lean back and hold your breath, and so much more. The atmosphere is also very tense and the art-style is very clear and unique, opting for the retro-futuristic view of the original movies; which in turn, only help in making the games that much more involving and enjoyable.

    The story mode is enough to pleasure all fans of the franchise, but that isn't nearly it. The developers have bothered to include some worth-while collectibles such as: ID Tags (Scattered around the stations with the faces of all of the developers on them) as well as, potentially, the most involving audio logs in any game I have ever played which has the original cast of the movies leaving behind audio logs for the distress team (you) to receive in due time.

    Some of the game's drawbacks, however, are sourced from the fact that you are facing off against malfunctioning androids as well as the alien (alongside the occasional humans) and sometimes deaths may feel cheap as supplies are scarce and may cause you to restart the game if you feel that you cold have resolved the situation more efficiently. The story also seems to focus a bit to much on the androids rather then the alien, whom the game is titled after, also, it seems as though the story drags on a bit and could have been a few hours shorter as the game is not only punishingly hard but also sequel baits in the end. I know many would argue that a survival horror game should, in fact, be very difficult and slow (The latter, I have no issues with) but the fact that the game seems to not reward you enough seems odd. I have also found many strange annoyances in the game, one of which was when i killed my first human, they had a fully functional hand-gun which (for some reason) I was unable to pick up (Neither the gun nor the ammunition) whereas a few minutes later i got the same gun, which used the same ammunition. which although being a minor annoyance, was seemingly very odd as you would assume that Amanda wishes to survive and therefore pick up the weapon.

    Overall I consider this game to be entertaining and very clever in execution as it is very clear that a lot of time and effort being put into it. However the drawbacks of the game seem to, for me personally, bring the game down a bit and harm its final verdict which was meticulously calculated to convey my feelings towards the game.

    Before anyone outrages at me for only giving the 'Masterpiece of a game" a mere 6, please consider the following, 5 is an average game which means that a 6 (At least by my standards) is a game that is slightly above average as I have annotated all that i consider good and bad with the game.    … Expand
  19. cstrang
    Nov 27, 2014
    5
    Alien: Isolation is a bleakly beautiful game that makes the player feel like prey. It does a great job of presenting a strong survival horror atmosphere by making the player feel constantly under-equipped, overwhelmed, and sometimes out numbered. And, to the game's credit, there are transcendent moments of heart-pounding tension and relief. However, that tension quickly turns to tedium andAlien: Isolation is a bleakly beautiful game that makes the player feel like prey. It does a great job of presenting a strong survival horror atmosphere by making the player feel constantly under-equipped, overwhelmed, and sometimes out numbered. And, to the game's credit, there are transcendent moments of heart-pounding tension and relief. However, that tension quickly turns to tedium and frustration. The name of the game here is stealth, but there are no mechanics here to help. The first time you get grabbed by your stalker, the xenomorph, it's startling. Maybe even the second and third. By the fourth or fifth, it'll become annoying. It would seem that the perfect hunting machine is a little too perfect, seemingly having ESP or a Lojack chip implanted in your character, so it can sniff you out no matter where you are, how little your moving, or how quiet you're being. Couple this with a ridiculous and archaic checkpointing system, this game is not for those with less-than-saintly patience. The story is flat and degrades to Ripley running errands for her worthless comrades, and the game runs far, far, far too long, probably clocking somewhere between 15 and 20 hours for first-time completion. I'm sure fans of the Alien series will be satisfied if they're willing to put up with the rough patches but for the gamers with no investment in the series to this point, it'll probably be a hard sell to finish.… Expand
  20. alexakosman
    Nov 1, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Creative Assebly and Sega created an FPS horror game after the ultimate fail on the total war games...isnt that a little bit strange,dont u think?

    First of all,i would like to point the one thing that CA will never make right...The **** AI !
    The Alien is decent at the best,even at the hardest difficulty! I really didnt find it that hard,for me the survival felt like medium or smthing and the alien had its problems!Sometimes it was doing literaly circles on the same area,while some times it was searching for me,even crowling at moments and while i was in front of it it didnt noticed me,however we dont really know if it is eyeless or smthing,but there are times that comes after u from the other corner of the station and times that it doesnt kill u even if u are close to it and u are almost hanging it....However its an ok aprroach!But the androids and especially the humans are pathetic!They are buggy,they say the same things over and over again,the only animation they have is moving and shootingand generally they feel unrealistic!

    Now about the whole game,there are a lot of different aspects!
    The atmosphere is good,the noises and the sounds feel pretty good,but the enviroment is almost the same from the start to the end...a couple vents,some stairs,ladders,computers and thats all...i know it is a space station so how many different things there could be,but that doesnt change the fact that it gets boring soon enough(dead space was on a space station too but it felt much more interesting with more things to seek and find)!
    The story is decent with the dialogues feeling realistic but there are still a lot of cliches with some performances and acting feeling pretty bad!
    Now the game itself is not scary!The bad thing is that we all know pretty much what the alien is and what is capable of(however it looks like a small godzilla to me)so there cant be something new that it will frightened u
    The gameplay is ok now and then but its all about hiding and hiding and hiding in the same places over and over again,the action exists but it is pretty bad and the whole thing with the crafting and the tools feels pretty awkward and useless too

    In the end,the game is playable,it has its moments,but it feels like a good-looking new idea created by the wrong ppl...its good enough to borrow it and play it 'till the end as i did...    … Expand
  21. Jetmech1488
    Oct 14, 2014
    5
    I had high hopes for Alien. While the mechanics and the story are compelling enough to keep you going, my copy of the game on PS4 had crashed multiple times and one part of the story wouldn't even trigger so I couldn't progress further. The Alien albeit scary and realistically hunting me down, wouldn't back off enough for me to get where I needed to go. The fear had worn off and it justI had high hopes for Alien. While the mechanics and the story are compelling enough to keep you going, my copy of the game on PS4 had crashed multiple times and one part of the story wouldn't even trigger so I couldn't progress further. The Alien albeit scary and realistically hunting me down, wouldn't back off enough for me to get where I needed to go. The fear had worn off and it just became frustrating. The graphics and sound quality are truly immersive and realistic. I just wish my experience with the game were more technically pleasant. I really wanted to love this game and even the difficulty wasn't enough for me to trade it in, until it repeatedly kept crashing. I wouldn't have minded playing an 18-20hr game either. But for it to become monotonous and tedious to get from A to B without some sort of glitch, was more than I had expected. I can't say I have finished the game, but I definitely would have finished if it hadn't been so hard to ignore the flaws I encountered. My review only reflects my opinions and I am still going to recommend giving this one a try,...and I recommend renting it first. The fear and tension of dying are definitely there. And you WILL die. A LOT! I play a good game for the story, but when the bugs and technical faults get in the way of that story progressing, I stop playing and find something else worth my time.… Expand
  22. True_Beleiver
    Nov 12, 2014
    7
    Finally a Great alien game downright scary at times however the cutscenes were a bit choppy to the point where I was concerned about my hardware if you can overlook that it is a game worth playing
  23. aaronb0209
    May 5, 2015
    5
    i bought this game just last week and expected more from it. i don't like it. i will not say it's a bad game but it's just not my type of game that's why i gave it a 5. i find it boring, sometimes it takes long to actually know where you are and what you must do and where you must go.
  24. drlowdon
    Nov 23, 2015
    5
    With its excellent presentation and fantastic audio Alien Isolation captures the feel of the movies better than any game has done before, unfortunately the game built around it just isn't particularly entertaining.

    Even by survival horror standards the gameplay is very slow paced and almost entirely involves sneaking around the space station pulling levers and pushing buttons as    With its excellent presentation and fantastic audio Alien Isolation captures the feel of the movies better than any game has done before, unfortunately the game built around it just isn't particularly entertaining.

    Even by survival horror standards the gameplay is very slow paced and almost entirely involves sneaking around the space station pulling levers and pushing buttons as directed hoping not to be spotted by enemies, enemies that include other humans, androids and of course the Alien itself. The game does feel suitably tense on occasions but even this is spoiled by having to constantly repeat up to 20 minutes worth of gameplay every time you die (and that's something that will happen often). When you are sneaking along the same corridor avoiding the same enemies for the third or fourth time that tenseness more often than not gives way to boredom and, as a result, I gave up on Alien Isolation well before the 20 or so hours it supposedly takes to finish.    … Expand
  25. SimbaUno
    May 19, 2017
    7
    Overall, Alien: Isolation is a fun and interesting dive into the Alien franchise, one that anyone that is a fan of the series will enjoy. The world is beautiful, the Alien is terrifying, and the lore is deep. My complaints aren't much to do with the story or the characters, but the gameplay itself. The controls feel clunky and many of the items don't ever seem that useful or helpful inOverall, Alien: Isolation is a fun and interesting dive into the Alien franchise, one that anyone that is a fan of the series will enjoy. The world is beautiful, the Alien is terrifying, and the lore is deep. My complaints aren't much to do with the story or the characters, but the gameplay itself. The controls feel clunky and many of the items don't ever seem that useful or helpful in most situations. The map is all over the place and very hard to follow. One thing the game nails is the theme of being alone and helpless. I was legitimately terrified of the Alien and ALWAYS felt vulnerable. If you are a fan of survival horror or the Alien franchise, this is a must play, otherwise there are other games that do a similar thing, but just a bit better.… Expand
  26. Miuku
    Jan 8, 2015
    7
    You don't need to be an Alien fan to play this nice horror game, but if you're familiar with the first movie, then you will definitely notice how the developers have nailed the atmosphere of the first film. Dark hallways with blinking retro computers, and creepy rumble on air vents will keep you at your toes almost all the time.

    If you liked games like Amnesia or Outlast, you will be in    You don't need to be an Alien fan to play this nice horror game, but if you're familiar with the first movie, then you will definitely notice how the developers have nailed the atmosphere of the first film. Dark hallways with blinking retro computers, and creepy rumble on air vents will keep you at your toes almost all the time.

    If you liked games like Amnesia or Outlast, you will be in love with this one. But if you dislike sneaking in video games, then you should pass this one.

    Game has a lot of variety. You will be hiding from the Alien. Avoiding androids. Exploring the station. Gun fights with human hostiles. Solving small mini-game like puzzles. Crafting items & equipment, and the list goes on. Also the Alien AI is great!

    But why I didn't give this game a higher score, is because of the pacing of the game, when you've completed the first half. And the ending that you'll see after all the struggle, isn't that great. At the final missions you will face a lot of instant death-scenes, which you will only solve by trial and error, it doesn't feel like a challenge. And after the game, you wont unlock any bonuses or new game modes etc. There isn't that much replay variety.

    The common complaint about the game is that the save stations are too far and between, but i greatly disagree. There are plenty of save stations making sure, that when you die, you wont need to start all over again. If player misses these beeping stations, they can only blame themselves.

    Over all its a good horror game.    … Expand
  27. Morshlac
    Oct 28, 2016
    7
    this game does a lot brilliantly but some things badly also, and in the end could only really recommend to lovers of the franchise.
    And on the plus side no game has ever come as close to the tension of the movies. Long terrifying moments exploring and hiding from the alien are when this game are at its best, the whole setting and music is very close to the movies and really well done.    this game does a lot brilliantly but some things badly also, and in the end could only really recommend to lovers of the franchise.
    And on the plus side no game has ever come as close to the tension of the movies. Long terrifying moments exploring and hiding from the alien are when this game are at its best, the whole setting and music is very close to the movies and really well done.
    unfortunately though as the game drags on and on the "unlock, retrace large map area with alien to find key/generator etc"...dynamic gets staler and frustrating. gameplay becomes a chore long before you finally get to the end.
    Some brilliant moments and genuinely terrifying at times...but there is a lot of room for improvement overall I think there's a lot of games I enjoyed more..    … Expand
  28. sefrabu
    Dec 18, 2015
    7
    This game will make you throw your controller across the room as you used to back in the days when games were actually challenging. It will beat you black and blue, rip your intestines apart and spit in your face. And you will be still coming back for more.
  29. gorilla1310
    Aug 11, 2015
    5
    This game it's a strange and a boring game for me.For the pubisher it's a survival horror and when you read it you think that it's a game like Resident Evil 4 or Death Space, but it' s a big delusion.In this game you have weapons but you can't shoot ;in fact the enemies (also the droids) are too strong and is very very difficult to kill an enemy.The Alien can't be killed ,so you can onlyThis game it's a strange and a boring game for me.For the pubisher it's a survival horror and when you read it you think that it's a game like Resident Evil 4 or Death Space, but it' s a big delusion.In this game you have weapons but you can't shoot ;in fact the enemies (also the droids) are too strong and is very very difficult to kill an enemy.The Alien can't be killed ,so you can only run run and run.This game isn't also a graphical adventure infact you don't collect evidences or solve a mistery no,you can only push buttons,open doors and run run run.The graphic is very beautiful and the textures are very very good but the game is very boring.… Expand
  30. njja02
    May 15, 2018
    7
    One of the most intense experiences I've ever had. Even though there is a decent amount wrong with it, such as a weak story and pacing, it's still a fun game overall.
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Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best PS4 Game of 2014
14
#14 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
12
#12 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 50
  3. Negative: 1 out of 50
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Nov 16, 2014
    80
    A beautiful game that captures the essence of Alien and even expands its fiction. There are some cracks under the polish, but it gets more right than it gets wrong. [Dec 2014, p.91]
  2. DarkStation
    Nov 8, 2014
    90
    Alien: Isolation represents a strong return to form for an ailing franchise.
    Read full review
  3. Edge Magazine
    Nov 5, 2014
    80
    Unlike the creature at its centre, Isolation isn't structurally perfect, but it is brilliantly hostile in a way that's likely to shock many players. [Dec 2014, p.102]
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