Alien: Isolation (All Platforms)

[xenomorpher]

1 question (ok, 2), what are the controls and Alien A.I like?

 

Reason i ask? Alien Trilogy was ruined for me by the Alien A.I, having the Aliens milling about like sheep did my head in, Aliens:Col.Marines was just as bad and lush as Momolith's AVP II on PC looked, having the Aliens running straight at you, reduced them to generic FPS fodder.Rebellion nailed the Alien behaviour A.I in AVP on PC, but screwed it right up years later with PC/PS3/360 AVP.

 

 

Controls? well Alien Res.on PS1 pushed the hardware, had fantastic atmosphere, but by god you needed a PS Mouse to play the bastard.I was gutted when planned DC version of Alien Res.was canned, DC seemed ideal platform for the game.

For PC I've been playing with a keyboard and mouse, so the controls there are fine. Default you have to hold down the space bar for the motion tracker and you have to hold down the left ctrl button and use the move keys to peak in the direction. The alien A.I. so far is great. It never followed the same path or felt scripted for me. It felt pretty dynamic in that it can show up where you don't expect it to, like flanking you or appearing through a door or duct behind you, pretty much like the movie. When it spots you though, it goes in for the kill.

 

Also I think people should keep in mind that the reviewers who are saying how frustrating the game is are playing it to post a review as soon as possible or for a deadline. They might not have the luxury to take frequent breaks to ease up on the frustration or play it as stealthily as they should. I honestly can't imagine playing the game longer than one and a half or two hours at a time. I probably would be worn out and frustrated too, especially on the higher difficulties.

[Lost Dragon]

I hated:Silent Hill 1st time i played it (NTSC version, thankfully) but went back to it a few days later and now it's an all time favourite game of mine.Uncharted? i thought was pretty looking, but bloody rubbish on 1st crack, could'nt get on with camera system, Drake would'nt shut the f**k up, etc etc, again returned few days later, fell in love with it.

 

Yakuza 3 (PS3) i'd never played earlier games on PS2, went to, hated, left for weeks, returned to, hated, left etc yet on 7th attempt (seriousily!) it clicked, got through slow opening stages, now i love it.

 

Forbidden Siren? loved concept on PS2, found controls too frustrating.Gave it a 2nd shot on PS3, loved it.

 

 

 

Deadlines indeed are a blight for reviewers, espically freelancers with X amount of games to get through by day dot.

 

 

Guess i'm scared of getting 'hurt' (ohh bless).Very protective of my Alien games, if they dissapoint it's WHY GOD...WHY????????? time :-)

[bennybingo]

I'm not far in, but…so far, this is game amazing! More to follow….

[Gregory DG]

Looks terrifying... I think I'll pass.

[Nebulon]

For the XBOX 360 version, was the Crew Expendable bonus content included on a disc or did you have to download it like the Last Survivor content?

[Lost Dragon]

Looked at a few more forum posts around the web:

Poster complains about combat....slight raising of eyebrow by myself as i got the impression 'gist' of game was survival by your wits, combat, not really an 'option' again'st the Alien at least, best you could hope for was to out think it.

Akward save system:well as long as it's not as bad as that on Dead Rising on 360, i'll be happy.Plus Aliens:Isolation on DS which i've just returned to has you saving at set locations.Besides if you had a quick save system, would'nt that remove any/all traces of fear/tension? ohh i've died, no biggie, i'll just reload last save....

[BassGuitari]

 

Developers of future Alien games take note:

BassGuitari is the person to speak to!.I love the ideas put forward for a 'proper' Alien 3 Game.

 

They stopped taking my phone calls years ago.

[bennybingo]

Dude…the Nostromo is almost an exact recreation of the movie set. I am completely in awe. At the same time, there is one thing that is far, far different from the original Alien film…something quite noticeable. The movie wasn't even 1/10th as scary as the DLC version of it. Holy crap…that is amazingly difficult to play…even worse in a completely dark room with my turtle beaches on. This is going to be really tough to complete. I haven't even successfully sealed the second hatch yet!!!

[cimerians]

Does the DLC come on the disc or do they give you a code to download?

[xenomorpher]

Does the DLC come on the disc or do they give you a code to download?

 

I read you get codes for consoles to download which both are around 300mb or 400mb. But I would get it for PC if you can. It's ten bucks cheaper on PC, it's scarier sitting close to the screen with good headphones on, and as of right now even on the "next-gen" consoles the frame rate is locked at 30fps. It's not the most demanding game on PC either. My graphics card isn't the best on earth, a GTX 670, but it can run the game on ultra settings at a constant 60fps without any stutters or dips.

Edited October 10, 2014 by xenomorpher

[cimerians]

 

I read you get codes for consoles to download which both are around 300mb or 400mb. But I would get it for PC if you can. It's ten bucks cheaper on PC, it's scarier sitting close to the screen with good headphones on, and as of right now even on the "next-gen" consoles the frame rate is locked at 30fps. It's not the most demanding game on PC either. My graphics card isn't the best on earth, a GTX 670, but it can run the game on ultra settings at a constant 60fps without any stutters or dips.

 

Will do, Steam it is then. I have an EVGA GTX 580 with 3GB and it still does a great job so I'm not worried about the performance too much but thanks for the info!

[xenomorpher]

Dude…the Nostromo is almost an exact recreation of the movie set. I am completely in awe. At the same time, there is one thing that is far, far different from the original Alien film…something quite noticeable. The movie wasn't even 1/10th as scary as the DLC version of it. Holy crap…that is amazingly difficult to play…even worse in a completely dark room with my turtle beaches on. This is going to be really tough to complete. I haven't even successfully sealed the second hatch yet!!!

The area I made it to was where you have to go into the ducts. Lambert was giving me directions and the alien's location while I was playing as Dallas, which REALLY made me feel like I was in the movie even more. I had a decent amount of flamethrower fuel left, but a lot like the movie it didn't matter in the end. So far this was the second time I died in the ducts for that mission, but thankfully they added checkpoints even to the downloadable content. I think the only way to drive it away with the flamethrower in the ducts is if it has an escape route to the left or right of it. Those were the only times I was only able to fend it off. It must not like crawling backwards in the ducts. Also, so far the best thing I found to do, and I'm playing on easy, is to always crouch and avoid the ducts as much as possible for the reasons I listed before. Crouching is slower, but it draws way less attention to yourself than standing and walking. The only time it almost caught me while crouching was because I was out in the open in a doorway in front of it while it was going down the hall toward me. I also noticed while playing Crew Expendable that the tracking unit would malfunction time to time and wouldn't give an exact reading... just like the movie. For the amount of detail they really went above and beyond, and that can't be said enough.

Edited October 11, 2014 by xenomorpher

[LynxVGL]

After playing it for awhile, a few thoughts:

 

The experience of playing A:I is pretty much unlike any game experience I have ever had in electronic entertainment. The palpable feeling of unease and tension that fills pretty much every moment of this game is, I think, unique in gaming. Other games give you "safe zones" where you know the AI path won't go, or the feeling in these locations is different. In "Deadspace" (which is pretty much the closest analog I can think of) there are much clearer visual cues that you are going to be getting into trouble soon. A:I doesn't do that. Even in the areas that are well lit in the game, you have this sinking feeling. Reinforced by the soundtrack, and the audio design. The motion tracker glitching and giving false readings when not in play, the distant bangs and thumps in the station... All of it ends up to continue to ratchet up the tension level.

 

I'm a long time fan of the Alien movies, and have been disappointed in many of the games. Alien Trilogy had some great moments, but fell into the same trap that Colonial Marines did, of changing the Alien into cannon fodder. (Trilogy is a better game.) Alien Resurrection on PS1 had controls that ruined it, but also has certain echoes in this game. A:CM started out well, and continued well in environment design, but the writing was horrific, and the stupid inclusion of fighting the Weyland-Yutani Security forces through out was a bad design decision (among many, but that's another post). The environmental design on A:I is nothing short of unbelievable. I'm playing last gen on a PS-3 and am amazed from point to point about how interesting and consistent the Sevastapol is in the Ron Cobb Alien film designs. Wow. Just wow. Some Star Wars titles aren't done this well.

 

I also want to chime in on The Working Joes. I think their crash-test dummy, low tech synthetic design is inspired, and also adds to the creep factor.

 

People that are complaining about the save system, are missing the point of the entire experience. Creative Assembly is shooting for giving the player the full Alien experience, shy of chestbursters and face-huggers, and that is built upon tension. I find my heart racing as I frantically search for a save point. Other games that use save points like this are not like current save anywhere/when designs, but that is the entire point. Can it be frustrating? Yup. But when you beat that section and move on, wow.

 

It's a really neat mix of current gen art and AI design with old school save system.

 

But here is the thing. I really enjoy going to Sevastapol and learning about Amanda Ripley's search for her mother. I REALLY enjoy the Crew Expendable and Last Survivor DLC as a fan of the Alien moves. But I hate to say it, this is not what I consider to be a "fun" experience to play. It is hard to endure that level of tension for 20 some hours. Alien (the movie) clocks in just shy of 2 hours. I think Creative Assembly fumbled this ball. There needs to be a few moments when that tension lets up, and you do feel safe to balance the unrelenting terror of being stalked in air-vents.

 

It may be the perfect Halloween time game. It is perfect to play in the dark, with your headset on, or your system turned up loud.

 

A section of dialog from Alien pretty much perfectly summarizes this game:

 

Ash: You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? Perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.

Lambert: You admire it.

Ash: I admire its purity. A survivor... unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality.

Yup. That's my experience with A:I in a nutshell.

Edited October 13, 2014 by LynxVGL

[xenomorpher]

I haven't made it far in the main campaign, but I read the online review from PC Gamer where the reviewer said there were levels later in the game where the alien isn't around. Unless it's been changed, during the section(s) you can shoot androids with your guns without worrying about an instant death from the alien. Again, I haven't beaten the game, but from what I read from reviews the game isn't "hide from the alien" for the full 20 some hours. They give the player a break, maybe more, from all the tension. But there's always the anticipation of the alien's return.

Edited October 13, 2014 by xenomorpher

[AtticGamer]

I'm at mission 10 (don't know if I've finished it yet) and it's coming along much better than I expected. The atmosphere, look and sound is there, and the gameplay has some substance but it's not difficult to get your head around it, unlike many modern games. The fan service is a little too much, but it's to be expected.

 

The save system is something I'm used to, being a Resident Evil player and generally an old school games fan. It forces you to be methodical and walk (not run!) back to the save point everytime you make progress. A checkpoint system would be difficult to implement unless the game reset all the enemy locations at each checkpoint. As far as cheap deaths, I've finally got around to tasting some last night, where I would be trying to fight an android or open a door and would be killed during a quick time event. One time the alien even dropped down on me (the vent wasn't dripping) and killed me instantly, which was purely an unhappy coincidence, but I finally got around to finishing that section.

The thing about this save system is that each time you progress faster and maybe make better choices.

 

I'm currently playing on my PC with 8GB RAM, i3 3220 and a GT 640 2GB DDR3, which the latter is just enough for this game, but not quite there yet for 1080p60 with moderate settings, even overclocked. I have ordered a used Radeon 5850 for really cheap so I can play the Crew Expendable and Last Survivor DLC.

 

 

As for the type of Alien game that works, I think something in between can work, like Alien Resurrection for the PS1 did, and the first part of the Marine campaign in AvP2. A slow start and legitimately dangerous enemies and limited ammunition would work I think. Something with being infected and having to search for a medical facility or something like that.

Actually, I love Alien for the ZX Spectrum/C64/CPC, and even recorded a playthrough of that on youtube. It's still a tense game with those minimalist graphics and all, all you really need is some spaceship rumble playing in the background .

Edited October 13, 2014 by AtticGamer

[LynxVGL]

Really liking how the pacing slows down a bit and it turns into a pretty good adventure game. Great game.

[cimerians]

Patch is coming out for NIGHTMARE and NOVICE modes. I like that the motion tracker is partially broke in Nightmare mode

 

http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/10/7374117/alien-isolation-nightmare-novice-mode

 

I'm glad they put in an easy mode though for people who want to explorer a bit more etc.. This is how games should be made, giving players options.

 

 

 

[Lost Dragon]

Finally purchased a few weeks back, just need to finish work, de-stress :-) and then i can finally get a chance to check this one out.

 

The last batch of Aliens games i played (from Alien Trilogy PS1, Alien Res.PS1, AVP:Extinction Xbox, AVP PSP and AVP PS3-to Aliens:C.M on 360-friend lent me).I'm honestly not sure what's the best approach to go in with?.

 

Not to expect too much/take it as a game in it's own right or...OMG could this be THE Alien game i've been waiting for since AVP on Jaguar, then AVP on PC..the game that really does the franchise justice?.

[xenomorpher]

Finally purchased a few weeks back, just need to finish work, de-stress :-) and then i can finally get a chance to check this one out.

 

The last batch of Aliens games i played (from Alien Trilogy PS1, Alien Res.PS1, AVP:Extinction Xbox, AVP PSP and AVP PS3-to Aliens:C.M on 360-friend lent me).I'm honestly not sure what's the best approach to go in with?.

 

Not to expect too much/take it as a game in it's own right or...OMG could this be THE Alien game i've been waiting for since AVP on Jaguar, then AVP on PC..the game that really does the franchise justice?.

 

I'm pretty far in, but decided to take a break because the game is that scary. I'd say it really does the first movie justice. You can tell Creative Assembly put their heart and soul into the game. It's the scariest game I've ever played, and it's not full of jump scares either. You actually feel like the alien is a real thing that is stalking you and not a bunch of scripted events. For me this is the Alien game I've been waiting for, but it's not a walk in the park. I actually downloaded a trainer for PC so I can become "invisible" to enemies at a press of a button because there were times were I just wanted to explore everything without dying instantly. Luckily that new patch is released so it's more forgiving and you don't have to cheat like I did if you want to explore. I'm anxious to see what else Creative Assembly can do for the franchise.

Edited December 22, 2014 by xenomorpher

[Lost Dragon]

Started on it. Fallen in love with from day 1. Simply wonderful.

[Lost Dragon]

Bit further in than when i last posted.

 

As a devoted Demon/Dark Souls fan, i have no issues with things like:Limited save points, death's due to not approaching a situation properly in Alien Iso.Nor due i find an issue with fact you cannot kill the Alien-it'd be a bloody short game if you could :-).

 

For me the Alien had been reduced to bog standard FPS 'fodder' in far too many games, worst being Rebellions last AVP game where you could melee attack an Alien off you )ohh please).

 

Here the developers have gone all out to capture the essence of the creature.Could more of been done with it's A.I? as it often seems out for a lazy stroll, possibly, but it's not been a game breaker for myself yet.

 

Those fecking Joes though, creep me right out.

[Lost Dragon]

:-( Well, that did'nt last long.Game has just turned into a MAJOR ball-ache.All i need to do is find a Doctor's keycard, yet due to games scripted A.I, the Alien is just prowling about and won't f*ck off anywhere.Plus the stealth aspect seems as flawed as the whole 'trust' mechanic did on the Xbox version of the The Thing, years back.

 

Game seems to decide when Alien hears or sees you, standuing up is sometimes fine, sometimes not.Noise? again i had motion tracker constantly on, Alien would breeze past, not a care, next time, slightest sound, damn thing had me.

 

Turning things like radios, sprinkler systems on etc does'nt seem to make sod all difference.

 

I managed to make it to room showing Doctor's wards he'd visited (once) died now have to attempt a lot of hiding and waiting all over again and again.

 

The atmosphere is fantastic, but the frustration level is killing it for me currently.

[xenomorpher]

What difficulty level are you playing on? If it's that frustrating try the Novice level if you haven't already so you can enjoy it. Noise makers and flares have worked for me in the past if I want it to go to a certain spot away from me. When you get the flamethrower the game becomes way more forgiving. Before I'd also play in half hour to 45 minute bursts or I'd feel too strung out or become frustrated.

[Lost Dragon]

Shamefully admits...Novice level and had been limiting myself to 30-45 min bursts, but in those bursts, i was at least making progress.This afternoon has been utter failure.Tried numeros variations on how to procced-waiting Alien out, hide, try and distract with stuff like turning radio on, throwing noise maker, turning on enviromental systems on/off...but game does'nt seem to want to stict to any real logic.It decides your spotted, you be fucked, basically....

[xenomorpher]

Finding the doctor's card is one of the tougher parts of the game because the Alien is forced into "patrol" mode for that entire area. I fully admit I cheated my way past that part using a trainer on PC. Any other time you can just quit the game to "reset" the Alien, which usually means it's in the ducts when you load. Have you watched any gameplay videos of that part on YouTube? It might help or give you some ideas some even if the Alien is random.