The sequal to Alien, isnt Aliens, it isnt Prometheus or any of that other nonsense. Its this game. I first watched Alien when i was 11 (probably not the best idea) Even though i enjoyed Aliens - no movie since has come close to making me feel the way i did when i first watched original movie. But this game did. And yes, while it has its issues , to its core - you can feel the craft, love and care the developers poured in to this game. Looking back, in part; Alien the original movie is what steered me in to my career as a developer for the last 15 plus years. If there is one game i wished i could have worked on, its this one. Well done CA, beautful work! Its also kinda very cool that there hasnt been a sequal in all these years. While i would like to see one, i'm also torn to thinking there shouldnt really be one.
yea i was thinking about a sequel to this the other day and i don't really think it needs one. they added so many cool short stories with the dlc and frankly i think the work better and provide tons of replay ability. this game achieved a lot of great things, its visuals are still some of the best ive ever seen, which is nuts cause its almost 7 years old now (2015 was an incredible year in games). Even more notable is that CA hadn't really made anything like this before, but absolutely crushed it. I knew it was going to be good when i saw the space suits had the hockey gloves from the original movie.
It *technically* has a sequel, but it’s a mobile-only release and by sequel I mean it happens shortly after isolation and you play as Amanda. It’s called Alien: Blackout, and imo it was fine, but nothing like isolation. You manage a crew through levels while the alien looks for you and the crew.
@@sodaithink yea i hated that game. it was made decently but it was really poor marketing to push it as a sequel to isolation. To many mobile games try and make a 'sequel' that is a sequel in story only, with totally different gameplay and thats the most important thing about a game and when people want a sequel its not just story they want, they want to play the same game but upgraded. Blackout was sooooooo far from isolation, had more in common with FNaF and an older mobile stealth game that had a similar security camera/give orders gameplay loop (forget what it was called). If blackout was marketed as 'hey heres something different to enjoy in the meantime while we work on the sequel' it probably would of been much more successful, but instead it was touted as the official follow up to isolation and that was just stupid. Im consistently baffled at how out of touch some of these publishers are
One thing I love about the Working Joes that I never see getting brought up is that their design is entirely plausible for a pre-cgi movie like Alien. Games can have literally whatever they want, because they aren’t bound by real-life, so that means that the ‘guy in a suit’ nature the robots have is a very deliberate self-restriction by the developers not to have anything in their game beyond what was possible in 1979. These guys could absolutely have been in the original film.
I love the "Working Joes" - so cheap and tacky, and with dreadful one-liners like "I can't help you, if I can't find you" Even when they're stamping on my face during the death animation, I'm grinning from ear-to-ear :))
More advanced androids already exist in universe (as seen in the first movie) but they went with this angle for multiple gameplay reasons. Had they looked more realistic they wouldn't be as scary. You'd then also expect them to be more capable (why isn't he running?)
I am suprised that I haven't seen any comments about the similarity between the Working Joes in Isolation and the robots in Westworld both becoming violent against humans. I wonder if the game designers were inspired by this earlier film.
The more time goes by the more we realize Alien Isolation is an actual masterpiece of a game. What many people marked as flaws, (backtracking, save mechanism, and long story mode) is actually contributing to the experience of making it an immersive harsh and hellish journey to complete. A 20 hour solo campaign is value for money.
I totally get why you don't like the graffiti and think its out of place on the station, because there's no logical reason for it. But that's exactly why graffiti exists in the real world. Its one of the first things to show up in a public area where societal structures begin to decline, and graffiti increases as the decline spirals downward. While you'd think that a person wouldn't risk tagging walls in a station haunted with an alien and killer robots, the harsh reality is that's EXACTLY what would happen. Something like graffiti would do a number of things psychologically. 1, it would give the tagger an immediate sense of control of their surroundings, reclaiming, at least metaphorically, their foothold on their own destiny, if only for a fleeting moment. 2. It gives the tagger a method of venting their frustrations, fear, and anger in a relatively quiet outlet. Graffiti is typically not a "loud" activity, and in an unoccupied area of the ship, you could tag a wall in a matter of seconds and leave the area without any incident. 4. graffiti is an act of rebellion at heart, so this is a real-world manifestation of the tagger rebelling against the circumstances they find themselves in. Its more or less an affront to the society that unraveled around them and is failing to protect them, and its an affront to the antagonist that threatens them. and lastly, number 5. They are literally leaving their mark on their environment, and in such a grave setting, these graffiti tags literally act like grave markers, their last messages to the world they're leaving behind. So on the surface, I can certainly understand why people would have trouble understanding why the graffiti is on sevastopol, but in reality, it would be extremely unnatural and out of place looking if sevastopol DIDN'T have graffiti in many places. And its even realistically distributed. There are many places on the station which are completely untouched by graffiti, whereas other places, places which are more degraded/damaged are covered in it. This is in lockstep with the psychology that drives graffiti. The "targeted" graffiti like the "fuck the marshalls" on the marhsall's entrance doorway is also extremely realistic. IN a declining environment like that of sevastopol, many people would directly blame the marshalls for "failing to protect them/do their jobs" and the marshal area would be one of the first areas the graffiti would appear. So from my point of view, the graffiti is as important and relevant a set piece as any other aspect, and if you were to take it out of the game, the entire game setting would look "wrong".
I completely agree. And as you roam around Sevastopol Station you will see actual graves. But they aren't what you would normally consider a grave. A lone boot sitting next to a guitar surrounded by beer cans. It's owner snatched right out of one of his or her boots. Crayons left near an unfinished child's drawing. A chess board with a game left unfinished. Sleeping bags left on the floor unzipped. A pistol left casually on a desk next to an open ceiling vent. A cashe of weapons left at the bottom of a ladder. Blood dripping from a ceiling vent from god knows where. A radio playing in an empty room. And the graffiti near the spaceport area that screams "I was here, I lived, I mattered and soon I will be gone" To anyone still alive to see it. All these things lend to the empty feeling you get from the station. The same emptiness the Colonial Marines felt as the searched the living quarters and administrative buildings of Hadley's Hope. "Whatever happened here it looks like we missed it" - Apone
100% spot on, really good understanding of human nature. It doesn't make sense logically, but we had to invent logic to counterbalance our inherently illogical, emotional nature
The graffiti makes sense as a part of the world building of a station in slow decline towards the catastrophe you discover it in. It didn’t happen all at once. You’ve arrived after multiple xenomorphs have been bred and the station has begun falling apart. It began through factionalization due to paranoia and dozens going missing.
I know the feeling. I prefer to hide under a double table. Much more coverage. Can do that all day. Sometimes I have. Lockers are like coffins. Sevastopol sucks because of asshole androids, paranoid people & of course, the invasive species of extraterrestrial Xenomorph psychopaths ! Yeeaahh, not a place to visit if you like living.
Brilliant analysis of the game. IGN and other "journalists" only wished they could have someone make such a thorough, well thought-out review of a title like you did in this video. I did want to bring up something though, concerning the graffiti: I think it's a vestige of a time earlier in the timeline of Sevastopol's downfall when society hadn't completely broken down yet. It is told through the terminals that trust in Seegson and in the marshals deteriorated over time, eventually leading to riots and eventually into the state you find the station in when you arrive. The graffitis were probably drawn during those earlier times rather than at the time when the game itself takes place
I am glad someone else pointed that out. Basically in a nutshell one person was able to turn the most important people at the station into people who wanted to help but couldn’t due greed and manipulation.
Yes, it is a terrible shame. But there will be a time when justice against these "journalists" will arrive. It will be in the grand and all-encompassing wrath of a Warlord Titan. "What is a Warlord Titan?" I will tell you my son, but it is not a story of happiness. For in the grim darkness of the far future, where there is only war, colossal engines of destruction known as Titans stride across the blood-soaked battlefields of the 41st millennium, casting their long shadows over the desolate landscape. Amongst these god-machines, none are more awe-inspiring, more devastating, or more revered than the mighty Warlord Titan, a veritable embodiment of the Imperium's unyielding might and unrelenting fury. The Warlord Titan is a towering behemoth of mechanical prowess, a towering monstrosity forged in the sanctified foundries of the Adeptus Mechanicus, where the Omnissiah's holy blessings and the dark arts of technology blend seamlessly. Standing at a colossal height that eclipses even the most towering cathedrals of the Imperium, these war engines serve as both a symbol of divine authority and an unassailable bastion of firepower. Clad in thick adamantium and ceramite plating, the Warlord Titan's colossal form is adorned with grotesque yet iconic mechanical embellishments and skull motifs, a testament to the grimdark aesthetics that would have defined the future of our universe. Its legs are enormous pistons of unrelenting power, capable of traversing treacherous terrain with an unholy grace that belies their monstrous weight. Each footfall resonates like the footsteps of doom, shaking the very earth beneath it. The heart of the Warlord Titan is its colossal reactor, an arcane fusion of ancient technology and forbidden knowledge that churns with the wrathful fires of a thousand suns. This arcane power source fuels the titan's weapons of mass destruction, which include terrifying arrays of plasma cannons, laser blasters, turbo-lasers, and volcano cannons capable of reducing entire armies to ash in the blink of an eye. A crew of skilled Princeps and Moderatii, bonded with the machine spirit of the titan, pilot this colossal juggernaut. Their interface is a sacred communion, an intimate link between flesh and machine, as they guide their war machine into battle, making split-second decisions that determine the fate of entire worlds. In battle, the Warlord Titan is an indomitable force, its bellowing war horns and ominous klaxons heralding its arrival on the battlefield. It strides forward, shrugging off enemy fire with its adamantine hull, while its weapons unleash untold devastation upon the foe. As it strides through the battlefield, nothing can stand against its wrath, for it is the vengeful arm of the God-Emperor himself, a living manifestation of the Imperium's unyielding resolve in the face of heresy and xenos threats. Tl:Dr : the Warlord Titan is the embodiment of divine wrath, an unstoppable war engine that serves as the Imperium's ultimate weapon of destruction and an awe-inspiring symbol of the grim and relentless universe that will be inherited by the 1500th generation of humanity. Damning then to an existence where war is eternal, and hope is but a fleeting dream.
A nightmarish cat and mouse game where you're the mouse and the Alien the cat. The thought, detail and aesthetics in this game is truly epic. The grainy, unsaturated color photographs found throughout Sevastopol also gave a late 70s to early 80s vibe. I hope someone at SEGA wakes up and realizes it deserves a sequel. I still look up and remember this game whenever the HVAC at work starts making noises.
Its crazy that this game is almost 10 years old. The graphics still hold up (except for the human character models) and the A.I. is still one of the best of all time. Still impressive even for modern standards.
7 is far from 10 IMHO but yes ;D, this game is on the short list of games, which used limited lighting to their advantage, like DOOM 3 for example. Because of thet, it holds up fantastic.
I'd argue personally that the character models actually also still hold up, but simply require better animations to showcase them ^^; Tho I will say that I wish they toned back the "sweat" you see often in cutscenes.
I honestly don't understand why everyone hates the second half of the game. I loved fighting the androids and thought they added a nice bit of variety. The Alien is fun to deal with it but it eventually wears out it's welcome. And stepping into the nest after being alien-free for a long time is one of the most nerve-wracking sections I've ever experienced in a game.
Agreed...Having that thing stalking you for so long culminating in the ejection of it inside the lab into the gas gaint was an an almost painfully nerve shreding experience. Much needed relief for the next few missions until stepping into the nest...O.M.G!!!
While the break from the Alien was cathartic, I do think the Joes got annoying. If they had toned them down a bit and maybe incorporated more encounters with human survivors, that could’ve potentially alleviated the problem.
Some defenses of Amanda: I felt pretty fulfilled with her search for her mom with all the given information about the Nostromo logs. I mean, she doesn’t have a teary eyed cutscene going “mommy where r u :,(“ but like yeah, she’s gotta keep her voice way way down most of the time. Also, consider this is an adaptation of Alien and not Aliens. Ridley isn’t exactly a well defined character outside of her personality. You see she’s tough on company policy, and for good reason, but she wasn’t the clear protagonist. I think it’s fair for Amanda to have just a backstory that gets interrupted by the horror. I wouldn’t want her silent, it would break my sense that this is an alien game. At the same time, I would never want her to have heavy emotional dialogue focus, even if I like this in other games, because that would keep me away from the gameplay. I think they struck the perfect balance.
Well said and agreed. I actually remember thinking about how I liked her acting and dialog. Which is something considering I was very busy being extremely stressed at the time lol.
10:55 on the note of death animations, my favorite will always be the one that happens when the alien kills you from behind without you seeing it. Being suddenly forced out of gameplay only to look down and see a tail spike shoot through your stomach is one of the best scares this game has to offer imo
I agree with you for the most part, but a few things just irked me about what you said. I personally believe that the introduction to the game was just necessary, I love the way that Sevastopol is introduced throughout the 2nd mission of the game, and seeing the state of it gives off such an eerie feeling, because it seems like something that was not only done by a Xenomorph. The graffiti on the walls shows that people are panicked, and that something has really scared them. That isn't even just the Alien itself! The Working Joes are mentioned too, and that, to a new player, seeing graffiti mentioning a working joe before they're introduced adds layers of worldbuilding and fear to them! Even if just until Mission 4. Also, the fact that the Xeno isn't introduced until Mission 3 does not falter the game in my opinion. Throughout the 2nd mission, there are occasions where you feel like *something* could be around you at all times. There's a portion of the game right after collecting the maintenance jack where the Alien can literally be seen in the vents above, and that thought alone of seeing something kept tensions high even until Mission 3, when it was finally revealed as a threat to the player. Also also, I think the lack of an Alien through Missions 11 to 14 feels so refreshing. If it was all Xenomorph's, you would definitely feel like the game doesn't ever give you a break, and that it's repetitive. The whole idea of Amanda Ripley actually getting a break from an insta-kill threat was a great idea, and the working joes allowed for even more worldbuilding through the terminals and whatnot. Tensions were meant to be cooled off for these missions, but they never got rid of tension entirely. As a survival horror game, it excels with this little break, because you NEED to use your resources here, and without this section, you'd be stacked! People need to remember that the Weyland-Yutani aspects of Alien is quite large, and it is not just the Xenomorph that makes the films! Third also, last one I promise, the story is presented in the eyes of Amanda Ripley, but what I found is not that it tries to focus on the smaller characters in the story, but Sevastopol itself, and how such an unlucky station turned into a mass graveyard because of it's past and Weyland-Yutani. A big part of Alien is the Nostromo, and I can see that they followed this route with going DEEP into Sevastopol's lore, and it worked out well. All in all, this is all my opinion and I do respect yours too!
Whenever i see or play Alien Isolation i can't believe this game came out in 2014. It's one of the best looking games ever, and one of the best examples of art style and good lighting carrying visuals to an incredible hights
Absolutely! By far some of the most inspired art direction in any game. It’s impressive that it’s not very technically demanding, either - I wouldn’t have expected that from a game with such top-notch visuals.
@@muh_bruh I was prepared to upgrade my graphics card on my ancient computer for this game ... but I thought it would be funny just to see how bad the stuttering and glitches and framerate were ... ... it worked flawlessly on Ultra settings! .. I couldn't believe it. (my computer is 12 years old, and has a 2.8ghz CPU - running Windows 7) The optimisation of this game is unbelievable - even a ZX Spectrum user would get a fair game! I watched PS3 players play the game, and it was like there was no dip in graphics quality at all. They created a game that worked on multiple platforms on day 1 of release ... they only had one patch after a couple of months ... which was mainly to introduce "nightmare mode" and "novice mode" This is the only game that I pre-ordered for day 1 of release ... and I wasn't disappointed, a fantastic game from day 1.
I agree. There is still nothing like it. It's crazy how ahead of its time this game was. It was one of the games that sold me on buying a Ps4 a long time ago, and Alien Isolation alone made that console worth owning. I remember that this game came out during a time when great new AAA games were hard to come by. Resident Evil 7 wasn't out yet, and modern Remake culture was still a long ways away, and gaming was still in that transition from the 7th to the 8th generation of consoles, and PC technology was further evolving at a very fast pace. 2014, and 2015 were kind of difficult times for AAA gaming, but Alien Isolation helped change that. There are parts that some people don't like about the game, along with it's length, but in my opinion, it's as good as a game can get. Every game is going to have strength's and weaknesses, but there is nothing about the game that is bad, or poorly implemented. I've never felt bored playing it, and I have had uniquely memorable moments in every single part of the game at some point in my numerous playthrough's thanks to the calculated, yet somewhat random mechanics of the alien, and the survival mechanics. By the time you get to the ending segments of the game, you feel like a battle hardened survivor that can make it through anything despite having pretty much the same tools you start out with from early on in the game. It makes you become a better gamer, especially on hard mode.
I just beat the game on Hard and it was one of the scariest gaming experiences I've had. What I think Alien: Isolation does brilliantly is recreate the retrofuturistic world of the original Alien, the audiovisual direction is impeccable and the presentation is really confident and immersive, the cat and mouse gameplay loop of the game is also executed rather well and the tension between me and the Xenomorph was always there in my playthrough, even as I got the Flamethrower or learned to use mollies and pipe bombs against him. They really did an amazing job with its A.I. and making it feel threatening, every encounter being anxiety inducing and something the player absolutely dreads. And I agree with the criticism you had, something most fans would agree on, too, and that is that the story is just there and most characters aren't really given much to make them feel like they're actual characters, as well as missions mostly following the same predictable mold of "go to X location, shit happened so go to Y location, then return back to X location", rinse and repeat for 20 hours it took me to beat it and voila, that's the game for you with the last 10 minutes of it feeling like a QTE section that I was fine with. But what gets me is that it actually works, there's clear passion visible in the game pouring from every frame, every room and section of the station, and sneaking around while the Xenomorph is hunting you or is nearby was really riveting! All in all, the game has clear flaws, but what it does well it really does well and they did a great job with it. For the fans of the original who prefer it above all other Alien media out there, I don't think there's anything better than this game.
a point on the graffiti, I think people started looting and vandalising before the alien arrived. The declining state of affairs on the Sevastopol space station also helps explain why people turned on each other so quickly.
That's a fair point, I can agree that it's justifiable. I still don't really like the decision to use graffiti like that as I just find it to be too blatant of a storytelling device, but yeah, that was slightly nitpicky on my part.
@@muh_bruh I agree in that some of it felt contrived yeah! But thats how I justified it in my mind. In a neighbourhood or town that has gone to hell, graffiti and vandalism follows.
The trick to using the flashbang, is to use it as a second noisemaker. You see that 'bang' in the name? It makes noise. Noise that draws the alien (as long as it's not aware of you, and it should never be) to wherever you throw the item. It's literally got the same utility of a noisemaker, but for fewer crafting components. Don't use it as a stun.
If I was part of the team who worked on this title, I would be super damn proud. It is a true masterpiece. A lot of studios need to take notice and learn from this release.
The thing that kill me to this day is how bigger UA-camrs are ridiculously over critical of this game, while most simply play it wrong. "You have to crouch walk everywhere" lol no, no you don't. Isolation demands patience and attention to detail that other games in the genre simply do not require. My only complaint is the lack of being able to mantle low ledges....
Typical complaints: -Hiding in lockers -Hiding in vents -Constantly using the motion tracker -Constantly crouching -Fighting off the alien(s) becomes less and less effective
This video's creator is particularly bad. Complains about the alien constantly killing you and being frustrating yet he'll start running when the alien is literally metres away from and fearing drawing it's attention. Complains that you get no useful items to dispatch the androids in the reactor yet you get the bolt gun in the room right before the reactor so clearly this guy has no clue what he's talking about
The fact that players have paused the game so they don't have to sit through a Xenomorph attack scene is proof that this game is lightyears ahead of all of the other games that are based on the Alien franchise.
I never paused the game when the Alien attacks, but I can’t help but turn away from the screen and wince… much to my wife’s amusement if she happens to be in the same room.
"...at its best it's a dream come true for anyone with a passion for the alien franchise..." that's a great quote from this. This is absolutely the best thing in the Alien gaming franchise, imo, and I really hope a cared for sequel comes out.
The plot may not be as good as either film, but here’s a story for you. I recently played this game around a month ago, first time. Upon my first encounter with the alien I crouch walked up the stairs because I was petrified of it dropping from the vents if I even walked. After getting through the door at the top of the stairs back into the main lobby I avoided direct sight and he went back into the vent. Not knowing how the ai worked I foolishly stealthed across the lobby’s upper loft around the chaired area, inching at a snail’s pace to get to the engineering elevator. Almost there I heard the alien drop from the vent and all I could do out of a childish wish to survive was hug the wall and pray. As it crossed the corner, I felt my breath stop as I watched the fleshly looking black silhouette pass not more than 2 feet from me, mindful of the tail dragging along, I moved along the table obstructing it’s view behind it, in a twisted wonder I could do nothing but look on at its gracefulness. Thank my lucky stars, it jumped up into the vent like nothing had ever come of it. The timer on the Access tuner mini game felt like a timer on my life until the creature yanked me up into the darkness above. I passed the mini game. by the time I hit the elevator loading screen, I realized I was hyperventilating. I’d love to hear what people who thought Mr X was hard think of this gem.
THe graffiti, of course, makes perfect sense when you consider that it took place both before and during the build-up of the alien threat. (People WERE NOT happy the station was being shut down)
I don't know if it's being an Alien fanboy, disappointment at each subsequent entry both cinematic and interactive, or a combination of the two - I love everything about this game. All the stuff that you're not supposed to love - slow-paced corridor crawling; reading onscreen text and so on - makes me feel so immersed in the world. It's what I wanted for the longest time.
Please don’t give up. Keep going. This is one of the best, most important video game critiques I’ve seen to date. You have not received the recognition that you deserve as of yet. But you will. You can do this.
Thank you for the words of support, it sincerely means so much to me. I’ve been through a lot since I uploaded this video but I promise there’s more to come!
This is the only horror game I've EVERY played that gave me nightmare fuel for years to come after I played it. Over the course of the past 9-10 years I've had 6 of the most intense, hyper-realistic and horrifyingly creepy nightmares of my life (all with the alien as portrayed in Alien Isolation). There is simply no other game like it, I will never forget these dreams.
I love your straightforward view of the game, analyzing the game as a whole and stating the pros and cons. Very entertaining, can't wait to see more from you
One thing you missed that I think is great about this game - the world feels natural. You don't have to fumble around looking for where things are, they're generally where you expect them to be. Even when being chased or in danger, hiding spots are where you'd naturally think to look. Ooh, I'll see if I can find a spot just around this corner-- and you can. Objects to hide behind are also real, not just the obvious "you hide here" spots. For example, you can crouch down behind a couch and actually be obscured. You do mention that, but I think you miss the bigger picture about just how good it feels to do. 32:40 is a great example of what I'm talking about. Awesome video.
Your analysis of Amanda seems a bit off. Most of it is not told outright, but she's in fact constantly asking about the nostromo's blackbox about anyone who might know anything. Its only after you find out the black box has been deleted that she drops the point and doesn't bring it up until Marlow's appearance, since he's part of the crew that salvaged the Nostromo. Her emotional and psychological state influences how she interacts with other characters and informs her decisions. There are a few decisions she makes through the game that would make no sense from a pragmatic point of view. She could have escaped Sevastapol right after the reveal that the Nostromo's blackbox has been wiped, but she doesnt because there's also the posibility that the information has been distributed to the installation's administrators (and it has), so she decides to stay until she gets closure. She's nuanced for a 1st Person character. She even went against Marlow's call to destroy Sevastapol because she doesnt leave anyone behind (there's that fear of abandonment again) and time and time again she does this for other characters. Amanda's expertly written. All that psychological insight is something you have to piece together if you know what to look for and she doesnt cram her feelings and thoughts down your throat.
You definitely bring up some good points; I admittedly overlooked some of this stuff and I appreciate your perspective on the character for sure. I still don’t know if I’d call Amanda “expertly written,” but I can concede that she isn’t a total failure either. I think the truth lies somewhere between our takes on her - she’s smartly written in certain respects, but she doesn’t grow or change in a way that’s narratively satisfying.
It’s a shame the game had so much hate when it came out, I think it’s such a great survival horror, and the universe of alien being so well crafted in game makes it a treat to play
>Only 10% of the original dev team is still at Creative Assembly >Lead Al programmer who came up with the double system Al? GONE >Basically the entire programming team apart from the current Principal Audio Programmer? GONE > Job listings for Alien: Isolation 2 list knowledge of Unreal Engine 5 as a requirement >"We value diversity, inclusion and belonging, seeking wider perspectives from our Diversity and Inclusion Network" ›SEGA is a client of Hit Detection (a company that offers "sensitivity consulting") >One of the Hit Detection consultants has said that the world would be a better place without gamers
I just got the PS4 in 2021 and played the game for the first time. Man, I was stunned. I checked out the other games by creative assembly. Considering how different Alien Isolation is from what they made before, the game is even more impressive. Its like Shigeru Miyamoto making a Star Wars game and surprising everybody. Edit: I meant the PS4. That was the whole point of my post.
Too bad there was no PS4 Pro or PS5 update for Isolation. You're essentially playing one of the worst looking versions of the game. On PC and...Switch of all things, it has much improved image quality with PC not surprisingly able to boost fps and resolution as far as your rig can muster. Isolation looks especially great on the Steam Deck at 60fps, max settings, and the Alias Isolation TAA mod.
I think you missed something about the graffiti is that for a long time Sevastopol wasn’t as bad as we see it. We can tell from one of the audio recordings where a journalist talks about how the marshals refused to answer questions and people were getting restless explaining the graffiti which was put up as order was breaking down but before everyone started killing on sight. Amanda arrives a week after the station went dark (because iirc axel said his shipping out papers were for a week ago) long after everything has gone to shit and people are in every man for themselves mentality. We know the station was getting chaotic before then and the alien was likely alone before it could gather more hosts. It likely started as people thinking it was a serial killer and when they see the Marshals doing nothing in their eyes resulting in people feeling unsafe and using graffiti as a form of protest recently after the alien escapes into the ship and starts hunting people.
I think it’s totally fair to assume that a lot of the graffiti was put up before everything went to shit and deaths became a more frequent occurrence on the ship, but there are graffiti messages about the Working Joes being hostile and stuff, so a lot of them must have gone up after people started dying. I’m not saying it’s totally implausible that that would happen - like I said in the video, it’s just a small nitpick - it’s just something that takes me out of the experience a bit because personally it’s the last thing I’d do in a dangerous situation like that where people are dying and they’re not sure what the threat is.
Your forgetting that Ransome the unseen antagonist ( mirroring the company WY) wanted to keep the alien a secret which was outline throughout all his entries on the station. He kept Waits quite hoping to one get more money and a way off the station quickly. Other that I would agree👍.
@@muh_bruh I understand your point but most of the writings along the station seem to take place weeks after Foster was brought in broad the station, I look at the writings as telling everyone left on the station what is going on even if people were already distrustful of each other. It was the last bit of humanity left before the destruction of said station. Again the environment tells the story even if it will be explained shorty, so I get your point again yes a nitpick but just another view to tell the story.
The end missions where you have to evade the alien and Joes had me stuck for so long that I walked away from the game for three years before finishing it later in 2020. It wasn't so much that it was frustrating. It just too tense for me to think clearly at the time. Alien Isolation sill remains as one of my favorite games and I wish we can get more of this style of Alien game. Improve where needing to be improved, but give us more scenarios with that Xenomorph.
I really appreciate all the discourse in the comments on this video, both positive and negative. Looking back, I was a bit harsh in some respects and leaned into my criticisms harder than I intended to. Still, I stand by the majority of what I said - both the praise and the complaints I put forward. Alien: Isolation is a flawed game, but I've always adored it and I always will. It especially means a lot that people have expressed a desire to see more content from me, and I feel bad that I've stayed silent for so long, but to be brutally honest, life's been tough since I put out this video. As much as I don't want to whine about things, I don't want to keep leaving those of my viewers who do care in the dark, either. I completed the majority of the project during the pandemic while I was lucky enough to be employed by an organization that paid me full time to quarantine at home for a few months. Things have changed a lot since then, and truthfully, it's all I can do to keep my head above water these days. I know I'm not alone in that and I'm still far more fortunate than a lot of people have been. I have a handful of projects in varying stages of completion and I wish I had more time to finish them and keep doing stuff like this, but unfortunately, I just haven't been at a spot in my life where that's an option for me. Anyways, I'm sorry I've been gone for so long and I hope you guys understand. Maybe someday I'll get another video out! Regardless, thanks for watching this one. -Connor
Don't apologize for the criticisms. They're valid, and I think the community has become hagiographic recently. Like any cult classic, it's really great but still has real problems. It's important to remind people that it's OK to criticize the things you nevertheless like.
I have to disagree with what you said about Amanda. She’s there to uncover what happened to her mother, yes, but you missed the whole point of why that is put aside: it’s because of her heart. She wants to achieve her main objective, but she sees it as her duty to save as many people as she can, and she knows she’s capable of doing it. Her heart and the idea of what might’ve happened to her mother are the things that drive her to care for other people who she sees as innocent. It makes it all the more heartbreaking when she fails, but then again, this game does have “Alien” in the title, and there’s a clear demonstration throughout the whole runtime of the game of the colossal destructive force of the creatures. To me, if I could change one thing about the story, it would be the ending, which I felt was weak and pretty lame.
Have to disagree on Amanda Ripley’s lack of characterization. I much prefer her voice acting and reacting, as a person who lives and breaths survivorship, which actually is the essence of her character, than a hypothetical larmoyant character development. The audiologs, NPC interactions (Marlow and Samuels, notably) make the missing connection to her mom.
Just watched the first alien movie last night, and having already played the game I got a whole new appreciation for the franchise. I just love hearing about the a.i. in isolation❤
Funny enough, I just did the opposite. Had never seen Alien before so I watched it completely spoiler free, thought it was incredible and terrifying, and then immediately went into this game, played through on hard, thought it was also incredible ans terrifying, and since started a second playthrough.
I'm actually busy playing this right now. I started it a few years ago, but I was scared sh!tless to go on, but I restarted it a few days ago and powering through it. I LOVE this game! I'll definitely play this again and watch the movies again after it. This game's atmosphere is so rich and the world feels loved in and authentic. Great video!
This game is a master class is emergent storytelling. No one forgets that time they evaded the Alien as it slowly walked closer by hiding in a locker. the music does a great job punctuating this as well
I have played this game upteen times. Currently replaying it again. This is how you properly utilize an IP. This captures Alien to the highest degree. It is one of the best Alien projects in the last 10 years and should get a proper sequel.
It took me months to finish this game, it was long, I found it really difficult and really scary. But I think it’s one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had, an incredible game that does not get the love it deserves
The reason the game doesn't have 24/7 alien is to give gamers a break. Horror is not the same when you become accustomed to it. Top it off with the fact that the game doesn't want the player to get too anxious and annoyed, which leads to some players never even finishing the game. It's what most horror games do because it's necessary
I don’t think I communicated the point I was trying to make about the down time as well as I could have. I didn’t mean to say that down time is a bad thing, I just felt that this particular game generally didn’t execute those types of sections very well. I don’t think the Alien needed to be in 100% of the game for it to be good, but I do think the “down time” sections needed to be designed better to justify them taking up so much of the runtime.
26:06 That part of the game needn’t be a running chase… you can play it stealthily like the rest of the game if you have the patience. In fact much of this video shows you running around the place… you’re making the game harder than necessary by playing this way. Also you absolutely can change the difficulty mid game; the only penalty is that you have to restart the chapter you’re on.
Best horror game ever made? As an Alien fan, this game feels like it was tailor-made to be exactly what I wanted. I have VERY few complaints, and nearly infinite praise for this one. 9/10 from me!
This is a review worth rewatching. It's unbiased and informative which is enjoyable to listen to. This earned you a subscriber that appreciates your awesome work sir, honestly my personal favorite
I absolutely love this game and none of the flaws bother me. When there was a level without the Alien, I always took it as a relief. Lol. I wish they’d make it a movie
I think some of these things that you've addressed as problems are really contrived. The idea that the game started to suck once Ripley dispatched the first alien is nonsensical to me. Constantly bombarding the player with the alien's presence would be really annoying given how lethal it is, how unpredictable its behavior is, and how stressful the sections with the Alien are as a result. Fifteen hours of alien stealth gameplay would be too frustrating and stressful as getting through those sections on the first playthrough can be very RNG and dependent on the different permutations that govern the alien's director AI. The game's title being "Alien Isolation" doesn't mean it should feature the xenomorph constantly. The plot of the game, like the original film, isn't actually about the xenomorph; it's about corporate greed, the perils of human selfishness/antisocial behavior, and the dangers of unmanaged artificial intelligence (similar in concept to HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey). The xenomorph in both the original movie and the game is simply a plot device to portray these things. The alien isn't the antagonist, human beings are clearly the antagonists in the story. Outside of that, the facial animations are pretty standard for in-engine dialogue for the games that came out around that time. It doesn't hold up to modern standards, but the game is a decade old now.
Just gotta say man one of the best critique I've ever heard!!!! And I watch ALOT I'm subbing and I hope you continue to put out top tier content like this KEEP IT UP
Best and most intense gaming experience of my life. The only game that made me switch off the Playstation in panic and left me with uncontrollably shaking hands. Played through it several times and did a lot of exploring and experimentation. That being said, I think the second half of the game wasn't very good. I appreciate a long campaign, but the developers went over the top with this one. It felt like the highlights were mission 5/6/10. But that's okay, because the parts of the game that did work had such a powerful impact. Ultimately, I believe that the game succeeded because the studio was building it without time constraints. They let their imagination run free and decided that they would take a chance in terms of difficulty/player behavior. It's a shame that those types of games are so rare since most studios follow strict formulas that leave little room for true heart.
This game, Alien Isolation, is a survival horror masterpiece! Its been years since a video actually scared me to the point I heard my own heart bounding in my chest. This game really nailed the soundtrack, the alien's unpredictable nature and the storyline. Amanda Ripley was very enjoyable to play and I really loved her character. I really hoped they would do a second game. Though now, I like that this will remain a solo game on its own. The soundtrack was beautiful that I love listening to it while working. This game really complimented Alien. The producers really did their work! This is my favourite Horror game since Resident Evil. ❤
This game comes alive if you have a good tv with a big screen, but more importantly A GOOD SOUND SYSTEM. It angers me to high heaven when I see gamers play through tv speakers. Use headphones if not. But teo speakers placed left and right give you an amazing sensation of where the alien is and makes it feel more real than with headphones.
Good horror isnt hitting you with the monster the whole film. You need that time developing a creeping dread not knowing just when thi gs are going to go south
For sure, the chief complaint that i hear is regarding the length and how the game can drag on. I can definitely understand. Although, and lucky for me, im more 'easily entertained' haha. It is more than a joy for me to play even after so many times, just to soak up the atmosphere. It's so well done, as you mentioned, and the lighting is particularly good. Anyway, this video was exceptionally well done! I definitely appreciate the time you have put into writing this wonderful essay and all the other work involved. Very impressive!
Excellent analysis! A note about the graffiti; according to the logs, Sevastopol was already a shithole BEFORE the Alien showed up. Apparently, there was a lot of rioting and looting during the decommissioning, and so it’s not unreasonable to assume that a bunch of dickheads would graffiti everywhere during the chaos. According to one document, gun crime was rampant aboard Sevastopol, so surely graffiti couldn’t be too far off? Also, I absolutely LOVE Axel and Ricardo. Even after multiple playthroughs, while the intro is rather grating, Axel has some really memorable and witty lines, his character design is more interesting than any of the main characters, and his accent is just *chefs kiss*. Ricardo is a great character as well, and after the death of Waits, Amanda and Ricardo form an interesting dynamic that actually gives Amanda some much needed if sparse depth. After deliberating, I would have to say that Axel and Ricardo are likely leftovers from when the writing was actually good, and didn’t “need” to be changed for the sake of gameplay narrative. I honestly wish that they had gone with a narrative that focused on them as main protagonists, with characters like Samuels, Taylor and Waits as a shallow but necessary supporting cast. I gave zero shits about Samuels or Taylor my first playthrough when they died in their weird sacrifice fetish scenarios, but Axel’s untimely and gruesome death perfectly traumatized me into the game’s atmosphere, and Ricardo’s horrific fate was just… absolutely heart wrenching. There’s nothing that I love more than seeing beloved and well-written main characters die in horrible ways rather than purely melodramatic ones, because it fits the theme of hopelessness and terror so well. And as a final tidbit; I personally believe that Xenos take genetic attributes from their hosts that include intelligence, which is why they behave so differently throughout the series. Kane was a smart cookie, just a little too curious, so the Alien spawned from him was very tact and near unbeatable, while the one that came from Foster was much more aggressive, as Foster was… sort of just dumb. Anyway, this is an amazing and comprehensive video! I always appreciate anyone talking about this game, because the more attention it gets, the higher the chance that it could get a decent sequel so that we could get a peek at more stealth horror from the Alien Franchise!
So I'm a nearly 50 year old bloke, I wouldn't call myself a gamer, however I was into SIM racing a while back. Not interested in other games... except alien isolation. It's thrilling and beautiful to look at, but mostly it's stupid frightening, watching others play or playing yourself you will find pure fear and anxiety flood every fibre of your fabric. Your hair will stand on end, goosebumps will give you the judders out of nowhere and you palms will more wet than your pants even though you've pissed yourself 😂 not one for folks with a bad ticker.
It was a brilliant move to avoid referencing anything past the first movie at least in regards to the Alien itself. The thought that the creature may be more intelligent than a human and see us as lower life forms is definitely a disturbing one. There was a mystery about the Alien in the first movie that got lost from Aliens onwards. Lovecraftian even. From Aliens onwards, it's the xenomorph, and they're just a bunch of bugs. (As much as I like Aliens as purely cool action scifi)
Their intelligence is different in kind from human intelligence. They do see humans as lowly things, dangerous prey to be cocooned when possible and killed when necessary. They think of human mentality as fundamentally foolish while also respecting the threat their weapons pose.
This game has the best atmosphere out of any I've ever played, in any genre. They absolutely NAILED the "Alien" feel, especially with the audiovisual design. Amazing analysis. Subbed.
I'm the greatest fan of Alien: Isolation .... I honestly think that, in my almost 49 years on this Earth, it is the best game ever made (with Witcher 3 in second place). It gave me PTSD - even though I won. But a sequel? ... my heart craves a sequel more than anything else in the world ... but we both know that it would suck donkey balls! We just have to take a deep breath and admire a true classic, and accept that there won't be a worthwhile sequel to this masterpiece.
@@jazzx251 that makes two of us. I probably know more about the Alien universe than Ridley Scott, to be completely honest. Alien: Isolation is in my top 5 games and I don't think I'll ever uninstall it from my computer. I hope that if there ever is a sequel, it'll be just as good, if not better than the original. I want to know more about Amanda Ripley and I also want the Alien universe to expand. I can't even imagine the wonderfully terrifying stories that could be told in a world like Alien.
This is a masterful deep dive enjoyed it, easy to see you're made for this style of content, this vid feels complete. I couldn't get into the style of gameplay much when I tried it way back but it's clear the environment / lighting / atmosphere is amazingly crafted , they re-created the Alien movie setting well. Would be great seeing your presentation of bioshock 1 in the future if it inspires . The gameplay isn't perfect but the character writing/execution is genius & the exploration of an experimental social system with its setting is rly interesting
Wonderful review. You are really going into depths we rarely see outside of people like Matthewmatosis and Joseph Anderson. And different interesting angles. Good stuff, friend.
I don’t understand the complaint about the games length. I spent hours and hours playing this game. Partly because I would constantly go back and go back over areas just to see if I missed anything and sometimes well rather often I did. It definitely did not take me 10 or 20 hours. A lot longer. In fact I was pleasantly surprised at how long the game was.
The Sevastopol is NOT A STARSHIP. It is a SPACE STATION. Why does that matter? You can't fly Sevastopol to a safe place. It is immobile. Someone has to come save you. Why so many creators on UA-cam make the mistake of calling the station a ship is something that I don't understand.
@@mohgismypookie Because it's important to the overall narrative. The Sevastopol SPACE STATION is much larger then the Nostromo, Torrens or Sulaco. And it's in stationary orbit. And like I said in my original post it's can't be flown to safety. You have to escape the station to another ship. Many analysts here on UA-cam who like to talk about the finer details of A L I E N: Isolation continue to get this wrong. And it's the key point in the narrative. It's the reason why the play field is so large but empty as the Sevastopol space station is being decommissioned.
I do agree that Amanda feels a bit flat, but I think as she stands, her character works in the story. Could she be fleshed out a bit more? Maybe, but what concessions would the game have to make to do so? Also, I don’t quite agree that the narrative completely pushes aside the focus on Amanda’s search for Ellen. Does it fade into the background? Yes, absolutely, but understandably so. I think the narrative shifts into a reasonable emphasis on a story about survival and overcoming insurmountable odds, while still occasionally providing bits of narrative related to Ellen. Recall the sacrifice Samuels made in hopes of getting Amanda one step closer to closure, and the audio log Marlow reveals that Ellen left for her daughter. The game doesn’t completely push aside that subplot, and I think it is satisfying enough (for me, at least). Although, I would never say no to incorporating a bit more of that subplot to yield more emotional resonance, and I would like to see Amanda fleshed out, but again, would any sacrifices have to have been made to do so? Isolation’s narrative works well as a survival story for me, and I can say, while not perfect, was solid enough to keep me invested throughout the entire game.
Well said, the story of Amanda trying to find out what happened to her Mom is ultimately not the point. It might be the impetus at the start but after discovering what has happened on the station though, the goals are simply to survive, help her crew mates, reduce threats, and get off the station with all other considerations secondary. And, if Amanda can glean some info about her Mom in the process, then great and that is exactly what happens. But Amanda needs to survive and get off of Sevastopol first and foremost. So, to say the game fails on the Amanda/Mom storyline is to imply that the developer intended said storyline to be a top priority throughout the game in the first place, which I don’t believe it was. Alien Isolation is actually better for not leaning into that aspect of the story too deeply.
The original Alien film from 1979 introduced a strong and independent female lead character to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, the sequel, Aliens had a strong and independent female lead character to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, Alien 3 had a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, Alien Resurrection had a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then Alien vs. Predator had a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, Alien Isolation comes out, with a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters.
@@edgarallandoh1485 completely agree with both of y’all. I’d argue it’s very reasonable for the ‘what happened to ma’ subplot to fade into the background, once she finds the wiped flight recorder. From Amanda’s perspective, there’s no reason for her to assume her mother’s disappearance was related to the xenomorphs at all. It only comes back into play after Marlow tells her about finding the derelict ship and the old Nostromo equipment. Then you could say Amanda would connect the dots, but at that point you’re very much ‘in the thick of it’ and that subplot is satisfied shortly thereafter.
As an Alien fan, this game truly made me feel like the 7 year old kid who shivered from fear at the commercial for the first movie! From the first moment you see Sevastopol, i knew I was going to get something close to a heart attack
Level 16 can be overcome easily by cutting into the vent system and releasing an android via a computer terminal at the end of the vent system. When you come back down the security guards will be dead and you only have to deal with the Alien.
phenomenal video! this game cant be talked about enough and you brought up some good points that i hadnt even thought of myself (even as someone who has this game on his personal top 5). subscribed and excited to see more of what youll do!
Excellent video. Something that's actually analysis and not mere summary. It's clear you love the game, and your criticisms are fair and not too harsh imo
26:00 damn I actually liked the whole Seegson droids and human chaos maze level. I usually manage to scoop up lots of gear plus I just like the idea of already messed up droids going absolutely haywire.
I mean I love this game todeath, but it is a one trick pony, one very good trick mind you but none the less only one. while fighting the alian is exciting and chellenging when you have to creep around for hours on end with almost no down time it get exhaughting. I think the game would have been match better off if there some interesting story beats and maybe a side mission or 2 inbetween alian incounters, which I feel was what they were going to do but because of the rewrite those sections just became filler
I cleared them all with the Bolt Gun and had no issues on Hard, so I don't get the complaints either. Yes, they hit hard and can be annoying to get around or if they catch you, but it was clear downtime from the Alien and I think it was a nice small breather before you're introduced to the Nest and have to start worrying about facehuggers, too.
Im pretty sure those symbols posted up by doors and important areas are pulled directly from the original film, there was an entire futuristic signage system made just for Alien
Man, your video and opinions made me really happy to watch and hear because I just finished the game last night and you pretty much nailed it on how I was feeling about all of it.
This video was absolutely phenomenal by ANY standards, let alone for a first attempt at analysis. In particular, it's really, really impressive how well you are able to communicate the POSITIVE qualities of the game. Far too often, "critique" or "analysis" videos devolve into a series of complaints, and the positive qualities are simply explained as "it feels good." It is easy to preciselyl describe why you dislike something, but it is much more difficult to describe why you like it. And you do so amazingly here!
The sequal to Alien, isnt Aliens, it isnt Prometheus or any of that other nonsense. Its this game. I first watched Alien when i was 11 (probably not the best idea) Even though i enjoyed Aliens - no movie since has come close to making me feel the way i did when i first watched original movie. But this game did. And yes, while it has its issues , to its core - you can feel the craft, love and care the developers poured in to this game. Looking back, in part; Alien the original movie is what steered me in to my career as a developer for the last 15 plus years. If there is one game i wished i could have worked on, its this one. Well done CA, beautful work! Its also kinda very cool that there hasnt been a sequal in all these years. While i would like to see one, i'm also torn to thinking there shouldnt really be one.
yea i was thinking about a sequel to this the other day and i don't really think it needs one. they added so many cool short stories with the dlc and frankly i think the work better and provide tons of replay ability. this game achieved a lot of great things, its visuals are still some of the best ive ever seen, which is nuts cause its almost 7 years old now (2015 was an incredible year in games). Even more notable is that CA hadn't really made anything like this before, but absolutely crushed it. I knew it was going to be good when i saw the space suits had the hockey gloves from the original movie.
It *technically* has a sequel, but it’s a mobile-only release and by sequel I mean it happens shortly after isolation and you play as Amanda. It’s called Alien: Blackout, and imo it was fine, but nothing like isolation. You manage a crew through levels while the alien looks for you and the crew.
@@sodaithink yea i hated that game. it was made decently but it was really poor marketing to push it as a sequel to isolation. To many mobile games try and make a 'sequel' that is a sequel in story only, with totally different gameplay and thats the most important thing about a game and when people want a sequel its not just story they want, they want to play the same game but upgraded. Blackout was sooooooo far from isolation, had more in common with FNaF and an older mobile stealth game that had a similar security camera/give orders gameplay loop (forget what it was called). If blackout was marketed as 'hey heres something different to enjoy in the meantime while we work on the sequel' it probably would of been much more successful, but instead it was touted as the official follow up to isolation and that was just stupid. Im consistently baffled at how out of touch some of these publishers are
@@d_ruggs I agree. I enjoyed my hour long playthrough, but it’s disappointing compared to the the thrilling experience of isolation.
I first watched Alien when I was 10. It was the BEST of ideas.
One thing I love about the Working Joes that I never see getting brought up is that their design is entirely plausible for a pre-cgi movie like Alien. Games can have literally whatever they want, because they aren’t bound by real-life, so that means that the ‘guy in a suit’ nature the robots have is a very deliberate self-restriction by the developers not to have anything in their game beyond what was possible in 1979. These guys could absolutely have been in the original film.
I love the "Working Joes" - so cheap and tacky, and with dreadful one-liners like "I can't help you, if I can't find you"
Even when they're stamping on my face during the death animation, I'm grinning from ear-to-ear :))
More advanced androids already exist in universe (as seen in the first movie) but they went with this angle for multiple gameplay reasons.
Had they looked more realistic they wouldn't be as scary. You'd then also expect them to be more capable (why isn't he running?)
I am suprised that I haven't seen any comments about the similarity between the Working Joes in Isolation and the robots in Westworld both becoming violent against humans. I wonder if the game designers were inspired by this earlier film.
@@schmoobmcfroob2800 Totally!
The more time goes by the more we realize Alien Isolation is an actual masterpiece of a game. What many people marked as flaws, (backtracking, save mechanism, and long story mode) is actually contributing to the experience of making it an immersive harsh and hellish journey to complete.
A 20 hour solo campaign is value for money.
I totally get why you don't like the graffiti and think its out of place on the station, because there's no logical reason for it. But that's exactly why graffiti exists in the real world. Its one of the first things to show up in a public area where societal structures begin to decline, and graffiti increases as the decline spirals downward. While you'd think that a person wouldn't risk tagging walls in a station haunted with an alien and killer robots, the harsh reality is that's EXACTLY what would happen. Something like graffiti would do a number of things psychologically. 1, it would give the tagger an immediate sense of control of their surroundings, reclaiming, at least metaphorically, their foothold on their own destiny, if only for a fleeting moment. 2. It gives the tagger a method of venting their frustrations, fear, and anger in a relatively quiet outlet. Graffiti is typically not a "loud" activity, and in an unoccupied area of the ship, you could tag a wall in a matter of seconds and leave the area without any incident. 4. graffiti is an act of rebellion at heart, so this is a real-world manifestation of the tagger rebelling against the circumstances they find themselves in. Its more or less an affront to the society that unraveled around them and is failing to protect them, and its an affront to the antagonist that threatens them. and lastly, number 5. They are literally leaving their mark on their environment, and in such a grave setting, these graffiti tags literally act like grave markers, their last messages to the world they're leaving behind. So on the surface, I can certainly understand why people would have trouble understanding why the graffiti is on sevastopol, but in reality, it would be extremely unnatural and out of place looking if sevastopol DIDN'T have graffiti in many places. And its even realistically distributed. There are many places on the station which are completely untouched by graffiti, whereas other places, places which are more degraded/damaged are covered in it. This is in lockstep with the psychology that drives graffiti. The "targeted" graffiti like the "fuck the marshalls" on the marhsall's entrance doorway is also extremely realistic. IN a declining environment like that of sevastopol, many people would directly blame the marshalls for "failing to protect them/do their jobs" and the marshal area would be one of the first areas the graffiti would appear. So from my point of view, the graffiti is as important and relevant a set piece as any other aspect, and if you were to take it out of the game, the entire game setting would look "wrong".
Bro wrote an essay
I completely agree. And as you roam around Sevastopol Station you will see actual graves. But they aren't what you would normally consider a grave. A lone boot sitting next to a guitar surrounded by beer cans. It's owner snatched right out of one of his or her boots. Crayons left near an unfinished child's drawing. A chess board with a game left unfinished. Sleeping bags left on the floor unzipped. A pistol left casually on a desk next to an open ceiling vent. A cashe of weapons left at the bottom of a ladder. Blood dripping from a ceiling vent from god knows where. A radio playing in an empty room. And the graffiti near the spaceport area that screams "I was here, I lived, I mattered and soon I will be gone" To anyone still alive to see it. All these things lend to the empty feeling you get from the station. The same emptiness the Colonial Marines felt as the searched the living quarters and administrative buildings of Hadley's Hope.
"Whatever happened here it looks like we missed it" - Apone
Dude. You make excellent points. That analysis is so well written and thought out. It's truly beautiful.
100% spot on, really good understanding of human nature. It doesn't make sense logically, but we had to invent logic to counterbalance our inherently illogical, emotional nature
The graffiti makes sense as a part of the world building of a station in slow decline towards the catastrophe you discover it in. It didn’t happen all at once. You’ve arrived after multiple xenomorphs have been bred and the station has begun falling apart. It began through factionalization due to paranoia and dozens going missing.
Not to mention that I'm pretty sure it was being decommissioned even before the xenomorphs showed up.
Alien Isolation game runtime - 20 hours
Me on noob mode - 90 hours... 70 of them spent in lockers petrified..
Is it true the alien doesn't check lockers on the easiest mode?
Idk if I could play that mode, I like the fear 😈
I know the feeling. I prefer to hide under a double table. Much more coverage. Can do that all day. Sometimes I have. Lockers are like coffins. Sevastopol sucks because of asshole androids, paranoid people & of course, the invasive species of extraterrestrial Xenomorph psychopaths ! Yeeaahh, not a place to visit if you like living.
Brilliant analysis of the game. IGN and other "journalists" only wished they could have someone make such a thorough, well thought-out review of a title like you did in this video. I did want to bring up something though, concerning the graffiti: I think it's a vestige of a time earlier in the timeline of Sevastopol's downfall when society hadn't completely broken down yet. It is told through the terminals that trust in Seegson and in the marshals deteriorated over time, eventually leading to riots and eventually into the state you find the station in when you arrive. The graffitis were probably drawn during those earlier times rather than at the time when the game itself takes place
well yes, this
I am glad someone else pointed that out. Basically in a nutshell one person was able to turn the most important people at the station into people who wanted to help but couldn’t due greed and manipulation.
It’s such a shame that the mainstream game “journalists” rated this game so low. This game is truly a masterpiece.
Yes, it is a terrible shame. But there will be a time when justice against these "journalists" will arrive. It will be in the grand and all-encompassing wrath of a Warlord Titan. "What is a Warlord Titan?" I will tell you my son, but it is not a story of happiness. For in the grim darkness of the far future, where there is only war, colossal engines of destruction known as Titans stride across the blood-soaked battlefields of the 41st millennium, casting their long shadows over the desolate landscape. Amongst these god-machines, none are more awe-inspiring, more devastating, or more revered than the mighty Warlord Titan, a veritable embodiment of the Imperium's unyielding might and unrelenting fury. The Warlord Titan is a towering behemoth of mechanical prowess, a towering monstrosity forged in the sanctified foundries of the Adeptus Mechanicus, where the Omnissiah's holy blessings and the dark arts of technology blend seamlessly. Standing at a colossal height that eclipses even the most towering cathedrals of the Imperium, these war engines serve as both a symbol of divine authority and an unassailable bastion of firepower. Clad in thick adamantium and ceramite plating, the Warlord Titan's colossal form is adorned with grotesque yet iconic mechanical embellishments and skull motifs, a testament to the grimdark aesthetics that would have defined the future of our universe. Its legs are enormous pistons of unrelenting power, capable of traversing treacherous terrain with an unholy grace that belies their monstrous weight. Each footfall resonates like the footsteps of doom, shaking the very earth beneath it. The heart of the Warlord Titan is its colossal reactor, an arcane fusion of ancient technology and forbidden knowledge that churns with the wrathful fires of a thousand suns. This arcane power source fuels the titan's weapons of mass destruction, which include terrifying arrays of plasma cannons, laser blasters, turbo-lasers, and volcano cannons capable of reducing entire armies to ash in the blink of an eye. A crew of skilled Princeps and Moderatii, bonded with the machine spirit of the titan, pilot this colossal juggernaut. Their interface is a sacred communion, an intimate link between flesh and machine, as they guide their war machine into battle, making split-second decisions that determine the fate of entire worlds. In battle, the Warlord Titan is an indomitable force, its bellowing war horns and ominous klaxons heralding its arrival on the battlefield. It strides forward, shrugging off enemy fire with its adamantine hull, while its weapons unleash untold devastation upon the foe. As it strides through the battlefield, nothing can stand against its wrath, for it is the vengeful arm of the God-Emperor himself, a living manifestation of the Imperium's unyielding resolve in the face of heresy and xenos threats.
Tl:Dr : the Warlord Titan is the embodiment of divine wrath, an unstoppable war engine that serves as the Imperium's ultimate weapon of destruction and an awe-inspiring symbol of the grim and relentless universe that will be inherited by the 1500th generation of humanity. Damning then to an existence where war is eternal, and hope is but a fleeting dream.
@@Mrfalloutherohuh?
@@Mrfallouthero huh?
A nightmarish cat and mouse game where you're the mouse and the Alien the cat. The thought, detail and aesthetics in this game is truly epic. The grainy, unsaturated color photographs found throughout Sevastopol also gave a late 70s to early 80s vibe. I hope someone at SEGA wakes up and realizes it deserves a sequel. I still look up and remember this game whenever the HVAC at work starts making noises.
Its crazy that this game is almost 10 years old. The graphics still hold up (except for the human character models) and the A.I. is still one of the best of all time. Still impressive even for modern standards.
7 is far from 10 IMHO but yes ;D, this game is on the short list of games, which used limited lighting to their advantage, like DOOM 3 for example. Because of thet, it holds up fantastic.
I'd argue personally that the character models actually also still hold up, but simply require better animations to showcase them ^^;
Tho I will say that I wish they toned back the "sweat" you see often in cutscenes.
I honestly don't understand why everyone hates the second half of the game. I loved fighting the androids and thought they added a nice bit of variety. The Alien is fun to deal with it but it eventually wears out it's welcome. And stepping into the nest after being alien-free for a long time is one of the most nerve-wracking sections I've ever experienced in a game.
Agreed...Having that thing stalking you for so long culminating in the ejection of it inside the lab into the gas gaint was an an almost painfully nerve shreding experience. Much needed relief for the next few missions until stepping into the nest...O.M.G!!!
While the break from the Alien was cathartic, I do think the Joes got annoying. If they had toned them down a bit and maybe incorporated more encounters with human survivors, that could’ve potentially alleviated the problem.
Some defenses of Amanda:
I felt pretty fulfilled with her search for her mom with all the given information about the Nostromo logs. I mean, she doesn’t have a teary eyed cutscene going “mommy where r u :,(“ but like yeah, she’s gotta keep her voice way way down most of the time.
Also, consider this is an adaptation of Alien and not Aliens. Ridley isn’t exactly a well defined character outside of her personality. You see she’s tough on company policy, and for good reason, but she wasn’t the clear protagonist. I think it’s fair for Amanda to have just a backstory that gets interrupted by the horror.
I wouldn’t want her silent, it would break my sense that this is an alien game. At the same time, I would never want her to have heavy emotional dialogue focus, even if I like this in other games, because that would keep me away from the gameplay. I think they struck the perfect balance.
Well said and agreed. I actually remember thinking about how I liked her acting and dialog. Which is something considering I was very busy being extremely stressed at the time lol.
In all fairness, there isn't a lot of the Xenomorph in the film Alien.
That's what made it impactful.
10:55 on the note of death animations, my favorite will always be the one that happens when the alien kills you from behind without you seeing it.
Being suddenly forced out of gameplay only to look down and see a tail spike shoot through your stomach is one of the best scares this game has to offer imo
I agree with you for the most part, but a few things just irked me about what you said.
I personally believe that the introduction to the game was just necessary, I love the way that Sevastopol is introduced throughout the 2nd mission of the game, and seeing the state of it gives off such an eerie feeling, because it seems like something that was not only done by a Xenomorph. The graffiti on the walls shows that people are panicked, and that something has really scared them. That isn't even just the Alien itself! The Working Joes are mentioned too, and that, to a new player, seeing graffiti mentioning a working joe before they're introduced adds layers of worldbuilding and fear to them! Even if just until Mission 4.
Also, the fact that the Xeno isn't introduced until Mission 3 does not falter the game in my opinion. Throughout the 2nd mission, there are occasions where you feel like *something* could be around you at all times. There's a portion of the game right after collecting the maintenance jack where the Alien can literally be seen in the vents above, and that thought alone of seeing something kept tensions high even until Mission 3, when it was finally revealed as a threat to the player.
Also also, I think the lack of an Alien through Missions 11 to 14 feels so refreshing. If it was all Xenomorph's, you would definitely feel like the game doesn't ever give you a break, and that it's repetitive. The whole idea of Amanda Ripley actually getting a break from an insta-kill threat was a great idea, and the working joes allowed for even more worldbuilding through the terminals and whatnot. Tensions were meant to be cooled off for these missions, but they never got rid of tension entirely. As a survival horror game, it excels with this little break, because you NEED to use your resources here, and without this section, you'd be stacked! People need to remember that the Weyland-Yutani aspects of Alien is quite large, and it is not just the Xenomorph that makes the films!
Third also, last one I promise, the story is presented in the eyes of Amanda Ripley, but what I found is not that it tries to focus on the smaller characters in the story, but Sevastopol itself, and how such an unlucky station turned into a mass graveyard because of it's past and Weyland-Yutani. A big part of Alien is the Nostromo, and I can see that they followed this route with going DEEP into Sevastopol's lore, and it worked out well.
All in all, this is all my opinion and I do respect yours too!
Whenever i see or play Alien Isolation i can't believe this game came out in 2014. It's one of the best looking games ever, and one of the best examples of art style and good lighting carrying visuals to an incredible hights
Absolutely! By far some of the most inspired art direction in any game. It’s impressive that it’s not very technically demanding, either - I wouldn’t have expected that from a game with such top-notch visuals.
@@muh_bruh I was prepared to upgrade my graphics card on my ancient computer for this game ... but I thought it would be funny just to see how bad the stuttering and glitches and framerate were ...
... it worked flawlessly on Ultra settings! .. I couldn't believe it. (my computer is 12 years old, and has a 2.8ghz CPU - running Windows 7)
The optimisation of this game is unbelievable - even a ZX Spectrum user would get a fair game!
I watched PS3 players play the game, and it was like there was no dip in graphics quality at all.
They created a game that worked on multiple platforms on day 1 of release ... they only had one patch after a couple of months ... which was mainly to introduce "nightmare mode" and "novice mode"
This is the only game that I pre-ordered for day 1 of release ... and I wasn't disappointed, a fantastic game from day 1.
Alien isolation has always been my favorite game. I so badly wish we could have had a sequel
I agree. There is still nothing like it. It's crazy how ahead of its time this game was. It was one of the games that sold me on buying a Ps4 a long time ago, and Alien Isolation alone made that console worth owning. I remember that this game came out during a time when great new AAA games were hard to come by. Resident Evil 7 wasn't out yet, and modern Remake culture was still a long ways away, and gaming was still in that transition from the 7th to the 8th generation of consoles, and PC technology was further evolving at a very fast pace. 2014, and 2015 were kind of difficult times for AAA gaming, but Alien Isolation helped change that. There are parts that some people don't like about the game, along with it's length, but in my opinion, it's as good as a game can get. Every game is going to have strength's and weaknesses, but there is nothing about the game that is bad, or poorly implemented. I've never felt bored playing it, and I have had uniquely memorable moments in every single part of the game at some point in my numerous playthrough's thanks to the calculated, yet somewhat random mechanics of the alien, and the survival mechanics. By the time you get to the ending segments of the game, you feel like a battle hardened survivor that can make it through anything despite having pretty much the same tools you start out with from early on in the game. It makes you become a better gamer, especially on hard mode.
I just beat the game on Hard and it was one of the scariest gaming experiences I've had. What I think Alien: Isolation does brilliantly is recreate the retrofuturistic world of the original Alien, the audiovisual direction is impeccable and the presentation is really confident and immersive, the cat and mouse gameplay loop of the game is also executed rather well and the tension between me and the Xenomorph was always there in my playthrough, even as I got the Flamethrower or learned to use mollies and pipe bombs against him. They really did an amazing job with its A.I. and making it feel threatening, every encounter being anxiety inducing and something the player absolutely dreads. And I agree with the criticism you had, something most fans would agree on, too, and that is that the story is just there and most characters aren't really given much to make them feel like they're actual characters, as well as missions mostly following the same predictable mold of "go to X location, shit happened so go to Y location, then return back to X location", rinse and repeat for 20 hours it took me to beat it and voila, that's the game for you with the last 10 minutes of it feeling like a QTE section that I was fine with. But what gets me is that it actually works, there's clear passion visible in the game pouring from every frame, every room and section of the station, and sneaking around while the Xenomorph is hunting you or is nearby was really riveting!
All in all, the game has clear flaws, but what it does well it really does well and they did a great job with it. For the fans of the original who prefer it above all other Alien media out there, I don't think there's anything better than this game.
Game is a masterpiece, IGNs silly review at the time took shine of the game. The game is a masterpiece.
Its a real shame that that review almost certainly hurt the game’s sales.
a point on the graffiti, I think people started looting and vandalising before the alien arrived. The declining state of affairs on the Sevastopol space station also helps explain why people turned on each other so quickly.
That's a fair point, I can agree that it's justifiable. I still don't really like the decision to use graffiti like that as I just find it to be too blatant of a storytelling device, but yeah, that was slightly nitpicky on my part.
@@muh_bruh I agree in that some of it felt contrived yeah! But thats how I justified it in my mind. In a neighbourhood or town that has gone to hell, graffiti and vandalism follows.
The trick to using the flashbang, is to use it as a second noisemaker.
You see that 'bang' in the name? It makes noise. Noise that draws the alien (as long as it's not aware of you, and it should never be) to wherever you throw the item. It's literally got the same utility of a noisemaker, but for fewer crafting components.
Don't use it as a stun.
Good tip.
If I was part of the team who worked on this title, I would be super damn proud. It is a true masterpiece. A lot of studios need to take notice and learn from this release.
The thing that kill me to this day is how bigger UA-camrs are ridiculously over critical of this game, while most simply play it wrong. "You have to crouch walk everywhere" lol no, no you don't. Isolation demands patience and attention to detail that other games in the genre simply do not require. My only complaint is the lack of being able to mantle low ledges....
Typical complaints:
-Hiding in lockers
-Hiding in vents
-Constantly using the motion tracker
-Constantly crouching
-Fighting off the alien(s) becomes less and less effective
The crouch walking thing is probably because in most fps games they do that in order to avoid detection by the enemy.
This. Regular walking does not attract the Alien’s attention… in fact you’re more likely to be caught if you slowly crouch-walk everywhere.
This video's creator is particularly bad. Complains about the alien constantly killing you and being frustrating yet he'll start running when the alien is literally metres away from and fearing drawing it's attention. Complains that you get no useful items to dispatch the androids in the reactor yet you get the bolt gun in the room right before the reactor so clearly this guy has no clue what he's talking about
This is by far one of the most authentic feeling and atmospheric games I’ve personally played even to this day
Same here. Nothing has come close for me...yet.
The fact that players have paused the game so they don't have to sit through a Xenomorph attack scene is proof that this game is lightyears ahead of all of the other games that are based on the Alien franchise.
I never paused the game when the Alien attacks, but I can’t help but turn away from the screen and wince… much to my wife’s amusement if she happens to be in the same room.
"...at its best it's a dream come true for anyone with a passion for the alien franchise..." that's a great quote from this. This is absolutely the best thing in the Alien gaming franchise, imo, and I really hope a cared for sequel comes out.
The plot may not be as good as either film, but here’s a story for you. I recently played this game around a month ago, first time. Upon my first encounter with the alien I crouch walked up the stairs because I was petrified of it dropping from the vents if I even walked. After getting through the door at the top of the stairs back into the main lobby I avoided direct sight and he went back into the vent. Not knowing how the ai worked I foolishly stealthed across the lobby’s upper loft around the chaired area, inching at a snail’s pace to get to the engineering elevator. Almost there I heard the alien drop from the vent and all I could do out of a childish wish to survive was hug the wall and pray. As it crossed the corner, I felt my breath stop as I watched the fleshly looking black silhouette pass not more than 2 feet from me, mindful of the tail dragging along, I moved along the table obstructing it’s view behind it, in a twisted wonder I could do nothing but look on at its gracefulness. Thank my lucky stars, it jumped up into the vent like nothing had ever come of it. The timer on the Access tuner mini game felt like a timer on my life until the creature yanked me up into the darkness above. I passed the mini game. by the time I hit the elevator loading screen, I realized I was hyperventilating. I’d love to hear what people who thought Mr X was hard think of this gem.
THe graffiti, of course, makes perfect sense when you consider that it took place both before and during the build-up of the alien threat. (People WERE NOT happy the station was being shut down)
I don't know if it's being an Alien fanboy, disappointment at each subsequent entry both cinematic and interactive, or a combination of the two - I love everything about this game. All the stuff that you're not supposed to love - slow-paced corridor crawling; reading onscreen text and so on - makes me feel so immersed in the world. It's what I wanted for the longest time.
Please don’t give up. Keep going. This is one of the best, most important video game critiques I’ve seen to date. You have not received the recognition that you deserve as of yet. But you will. You can do this.
Thank you for the words of support, it sincerely means so much to me. I’ve been through a lot since I uploaded this video but I promise there’s more to come!
This is still one of the best looking games I've ever played
Absolutely. The art direction is on point.
Holy shit dude for a channel with only 22 subs, you put so much damn effort into your videos. Great video
This is the only horror game I've EVERY played that gave me nightmare fuel for years to come after I played it.
Over the course of the past 9-10 years I've had 6 of the most intense, hyper-realistic and horrifyingly creepy nightmares of my life (all with the alien as portrayed in Alien Isolation). There is simply no other game like it, I will never forget these dreams.
I love your straightforward view of the game, analyzing the game as a whole and stating the pros and cons. Very entertaining, can't wait to see more from you
One thing you missed that I think is great about this game - the world feels natural. You don't have to fumble around looking for where things are, they're generally where you expect them to be. Even when being chased or in danger, hiding spots are where you'd naturally think to look. Ooh, I'll see if I can find a spot just around this corner-- and you can. Objects to hide behind are also real, not just the obvious "you hide here" spots. For example, you can crouch down behind a couch and actually be obscured. You do mention that, but I think you miss the bigger picture about just how good it feels to do. 32:40 is a great example of what I'm talking about.
Awesome video.
Your analysis of Amanda seems a bit off. Most of it is not told outright, but she's in fact constantly asking about the nostromo's blackbox about anyone who might know anything. Its only after you find out the black box has been deleted that she drops the point and doesn't bring it up until Marlow's appearance, since he's part of the crew that salvaged the Nostromo. Her emotional and psychological state influences how she interacts with other characters and informs her decisions. There are a few decisions she makes through the game that would make no sense from a pragmatic point of view. She could have escaped Sevastapol right after the reveal that the Nostromo's blackbox has been wiped, but she doesnt because there's also the posibility that the information has been distributed to the installation's administrators (and it has), so she decides to stay until she gets closure.
She's nuanced for a 1st Person character. She even went against Marlow's call to destroy Sevastapol because she doesnt leave anyone behind (there's that fear of abandonment again) and time and time again she does this for other characters. Amanda's expertly written. All that psychological insight is something you have to piece together if you know what to look for and she doesnt cram her feelings and thoughts down your throat.
You definitely bring up some good points; I admittedly overlooked some of this stuff and I appreciate your perspective on the character for sure. I still don’t know if I’d call Amanda “expertly written,” but I can concede that she isn’t a total failure either. I think the truth lies somewhere between our takes on her - she’s smartly written in certain respects, but she doesn’t grow or change in a way that’s narratively satisfying.
It’s a shame the game had so much hate when it came out, I think it’s such a great survival horror, and the universe of alien being so well crafted in game makes it a treat to play
There was no hate. It's that IGN gave it a 4.5 score and said it was too hard. Everyone was pissed at that.
It’s insane that this game is getting a sequel. I am so hyped its insane
Ikr? Can't wait.
>Only 10% of the original dev team is still at Creative
Assembly
>Lead Al programmer who came up with the double system Al? GONE
>Basically the entire programming team apart from the current Principal Audio Programmer? GONE
> Job listings for Alien: Isolation 2 list knowledge of Unreal Engine 5 as a requirement
>"We value diversity, inclusion and belonging, seeking wider perspectives from our Diversity and Inclusion Network"
›SEGA is a client of Hit Detection (a company that offers
"sensitivity consulting")
>One of the Hit Detection consultants has said that the world would be a better place without gamers
I just got the PS4 in 2021 and played the game for the first time. Man, I was stunned. I checked out the other games by creative assembly. Considering how different Alien Isolation is from what they made before, the game is even more impressive. Its like Shigeru Miyamoto making a Star Wars game and surprising everybody. Edit: I meant the PS4. That was the whole point of my post.
Too bad there was no PS4 Pro or PS5 update for Isolation. You're essentially playing one of the worst looking versions of the game. On PC and...Switch of all things, it has much improved image quality with PC not surprisingly able to boost fps and resolution as far as your rig can muster. Isolation looks especially great on the Steam Deck at 60fps, max settings, and the Alias Isolation TAA mod.
I think you missed something about the graffiti is that for a long time Sevastopol wasn’t as bad as we see it. We can tell from one of the audio recordings where a journalist talks about how the marshals refused to answer questions and people were getting restless explaining the graffiti which was put up as order was breaking down but before everyone started killing on sight. Amanda arrives a week after the station went dark (because iirc axel said his shipping out papers were for a week ago) long after everything has gone to shit and people are in every man for themselves mentality. We know the station was getting chaotic before then and the alien was likely alone before it could gather more hosts. It likely started as people thinking it was a serial killer and when they see the Marshals doing nothing in their eyes resulting in people feeling unsafe and using graffiti as a form of protest recently after the alien escapes into the ship and starts hunting people.
I think it’s totally fair to assume that a lot of the graffiti was put up before everything went to shit and deaths became a more frequent occurrence on the ship, but there are graffiti messages about the Working Joes being hostile and stuff, so a lot of them must have gone up after people started dying. I’m not saying it’s totally implausible that that would happen - like I said in the video, it’s just a small nitpick - it’s just something that takes me out of the experience a bit because personally it’s the last thing I’d do in a dangerous situation like that where people are dying and they’re not sure what the threat is.
Your forgetting that Ransome the unseen antagonist ( mirroring the company WY) wanted to keep the alien a secret which was outline throughout all his entries on the station. He kept Waits quite hoping to one get more money and a way off the station quickly. Other that I would agree👍.
@@muh_bruh I understand your point but
most of the writings along the station seem to take place weeks after Foster was brought in broad the station, I look at the writings as telling everyone left on the station what is going on even if people were already distrustful of each other. It was the last bit of humanity left before the destruction of said station.
Again the environment tells the story even if it will be explained shorty, so I get your point again yes a nitpick but just another view to tell the story.
I frankly disagree with most of your complaints, I liked the game a lot and I found it very well balanced.
its very strange the youtuber has only 3 videos in his roster. Very detailed video, he must have spent alot of time in editing to do a 50 min video.
Only recently discovered this gem and im not finished. Truly one of the best survival games ever.
Try unpredictable alien mod (well worth it) as well as use aliasing mod to get rid of the jaggies. I play this game every few months. It's so good.
The end missions where you have to evade the alien and Joes had me stuck for so long that I walked away from the game for three years before finishing it later in 2020. It wasn't so much that it was frustrating. It just too tense for me to think clearly at the time. Alien Isolation sill remains as one of my favorite games and I wish we can get more of this style of Alien game. Improve where needing to be improved, but give us more scenarios with that Xenomorph.
I really appreciate all the discourse in the comments on this video, both positive and negative. Looking back, I was a bit harsh in some respects and leaned into my criticisms harder than I intended to. Still, I stand by the majority of what I said - both the praise and the complaints I put forward. Alien: Isolation is a flawed game, but I've always adored it and I always will.
It especially means a lot that people have expressed a desire to see more content from me, and I feel bad that I've stayed silent for so long, but to be brutally honest, life's been tough since I put out this video. As much as I don't want to whine about things, I don't want to keep leaving those of my viewers who do care in the dark, either. I completed the majority of the project during the pandemic while I was lucky enough to be employed by an organization that paid me full time to quarantine at home for a few months. Things have changed a lot since then, and truthfully, it's all I can do to keep my head above water these days. I know I'm not alone in that and I'm still far more fortunate than a lot of people have been. I have a handful of projects in varying stages of completion and I wish I had more time to finish them and keep doing stuff like this, but unfortunately, I just haven't been at a spot in my life where that's an option for me. Anyways, I'm sorry I've been gone for so long and I hope you guys understand. Maybe someday I'll get another video out! Regardless, thanks for watching this one.
-Connor
Don't apologize for the criticisms. They're valid, and I think the community has become hagiographic recently. Like any cult classic, it's really great but still has real problems. It's important to remind people that it's OK to criticize the things you nevertheless like.
I have to disagree with what you said about Amanda. She’s there to uncover what happened to her mother, yes, but you missed the whole point of why that is put aside: it’s because of her heart. She wants to achieve her main objective, but she sees it as her duty to save as many people as she can, and she knows she’s capable of doing it. Her heart and the idea of what might’ve happened to her mother are the things that drive her to care for other people who she sees as innocent. It makes it all the more heartbreaking when she fails, but then again, this game does have “Alien” in the title, and there’s a clear demonstration throughout the whole runtime of the game of the colossal destructive force of the creatures. To me, if I could change one thing about the story, it would be the ending, which I felt was weak and pretty lame.
Have to disagree on Amanda Ripley’s lack of characterization. I much prefer her voice acting and reacting, as a person who lives and breaths survivorship, which actually is the essence of her character, than a hypothetical larmoyant character development. The audiologs, NPC interactions (Marlow and Samuels, notably) make the missing connection to her mom.
Just watched the first alien movie last night, and having already played the game I got a whole new appreciation for the franchise.
I just love hearing about the a.i. in isolation❤
Funny enough, I just did the opposite. Had never seen Alien before so I watched it completely spoiler free, thought it was incredible and terrifying, and then immediately went into this game, played through on hard, thought it was also incredible ans terrifying, and since started a second playthrough.
I'm actually busy playing this right now. I started it a few years ago, but I was scared sh!tless to go on, but I restarted it a few days ago and powering through it. I LOVE this game! I'll definitely play this again and watch the movies again after it. This game's atmosphere is so rich and the world feels loved in and authentic.
Great video!
This game is a master class is emergent storytelling. No one forgets that time they evaded the Alien as it slowly walked closer by hiding in a locker. the music does a great job punctuating this as well
I have played this game upteen times. Currently replaying it again. This is how you properly utilize an IP. This captures Alien to the highest degree. It is one of the best Alien projects in the last 10 years and should get a proper sequel.
Why do I feel like you never realised the alien can hear the motion detector haha.
Thanks for taking the time to make this. I wish more iconic games received the attention that you gave this.
It took me months to finish this game, it was long, I found it really difficult and really scary. But I think it’s one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had, an incredible game that does not get the love it deserves
This game is criminally underrated
I hope you do more of these. This pretty much explained how I felt about the game down to a T. Great work.
The reason the game doesn't have 24/7 alien is to give gamers a break. Horror is not the same when you become accustomed to it. Top it off with the fact that the game doesn't want the player to get too anxious and annoyed, which leads to some players never even finishing the game. It's what most horror games do because it's necessary
I don’t think I communicated the point I was trying to make about the down time as well as I could have. I didn’t mean to say that down time is a bad thing, I just felt that this particular game generally didn’t execute those types of sections very well. I don’t think the Alien needed to be in 100% of the game for it to be good, but I do think the “down time” sections needed to be designed better to justify them taking up so much of the runtime.
26:06 That part of the game needn’t be a running chase… you can play it stealthily like the rest of the game if you have the patience.
In fact much of this video shows you running around the place… you’re making the game harder than necessary by playing this way.
Also you absolutely can change the difficulty mid game; the only penalty is that you have to restart the chapter you’re on.
This video is crazy good. I wish there was something similar for every niche game I get fixated on! Definitely earned a sub.
This is a very underrated game. The only change would have been making it entirely first person with only in game cutscens ala Half life.
Best horror game ever made? As an Alien fan, this game feels like it was tailor-made to be exactly what I wanted. I have VERY few complaints, and nearly infinite praise for this one. 9/10 from me!
This is a review worth rewatching. It's unbiased and informative which is enjoyable to listen to. This earned you a subscriber that appreciates your awesome work sir, honestly my personal favorite
I absolutely love this game and none of the flaws bother me. When there was a level without the Alien, I always took it as a relief. Lol.
I wish they’d make it a movie
I think some of these things that you've addressed as problems are really contrived. The idea that the game started to suck once Ripley dispatched the first alien is nonsensical to me. Constantly bombarding the player with the alien's presence would be really annoying given how lethal it is, how unpredictable its behavior is, and how stressful the sections with the Alien are as a result. Fifteen hours of alien stealth gameplay would be too frustrating and stressful as getting through those sections on the first playthrough can be very RNG and dependent on the different permutations that govern the alien's director AI. The game's title being "Alien Isolation" doesn't mean it should feature the xenomorph constantly. The plot of the game, like the original film, isn't actually about the xenomorph; it's about corporate greed, the perils of human selfishness/antisocial behavior, and the dangers of unmanaged artificial intelligence (similar in concept to HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey). The xenomorph in both the original movie and the game is simply a plot device to portray these things. The alien isn't the antagonist, human beings are clearly the antagonists in the story.
Outside of that, the facial animations are pretty standard for in-engine dialogue for the games that came out around that time. It doesn't hold up to modern standards, but the game is a decade old now.
Phenomenally good analysis. Subbed, and highly looking forward to your next project.
I spent most of the game hiding inside a cupboard, it's that terrifying!
Just gotta say man one of the best critique I've ever heard!!!! And I watch ALOT I'm subbing and I hope you continue to put out top tier content like this KEEP IT UP
Thank you so much for the kind words and the sub!! New video coming next month!
Best and most intense gaming experience of my life. The only game that made me switch off the Playstation in panic and left me with uncontrollably shaking hands. Played through it several times and did a lot of exploring and experimentation.
That being said, I think the second half of the game wasn't very good. I appreciate a long campaign, but the developers went over the top with this one. It felt like the highlights were mission 5/6/10.
But that's okay, because the parts of the game that did work had such a powerful impact.
Ultimately, I believe that the game succeeded because the studio was building it without time constraints. They let their imagination run free and decided that they would take a chance in terms of difficulty/player behavior. It's a shame that those types of games are so rare since most studios follow strict formulas that leave little room for true heart.
This game, Alien Isolation, is a survival horror masterpiece! Its been years since a video actually scared me to the point I heard my own heart bounding in my chest. This game really nailed the soundtrack, the alien's unpredictable nature and the storyline. Amanda Ripley was very enjoyable to play and I really loved her character.
I really hoped they would do a second game. Though now, I like that this will remain a solo game on its own.
The soundtrack was beautiful that I love listening to it while working. This game really complimented Alien. The producers really did their work!
This is my favourite Horror game since Resident Evil. ❤
This game comes alive if you have a good tv with a big screen, but more importantly A GOOD SOUND SYSTEM. It angers me to high heaven when I see gamers play through tv speakers. Use headphones if not. But teo speakers placed left and right give you an amazing sensation of where the alien is and makes it feel more real than with headphones.
My TV a Wharfedale has a built-in soundbar and the feedback from the ambience in that game is fantastic.
Good horror isnt hitting you with the monster the whole film. You need that time developing a creeping dread not knowing just when thi gs are going to go south
it's a masterpiece! Beat the game on the highest difficulty and it was AMAZING!
The best, most fair, balanced and honest review of AI on UA-cam. This should have been IGN's review.
Thank you so much for the kind words!!
For sure, the chief complaint that i hear is regarding the length and how the game can drag on. I can definitely understand. Although, and lucky for me, im more 'easily entertained' haha. It is more than a joy for me to play even after so many times, just to soak up the atmosphere. It's so well done, as you mentioned, and the lighting is particularly good.
Anyway, this video was exceptionally well done! I definitely appreciate the time you have put into writing this wonderful essay and all the other work involved. Very impressive!
Excellent analysis! A note about the graffiti; according to the logs, Sevastopol was already a shithole BEFORE the Alien showed up. Apparently, there was a lot of rioting and looting during the decommissioning, and so it’s not unreasonable to assume that a bunch of dickheads would graffiti everywhere during the chaos. According to one document, gun crime was rampant aboard Sevastopol, so surely graffiti couldn’t be too far off?
Also, I absolutely LOVE Axel and Ricardo. Even after multiple playthroughs, while the intro is rather grating, Axel has some really memorable and witty lines, his character design is more interesting than any of the main characters, and his accent is just *chefs kiss*. Ricardo is a great character as well, and after the death of Waits, Amanda and Ricardo form an interesting dynamic that actually gives Amanda some much needed if sparse depth.
After deliberating, I would have to say that Axel and Ricardo are likely leftovers from when the writing was actually good, and didn’t “need” to be changed for the sake of gameplay narrative. I honestly wish that they had gone with a narrative that focused on them as main protagonists, with characters like Samuels, Taylor and Waits as a shallow but necessary supporting cast. I gave zero shits about Samuels or Taylor my first playthrough when they died in their weird sacrifice fetish scenarios, but Axel’s untimely and gruesome death perfectly traumatized me into the game’s atmosphere, and Ricardo’s horrific fate was just… absolutely heart wrenching. There’s nothing that I love more than seeing beloved and well-written main characters die in horrible ways rather than purely melodramatic ones, because it fits the theme of hopelessness and terror so well.
And as a final tidbit; I personally believe that Xenos take genetic attributes from their hosts that include intelligence, which is why they behave so differently throughout the series. Kane was a smart cookie, just a little too curious, so the Alien spawned from him was very tact and near unbeatable, while the one that came from Foster was much more aggressive, as Foster was… sort of just dumb.
Anyway, this is an amazing and comprehensive video! I always appreciate anyone talking about this game, because the more attention it gets, the higher the chance that it could get a decent sequel so that we could get a peek at more stealth horror from the Alien Franchise!
So I'm a nearly 50 year old bloke, I wouldn't call myself a gamer, however I was into SIM racing a while back. Not interested in other games... except alien isolation. It's thrilling and beautiful to look at, but mostly it's stupid frightening, watching others play or playing yourself you will find pure fear and anxiety flood every fibre of your fabric. Your hair will stand on end, goosebumps will give you the judders out of nowhere and you palms will more wet than your pants even though you've pissed yourself 😂 not one for folks with a bad ticker.
I read this in a british accent.
@@MuddywatermultimediaGroup you'd be right
@@MuddywatermultimediaGroupI did, but it could equally have been Australian.
It was a brilliant move to avoid referencing anything past the first movie at least in regards to the Alien itself. The thought that the creature may be more intelligent than a human and see us as lower life forms is definitely a disturbing one. There was a mystery about the Alien in the first movie that got lost from Aliens onwards. Lovecraftian even.
From Aliens onwards, it's the xenomorph, and they're just a bunch of bugs. (As much as I like Aliens as purely cool action scifi)
Their intelligence is different in kind from human intelligence. They do see humans as lowly things, dangerous prey to be cocooned when possible and killed when necessary. They think of human mentality as fundamentally foolish while also respecting the threat their weapons pose.
5.9/10 ign 💀
This game has the best atmosphere out of any I've ever played, in any genre. They absolutely NAILED the "Alien" feel, especially with the audiovisual design. Amazing analysis. Subbed.
If there ever is a sequel to this game, I wouldn't want CA to do a Cyberpunk 2077 and fuck it up for everyone.
I'm the greatest fan of Alien: Isolation .... I honestly think that, in my almost 49 years on this Earth, it is the best game ever made (with Witcher 3 in second place).
It gave me PTSD - even though I won.
But a sequel? ... my heart craves a sequel more than anything else in the world ... but we both know that it would suck donkey balls!
We just have to take a deep breath and admire a true classic, and accept that there won't be a worthwhile sequel to this masterpiece.
@@jazzx251 that makes two of us. I probably know more about the Alien universe than Ridley Scott, to be completely honest. Alien: Isolation is in my top 5 games and I don't think I'll ever uninstall it from my computer. I hope that if there ever is a sequel, it'll be just as good, if not better than the original. I want to know more about Amanda Ripley and I also want the Alien universe to expand. I can't even imagine the wonderfully terrifying stories that could be told in a world like Alien.
This is a masterful deep dive enjoyed it, easy to see you're made for this style of content, this vid feels complete. I couldn't get into the style of gameplay much when I tried it way back but it's clear the environment / lighting / atmosphere is amazingly crafted , they re-created the Alien movie setting well.
Would be great seeing your presentation of bioshock 1 in the future if it inspires . The gameplay isn't perfect but the character writing/execution is genius & the exploration of an experimental social system with its setting is rly interesting
Wonderful review. You are really going into depths we rarely see outside of people like Matthewmatosis and Joseph Anderson. And different interesting angles. Good stuff, friend.
Thank you so much! I’m very flattered by the comparison, that’s exactly the quality of content I was shooting for. Really appreciate it!!
I don’t understand the complaint about the games length. I spent hours and hours playing this game. Partly because I would constantly go back and go back over areas just to see if I missed anything and sometimes well rather often I did. It definitely did not take me 10 or 20 hours. A lot longer. In fact I was pleasantly surprised at how long the game was.
Those droids though scare the shit out of me especially when they pop out of nowhere and start choking you.
This game is a masterpiece for its time.
Keep this type of quality up and there are great things ahead,great video
The Sevastopol is NOT A STARSHIP. It is a SPACE STATION. Why does that matter? You can't fly Sevastopol to a safe place. It is immobile. Someone has to come save you. Why so many creators on UA-cam make the mistake of calling the station a ship is something that I don't understand.
And why you are so nitpicky about something inconsequential to the video is something I will never understand either
@@mohgismypookie I guess you're not down with the sixxness
@@mohgismypookie Because it's important to the overall narrative. The Sevastopol SPACE STATION is much larger then the Nostromo, Torrens or Sulaco. And it's in stationary orbit. And like I said in my original post it's can't be flown to safety. You have to escape the station to another ship. Many analysts here on UA-cam who like to talk about the finer details of
A L I E N: Isolation continue to get this wrong. And it's the key point in the narrative. It's the reason why the play field is so large but empty as the Sevastopol space station is being decommissioned.
Also, the games optimalization is sublime. My gaming machine is a garbage laptop and the game's fps still orbited at around 40 fps on low.
I do agree that Amanda feels a bit flat, but I think as she stands, her character works in the story. Could she be fleshed out a bit more? Maybe, but what concessions would the game have to make to do so? Also, I don’t quite agree that the narrative completely pushes aside the focus on Amanda’s search for Ellen. Does it fade into the background? Yes, absolutely, but understandably so. I think the narrative shifts into a reasonable emphasis on a story about survival and overcoming insurmountable odds, while still occasionally providing bits of narrative related to Ellen. Recall the sacrifice Samuels made in hopes of getting Amanda one step closer to closure, and the audio log Marlow reveals that Ellen left for her daughter. The game doesn’t completely push aside that subplot, and I think it is satisfying enough (for me, at least). Although, I would never say no to incorporating a bit more of that subplot to yield more emotional resonance, and I would like to see Amanda fleshed out, but again, would any sacrifices have to have been made to do so?
Isolation’s narrative works well as a survival story for me, and I can say, while not perfect, was solid enough to keep me invested throughout the entire game.
Well said, the story of Amanda trying to find out what happened to her Mom is ultimately not the point. It might be the impetus at the start but after discovering what has happened on the station though, the goals are simply to survive, help her crew mates, reduce threats, and get off the station with all other considerations secondary. And, if Amanda can glean some info about her Mom in the process, then great and that is exactly what happens. But Amanda needs to survive and get off of Sevastopol first and foremost. So, to say the game fails on the Amanda/Mom storyline is to imply that the developer intended said storyline to be a top priority throughout the game in the first place, which I don’t believe it was. Alien Isolation is actually better for not leaning into that aspect of the story too deeply.
The original Alien film from 1979 introduced a strong and independent female lead character to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, the sequel, Aliens had a strong and independent female lead character to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, Alien 3 had a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, Alien Resurrection had a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then Alien vs. Predator had a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters. Then, Alien Isolation comes out, with a strong and independent female lead character, to show that men don't need to be lead characters.
@@edgarallandoh1485 completely agree with both of y’all. I’d argue it’s very reasonable for the ‘what happened to ma’ subplot to fade into the background, once she finds the wiped flight recorder. From Amanda’s perspective, there’s no reason for her to assume her mother’s disappearance was related to the xenomorphs at all. It only comes back into play after Marlow tells her about finding the derelict ship and the old Nostromo equipment. Then you could say Amanda would connect the dots, but at that point you’re very much ‘in the thick of it’ and that subplot is satisfied shortly thereafter.
As an Alien fan, this game truly made me feel like the 7 year old kid who shivered from fear at the commercial for the first movie!
From the first moment you see Sevastopol, i knew I was going to get something close to a heart attack
Level 16 can be overcome easily by cutting into the vent system and releasing an android via a computer terminal at the end of the vent system. When you come back down the security guards will be dead and you only have to deal with the Alien.
i did that and to be fair i didnt even know the alien was in that section
phenomenal video! this game cant be talked about enough and you brought up some good points that i hadnt even thought of myself (even as someone who has this game on his personal top 5). subscribed and excited to see more of what youll do!
Thank you so much, I’m very glad to hear that I offered some fresh ideas about the game. That’s always my goal!
I just realized that there's fire in an oxygenated environment. How does the ship not blow up?!
Fire suppression.
Excellent video. Something that's actually analysis and not mere summary. It's clear you love the game, and your criticisms are fair and not too harsh imo
26:00 damn I actually liked the whole Seegson droids and human chaos maze level. I usually manage to scoop up lots of gear plus I just like the idea of already messed up droids going absolutely haywire.
i like to think that section of the game are for player to feel relief
I mean I love this game todeath, but it is a one trick pony, one very good trick mind you but none the less only one. while fighting the alian is exciting and chellenging when you have to creep around for hours on end with almost no down time it get exhaughting. I think the game would have been match better off if there some interesting story beats and maybe a side mission or 2 inbetween alian incounters, which I feel was what they were going to do but because of the rewrite those sections just became filler
I cleared them all with the Bolt Gun and had no issues on Hard, so I don't get the complaints either. Yes, they hit hard and can be annoying to get around or if they catch you, but it was clear downtime from the Alien and I think it was a nice small breather before you're introduced to the Nest and have to start worrying about facehuggers, too.
There’s absolutely no need to run during that part of the game; you can stealth the whole thing.
Im pretty sure those symbols posted up by doors and important areas are pulled directly from the original film, there was an entire futuristic signage system made just for Alien
Man, your video and opinions made me really happy to watch and hear because I just finished the game last night and you pretty much nailed it on how I was feeling about all of it.
This video was absolutely phenomenal by ANY standards, let alone for a first attempt at analysis. In particular, it's really, really impressive how well you are able to communicate the POSITIVE qualities of the game. Far too often, "critique" or "analysis" videos devolve into a series of complaints, and the positive qualities are simply explained as "it feels good." It is easy to preciselyl describe why you dislike something, but it is much more difficult to describe why you like it. And you do so amazingly here!
Great video, I've been looking for this style of video for Alien Isolation for a while
that pausing before death thing is soooo real, coming from someone that 100%ed this game