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Alien Isolation - better than the reviews indicate?

Rhazer Fusion

Rhazer Fusion

Member
Alien Isolation is another one of the reasons I typically do not trust "professional" reviews. I went in with some skepticism mostly due to reviews, but I ended up really being impressed with the game, especially for a movie adaptation. In fact, I think it is easily one of the best games of the generation. I think they really nailed the atmosphere in this game and imo it was an excellent game that was faithful to the original material. It's also very challenging on Normal which is what I started off with, so if you are not patient, be careful with this one. Yeah, the game can go on for a little longer than necessary, but it's still an enjoyable and memorable ride. I want a sequel.
 
W

Wind's Howling

Member
It is my GOTY and that is solely because of the reason that Creative Assembly developed an absolute masterpiece with solid voice acting and story, but the one thing they succeeded in the most is the atmosphere.

The atmosphere alone destroys every single game of 2014. It is made for fans who love the Alien movie, and it is quite simply put an homage to that.

I would recommend for anyone who wants to play this gem of a game, to first watch Alien again and breathe in the atmosphere and design.

By the time you start up Alien Isolation you will notice that they managed to capture the same essence of the movie with an absolute love in the tiny details.
 
O

Osahi

Member
henhowc said:
8 hrs? Were you trying a speed run or something? :p I'd say your average person would take double that. Length is one of the main criticisms of the game I constantly see. Needed a good edit.
Click to expand...
Came to post this. Game is awesome, but the pacing is completely off. Could easily have cut half of the game and be better for it. I loved it as a fan of the first film, but hated the save system (i'm a short bursts player) and found it overlong
 
T

Thrakier

Member
Alien is the best button push simulator released in 2014.

Game is weird. I have plenty of criticism and was happy when it ended, yet I would not want to miss the experience. Mainly though because of atmosphere and graphics. Gameplay and story isn't it's strong point. And really, the amount of padding and power up/power down missions is angering.
 
R

Replicant

Member
It was okay for me. As far as bang for scare, I find The Evil Within, despite its flaws and batshit insane difficulty provided more fun and variety. There weren't that many horror games released this year on console, but Evil Within and Outlast were the two that grabbed my attention.
 
T

-TK-

Member
US reviewers just want to play easy games where you can just rush and shoot everything like idiot and have checkpoints in every 10 seconds. Alien got some nice reviews by other journalists.

Zombi U got pretty bad reviews too and I almost didn't bought it because of that, but thank god european reviewers changed my mind. One the best and atmospheric horror games ever!
 
C

Comfort Jones

Banned
I literally bought the game because of certain reviews. I can't remember the specific review off the top of my head but I very clearly remember some reviewer complaining that he saw the alien leave, made a run for the exit and died. I immediately thought "oh so you fucked up by dashing and this game is not for dumb people" and decided to give it a try.

Definitely has its problems but it is easily the best pure horror game (as in not focused on killing enemies, not really about satisfying combat or managing ammo etc like survival horror) I've ever played. It's a game that clearly loves its source material that wants to give the Xenormoprh a good stage to be terrifying again and I have to respect that.

I roll my fucking eyes when people try to quote reviewers, especially Amercian reviewers, on anything. People trying to convince me a game is good because lol the journalists liked it at E3 is laugh worthy. Watch these people play games, listen to what they're actually saying. They suck at games and they suck at writing, just go watch a let's play or just take a risk because sometimes that's fun.

Or w/e listen to Greg Miller jack off to another boring fps.
 
B

Backfoggen

Banned
Definitely. I feel like punishing survival gameplay will never go above a certain review score threshold, it was the same with Outlast.
For example "unpredictable Alien behaviour" is named as a negative in a lot of these reviews while I think it's actually a positive, because it doesn't get boring this way. Some people just seem to think "I was annoyed by this, bad game"
 
M

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
It's absolutely amazing and my GOTY and my likely GOTG. I have bitched about it constantly, but that IGN review is an absolute farce.

I would recommend it.
 
S

Seanspeed

Banned
What it does well, it does *very* well.

But it feels very one dimensional, not really providing much depth or variety.

I can see why some people aren't going to like it as much.
 
V

Vitten

Member
Core game is great. Never thought they could make the xeno legitimately scary again after all those years. Only problem is the gameplay is limited in scope; in the end 90% of what you do is crawling and hiding through corridors while pushing buttons and pulling levers with just a tiny bit of gun/flame thrower play.

But for pure tension and fear, the game is hard to beat.
 
Trickster

Trickster

Member
I think it's about as good as the reviews say it is. If you look at the metacritic the game is right around a solid 8. I mean that's a pretty good average. Especially given the rather large issues the game has.
 
G

gizio

Member
Alien Isolation deserves all the praise of this world, sure it has some flaws, but if you are a fan of the original Alien the faithful recreation of the mood and the atmosphere of the first movie suck you into the game and never let you go. It's a game that demands patience and a thoughtful approach, giving you all the tools to survive. It's my GOTY, I usually hate horror games but this one is special, trust me. Harsh reviews were probably rushed.
 
J

Javier23

Banned
It is a game that requires patience, specially at the beginning, but I certainly don't think it is as hard as some claim. There comes a moment when you get the hang of it and it actually feels like it should be harder or that you are cheating by exploiting some of the AI weaknesses. And I say this as someone who is terrible at Dark Souls and who simply doesn't get the first RE. I loved this game. It certainly is long, but given how much I liked it it didn't feel to me like it overstayed its welcome.

This, along with The Evil Within, are both my GOTY. They are two solid, original, extremely immersive and very smart experiences that revived my hope in gaming in an age where every AAA seems to me to be an uninspired generic collectathon that is just not enjoyable to play. Not to mention, they are two excellent survival horrors and we don't get enough of those anymore.
 
M

Masterbrew

Member
Levito said:
It's a niche game, if you have no patience and hate feeling disempowered, you'll probably hate the game. The developers promised an uncompromising survival horror game that took inspiration solely from the original movie, and that's exactly what it ended up being. Some reviews claimed the game was too hard and unforgiving but I wholeheartedly disagree. Alien Isolation is tough but fair, it takes cues from old cat and mouse style games like Clock Tower or Haunting Ground but is much more well designed than either of those.


It's an incredibly well thought out game, but it's certainly not for everyone.
Click to expand...

That's not what I remember from the reviews. They were annoyed about the introduction of somewhat generic android enemies, and the fact that you get a weapon at some point which takes away the important feeling of being disempowered against the alien.
 
RedAssedApe

RedAssedApe

Banned
Masterbrew said:
That's not what I remember from the reviews. They were annoyed about the introduction of somewhat generic android enemies, and the fact that you get a weapon at some point which takes away the important feeling of being disempowered against the alien.
Click to expand...

i thought the androids were kind of neat and weren't just some random ass enemies as they were fully integrated into the story. you aren't really supposed to be fighting these things unless absolutely necessary and in many instances they will leave you alone unless you attack them first. the human enemies were more annoying to me.
 
C

Calmine

Member
As many have said. Majority of the negative reviews came from US reviewers. Complaining on difficulty and length of the game.

Yes the game can be difficult at times and the save system is unforgiving but Alien Isolation is by far one of best horror titles of the year. Just oozes with atmosphere and tension. The game is long and does have a fair amount of back tracking but it's not done to simply make the game longer, you have an adjective in every area and that doesn't bother me.

People just expect newer games especially horror to be cheap jump scares and dying gruesomely. They don't realise that in some of the best horror titles its all about atmosphere, just like the original Alien movie the game is based upon.
 
T

twobear

sputum-flecked apoplexy
It's frequently brilliant, but also occasionally frustrating and tedious. I think your enjoyment will depend on how much you can forgive brilliance a number of fairly noteworthy blemishes.
 
Carnby

Carnby

Member
I would have purchased this game by now, but reviewers said the game does something that is my biggest gaming peeve. That is dying and watching the same long winded scripted event again, just to instantly die again. Over and over.

Games that so this irritate me. I won't put myself through it.
 
I

ironcreed

Banned
Put it this way, I wish I had went ahead and got it over The Evil Within at full price. Some of the best atmosphere and tension ever. Grab it for $30 right now on PS4 or Xbox One. At that price it's a steal.
 
B

Bumhead

Banned
My GOTY too.

I'm absolutely fine with it being divisive, though, and being a complex proposition to review. Those are merely occupational hazards of the survival horror genre.

Trying to appeal to broader audiences has already taken too many victims. My favourite thing about Isolation is that it staunchly sticks to it's survival horror guns. It's an exceptional experience for the trouble, albeit one that won't be to absolutely everybody's tastes.
 
M

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
Carnby said:
I would have purchased this game by now, but reviewers said the game does something that is my biggest gaming peeve. That is dying and watching the same long winded scripted event again, just to instantly die again. Over and over.

Games that so this irritate me. I won't put myself through it.
Click to expand...

This almost never happened to me, and I am not a particularly skilled player. There are save points in every second or third room, so people that complain about this only have themselves to blame. By the middle of the game you will be well used to dealing with the Alien as well.

Just buy it.
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
"padded out with too many boring bits in between and just goes on too long"

That was absolutely on point with how I felt by the end of the game except the boring bits started to be anything with the Alien stalking you.
 
I

ironcreed

Banned
I have never felt so hunted and like I'm being stalked before. And the use of lighting and sound is masterful. Come to think of it, I actually would not mind a Predator game like this.
 
I

IcyEyes

Member
A:I is an awesome product.
I love the Alien franchise and this game just amazed me.
Really near the end you may get tired to move from A to B and go back to A, but in the end this game delivers a very intense experience and I can't really wait to play the next one (already confirmed!).

Carnby said:
I would have purchased this game by now, but reviewers said the game does something that is my biggest gaming peeve. That is dying and watching the same long winded scripted event again, just to instantly die again. Over and over.

Games that so this irritate me. I won't put myself through it.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is (partially) true. The dying event is not so long and you may always pause the game and load the last checkpoint (I do this all the time and worked fine).
 
D

DoktorEvil

Banned
Levito said:
It's a niche game, if you have no patience and hate feeling disempowered, you'll probably hate the game. The developers promised an uncompromising survival horror game that took inspiration solely from the original movie, and that's exactly what it ended up being. Some reviews claimed the game was too hard and unforgiving but I wholeheartedly disagree. Alien Isolation is tough but fair, it takes cues from old cat and mouse style games like Clock Tower or Haunting Ground but is much more well designed than either of those.

It's an incredibly well thought out game, but it's certainly not for everyone.
Click to expand...

First post nailed it.

A;I is my 2014 GOTY, but I can see it being a divisive experience. It's my definition of what survival horror truly is.
 
C

Cave Johnson

Member
From the reviews' impression they gave sounds like it should've been an 8 hour title. Even Angry Joe pointed out it dragged too long, and that kinda dissipates the horror aspect of it especially if it was a constant cat & mouse game. I recently finished Outlast and with the 4 hours it gave turned out to be very dragging and Alien: Isoation sounds like that over a longer period.

I prefer helpless horror in the scope of Amnesia/Penumbra, perfect length and pacing for me never letting up the horror until the end.
 
R

RyougaSaotome

Member
Levito said:
It's a niche game, if you have no patience and hate feeling disempowered, you'll probably hate the game. The developers promised an uncompromising survival horror game that took inspiration solely from the original movie, and that's exactly what it ended up being. Some reviews claimed the game was too hard and unforgiving but I wholeheartedly disagree. Alien Isolation is tough but fair, it takes cues from old cat and mouse style games like Clock Tower or Haunting Ground but is much more well designed than either of those.


It's an incredibly well thought out game, but it's certainly not for everyone.
Click to expand...

This is a great, to-the-point post that highlights what's potentially great or offputting about the game.

It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're looking for the kind of experience it wants to give you, you'll love it.

I adore the game.
 
M

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
IcyEyes said:
A:I is an awesome product.
I can't really wait to play the next one (already confirmed!).
Click to expand...

It is? I thought they just said that they are talking about it? Unbelievable news if so, I'm guessing it probably didn't outsell Call of Duty but hopefully it sold well enough.
 
T

tanod

when is my burrito
I rented it once, really liked it And plan on buying it. This seems to be the type of game that isn't goon to review well because most of these reviewers are playing under time constraints and its not a game that you would usually rush through.

That being said, there are some stealth segments that are really frustrating. Also parts when i'd rather just be exploring the environment instead of sneaking around.
 
I

ironcreed

Banned
Cave Johnson said:
From the reviews' impression they gave sounds like it should've been an 8 hour title. Even Angry Joe pointed out it dragged too long, and that kinda dissipates the horror aspect of it especially if it was a constant cat & mouse game. I recently finished Outlast and with the 4 hours it gave turned out to be very dragging and Alien: Isoation sounds like that over a longer period.

I prefer helpless horror in the scope of Amnesia/Penumbra, perfect length and pacing for me never letting up the horror until the end.
Click to expand...

I was kind of worried about that as well, but I can safely say that I am enjoying this much more than something like Outlast. I want it to be a long experience because there is just a lot more to it than a game like that with your items, interactions and crafting, etc.
 
I

IcyEyes

Member
Markitron said:
It is? I thought they just said that they are talking about it? Unbelievable news if so, I'm guessing it probably didn't outsell Call of Duty but hopefully it sold well enough.
Click to expand...

http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/alien...equel_a_daily_topic_at_creative_assembly.html

This is the article, but sorry, I've just "skipped" the "if" in this sentence :

... lead game designer Gary Napper has revealed, stating that if a sequel does get greenlit, he would like it to place a greater emphasis ...
Click to expand...

So, it's not confirmed, sorry for the confusion!
 
MickeyPhree

MickeyPhree

Member
As a survival horror game it is definetly a solid pick up.

As a fan of the alien franchise, this is my favorite game ever.
 
C

CosmicQueso

Member
Those reviews completely botched it on Isolation. Check the GOTY lists and end of year impressions.

It's my GOTY, by a huge margin. It's a glorious game.

chandoog said:
Its a good weekend rental OP. The game's single player, you can easily beat it in 8~ hours. its good for one play through, you should at least experience it once.
Click to expand...

It would be rude for me to call you a straight up liar. So I just won't say anything.

21 fantastic hours for me, Normal plus the DLC.

Calmine said:
As many have said. Majority of the negative reviews came from US reviewers. Complaining on difficulty and length of the game.
Click to expand...

Yeah, those US reviewers, with no patience and no gaming skillz.
 
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