Skip to content

ALIEN: ISOLATION

Written By:

Chris Jackson
NSwitchDS_AlienIsolation_01

ALIEN: ISOLATION / DEVELOPER: FERAL INTERACTIVE / PUBLISHER: SEGA / PLATFORM: SWITCH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Originally released in 2014, Alien: Isolation takes place 15 years after the events of the 1979’s Alien movie and casts players in the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen, as she tries to find out what happened to her mother. It’s a genuinely tense, exciting and terrifying adventure and, with input from the people at 20th Century Fox on the development side of things, Alien: Isolation is easily one of the most authentic movie tie-in games ever made.

The newly-released Switch edition contains the main game and all previously-released DLC in one bumper package. The story campaign is mainly centred around the Sevastopol space station. The various characters you come across might not immediately seem hostile, but you’re never totally sure if they’re trustworthy. Weapons are largely ineffective against enemies – androids can be taken down with a few well-placed shots, but gunfire (along with many other almost-necessary movements like using the in-game motion tracker) will draw other hostiles to your location. Finding blueprints gives access to a range of useful gadgets like smoke bombs and noisemakers, but your main allies throughout the game are stealth and patience. The station itself feels cold and empty, and knowing that the alien is likely to kill you immediately means that its arrival is one of gaming’s most unnerving experiences. With the potential for the alien to make an appearance at any moment (its movements aren’t scripted, so anything can happen at any time), you’re constantly on edge. True to the game’s name, you definitely feel isolated.

The included DLC features a couple of missions based on the original Alien film. In Crew Expendable and Last Survivor, players can take control of Ripley, Dallas or Parker (all voiced by the original actors) in several “what if” scenarios that offer alternative takes on the ending of the movie. There’s also a Survivor Mode which contains a host of different challenge maps and playable characters.

The Switch edition runs absolutely flawlessly in both docked and handheld mode, and the technical wizardry behind the scenes have resulted in possibly the best looking game on the console (an in-depth investigation by Digital Foundry concluded that it looks even better than its PS4 counterpart!). As one of the greatest survival horror games, Alien: Isolation is already a must-buy, and the inclusion of all of the previously-released additional content and the ability to take it on the go are extremely welcome. Without doubt, this is an essential purchase for fans of the genre.

Chris Jackson

You May Also Like...

chinese remake of anaconda drops trailer

ANACONDA Trailer Grants First Look At Remake Of 1997 Horror Flick

Three sequels and a spinoff-crossover film wasn’t enough for the 1997 creature feature Anaconda, which not only has a new movie in development, but is getting a Chinese remake! From
Read More
black widow star scarlett johansson in talks to lead new universal jurassic world film

Scarlett Johansson In Talks To Join JURASSIC WORLD Film

Another MCU star appears to be taking up the reins for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie: two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to lead the franchise that
Read More

Exclusive Reveal! Titan Comics to Deliver Prehistoric Hysterics in First 2 DUMB DINOS Collection

Titan Comics have exclusively revealed to STARBURST that they’re gearing up to publish the first-ever collection of the hilarious cult digital comic strip 2 Dumb Dinos, and we’re not the
Read More

New Dates For Lovecraftian Key of Dreams

Key of Dreams has announced new spaces for its titular immersive luxury horror event. The critically acclaimed company is known for its overnight experiences that dunk you into a strange
Read More

FAB Café to Host Free Film Screening of New Indie Comedy SECRETS OF A WALLABY BOY

We’re well known for our championing of truly independent filmmakers here at STARBURST, so it’s doubly exciting to be writing about one of our own! After joining the crew in
Read More
colin farrell returns as oswald cobblepot in the penguin series trailer

Colin Farrell Returns In THE PENGUIN Trailer

Colin Farrell returns as Gotham City’s answer to Tony Soprano in the first trailer for Max series The Penguin, which spins out of the world of the 2022 DC film
Read More