A few weeks ago, the video game world community received the wonderful news 10 years later. Alien: Isolation, the applauded survival horror of Creative Assemblywill have a sequel that aims to continue fueling the horror around xenomorphs. More than celebrated news and, despite not having tasted the work, I was able to understand the magnitude of its importance.
Throughout this decade I have not stopped listening to and reading comments praising the good work of the English developer. The quintessence of the saga started by Ridley Scott, but sublimated in the virtual field in a science fiction context that makes my mouth water. As a good fan of Dead Space, it was striking to know that I had never tested myself against the most dangerous AI any developer has ever created.
The creature’s capabilities have elevated it to legendary status, as many players still have nightmares thinking about how to avoid an absolutely horrifying being. Since this year Fede Álvarez has seen fit to launch Alien: Romulus in movie theaters, I prepared to enter again into a universe of which I am not much of an expert. Beyond the original 1979 film and the unstable Prometheusthe truth is that my knowledge of lore is poor.
The Uruguayan director’s proposal was entertaining, which already implanted in my subconscious the need to expand my borders, which has been possible thanks to the Epic Games Store. Yes, that digital store forgotten in the void of the Internet that no one uses except to claim weekly free games – and many times not even that. In a display of generosity, the platform gave away on a date already forgotten Alien: Isolation
Ellen Ripley is the pure definition of a warrior woman, as is the case with Sarah Connor, but certain plot reasons prevent her from being the protagonist of Alien: Isolation. Since the action takes place during his hypersleep stage after leaving the Nostromo, what better way than to take control of Amanda, the daughter he never saw again. Fifteen years have passed since the disastrous events experienced by the crew that decided to go down to the wrong planet, but the young woman is not aware of any of it.
If he were, he would not have dared to set foot or even look at the Sevastopol station. The gigantic spaceship has become a rat’s nest from which it is impossible to escape and in which a breath is worth gold, because if the xenomorph does not finish you off, the rest of the crew will, who have completely lost their minds. The approach of That the xenomorph is completely invulnerable is wonderfulespecially due to the fact that his blood is pure acid, so all that remains is to dodge it by crossing your fingers.
It has been a long time since I felt such panic playing a video game and, as is often the case with fear experienced through a screen, it is a strangely pleasant sensation. I have never walked so slowly in a title and I had never calculated what to do before acting; all because of an abomination with heightened senses. Far from having a single AI, the xenomorph has two that offer it very valuable information about Amanda’s position at all times.
In other words, the bastard is always orbiting around you and it is almost impossible for him to be on the other side of the ship while you explore with some peace of mind. There is no way to read a terminal without breaking out in a cold sweat or check the motion sensor without praying that no icon appears on your screen. The sound design is a real fantasy
It has everything Alien: Isolation so you have to face the worst possible stealth experiences. Cross the medical area without attracting attention, activate complex mechanisms while the alien hovers nearby or resist its almost inevitable attacks in open areas. And I say almost if it weren’t for the series of odds and ends that serve as a decoy to keep him distracted for a few moments. A well-timed flare is always welcome, as is a device making noise, but God bless the flamethrower.
There is no more symbolic weapon in the saga and it is the definitive tool to scare away the creature, but its effect is limited. Really like the rest, because although he will continue to fall into the trap, the time during which he will be waiting for a light in a corner will be less and you will have to launch even more fire to make him crawl back towards the ceiling. That is precisely the area that I have checked the most, trying not to get under a hole under any circumstances, especially if I saw that a good waterfall of slime was falling from it.
Surprisingly, I have barely encountered the xenomorph in the ventilation ducts
These mother’s children have gotten on my nerves and they are no small feat, especially in the final stretch. Providing them with insulating suits was the best idea to guarantee their survival, but that precisely goes against mine. As if that were not enough, getting to the base of the core has been horrible. Two, OF THE damn xenomorphs They roam the entire area while the facehuggers look for a new victim to cling to.
Although I have felt that at the 17 hours it took me to complete Alien: Isolationhe easily had two and a half hours left over, the truth is that the studio managed to maintain the tension at all times. Although I already knew the behavior patterns of the xenomorph, it is still very challenging to avoid it in certain scenarios. That resources are scarce and have to be used to make weapons shows you the weight of each action you take, because they better be effective.
Now I am joining the wave of excitement generated by the announcement of the sequel, although we still don’t know when it will arrive. If they repeat the game pattern, but enhanced by the capabilities of current artificial intelligence, it will be a brutal challenge to come out alive from the challenge they give us. Either way, I’ll be in the front row to witness it.
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