Towards the beginning Perfect Organism: Alien: Companion in Isolationauthor Andy Kelly asks a question that might seem particularly relevant to an outsider: why write an entire book about one game? However, those who have ever harbored a deep passion for a piece of pop culture, whether it’s a movie, book, or game, have an innate sense of understanding right from the start. After all, who hasn’t felt the urge to rant on and on about their favorite game for hours on end to anyone willing to sit down and listen? It’s only natural that when we love something so completely, we want to talk about it.
This, ultimately, is what makes The Perfect Organism so enjoyable to read; that could only be written by someone who loves Alien: Isolation from head to toe. I’ve experienced too many books based in the world of video games that felt like they were written out of some grudging obligation, but Andy Kelly’s exploration of Creative Assembly’s extraordinary survival horror simply overflows with love and enthusiasm. As someone who has a similar passion for the game and the Alien franchise as a whole, it resonated deeply with me.
Whether you’ve played Alien: Isolation multiple times or are about to embark on your first terrifying trip through Sevastopol Station, Perfect Organism is a great insight into the game itself, its genesis and development, how it was influenced by Ridley Scott’s original film, and why it is likely to stand the test of time for decades to come. At just over 200 pages, it never feels overly exhaustive, but still has plenty to sink your teeth into.
Kelly begins with a fitting introductory segment about why he felt the need for such a project and what the game means to him, before moving on to a brief but informative history of the Alien game franchise up to this point. And Kelly doesn’t miss a beat, even including post-isolation titles like Aliens: Fireteam Elite and Aliens: Dark Descent.
After this, things get a little deeper as Kelly dives into the real nitty-gritty. He explores how Creative Assembly won over both Fox and Sega with their extremely convincing pitch and tech demos, how the team immersed themselves in the world of Ridley Scott Stranger (including playing the first film on a constant loop inside the development office), and what technology was used to make the titular Xenomorph such a terrifying, fearsome force.
The real majority of Perfect Organism lies within the ‘Mission Guide’ segment. Now, I admit I’m a bit skeptical at this stage. Why would I, as someone who has played the game multiple times and knows the Sevastopol space station like the back of his hand, need an exhaustive mission guide? Surely anyone who loves Alien: Isolation enough to read an entire book about the game would also be in the same boat?
Truth be told, though, the mission guide often reads more like a complimentary commentary; almost like something you’d expect inside a special features DVD. Yes, it’s actually a game guide, but it’s written in a more conversational style; a far cry from the SEO friendly guides you may be used to seeing online. It is also full of interesting anecdotes, observations and background information that allude to the development of certain scenes. I found that the best way to experience this part of the book was to play through a chapter of the game and then read the corresponding segment within the quest guide. It works great, as you’d expect, as a handy companion piece.
In fact, comparing the entire Perfect Organism to a DVD add-on might be the most appropriate way to describe it. If you’ve somehow managed to avoid playing Alien: Isolation since its release in 2014 and don’t plan on experiencing it anytime soon, nothing I or anyone else can say will convince you to pick up Andy Kelly’s companion piece; it’s just not for you. But if you’re a fan and want to enhance your experience with a little extra reading material, Perfect Organism is a fascinating dive into the game’s development and how it cemented its place as one of the greatest survival horrors of all time.
Regarding the book itself, I must mention that this is actually a novel in the most traditional sense. There are no images to speak of, and frankly, I wish there was a photo developing part stuck in the middle; just as history books often have sections devoted to pictures. Alas, there’s nothing like that here, but if you want a visual aid, there are plenty of documentary-style features on YouTube that you can peruse at your leisure. Otherwise, it’s a solid product, and I especially like the minimalist design of the protector. The lack of any Xenomorph iconography was no doubt to avoid any potential legal issues, but it works just as well without it.
