Alien: Isolation - The First Alien Film Meets System Shock 2?

Renault on 6/10/2014 at 22:03

I'm liking what I'm reading in most of the reviews. I'm not surprised that Gamespot and IGN are giving it the lowest marks, they're pretty much centered around the Halo console crowd anyway these days. Sites like PC Gamer, Destructoid, and Eurogamer are giving it much better ratings. Gameplay sounds really tense, and it sounds like they allow the player to get a little creative in how they handle each situation. Definitely sounds like a TTLG kind of game.

Green Man Gaming has a 20% off coupon available if you're on their mailing list, btw.

Neb on 8/10/2014 at 12:10

Quote Posted by Thirith

Does anyone know whether it's supposed to work with Oculus Rift (perhaps with a later patch)? I've heard contradictory information on that one and whether the OR demo of the game was going to remain a demo only.

After digging around in config files, it looks like a bunch of people now have it working, even though it's not officially supported.

(http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/2iirut/help_break_alien_isolation_open_and_enable/)

Thirith on 8/10/2014 at 12:50

Yay! That sounds great. In general, it seems that so far at least people have been pretty good at creating ways of getting Oculus Rift to work with games that weren't designed for it. I don't think that all kinds of 3D games will lend themselves to OR, but something like this, if done well, could be amazing on OR. And potentially kill thousands of players due to heart attacks.

I'm arguing with myself whether I want to get this game now or whether I'll first work on my backlog and get it once it's come down in price. What I've read (both positive and negative) I'm pretty excited about this - but the sensible thing would definitely be to wait, at least until I've got my new PC, which should be earlyish next year.

242 on 9/10/2014 at 11:14

Quote Posted by Brethren

To heck with reviews. Players rating is much more indicative, and it's 8.4 on metacritic for now, the crowd there usually is quite picky.

Random_Taffer on 9/10/2014 at 22:38

Get it. This game is the most God damned terrifying thing I've ever played. Really smart AI (but not psychic) leads to some really intense hide and seek moments.

catbarf on 10/10/2014 at 03:29

Got the game, did the first few levels, missed picking up the blueprint for the EMP mines, and am now on the next level, considering hiking all the way back just to pick up the blueprint. Those of you who have gotten farther, do I need to go back for it?

Random_Taffer on 10/10/2014 at 05:13

Quote Posted by catbarf

As long as you don't have to slog through a constant hide and seek, I would. I think it only effects synthetics, right? I've got it, but haven't used it yet so I'm not sure. I'm still at the first major hide and seek section in the medical area.

Volitions Advocate on 14/10/2014 at 05:11

This game is pretty ace.

The alien isn't the only thing to worry about. The androids are creepy as hell, and there's no way to tell which ones want to kill you and which ones just want to say g'day.

It gets especially hairy when you're dealing with both in the same area. I just slogged through an entire sequence hiding from both droids and the alien, and it took me dying 5 times before realizing the droids don't care that I'm there. In that particular spot anyway.

Hiding from the alien is pretty routine, but it really does learn from you, and quickly.

I've been finding the flame thrower very useful. if it surprises me and I at least have it equipped.. and it's at least outside of a couple arms length of reach. I have about a 50/50 chance of surviving the encounter. 2 or 3 quick rapid blasts and it turns and runs. Or if I'm unlucky it runs through me to get away from me, which causes some pretty serious health damage.

Problem is... I've done it about half a dozen times... and now if the bastard sees me and I've got the flamer equipped (it can tell) it just stands there about 10 feet away staring me down... Just watching me to see what I'm going to do. Then it slowly takes small steps towards me to see what it can get away with. It's tense as hell. IGN can pound sand. It IS repetitive and stressful.. but the more you repeat a task. the more the alien adapts and you have to start changing how you do things. As for unfair.... I think once you get the hang of it, and start to understand what you can get away with when you encounter the alien, it's perfectly fair. Ripley isn't a soldier, she's an engineer and not quick on the trigger. Of course.. the fucking thing learns... It's uncanny.

If this game wasn't stressful, it wouldnt' be worth playing. Amnesia in space is definitely the wrong way to describe it. Its SS2 in so many ways. Just think of the alien as the one big daddy you encounter the whole game. But it can travel place to place at will, and you can't kill it, and it instakills you if it gets its grubby hands on you.

I'm impressed so far. It feels SO different from any other alien game that has come out. Colonial Marines was kind of shit on for not being like Alien. Deserved some of the ridicule, but all in all, it was based on Aliens, which is NOT Alien. This game is 100% Alien, and then some.

It's a great ride so far. Have to quit tonight though. I'd play until 5 am (like I did yesterday) if I don't pack it in right now.

ZylonBane on 14/10/2014 at 14:54

Quote Posted by Volitions Advocate

Colonial Marines was kind of shit on for not being like Alien.

Uh, I'm pretty sure it was shat upon for being a buggy, unplayable mess.

Thirith on 14/10/2014 at 15:01

And since Alien is not a buggy unplayble mess, obviously Colonial Marines was shat on for not begin like it. Obviously. :p