In search of answers about the disappearance of her mother: Ellen, after the incident of the Nostromo, Amanda Ripley, takes matters into her own hands in this first-person survival/horror video game. Hoping to find out what happened to her fifteen years previously, Amanda travels to Sevastopol Station, a deep-space base in orbit of a massive gas planet along with her colleagues, Samuels and Taylor, to recover the flight recorder unit of Ellen's ship. However, things are not as they seem. There, hostile synthetics and humans are the least of her worries, as a powerful adversary, an invincible Xenomorph, is lurking in the shadows, ready to strike on the slightest disturbance. Now, armed only with a flashlight, some ineffective weapons and her will to survive, Ripley has no other choice but to do everything in her power to outsmart the alien. Will she find closure, get out of the crippled base, and live to tell the tale? This is hands down one of the best games ever, especially when it comes to the Alien franchise. It feels like the first film in video game form and you are the one now surviving the horror. This game is not for the faint of heart as it has to be one of the scariest games I've played through and, despite being completely terrified, I loved it. If you're not convinced as to how scary this game is - the developers were scared when making and play testing it out. Yeah, it's THAT scary. The Xenomorph is 100% the scariest thing in this game as the A.I constantly gets smarter throughout your playthrough, making it appear as if the alien is learning like a real creature would. It doesn't help that the game's code makes it so it always knows where you are, but only the vicinity, it must then hunt you from there. Any sound you make will alert it, you can't outrun it, you can't kill it and hiding is only a temporary solution. Sounds fun doesn't it? There was one time in my personal play of the game when the alien dropped down from a vent whilst I was crouched behind a counter and it walked right up to me. As I started to back away, by some stroke of luck, it didn't see me and moved on. I can tell you now my heart was pounding! I have put that encounter down below as a video you can watch. This game also looks phenomenal with some stunning visuals, which I have to say is kind of amazing for a 2014 game as it looks like it was released today. All the characters are really investing and props to all the voice actors who brought this game to life because although the visuals and gameplay are big criteria in the gaming world, the story and characters are just as important. I love the story of seeing Amanda take off to space searching for her mother and her development over the course of this adventure is a truly thrilling experience. The location, Sevastopol Station, feels like it fits right into the franchise having that 70s/80s sci-fi feel to it which I am a huge fan of and this nailed it. It makes for some great exploration and setting with parts being pristine and clean to damaged and wrecked. Set between the events of the films: Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) this game is an amazing addition which puts you in the shoes of Ripley's daughter, Amanda, letting you take control and technically engage in your own story in this universe. I would highly recommend watching the first two films before playing this game as the second film introduces us to Amanda in the special edition and is then a good bridge to go on to play this game and see what she did and the attempts to find her lost mother. It also gives you a good idea as to how the alien universe works and sees a peak into the evolution of the world's advancements during the 57 years of Ripley's disappearance. Overall, this is a must-play for fans of the films. If you are unable to play it, you should certainly check out a full gameplay walkthrough, like the one I linked below and you can watch it like a very long film. Alien Isolation is truly a gaming masterpiece that is sure to have you jumping at every sound and movement. If your heart isn't racing then there must be something wrong! Definitely, a game to play during the Halloween season.
Platforms: Android / IOS / Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One
Ellen Ripley, the sole survivor of the alien attack on the mining ship Nostromo, awakens 57 years later when she is found by a salvage vessel. The welcome given to her by the Company officials is far from warm since they refuse to believe her discovery of alien existence and revoke her flight officer's licence. Much to her horror, Ripley also discovers that the moon LV-426 where her crew had encountered an alien species for the first time, is now colonised by the Company. But when all contact from the moon is lost, Ripley is called back into action again as an advisor to a team of tough space marines with a great deal of firepower. To get rid of her recurrent nightmares about the alien creature, Ripley prepares for a final battle with the monsters; however this time, there are hundreds of them out there. Aliens has to be one of the best movie sequels ever. It is certainly up there with Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) in delivering a grand follow-up to an already incredible film, which both launched into a franchise. Aliens is one of my absolute favourite films ever, alongside its predecessor: Alien (1979) for quite the same reasons, being an old sci-fi that uses such amazing real effects to produce such a marvellous-looking product. This is can be seen through the use of model ships/creatures and how they manage to make them look so realistic and grand in size, which I find so cool and fascinating as to how it is done. There is a special edition with added scenes that overall make the film even better, like the scene where Ellen finds out her daughter passed away whilst she drifted into space for years. This scene makes her relationship with Newt (the girl she finds alone on the base) more significant as she feels the need to protect her as she didn't get that chance to with her daughter, Amanda. But if you want to find out a bit more about her to what she was doing whilst her mother was lost in space, check out the extraordinary Alien Isolation (Video Game 2014). The setting for this film is without a doubt science fiction worthy from every little detail to the big in the halls and rooms of the abandoned colony base to the interior of the Sulaco spaceship. It meets all my expectations for a futuristic space film. There's something about a horror movie set on abandoned space stations/planets that I enjoy above all other horror films. Having it take place in space is just a thousand times cooler to me. James Cameron, the director, also flipped the genre to that of the first film, a survival horror, delivering an action horror to the Alien franchise. Not only that but he created some of the most exciting and coolest action scenes in this film. It will never get old seeing all those marines and Ripley shooting up Xenomorphs in so many unique and epic ways. I love how they even remember to acknowledge the alien's acid blood which manages to injure and kill marines who shot them at close range, making the fights all the tenser. The ending is also so iconic with Ripley using a power loader to take on the Xeno queen, which was just so exciting and just goes to show how badass Ripley is. Not only in her physical actions but with her dialogue, "Get away from her, you bitch!" Her character has grown so much after her first encounter with one of the creatures and now she goes in all guns blazing to take them all out, becoming a proper fighter and leader. Overall, I adore this film for plenty of reasons. The characters feel so real and have friendships and banter with one another, even when fighting among themselves, they have loyalty and care for one another, making it all the sadder when one dies. Furthermore, the character development for Ripley is outstanding, and the futuristic sounds and visuals used are so aesthetically pleasing to look at, in my opinion being a sci-fi nut. I cannot stress enough how much I adore this film. It is easily one of my all-time favourite sci-fi adventures to ever exist. It is a must-watch and gets my seal of approval so what are you waiting for? Go watch it! You won't regret it. For more viewing from the franchise check out the next instalment in Alien 3 (1992).
Deep in space, the crew of the Nostromo (a commercial spaceship) is on a journey back home and in cryo-sleep capsules for the long trip. However, halfway through their course, they are awoken when they pick up a distress call on a distant moon, from an alien vessel. Upon landing on the rocky terrain, 3 members go in search of the origin, and little did they know what they would uncover. The crew encounters a nest of eggs inside the alien ship where an organism from inside one egg leaps out, attaching itself to one of the crew. Brought back aboard the Nostromo the true horrors were yet to begin... Alien is a timeless classic and one of my absolute favourites. It is simply incredible! This film is everything I love about older movies, especially when it comes to old sci-fi flicks. Despite releasing 43 years ago, this movie still holds up today managing to impress and shock people, hammering home its timelessness. I have always had a fascination for anything science fiction especially in regards to space and futuristic technology. With these older films, the technology tends to be a mix of the future and tech of its time, which is now so outdated however it is a detail I cannot help but adore which is best seen throughout the film with the Nostromo. They also manage to implement this mixture of technology to the world making it appear outdated and clunky but is still high-tech which is a neat idea. Not only that, but this film takes the time to show how it all works. Everything has a purpose and by showing all their functions, it creates a bigger sense of believability and realism to this universe. They not only do this with the Nostromo but also with the alien organisms. Like, for example, with the face-hugger. We hear how it operates and we later see an up close dissection of the creature, further showing us how it could actually exist and operate which is just so cool. I additionally love these films for their use of models/miniatures for the ships that feature so much detail, which end up looking so grand when fully implemented into the film. The ship is also brought to life with the use of the incredible sound design from the wailing of the alarms to the whirring of the machines. Not to mention the ambient feel of the Nostromo's interior shown throughout which sets the tone whilst giving so many beautiful shots of the architecture. The actors deserve a lot of praise and credit too alongside Ridley Scott for making this film what it is, from the way it was shot to how authentic these characters feel. You care for them and understand their struggles so when they are put in this danger, you too feel in danger and fear for their safety. I feel this strongest with Ellen Ripley. We follow Ripley alongside the whole crew of the Nostromo on their journey and survival, however, she stands out above them all. If she had been in charge, I can only imagine how entirely differently the events of this film would have turned out, seeing as she would have ensured the creature never boarded the ship, to begin with, adhering to the protocols, unlike the captain. This film takes on a survival horror genre that is very intense, having you in a constant state of fear never knowing when or where the creature could spring from. The alien (known as a Xenomorph) has a phenomenal design that is super creepy yet very iconic. It is incredibly big and strong, has acid for blood and is practically unstoppable. If you enjoy this film for its survival horror aspect then: Alien Isolation (Video Game 2014)is a great additional part of the franchise that delivers the same experience but allows you to take control as Ripley's daughter set 15 years after this movie. Overall, I adore this film so much and will always remain a favourite of mine. There are so many memorable moments throughout Alien from the discovery of the mysterious vessel and hundreds of eggs deep within to the chestburster scene, there are so many famous scenes to experience. It is such a classic flick which has earned its place in pop culture history with its iconic scenes, characters, visuals and not to mention its tagline: In space, no one can hear you scream. I cannot stress enough that you check this one out alongside the equally perfect sequel: Aliens (1986).
