This review contains spoilers

minor gameplay spoilers so I put spoiler warning on
Nice. Don't think/know if it's a masterpiece as I remembered it to be when I first saw a playthrough (almost) 10 years ago. I was 10 years old when this was released and I really didn't have any prior contact with the franchise, although I was really into a horror game youtuber at the time, and so I've really held this and other games like Outlast to a really high standard for a long time. Today, even though I've matured a bit, actually played the game myself and no longer think it's a perfect game, I can't really see why I LOVED it (or why I don't anymore), but it is pretty clear that it is somewhat of an acquired taste, or at least not for everyone.

For starters, yes, the game sometimes feels too long, as some of its attractive points wear out rather quickly, and others are stretched throughout without much attraction in the first place. 2nd half starts wack, and the ending isn't bad but it isn't remarkable either, same goes for the story and the expendable side-stories readable in the various terminals scattered throughout Sevastopol, which feel just like they're serving the purpose of either: filling you into obvious main story points; or adding to the whole theme of "ah shit. the creature's fucking us up. seegson too. aw man. we're doomed. also the password to that door is 9374". Hard difficulty isn't really hard, even before you're actually used to the game, (granted I did say I've watched this whole game playthrough prior to playing it, even though it was several years ago), and when you start to think it's getting hard, you get a neat flamethrower, which, by the way, you get much ammo for, easily, which is also the case for almost every usable item in the game - so much so that you'd think it'll be an action packed game, which some reviews will also tell you is not the case here. The androids suck not only on the lore, but also to play against 'cause they're boring. Feels good to throw a pipe bomb at 'em? Yeah, I guess. Not really. Shotguns and your revolver take 2137 shots to take 'em down. Later on, they get a special hazard suit. You can't EPM, shoot, bomb, or put them on fire (you already couldn't do that last one). As said before, not really hard (just run for a bit and crouch on a corner), still boring. They do serve as a quick scare sometimes, so there's that.

I didn't plan on writing such a long paragraph on the game's negatives, almost feels like I'm basing my rating on something you can't really guess what - that said, I would like you to guess what are/is, for me, the positive(s) this game has to offer. Friendly clue, it's on the title!

If you guessed "Alien", that's correct! The alien, that is so informally introduced as the ventilation crawling homicidal creature, that makes you shit your pants from the moment you see it crawling down the vent on the best in-game cutscene (or even earlier, if you're unlucky) to the long last stretch of the game when you're happily granted with the knowledge that there are now AlienS, in the plural - i.e., you're fucked - is the strongest appeal of the game, and I would say by FAR if it weren't for the second word on the title. But we'll get on that after this. After watching the first Alien movie shortly after starting my gameplay, I can appreciate much more the direction the game takes in its scariest sections, when the Xenomorph stalks around in your proximities while you have to figure out where to go and what objective to do. Of course, these sections are numerous and understandable as tiring, even with the premise, of Mr. Tall Boots hunting you down, but the power the AI exerts over the gameplay is tremendous in which it makes you feel like you're in an Alien movie!!1(IGN ahh comment lmao) commands your and the Xeno's actions as if you're surviving against an alive, invincible and lethal being. Not only that, the creature has different settings for its behaviors, as if it's learning your patterns and in the next bout, it will get you. As I cited as a negative point, the game's difficulty feels unreal and inflated. I still feel as that's true, but a lot of the comments about it give me the contrary impression. As much as I would like to say "skill issue lol", I understand (and have already so) that it isn't for everyone and people have different experiences with the shit-your-pants kinda game. However, I never felt that this was an unfair experience, at least not when facing Eggplant Head. Terrifying, butt-clenching, sweat-dropping? Yea. Arduous, slow, fatiguing? Maybe, but certainly not unjust. Equilibrated with the terror of the situation and all that comes with an Alien premise, albeit well translated in videogame form and fun horror experience. Really quick addendum because this is taking too long: The Isolation part is not main focus, but also worth mentioning 'cause the soundtrack, atmosphere and level design really do the trick to fuck you up in case you're having too much of a swell time, making you uneasy almost on the verge of a panicking play which could lead you to a game over of sorts. Honestly, I think the first movie does a better job at this, claustrophobia-wise, but Isolation performs really well on this category and related game characteristics.

In conclusion: Yeah, so what. Too big a game and list of unfavorable points? I know. A dublagem em português é uma merda? Também. Eu não conseguia escutar nada que a Ripley falava. Aliás, todo mundo falava que nem os andróides, e não tinha opção de botar o voice-acting original.I didn't really feel like playing mission 13. Or 14. But I think the point stands that Isolation is very good on what it does, so much so that it is, all the same, revered as one of the best horror games of the last decade and a standout for a videogame adaptation of an iconic film, especially in the horror genre (other '70s and '80s movies didn't have the same luck, even nowadays). It's not without its flaws, of course, yet, still an excellent Alien game, and a justly admired, pretty solid horror game. I'd give it a 7.1/10.

Reviewed on Mar 07, 2024


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