Alien: Isolation

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Alien: Isolation are varied. Some critics, such as Switch Player and Pure Nintendo, find the story engaging and emotionally gripping. They appreciate the game's focus on Amanda Ripley's search for her missing mother and how it adds to the fear factor of the game. Joystiq and Slant Magazine also praise the game for effectively recreating the atmosphere of the original Alien film and paying homage to the source material. They mention that the story focuses on Ripley's encounters with the Xenomorph and the theme of paranoia and hiding. On the other hand, several critics express disappointment with the story of Alien: Isolation. Digitally Downloaded and Game Informer, for example, find the story underwhelming and lacking depth. They mention that it falls flat and lacks novel surprises. ZTGD and Metro GameCentral criticize the story for feeling familiar and lacking variety. They mention the lack of original ideas, interesting characters, and a proper ending. VideoGamer and Cheat Code Central specifically point out issues with the plotting, dialogue, and the slow progression of the story. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics appreciate the story's connection to the original film and the tense and terrifying experience it provides, others find it lacking in substance and originality. The positive aspects of the story include its engagement, emotional grip, and effective atmosphere. However, the negative aspects include underwhelming thematic depth, lack of surprises, poor plotting and dialogue, and a lack of variety and original ideas. It is worth noting that the critics who enjoyed the story often praised the strong and well-developed protagonist, Amanda Ripley. Despite the mixed opinions, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment with the story of Alien: Isolation.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Alien: Isolation are largely positive. Many critics praise the game for its intense and terrifying gameplay experience. They highlight the focus on stealth and the need for players to use cunning and strategy to survive. Critics such as Official Xbox Magazine UK and Pure Nintendo describe the gameplay as genuinely terrifying and compelling, respectively. The game's emphasis on stealth and avoidance of combat is also appreciated by critics like The Escapist and Press Start Australia. The tension and fear created by the constant threat of the alien are consistently mentioned as a highlight of the gameplay experience, as noted by critics like Metro GameCentral and COGconnected. However, there are some criticisms regarding the gameplay of Alien: Isolation. Some critics mention that the stealth mechanics can feel archaic and repetitive, leading to frustration. Switch Player notes that some stealth segments require repetition, which can be frustrating for players. Slant Magazine also mentions that the game disappoints in terms of meat-and-potatoes game design, with unclear objectives and frustrating backtracking. The Alien's AI is another aspect that receives criticism, with ZTGD mentioning that it becomes frustrating and based on luck, while Hardcore Gamer states that it is hard to predict and sneak around. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the gameplay of Alien: Isolation is highly engaging and tense, with a constant threat keeping players engrossed. The game's focus on stealth and avoidance of combat is praised, as it adds to the sense of vulnerability and fear. The gameplay is described as genuinely terrifying, compelling, and a masterclass in slow burn survival horror. While there are some criticisms regarding the stealth mechanics and the Alien's AI, the majority of the critics find the gameplay to be very good. The positive aspects of the gameplay, such as the intense atmosphere, the need for strategy and cunning, and the immersive tension, outweigh the negative aspects, making Alien: Isolation a highly recommended experience for fans of the survival horror genre.

The majority of the critics praised the graphics and visual design of Alien: Isolation, considering it to be one of the game's strongest aspects. Switch Player commends the game for its standout visuals and the creation of a scary atmosphere through its well-designed space station. Joystiq also appreciates the game's visual design, noting its faithful recreation of the original Alien film's look. The attention to detail in the environment and the use of lo-fi CRT screens contribute to a sense of immersion and intimacy, further enhancing the overall experience. However, there are a few critics who had some reservations about the graphics and visual design. Game Informer mentions that the game features a sterile aesthetic and lacks a sense of dread, which may impact the overall immersion for some players. Slant Magazine criticizes the visual details of the alien's movement and the ragdoll physics of the humans, suggesting a lack of attention to visual details. Additionally, M3 points out that the graphics may feel outdated, as the game was originally released for previous-generation consoles. Despite these criticisms, the overall sentiment remains positive. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Alien: Isolation delivers impressive graphics and visual design. Critics such as ZTGD and Critical Hit highlight the fantastic atmosphere and the game's ability to capture the look and feel of the original movie. Toronto Sun and Digital Spy both emphasize the faithful replication of Ridley Scott's 1979 Alien film, with clunky computers and abandoned facilities adding to the authenticity. Gameplanet and Pure Nintendo appreciate the meticulous attention to detail, retro-futuristic aesthetic, and immersive atmosphere. The majority of the critics agree that the graphics and visual design of Alien: Isolation are very good, contributing to a tense and foreboding experience.

The sound design and music of Alien: Isolation received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the majority of critics. Many critics praised the sound design for its ability to create tension, fear, and an overall sense of immersion. The use of ambient thumps, bumps, metallic groaning, and clanking of the alien's movement, as well as the beeping of the motion tracker, were highlighted as effective in enhancing the game's atmosphere (Critical Hit, Cheat Code Central). The game's score was also commended for effectively enhancing the tension and atmosphere, with cues that clue the player in on the alien's presence (Joystiq). The use of classic intense string effects and the incorporation of original pieces and music from the original film were mentioned as contributing to the sense of isolation and tension (Wccftech, Press Start Australia). The sound effects, such as the Xenomorph's bloodcurdling shrieks and the inhuman shriek and pounding footsteps, were also noted as adding to the horror and terror of the gameplay experience (Slant Magazine, GameFront). However, there were some criticisms regarding the sound design and music of Alien: Isolation. The voice acting was mentioned as an area that could have been better, with some critics noting that it failed to have the desired impact (Switch Player, Toronto Sun). Additionally, the cinematic cutscenes were described as herky-jerky, which detracted from the overall experience (Toronto Sun). Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music of Alien: Isolation were very good. The majority of critics praised the sound design for its ability to create tension, fear, and an immersive atmosphere. The use of various sound effects, such as the alien's movement, the motion tracker, and the Xenomorph's shrieks, were highlighted as effective in enhancing the horror and terror of the game. The incorporation of original pieces and music from the original film, as well as the use of intense string effects, were also mentioned as contributing to the overall sense of isolation and tension. While there were some criticisms regarding the voice acting and cinematic cutscenes, these were minor issues in comparison to the overall positive reception of the sound design and music (God is a Geek, Gameplanet, Gaming Age).

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Alien: Isolation are quite varied. NintendoWorldReport praises the voice cast, stating that they do a great job of bringing the game's inhabitants to life. COGconnected also agrees, mentioning that the voice work in the game is tremendous and adds to the immersive experience. They specifically highlight the well-done conversations between characters that provide useful information. These positive reviews indicate that there are aspects of the voice acting that are well-executed and contribute positively to the overall experience. However, there are also critics who have negative opinions about the voice acting in Alien: Isolation. Switch Player believes that the voice acting could be better and limits the impact of the characterisation on the player. Toronto Sun goes even further, stating that the voice acting is flat and lacks immersion. Gameplanet criticizes the supporting cast, mentioning that they fail to make a strong impression and deliver poorly lip-synched exposition. These negative reviews suggest that there are areas in the voice acting that could have been improved upon, such as the delivery and immersion. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the voice acting in Alien: Isolation is mixed. While some critics, like NintendoWorldReport and COGconnected, praise the voice work and its contribution to the immersive experience, others, like Switch Player and Toronto Sun, have negative opinions about it. Gameplanet also highlights the shortcomings in the supporting cast's performance. It can be concluded that while there are aspects of the voice acting that are well-done, there are also areas where improvement could have been made.

In terms of the technical performance, the critics had varying opinions depending on the gaming platform. Starting with the positives, the Nintendo Switch version of Alien: Isolation received praise from Metro GameCentral, Nintendo Enthusiast, and Pure Nintendo. They all mentioned that the game runs flawlessly on the Switch with no noticeable performance issues. Metro GameCentral even stated that the Switch version is a superb port, with better visuals than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. Moving on to the negatives, there were some technical issues reported by the critics. Toronto Sun played the game on PS4 and mentioned mannequin-like character models and herky-jerky cutscenes. Gaming Age also played on PS4 and mentioned technical issues with cutscenes, causing judder and roughness. ActionTrip encountered a bug on PC where the alien corners the player and doesn't let them leave, forcing a mission restart. Wccftech played on the Switch and reported noticeable input lag, especially when navigating menus. COGconnected also played on the Switch and mentioned technical issues with audio quality when playing with the Switch's speakers, as well as noticeable input lag when moving the character. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the technical performance of Alien: Isolation is generally good, with some minor issues across different platforms. The PS4 version was praised by Game Informer and Gaming Age for running smoothly overall, despite the mentioned technical issues. The Switch version received positive feedback from Metro GameCentral, Nintendo Enthusiast, and Pure Nintendo for its flawless performance, but also had some minor bugs and input lag issues, as reported by God is a Geek, Nintendo Enthusiast, Wccftech, and COGconnected. The Xbox One version, according to Game Informer, did not mention any technical issues. The PC version had a bug mentioned by ActionTrip but did not have any other technical issues reported. Overall, while there were some technical hiccups across platforms, the game generally performed well and provided an enjoyable experience for the majority of players.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Alien: Isolation are varied, but there are several positive aspects that stand out. Critics such as Hardcore Gamer and Pure Nintendo highlight the game's additional downloadable content and incentives to replay after completing the campaign. Nintendo Enthusiast also mentions the replay value in playing on harder difficulties and the presence of DLC campaigns and challenge levels. Digital Spy praises the game's dynamic nature and competitive element added by Survival Mode and online leaderboards. Press Start Australia emphasizes the multiple difficulty modes and additional modes like Survival Mode, as well as previously released downloadable content, providing a meaty experience with around 15-20 hours of gameplay. These positive aspects contribute to the overall replay value of Alien: Isolation. However, there are also negative opinions regarding the replay value of the game. Metro GameCentral mentions the banal story and lack of compelling characters, which may limit long-term replayability. Toronto Sun criticizes the game's artificially stretched length with unnecessary backtracking and sections without the xenomorph, leading to exhaustion and annoyance. These criticisms highlight potential drawbacks that may affect the replay value of Alien: Isolation. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Alien: Isolation offers some replay value. The additional downloadable content, incentives to replay, and multiple difficulty modes are mentioned as positive factors contributing to the game's replayability. The dynamic nature of the game, competitive elements, and challenge modes also add to its replay value. However, the banal story, lack of compelling characters, and unnecessary backtracking are seen as potential negatives that may limit long-term replayability. Despite these drawbacks, the overall sentiment is that Alien: Isolation provides a satisfying amount of replay value, making it an enjoyable experience for players looking to revisit the game.