It’s hard to believe thatAlien: Isolationonly has a 79 Metacritic score considering it has some of the most immersive and terrifying gameplay in the horror video game genre. In my opinion, the reviews that are weighing it down completely miss the point of the game and don’t take into account Alien: Isolation’s unique AI, which is a shame because even after 10+ years, it’s one of the most groundbreaking horror experiences you’re going to get. Alien: Isolation is a must-play game that any horror fan needs to check out, especially considering you can knock out the entire thing in under 20 hours.
Alien: Isolationis asurvival horror gamedeveloped by Creative Assembly and published by Sega. Released in 2014, it’s set 15 years after Ridley Scott’s 1979 filmAlienand follows Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, as she investigates her mother’s disappearance. The game emphasizes evasion over combat, capturing the tension and atmosphere of the original film. It was released on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and was later ported to macOS, Linux, and the Switch. Despite its 79 Metacritic score, it’s widely praised for its immersive design, innovative AI, and faithful recreation of theAlienuniverse.
Alien: Isolation’s Low Metacritic Score Is Unacceptable
The Rationale For Low Ratings Is Misguided At Best
While a 79 is by no means a bad Metacritic score, it simply doesn’t doAlien: Isolationjustice. It’s a concise and finely tuned horror experience that rewards strategy, stealth tactics, and utilizing the game’s unique systems to avoid being eaten by theiconic Xenomorph alienstalking you through Sevastapol Station. Reviews are always going to be extremely subjective, butsome of the lowest critic scores for this game contain some misleading informationthat makes me question whether the reviewer even gave the game a proper playthrough, or possibly just missed the point of this game entirely.
“The constant threat of being discovered by the stalking alien provides a level of tense action that demands players learn the game’s mechanics and actually figure out how to “outsmart” the alien AI.”
The one completely negative review byQuarter To Threeclaims"the weakest parts of Alien: Isolation are the parts with the alien.“I’m sorry, but how in the world does someone come to that conclusion?The Xenomorph inAlien: Isolationis widely regarded as one of the greatest AI enemies in the horror genre, and is the sole reason the game is terrifying, exciting, and successful. The constant threat of being discovered by the stalking alien provides a level of tense action that demands players learn the game’s mechanics and actually figure out how to “outsmart” the alien AI.
Even the middling reviews are unfair or even self-contradictory if you ask me. For example, the review from Metro GameCentral gives it a 7/10, yet calls it"the most successful big budget survival horror in a decade.“That sounds to me likeAlien: Isolationdeserves much better than a C-average rating,especially when the full review goes on to claim that"the quality of graphics throughout the game is incredible, with an attention to detail and a consistency of design that sets a new standard for next gen consoles.”
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, but I’m here to stand up forAlien: Isolation, even if it is ten years too late. The general thrust of these average-rated reviews is thatAlien: Isolationis an overall incredible and unique gameplay experience,and the most common complaint is more about concerns with pacing that tend to be a consequence of individual playstyles as opposed to actual gameplay problems.
Alien: Isolation Has Groundbreaking AI & Is One Of The Scariest Games You’ll Ever Play
There Still Aren’t Many Games With Comparable AI In The Horror Space
The Xenomorph AI inAlien: Isolationis easily one of the most groundbreaking in the genre, adapting to player’s decisions and forcing you to switch up strategies to “trick” or “outsmart” the enemy. Unlike most horror games with scripted jump scares that can become predictable if you’ve played through the game once before,there’s no predicting if, when, where, or how you’ll be discovered inAlien: Isolation. It’s a true survival-horror experience in every sense of the word, and there still haven’t been many games produced since its release that stand up to its innovative AI.
Alien: Isolationis a truly immersive gameplay experiencethat any horror fan needs to check out, even if you’re not a fan of the franchise in general. However, if you are a fan of the franchise, there’s no excuse for skipping out on this one. It’s the most genuineAlienexperience you’ll get, and blows pretty much every otherAliengame out of the water by a pretty large margin. The positive reviews for this game often hit the nail on the head, so if you’ve been deterred by mixed or negative reviews on Metacritic, I’d strongly urge you to reconsider.
Alien: Isolation’s Horror Experience Still Holds Up, & The Sequel Is Beyond Warranted
A Sequel To Alien: Isolation Has Been In Development For A Couple Years Now
The beauty ofAlien: Isolationis it doesn’t need a remake or remaster and still holds up. It’s no wonder anAlien: Isolationsequelhas been in the works for a while now, and I have no doubt it will be a huge success as long as it’s ableto deliver a similarly impressive AI and a refreshing story.The sequel will have to do more than simply repeat the same formula if it has any hopes of exceeding fans' expectations, but there are plenty of ways to do this within theAlienuniverse that can avoid redundant gameplay.
The fact that there still haven’t been very many equally horrifying games withAlien: Isolation’slevel of immersion and AI complexity shows just how ahead of its time it was. There are plenty of great survival horror games out there with similar gameplay mechanics, but nothing quite scratches the same itch asAlien: Isolation. The game does anincredible job at recreating the ambiance and atmosphere of the originalAlienfilm,and the various average or below-average reviews that came out at the time couldn’t account for the game’s longevity.
Alien: Isolation 2doesn’t have an official release date still, but it’s unlikely we’ll see it before 2026 based on developer comments.
Overall, I understand that providing a complete account of a game’s successes and failures isn’t easy, especially when boiled down to a single number rating that ignores any degree of nuance. Most of the reviews forAlien: Isolationrecognize that it’s a standout experience in the franchise and the horror genre writ-large, even completely negative reviews that miss the larger point entirely. Whether or not you agree with me here, if you’ve never givenAlien: Isolationthe time of day, you’re missing out on a one-of-a-kind experience that easily ranks as one of my favorite horror games of all time.
