Alien: Isolation - A Masterpiece of Immersion

[@criticalcoffee]

It's now been three months since the release of this video and I've learned a lot during this time. I honestly didn't expect this video to get any views (which has been my previous experience with KZbin), so this reaching over 6k views surprised me. What's unfortunate about this newfound success (at least in terms of my batting average with these videos) is that there are many mistakes in this video. As I'm probably not going to cover Alien: Isolation in the future, I thought that I should talk about the things that I got wrong on this video. 1. 6:07 Molotovs require batteries and sensors as you can place them as a trap. I meant this as a joke, but I can totally see why it would be frustrating for me to not actually explain why they are there. 2. 6:35 The Flare can distract the alien. I have text that shows this, but it is confusing that I didn't include it here as it would have clarified this much more. 3. 16:10 You don't have to use the motion tracker. In fact, the harder difficulties restrict its use. Many have pointed out that the player can just listen to it's footsteps. Does that work without headphones? I don't know. 3. 22:32 The alien can be **technically** killed if you stack gas tanks and blow it up. It's possible, just not something that most players (an overwhelming majority I'd argue) would think to do. 4. My problem with the manual savepoints is linked to the other issues I had with sneaking / not being able to use weapons in the game. I would like to clarify that manual save points in themselves are not a problem. Many horror properties like Resident Evil use them really well. My issue with Alien: Isolation stemmed from the combination of the sneaking mechanics being unclear to me (you might know them, but consider how they are told to the player), and the manual save points. What I tried to express in the essay that often the deaths in this game didn't feel like I messed up. It felt more like I was being punished for not playing the game the correct way. As far as "punishment" goes, there's a difference between Super Meat Boy's 0.5 second load and Alien: Isolations death screen -> load screen -> and then backtracking to the place you were originally. I should also clarify that this is not an issue that is specific to Alien: Isolation. It happens in many games that have manual checkpoints. The reason why Resident Evil 2 Remake (for example) gets away with it in my head is because the gameplay elements have been communicated to me clearly, but then again Resident Evil is so different from AI that they shouldn't even be compared. I could explain further but I get the feeling that this system just "wasn't my thing". However, if you enjoyed it, more power to you! This means that you can clearly deal with the stress of the game better than me. 5. 29:10 In the essay I bring up that the game was designed around stealth rather than gunplay. I also note that they should have given the alien "cone of vision" or something like that. There's no denying that this would be a terrible and gimmicky way to do this. Unfortunately I don't know what the correct solution to this is. The game that I keep thinking about in this regard is Outlast. I should immediately clarify that I don't think that game holds a candle to AI, but I didn't find the "stealth" in that game as frustrating as in AI. A few elements affected my enjoyment: 1. the shotgun and the revolver exist in the game, but cannot be used that often. What I would have preferred was that these wouldn't be in the game at all. Go full Amnesia/Outlast and take the weapons away. This is how I as the player will know that sneaking is a must. 2. As the weapons have been taken away, put more time into showing when the player is hidden/when noise is made. These could be implemented into the tracker for example. No need to give the alien a cone of vision ( :D ), just give the player more tools in the stealth department. The noisemakers, flares, etc. can stay as they are already there for stealth. Once again, I'm not asking this game to become Metal Gear Solid, but the combination of the "Resident Evil" experience with the "Amnesia" experience didn't work for me. Do one or the other. 6. Some have mentioned that shooting the alien with a shotgun to stun it has worked for them. I didn't manage to get any benefit from this. However, I did see a speedrunner use this recently and it was when he was just about to use an elevator and he momentarily managed to stun the alien before it could get in there with him. So there are moments where it can be used and I was not aware of this during the writing of this essay. I'm sure there are other things that could be pointed out as well, but these are the most common things that are brought up about this essay. Hopefully this clarifies some of my thoughts about the game. I appreciate all the corrections and hope that this comment doesn't sound overtly salty :D This video taught me that I should spend more time doing background research on any topic that I cover and that I should spend more time elaborating on *why* I feel a certain way rather than just stating something as if it were an universal experience that everyone had. With all that said, I once again thank you for watching this video/reading through this comment. My video on Firewatch should be up later today, so hopefully I'll see you there. Thanks! Edit: Said Firewatch video is now up! kzbin.info/www/bejne/apy3p3Z7n8mnpbM

[@youngspecial64]

Are you going to review Amnesia: The Bunker? Friction Games did something ALMOST similar to a point that gives you a terrifying experience. It's really good.

[@criticalcoffee]

@@youngspecial64 prolly not going to review it but I'm definitely excited to play it!

[@youngspecial64]

Damn. Well, i hope to see a video that talks about the monster because it's pretty freaking stellar.

[@claudeJUNIOR]

Why not pin this comment??

[@criticalcoffee]

@@claudeJUNIOR lmao honestly I thought I had pinned it

[@mariaclaravazquez2395]

As a huge fan of 1979's Alien, I loved this game. My son had to encourage me out of the lockers to move forward. At times I was paralyzed with fear. For this 47-year-old lady, it was an immersive and terrifying experience👵🏻😜

[@criticalcoffee]

I also had moments where I got stuck in the lockers :D But I'm glad you made it through, the game is definitely worth it. Thank you for watching!

[@chrisrosenkreuz23]

also in the same vein are the games Soma and Outlast 1 and 2, check em out if you liked the feeling of existential dread this game relentlessly provides

[@criticalcoffee]

@@chrisrosenkreuz23 Soma is a fantastic game

[@alexandernorman5337]

The game is much easier once you learn to not use the lockers. Ducking behind various equipment and always keeping on the move work much better. You can test this. If you're ducking behind a crate, under a table, or some other equipment and the alien comes into a room then it just roams normally. But if you are in a locker then it hisses and immediately goes into a search mode. The programming makes it know that you are hiding in the room. The double desks and the corner desks are the best hiding places. You can leave the game running *on nightmare* while hiding in most of those locations, go make dinner, and when you come back the alien is still roaming around none the brighter. Yeah, I've played this game a lot...

[@HugoStiglitz88]

That's sick you played it though I too spent a bit too much time in lockers at first. The funny thing is eventually, the alien himself will force you out 😂😂 he will recognize patterns so you actually can't use the same tactic too much or he will figure them out fast

[@blinkachu5275]

Heavily disagreed on the Alien feeling frustrating or "not like a creature" The entire point is that the Alien is the perfect hunter, ergo, it would 100% know your proximate location at all times due to doors opening or elevators moving between levels.

[@YRS24]

Interesting point

[@twocatsyelling723]

Yet other humans are freely walking around, only being attacked when you happen to be around... which makes them more collateral damage in the alien's hunt for *you* specifically... rather than natural targets it would be going after regardless. These people have been alive and active on this ship for how long before you even show up? And they're able to walk around, talking, yelling and generally making noise... without being attacked at all? I'd be more convinced if they were all barricaded inside rooms, with the vent openings closed off because they'd already been dealing with it and learned the best ways to keep it away. But no... they're left alone until Amanda Ripley happens to come on the scene. No wonder they're so quick to try and kill you. This really hurt the experience for me and made the experience feel *extremely* "gamey".

[@darkentity1000]

Likely it is sending your presence with smell, which is why it follows in the vents and comes out when it hears you

[@thearchivist250]

The xenomorph stopped being scary in the films many year ago. This game brought the terror 200% back. Well done.

[@somecallmejeremy]

Then it brought back that fear factor again with Romulus this year.

[@ClockworkSatan]

The word 'masterpiece' is used all too often when describing art, but in the case of Alien: Isolation it's absolutely warranted. It's unsurpassed, even after a decade. I dearly wish they'd make a sequel.

[@AlehajndroBenetez]

They made a poo mobile sequel that plays like five nights at sigma’s😱😱

[@TwistedwithPower]

Well...now they are 😊

[@phrozac]

Wish granted :)

[@phrozac]

@@AlehajndroBenetez I thought Blackout was pretty good for what it was, though a big disappointment for anyone looking for a true sequel to Isolation.

[@euanmacleod3738]

I have to dispute some of these criticisms - but I confess I am doing so as a massive fan of this game with a bias towards it. The narrative complaint, in my view, is missing the point of what this game is. What this essay seems to be calling for is more character-building moments/scenes, more times for the game to allow the characters to interact, react, and generally progress some sort of arc or drama for their character for the viewer to invest into. But this is an immersive survival horror game, which is absolutely nailing what it is trying to do, it would necessarily make sacrifices to that intended experience to inject more character moments because we don't want to be trapped in a cutscene and we're *isolated* in the immersive horror, where characters keeping you company would take away from it. This is why its narrative is nothing compared to Last of Us, but it's survival horror gameplay is light years ahead of it. Yes, Bioshock had a setting with lots of personality, a massive twist for the central character, and a roster of hugely colourful characters, but Isolation is religiously tied to the setting of the first Alien film, where there is no such room for quirky magical sociopaths - and we get that setting brought to life and given personality *beautifully* in just about every possible way that it could be. The story of Sevestapol is written amazingly in the environmental story telling, and it makes the station a delight to explore. The story does what it must - which is to set up the intended experience with believable characters and give the story clear, coherent direction to progress. I get the complain about 'fetch quests'... but each of these objectives always made sense in the story, and are no different at all to the objective progressions of system shock 2 or any of the Bioshocks, or really any survival horror game - all these games require that the player has something to do/overcome, and a reason for doing so, and this is no different. With the unfun gameplay complaint... I hate to be like a dark souls player, but I just don't think this essay 'gets it'. The whole point of this experience is that you do not have agency or certainty, and the game will punish you for playing it like Dead Space. But if you go with the intended play experience, accept your limited agency, and play cautiously. then you will go through the game dying rarely even on the hardest setting. I sense the complaint here is that 'playing cautiously' is not fun, but that would be totally missing the point of this play experience - where the game builds tension and makes you feel dread, even in an empty room, like nothing else I've ever played. If the stealth mechanics were stronger, and you had more certainty about being safe, then the game loses so much of its tension. It goes back to the lessons learned from Amnesia - having less agency can add to the intended play experience. I put my hands up to the rubber banding complaint - but I can also see why they put that in there to keep the oppressive feeling of being hunted going. I do think it may have been nice if you could turn the rubber banding off, but I suspect the play experience would be worse without it. There aren't many games that I think could be totally perfect at what they set out to do, but Alien Isolation is right up there for me. It's easily the best survival horror game out there, and it's the best thing done with the Alien lore since the first Alien film. I'd still put in my top 5 games of all time.

[@blinkachu5275]

This It genuinely feels like the video creator just doesn't like stealth games. Which is fine, but then... don't play stealth games? And especially don't post a critique on stealth games? The entire purpose of this game is that you're in a situation you have 0 control over and it's up to you to survive by making yourself as small as possible, to have as little noise made so that you can make it off the station. It's why I didn't get the "the Alien is frustrating" complaint like... the game's called Alien Isolation. You're isolated on a ship with an Alien on your ass. It literally told you in the title what it was gonna be

[@jakemeyer8188]

I've tried to complete this game a handful of times...and never have. Not specifically because of the games difficulty or not liking it, but because of the fear and anxiety it gives me. That is caused by all the things you mentioned being done very well, and I totally agree. So why would I love a game so much that I can't even complete? Because it executes PERFECTLY that which it set out to do. I don't blame the game...I blame myself. The fact that a horror game horrifies me to the point that as a grown ass man I can't even complete it, means that it's obviously a damn good game.

[@steveshams4690]

Completely agreed. I didn't understand the criticism about playing stealthy. It's the entire point. You are a human trying to survive being hunted by an apex killing machine. The purpose of having the weapons is that they are a tool that are useful in certain situations. You honestly shouldn't be using anything except noise makers and other distracting items for most of the game. But sometimes stealth goes out the window (post hive, for example, in my playthough), and I needed to just take out some androids with the bolt gun. The strength of the game and why it is one of the best games I've ever played is that it knows exactly what it is and leans into it for the entire time. I've never been so afraid playing or watching anything. The xenomorph is absolutely terrifying, and I never got used to being killed by it. It's alright if a terrifying, survival horror stealth game is not for you. But don't knock a game for being what it is. I played on hard, and it was one of the most satisfying, nerve-wracking experiences I've ever had.

[@criticalcoffee]

A sequel is in early development!! I REPEAT, A SEQUEL IS COMING

[@Comicbroe405]

Yess!

[@brian0057]

I disagree completely on the point that the Motion Tracker needs to be out at all times in order to play the game. Yes, it's really useful. But only when the Alien is in the vents. Once the creature is on the floor with you as it prowls, your ears become much more important. When you're in that situation, sound becomes essential. You can hear where the Alien is long before you actually see it. This is why you should play this game with headphones. And remember that the Tracker makes noise when you pull it up and it detects movement. And yes, it can hear it. This is especially effective when playing in much harder difficulties where the Tracker is glitched. Superb video, BTW.

[@MrJordwalk]

I don't pull the Tracker up when I play, finding that relying solely on my ears enhances the immersion and the music also conveys the Alien's proximity... swelling when it approaches/gets close, and fading when it moves away.

[@bleakcognitivefuture7913]

Also the Alien can hear the tracker beeping.

[@fermista]

The reason for all the extra gadgets on the molotov is so that it can be placed on the ground and used as a proximity incendiary bomb.

[@wildcatnkb]

Exactly! It wasn't just designed to be thrown.

[@bugtogs9344]

I thought the batteries lit the rag

[@NZobservatory]

One of the best games ever.

[@criticalcoffee]

Definitely an experience I've had with this game that I haven't had with any other. It does have its issues (which I talk about in the video) but then again the combination of atmosphere and immersion is unbelievably good. Anyway, thanks for watching!

[@purefoldnz3070]

damn straight.

[@Versosurma]

Nope ign 5.9/10 so i say dragon age veilguard with 9/10 ign is much better. And you dont see much of diversity

[@landlockedcroat1554]

my favorite part of the alien is how inconsistent and fuzzy its AI is, makes it almost impossible to plan ahead and leaves much up to improvising

[@theredqveen]

right?? like??? that's the POINT????? the alien 'learns' like an actual living breathing organism.... if you knew all the points it was going to show up what would be the point? im baffled by the video critique. "the game isn't fun" what are you TALKING about dude

[@SterileNeutrino]

Yet still one suspects that there is no consistent world behind the corridor surfaces, just a white void through which the alien moves at will rather than an actual tunnel system. Not good. Also, I would have loved to have a TCP port somewhere where I can monitor the Alien and/or hook in my own Alien-controlling logic.

[@ectoerror8527]

What I really like about Alien isolation is that even though you have all these gadgets and tools...it seems futile, like just delaying the inevitable. When you hit the alien with a flame thrower just to watch it scream and run away, it fills me with dread, knowing that even though I hit it with LITERAL FIRE it's still out there...stalking me... Edit: what really gets me the most is the random noises you hear roaming around the station. Some of these noises are obviously metal groaning and wires sparking...but some you know are the alien and you know its there

[@ericjpdt]

I get the impression that the Alien becomes less agressive after being shot by the flamethrower

[@charlesajones77]

10 years later and this is still the best horror game I've ever played. Resident Evil 7 comes in a close second.

[@slxxpyhollow]

OMG this game came out 10 years ago!? I just played it and I absolutely LOVED it

[@tristandillard1696]

this game is one of my all time favorites thanks for covering it!

[@criticalcoffee]

No problem chief, thanks for watching!

[@knellycornnan5132]

The part where you mentioned games no longer are scary when you get killed over and over. This is why save points need to be sparse. All of us know that if we die to the alien we can just return to the last save point. One of the things that makes the alien scary is how the progress gets barred. However the game can be made significantly scary by having save points be sparse. After all. In real life Amanda Ripley would only get one chance.

[@criticalcoffee]

Thanks for the critique, this is an interesting viewpoint. I personally don't feel like the sparsity of the checkpoints adds that much dread to the game. The using of the checkpoint is intense for sure but apart from that I don't feel "more scared" because I might lose significant play time. The only feeling there is frustration. This wouldn't be a problem if the alien's movements / "way of thinking" was more apparent to the player. I neither would enjoy if the game gave you a checkpoint every 5 minutes or something like that. I think there is a middle ground to be found. I do appreciate the studio's attempt to make a "realistic Alien experience" (see 31:50). However, Amanda Ripley doesn't have just one chance (unless you're going for the one-shot achievement), the checkpoints give her many, many attempts. For me personally, it didn't feel all that scary after a while. Although I disagree, I also appreciate that you took the time to critique my viewpoint. It's really important that I'm called out if I say something that doesn't ring true. Thank you, for real.

[@chexfan2000]

nah in real life Amanda Ripley wouldn’t walk by pushing her left thumb forward either. Being forced to play for an extended period to progress is exhausting and i stop being immersed because im so focused on when i can save my progress. Alien Isolation has pretty much perfect save station placement, any time i started to get antsy abt where the next one is, it would appear like magic and scratch that itch for me. Besides AI has basically no downtime, or at least not that you can see on a first run, there’s always something making noise above and below you and even if the alien won’t show up, as far as you know it COULD. i get it’s trying to feel like the movie but the movie isn’t like eleven hours long. so i ended up taking breaks at every save station and played the game really slowly, like a month or two to finish it cuz it was so stressful but that little chunk of terror and perfectly realized world design was a treat every single day and i was genuinely sad to reach the end and say goodbye to those kickass 70s airport vibes

[@knellycornnan5132]

@@chexfan2000 Well sparse save points as a way of making alien isolation is something any one can choose to do right now but just not saving. However I only recommend this for people who think they can play very very cautiously and smartly and I also would not recommend this on nightmare. Hard tops. It makes the game challenging in a very specific way.

[@OdinSmilesRavensLaugh72051]

I..... sorta agree however gotta say I agree more with the frustration part than anything, I absolutely detest getting killed by the alien if I've not had a save for a while and gotta go back and do everything allllll over again it's just a drag and time spent hiding from vlad all the while avoiding androids (humans are the least problematic) as well as tedious little puzzles man that save point every time is a eureka moment like you know if you get impaled at least your not backtracking a half hour at a time with shiploads of progress lost... honestly was convinced the game was fuckin trolling me on the nightmare difficulty 😂😂

[@youngspecial64]

Ya'll played Amnesia The Bunker, right? Yeah... they fixed that real quick.

[@craigamore2319]

I didn't find the Alien frustrating in the least, I think, because I took it as a serious threat to be genuinely respected rather than viewing it the way I have viewed every digital antagonist I've encountered throughout my life playing video games. That is to say, every antagonist I've ever encountered in a game operates on rails that create certain expectations in the player, expectations that, I might add, have engendered in us all a privileged sense of "fairness". We as players expect the enemies to behave in a certain way because we learn by observation how it behaves, and we assume that it will then ALWAYS behave that way. So when we come to Alien Isolation, those expectations are just shredded, and people don't like that. The Alien is entirely unpredictable, and that goes against every bit of experience, every learned assumption we gamers have. It was for me, therefore, the most realistic and visceral gaming experience I've ever had. I was being legitimately hunted, and there's nothing in the history of life in this universe that is fair about being hunted. As the prey, you either get away by outsmarting your predator or getting very lucky or....you die. Operating with that mindset, it made learning to hide, learning the Alien's mood based on sound, learning how to outsmart that thing and understand it endlessly satisfying. Working my way through the whole game then genuinely became the most satisfying gaming experience I've ever had. I hear the complaints in this video, and I just want to play the world's tiniest violin. This guy didn't buy in because the game didn't suit those expectations I mentioned earlier, and so he lost all joy in the experience. In a comparably simplistic way, this game presents the player with much the same reality that every day life does. What I mean by that is that the world operates the way it does, regardless of whether we approve of the realities we're presented with. It doesn't matter that I "think" something hunting should operate a certain way, what matters is that it operates the way it does, and now I, if I want to stay alive, I have to learn to adapt to it or I die. Period. It's that simple. If you embrace that relationship between you, the player as prey, and the Alien as the predator hunting you, then you will enjoy the experience. If you in any way come to that relationship with any expectations at all, then it will frustrate you, you will get angry, you will resent the game and it will suck all of the enjoyment out of the experience because you will die A LOT, either way. And it should be that way. This thing should be lethal, and we, the player, should be all but entirely defenseless. Otherwise, the Alien would just be your average gaming antagonist and the experience would have been boring to go up against.

[@henryhamilton4087]

"You are very dependent on the motion tracker" Nightmare Mode : "ARIOUS, FATAL ERROR"

[@criticalcoffee]

I really regret not covering that difficulty for this video but I guess the boundaries have to be set somewhere. I can't even imagine how punishing it is as I am already complaining about the normal difficulty :D

[@hatad321]

@@criticalcoffee If you know the map decently it's not too bad. There's no map anyways, the waypoint on the tracker works but the alien can hear it much better.

[@HugoStiglitz88]

Tbh I barely used it because I knew rhe alien could hear it. I didn't realize he needs to be really close to hear it thoug

[@thejackal9834]

@@criticalcoffee I'll be honest dude, I think if you're committed to making a one hour video about the game you should really cover all the difficulties prior. I started the game on the recommended hard mode and it sounds like we have two completely different takes on the gameplay.

[@criticalcoffee]

@@thejackal9834 This was my first video essay. I wasn't even sure if I was going to complete the script, the editing, or publishing. Adding the difficulties would have just been too much of a hassle for a video that was supposed to be a test at making a video essay. I'd cover the other difficulties if I did it again today, but you really should understand how unexperienced I was during this time.

[@mandrews6282]

Molotovs require sensors and batteries because you can place them on the ground as makeshift flaming mines.

[@midnightzathras6870]

Thank you for your video. Another KZbinr once said it takes 1 hour to produce 1 minute of video taking into account the idea, script, capturing footage, recording the script, editing, rendering, uploading. It looked very professional, In my humble opinion.

[@criticalcoffee]

thank you so much for the kind comment! Fortunately I have some experience in writing but the editing definitely was the most difficult part. I have a lot to learn but I guess the best way is to keep doing this :) Thanks for watching & commenting. It means a lot to me for real.

[@whiskeybuddha1995]

bout 3/4 of the way through Nightmare and I rarely use the motion tracker. That’s not to say I couldn’t have saved myself a handful of deaths by using it but I’ve actually had more success listening to where he is. It beeps automatically when someone is close and multiple times when getting closer and/or if there are multiple hostiles, so I got into a sweet spot of using that in conjunction with sounds from my surroundings. Also, in Nightmare he can hear the beep of it when taken Out from further away and I’ve been picked off a few times like that. It was more useful for me in hard mode than nightmare, but I’m sure there are people that are much better at the game that have a better feel for using it without alerting anyone. All that being said, this game is amazing and any flaws pals in comparison with the hair raising, unsettling terror it made me feel. Can’t wait for the sequel

[@AAhmou]

It can hear the beep no matter the difficulty (except maybe novice), however what it does is that the more you use it, the more it becomes a pavlov's bell warning the Xenomorph about the presence of a tasty Ripley in the area. In nightmare, the Xeno just gets used to your tricks much more quickly.

[@canadian__ninja]

For a video from someone with 107 subscribers is this high quality, I take notice.

[@criticalcoffee]

Thank you!

[@steve-852]

Always surprises me when a nobody (subscriber-count-wise!) just appears from nowhere with an highly professional and detailed essay on one of the subjects I love. I'd love to see one on the Resident Evil 1 Remake for the Gamecube. Incredible horror game that absolutely defies it's age

[@criticalcoffee]

Thanks so much! Haven't played that one unfortunately (was like 10 when I had my Gamecube).

[@sci-fyguy7767]

My favorite game of ALL-TIME! I love seeing that Casio A-100 on Amandas wrist just like Ripley had in Alien. They got it spot-on. 🔥

[@criticalcoffee]

Damn didn't even spot that! The level of detail is truly incredible.

[@TomOostenrijk]

This game holds up so well. It could be released today as an AA game and do great., without any of the fancy graphical prowess that has been developed since it's release.

[@SterileNeutrino]

Storywise the big problem is the lack of consistent time. The station looks like it has been dormant for weeks, maybe months, there is barely anyone around, yet many events seem to have happened minutes ago, yet nobody lingered, the bodies are still warm, and some are even based on the player's walkthrough. Then suddenly there is a whole security team that shows up etc. It's quite confusing. It feels like you are somehow chasing the survivors ahead of you.

[@paulchristensen7]

I think the security team that showed up had sealed themselves in somwhere with a lot of supplies earlier on and then only came out because comms started to work again and they wanted to take the Torrens.

[@rb0675]

This was an amazing essay, i massively agree with the narrative section. On one hand, i get that it's about people being put into an unsurvivable situation and having to figure it out, so they're not going to have much agency in what happens. But at no point did it feel like Amanda was moving the story, more like the story was moving Amanda. "What's her name was hurt during the space walk." Okay cool, I'll go grab the supplies from the med bay. My colleague is close to death so they take priority. "The supplies aren't in the main area, you'll need to go to the surgical ward." Okay, makes sense since if there's an alien, there would have been someone needing immediate medical attention due to the parasite in their chest. "You need a keycard to get through this door." Fine... fine, i'll find the keycard to move on. "You've got the supplies and she's safe. Now you've been asked to capture the Alien." ... by all means have someine capture the alien, but maybe make it Amanda's idea or even something that she helps plan so that she had some agency and isn't just 'Engineer A with a gun." The gameplay loop of 'go here to press a computer' 30 or so times does get old, but i massively disagree with your gripes about the gameplay itself. The Alien needs to have some sort of tether, otherwise you could potentally go through an entire section of the game where the alien is the main enemy and not see it once. The lack of in depth stealth mechanics works in the games favour, you feel completely limited in your choices and are constantly having to think on your feet, which really works with the atmosphere of the game. The guns are purposely set up as a risk vs reward scenario. Eg "there are 5 human enemies, is shooting my gun worth it?" (And the answer is no, i only ever used my guns against the synthetics. For humans i just threw a noise maker in the middle of the room, hid behind boxes or in a locker, and waited for the Alien to clear them out as it is always easier to avoid one hunter than 5, plus the bodies give you extra loot. I don't mind the guns as said before, my real gripe is with the flamethrower. And that's purely because it felt like the level design got a little lackluster after that as you had a near constant get out of jail free card with the alien, even at the later levels. It forced you into face to face encounters as there were just less and less reliable places to hide, which ruined the imposing threat of the alien. A game of cat and mouse is no fun when you have a full can of bear spray on you. Simply just removing the flamethrower and keeping the molotovs would have improved it massively, due to the constant worry of "okay, i have a max of 3 molotovs at once, but i can't stay at max because i also need some of the items for it to also make med kits." Plus needing to find the time to actually craft them in the first place. My main disagreement though is your need for some sort of visibility indicator. Not only would that ruin the immersion, but it would conpletely ruin the feel of the game. The whole point is you second guess every move you make, feeling the dread build as you leave the relative safety of a locker to cross the hall, hearing the alien hiss and stomp nearby. All that tention would be ruined if there was any type of visual indicator saying how hidden you are, as you would always have a clear answer to your question 'am i safe?' I'll admit on my first 3 attempts playing this game, i quit before i even got to the medical supplies because the game felt unfair. It wasn't, i was just refusing to meet the game half way to engage with it as intended. Once i did and started engaging with each of its mechanics not as individuals, but as part of a whole then the experience became so much more enjoyable. This was an amazing video essay, but you did fall into the common video game essay/reviewer trope of "i got frustrated so this is unfair". Which i understand, as i said i went through that as well. My best advice is to avoid kneejerk emotion reactions like that, and instead look at them analytically. Yes the Alien is tethered to you, but if it wasn't then it wouldn't be imposing. Yes the motion detector could become a crutch, but by solely relying on it, you become unable to adapt for the more difficult areas. That's not to say they're invalid critiques, and i hate to use the phrase, but if the personal difficulties experienced are not echoed by the majority of the playerbase then it is simply a 'Git Gud' scenario. All in all an amazing essay and a great video for such an early project.

[@connerlong2404]

I seen you mention how the level design gets worse once you get the flamethrower, have you tried nightmare difficulty yet? It consumes more fuel per shot and you find MUCH less loot overall which would make the game more tense throughout. Nightmares a treat to play if you understand all the enemies and their weaknesses as well having to manage and save loot for the more difficult parts of the game.

[@rb0675]

@@connerlong2404 I might have to give it a go. I got so close to the end but lost interest because it wasn't scary anymore since I knew how to deal with everything, especially when you can literally walk faster than the androids which take up the bulk of the late game

[@TheKaffeekatze]

You need 100x the subs you have right now. This video was such a treat and I'm so happy to see people still talking about my favorite game nearly 9 years later. I remember launch day like it was yesterday. Good luck in the future!

[@criticalcoffee]

Ah fellow coffee enthusiast, I thank you for your kind words! Thanks for watching!!

[@El-Burro-Grande]

Alien Isolation is easily in my top ten best games I've ever played. An in terms of the movies, it is easily the best sequel to the original Alien - in terms of tone and sensibilities. I think the only way to make it even more stressful/fear-inducing would be in VR. Really enjoyed the review by CriticalCoffee.

[@Pedro_The_Neco]

I monumentally disagree about your assessment on the motion tracker. I've played through the campaign about 4 times on hard and barely used the tracker, as it may alert the alien or other enemies. Just crouch through the game, listen to your surroundings and be careful. You should do mostly fine.

[@joany_00]

Just a note, flares work just as a noisemaker for enemies, bein it so flashy makes enemies look out for it (alien mainly) so it is quite useful

[@trainmindbodysoul4519]

Mate that’s a belter for a first effort! Well done!

[@criticalcoffee]

Thank you so much! (TIL the word 'belter')

[@thatguy2943]

I know I am leaving this comment quite a while after this video was posted but I will comment anyway lol I am a life-long fan of the Alien franchise. When i was just 9 years old, my dad fell asleep watching a DVD of Aliens... I was enthralled. Not only because i was doing something my dad wouldnt have ever let me do at that age (watch a rated R movie) but also because of how awesome the colonial marines were and how terrifying the xenomorphs were. I watched it until the end. My dad later saw me drawing xenomorphs and did the math, realizing i had watched it after he slept. He wasnt mad, he actually encouraged my interests and wanted me to look more into it. I think he was excited for his son to like something he did lol When i was 10, on my bday we did our first "scary movie" marathon (which is awesome, being an october baby) he surprised me with Alien AND Aliens... it was just as awesome as i thought it would be... to THIS DAY it is my favorite movie series. Ive watched every single one! It was my forst rated R movie and later, when i turned 14, i bought Alien Isolation as my first rated M video game. This franchise has watched me grow up and Im happy it has survived this long. Im 24 now and developing horror games of my own and with my friends. The whole reason i happened across this video was for inspiration. I love this game and i love the movies (yes, even AVP... kinda lol) and i hope to make something even half as horrorifying and awesome as them. Thanks for reading my rant lol Much love and great video!

[@criticalcoffee]

@@thatguy2943 lovely comment! I bonded with my dad over Rambo films, I don't think he likes Alien. Let's hope Romulus is good, I'm definitely going to see it as soon as it comes to Finland. Thanks for watching!

[@theredqveen]

this video is WILD. i'm honestly a little baffled with your issues with the game... like... the alien is SUPPOSED to be a constant threat, (like in the movies) you are SUPPOSED to use the motion tracker for EVERYTHING, not just the alien. the alien is unkillable, because... it's an alien? and we're on a spaceport? with minimal security? "there's no notification when you're undetectable" i mean, yes? like in real life ??? why would they show us the scope of the alien's vision????? i find the humans easy to sneak around/kill. the androids SUCK and are SO creepy so i tend to panic when one sees me lmao. the alien is tricky and sometimes it puts you in a horrible position but ??? it's a game bro? just replay the level?

[@thelastgamer1]

He described it's Ai in a weird way to put it simply the Ai has two brains one that knows where you are at all times and another one controlling the xenomorph the first gives hints to the other brain of where the player might be but after it reaches a certain threshold it will tell it to go check somewhere else. The alien ai brain also has a skill tree with over 100 nodes that after reaching certain areas of the game will start opening them up like for example the fear of the flame thrower you could go all game not using it but once you reach a certain part of the game it will auto stop being as afraid of it or if you choose to hide in lockers all the time the alien will learn and start checking them way more often. There are tons of really cool videos explaining them way better than I am doing but i will say its Ai is amazing and even all these years later still very good and way more massive than you would think.

[@StrengthScholar0]

Tremendous video even though I loved most of the parts of the game all the criticism that you leveled is completely valid even though it may be valid from a different perspective than mine. Keep up the great work.

[@criticalcoffee]

Thank you for watching!

[@LB_]

42:24 that sounds like exactly what happened with Security Breach... makes for a good cautionary tale for game designers, I suppose

[@Flaregun_0907]

For me the problems with the alien is to me good things cause if it wasn’t always near you it would feel a little bit boring and the objectives would just feel like a routine and I like to explain why the alien is always near you even if you’re hardly making noise is because maybe it can smell you or it can hear other things such as the player using terminals or the sound of doors opening and and other such things

[@andye7715]

Best Alien franchise game ever made.

[@whiskeybuddha1995]

The analysis of the AI was pretty spot on, Although I didn’t find that it took away from my enjoyment. Obviously understand why it would for some people but it just didn’t make me feel like that. Sure I got frustrated that even if I was crouched In perpetuity, it would almost always be in the vicinity. I’m curious how they update the AI for the sequel

[@Ph33NIXx]

its interesting how much our experience with the alien differs - I never found it unfair.. or un naturally tethered to me. Its also a bit interesting how you criticize it for not feeling like a an actual beast, and then criticize it for learning how long your flame thrower can reach. I understand why the weapons can be a bit frustrating that you cant use.. I don't mind... I mean I routinely used weapons, noise makers to dispatch human enemies via the alien. As I found it easier to just avoid it than the humans. - interesting thing, i found on my latest playthrough that a lot of humans i killed in previous playthroughs were friendly and Amanda even chat with them a bit. Warning them of the Alien... But its very much a me thing not needing to use all the tools. - its funny on my later playthroughs I found myself using the smoke bomb a lot. The danger is to get into a closet and not knowing where it is.. I feel I have most success when I'm cheeky and move around when its in the vicinity and I have a idea of were it is in the "dungeon" - Just at a distance were you also have time to get out of dodge if it turns around x) P.s. I dont like vision cones myself... it makes my game feel to gamey - I think the ambiguity of Alien Isolation helps wth the Immersion. I can make a plan, end in a gun fight with a human and then having to get out of dodge when the alien enters... I may get killed by the alien before escaping.. but when I do... its the best.

[@criticalcoffee]

"Its also a bit interesting how you criticize it for not feeling like a an actual beast, and then criticize it for learning how long your flame thrower can reach." note that I criticize it learning patterns from the perspective that it's not clear to the player when the flamethrower will work and when it wont. I'm all for the devs developing a model which adapts to the players choices. As far as it feeling like a chess robot goes, it boils down to it more being present at all times, even though it doesn't have any reason to do so. This is a common critique of the game and even a mod has been developed to unleash the xeno from the player. "interesting thing, i found on my latest playthrough that a lot of humans i killed in previous playthroughs were friendly and Amanda even chat with them a bit. Warning them of the Alien..." Yeah this is something that I noted in the essay as well. Everyone is a survivor aboard Sevastopol but not everyone is hostile. A very nice touch by the devs. "P.s. I dont like vision cones myself... it makes my game feel to gamey -" A cone of vision would have been TERRIBLE. See pinned comment above.

[@Ph33NIXx]

​@@criticalcoffee "As far as it feeling like a chess robot goes, it boils down to it more being present at all times, even though it doesn't have any reason to do so. This is a common critique of the game and even a mod has been developed to unleash the xeno from the player." - I feel this is only true in some very specific chapters - like the hospital chapter. In the rest of them I feel the presence of the alien is very fair. Because you can be walking around for a long time if you dont make to much noise and be fine. But the game keeps forcing you to make noise.. or the human enemies will make noise etc. No hate.. its just an interesting observation to me, because I didn't make it myself. - I have also played the game a lot... So I may have forgotten the initial learning experience. idk. "A cone of vision would have been TERRIBLE. See pinned comment above." I read it - it makes sense. How ever, I think the aliens sound design kind of tells how well it sees you or not... Im no most recent playthrough (that i am still playing) I have played a lot more aggressive.. and I had some really close encounters with the alien, and now find that you can tell a lot about its state by listening to the sounds it make... But I agree, this is not something obvious. It takes multiple playthroughs to "learn that" - also I find that it depends a lot on what difficulty level you play. I remember when I played the game on release I could not get through the second half of the hospital, the level where you get doctor Lindhards (or what her name is) video log from the pc... I saw a walkthrough where the player could just walk through the level.. and i read in the description that he played on Easy - I realized that i could not use his "guide" to anything. HOW EVER! I found that it is actually better to let it pass, rather than distracting it. I cannot say this with certainty - but it feels like it has a casual search pattern and a hunt pattern. If you do not tell the alien you are in the level - it will pop down every once and a while, walk around and disappear. But as soon as you throw a noise maker, flair or it sees you etc. It will not stay in the vents for long. This means that I seldom uses tools to distract it myself... I just wait for it to walk away from the area i have to go to, and then move.. and if i can hear it come closer.. I dodge behind something and hope it doesn't see me - it works most of the time x) The weapons I solely use to dispatch working joes and humans.. But I only fight them when i have to. I do also some times find the save system frustrating. But i recently played Calisto Protocol.. and I think what killed the scare the most for me, was the generous save system and scripted encounters. The alien keeps me on my toes.. and i generally find that superior.. as i tend to save scum if i can.

[@Ph33NIXx]

@@Schnipps I am not sure what friendlies you are referring to... are you talking about the ones you meet in the area you find the hacking tool? or other friendly humans? There is also a woman in a lobby - I dont remember when it is in the game... but she usually always dies to the xeno when I play ^^"

[@SkyFly19853]

I decided to subscribe since I love Alien Isolation which gives me 79s vibes from retro times.

[@criticalcoffee]

Thanks ! Much appreciated!

[@SkyFly19853]

@@criticalcoffee You are welcome!

[@mikethebike226]

On the funny side, you can break the Alien AI by just by walking. If you are completing too many tasks too quickly, the alien won't be able to keep up. I think someone did a playthrough like that.

[@hectorlopez9453]

Trying this out for the first time in 2023 since I o ly played like a hour when it came out. Man it's so immersive its crazy. Seeing the alien's saliva drip from the vents is nice 2

[@criticalcoffee]

The level of detail is insane for sure

[@jakemeyer8188]

It's worth noting that Alien Romulus has now been released, and the amount of love Fede Alvarez has for the game really shows in Romulus....right down to the save point props being on the walls of the sets right before a nasty action scene is about to happen. There's multiple shots in Romulus where you can see Isolation's influence written all over it, and I LOVE it. It cements Isolation as a full-fledged part of the lore and canon of Alien, and shows appreciation for all the work and love the dev's put into the game. For me, I love this game, and have played it multiple times (I even own the mobile version)...but I've never completed it. I return to it for the reasons you described...because I love Alien, and this game extends the atmosphere of that world PERFECTLY. I just love looking at every...single...bit of it. However, I haven't completed it because the level of anxiety it gives me is through the ROOF. It paralyzes me with fear. I usually just end up watching a long play of it on KZbin haha.

[@TheAnibear]

One of my favourites that I return to a few times every year. So immersive!

[@snakeplissken111]

The pacing could have been improved (ending, a bit repetitiveness, also in the tasks you perform.) But I still cringe to this day over all the professional reviewers as well as players who -- to this day -- claim the game was largely unfair or a good deal of simply luck. If it were, nobody told anybody completing "no get killed" runs on Nightmare difficulty for sure. This is an indie game in concept, ready to piss off a good deal of its potential audience, in the skin of an AAA-production. It's thus one of a kind. And doubly glorious just because of it.

[@robroskey6515]

A:I is an absolute masterpiece, my game of the gen last gen. It's a shame hacks like Ryan mccafree at ign gave it shitty score like his 5/10 which is just flat out wrong especially when he gives garbage like halo 4 a 10. I blame those hacks for launch sales being low and us not getting a sequel

[@criticalcoffee]

reading the subreddit I've only heard about this review. I should check it out tbh. 5 is insanely low for this game.

[@LB_]

12:39 thank you for saying this, I've seen so many people say this section is completely safe

[@alexhere7129]

fantastic video on one of my favorite horror games. Deserves way more views!

[@criticalcoffee]

Thank you! (I'm honestly really happy about the current views)

[@Toshiro93]

About the fact that there are no children or minors in the station, it makes sense at the level of the "working class world of Alien", and also to avoid problems with censorship. However, in retrospect, it makes me realize how brave the people at Visceral Games had with Dead Space 1 and 2, where there were both mutant children and babies.

[@toshk871]

I think you just didn't play it well. The times I used the objects around me to get out of trouble are hard to remember. I think as you pointed out already, the way people figure things out and handle stress is very different.

[@mrindeed247]

22:34i think the alien does have a health bar but we will see flying pigs before we see the death of one

[@e.t.3074]

Great vid, keep 'em coming!

[@criticalcoffee]

Thank you so much!!

[@tyreewadsworth1593]

I love the sneaking around aspect. And the amazing ai that still gets me every time.

[@DiscipleFiveActual]

I don't think Alien: Isolation needs to have that deep of a narrative. To me, it's a feature, not a bug, just like Far Cry 2. Real life itself is a series of repetitive tasks, which I personally don't mind. But maybe I just simply want an otherwise believable experience against a more exciting (or in this case, terrifying) backdrop or aesthetic. Maybe I also don't mind the game being unfair as real life is unfair, but once again maybe I want it against a more exciting backdrop. All of that is a perfectly valid taste in art in my opinion.

[@m0002856]

Love the opening discussion pertaining to video game adaptations in movie and movie adaptations in video games. I think you nailed a point i hadn’t even considered about why many video game adaptations of movies fell flat to me. There’s that aspect of like… this is weird to lose in some of these scenarios. The game needs to capture the feeling of, “this is what it would feel like to be this superhero” instead of just placing a Wolverine skin on what could be any beat-em-up character. I think the Spider-Man games have always been pretty good about this level of immersion, especially because so much of the character’s story in most media focuses on the younger Peter who is learning how to adapt to his new powers. I really think that’s one of the most interesting parts of his story, so it makes sense when you pick up a Spider-Man game and you’re losing. You’re often learning alongside Spider-Man on how to be a superhero. The other issue with the two mediums is like… video games are generally something you play for hours and hours. Movies are usually no longer than 2-3 hours. So video game adaptations of movies generally fill the game with a bunch of weird shit that feels… well, weird LOL. I’m glad you pointed this out, though, because most people only talk about how movie adaptations of video games are terrible and usually skip the inverse.

[@mv3507]

The flares are incredibly useful for distracting the alien, and synthetics, who are very susceptible to it, and humans, who sometimes get distracted by them.

[@Weaselthebassist]

I just replayed it for the first time in 6ish years and I can confirm it is a masterpiece. It respects the original material whilst maintaining its own sense of style, kudos to all that worked on for that. Gameplay wise, it builds suspense and instills fear in the player but gives many moments of downtime, allowing for an enjoyable playthrough. Its honestly up there with other survival horror classics like Silent Hill for me, as long as my love for the Alien films isn't blinding me.

[@chrisrosenkreuz23]

Just a side note, the lore actually has continuity with the movies and it ties in with the novels/audiobooks as well! They are totally worth it because they are play-acted instead of read. Fun fact, anything Predator related isn't actually part of the Alien canon, but everything Bladerunner is.

[@monchopr3511]

Nice video. Keep it good, don't quit. The quality is awesome. Hope you can give a try to the "infamous" Colonial Marines and the currently underrated Aliens Fireteam Elite.

[@jonesygrets6029]

Now we just need a this gen console update

[@ConfidencePT]

I love how you said Ripley's stay on Sevastapol, like she's checking into a hotel. Lol. I finished my first playthrough yesterday. My heartrate rose rapidly with the Alien jumping out out out of line of sight right to the end.

[@TrickyAstroid8]

I've been playing this game every year since it came out around halloween for the vibes and spooks. I love the setting and the 1980s style of a futuristic space station. It's a love letter to the original Alien film. I hope someday we'll get more like this

[@jaideesasaki]

I only gound myself using the kickers twice. You can just evade the alien by obstacles like tabkes and beds like in the medical area. Other than that, you can walk, even run when it isn't around. There's no need to keeo tracker up either. Just occasionally check it, and you're good. I also yse most of the stuff i have for distraction, so i have no complaints of not using my stuff. A humble noisemaker can help you a lot. Maybe that's why you feel you get stuck hiding for long. Just throw a niisemaker far from you and find the next hiding point to go to until you get far enough to walk/run

[@psychonautism]

this video is an hour long, a year old, and about one of my favorite games ever with 25k views and less than a thousand likes? super underrated!

[@peterfalvytamas2912]

Nice review mate. One topic missing is the three levels you can play (easy, normal, nightmare mode) and the huge differences between. Each person can find a level they may be comfortable with. Btw I managed to kill the alien by hoarding a stack of red gas tanks (lok like fiire estinguishers) in one place, then blowning it up with a pistol when the alien is next to it.

[@OneTyler2Many]

The team that put this game together are truly talented. I wish they would come together again and make a predator or the thing game. They understand what fear is. I never get scared but this game terrified me at times. My favorite thing to do was shoot my gun and then hide in a locker knowing humans, and the alien would converge on my location.

[@ireviewcomics]

If this studio made a game about "The Thing" it would be amazing.

[@rljpdx]

read through the alien isolation reddit and saw your comment with link to this so checking it out. I'm still playing the game and have bookmarked this vid so i can come back to it later, but will watch some of it now. I'm on chapter/level 14 or 15 at the moment and don't want any spoilers but should be able to watch the beginning of this at least.

[@rljpdx]

I watched up to 17:33 when I posted above so i wouldn't be exposed to any spoilers. I've completed the game and am now on my second playthrough on the hard setting with all intentions of also doing nightmare once hard is done. i am in completionist mode mode now and want to make sure I search every available area as I still have a few Nostromo Logs to find (6) and about 20 more of those NPC Identity Cards or whatever. I 've purchased the Last Survivor, Crew Expendable, and Safe Haven DLC's so I still have a lot more of the game to play and explore. Alien Isolation was a great game, it has many fans, it did well for Sega as for as sales, and it actually tops a lot of lists in survival horror and other genre's it's associated with. It's definitely one of my personal all time favorites, and I easily see myself playing AI all through this year. Yeah, it's a beloved game so it kind of makes sense to me the huge response you got on the video. Plus it let's me in on the excitement for the content creators as I 'get' something now. Putting out KZbin video's is very much a hit or miss kind of thing. You roll the dice, playing video roulette etc etc and it's great to win sometimes lol.

[@rljpdx]

now i'll go watch the rest lol

[@samuelgeaney7556]

I think in regards to the battery on the Molotov. It's probably for the proximity sensor for when you place it on the ground like a trap.

[@GrimRX]

Sidenote: near the end when you talk about how Ellen Ripley isn't a engineer. Warrant Officer is a rank, not a trade; as well, third-in-command is an appointment rather than a trade. So it is entirely possible that E. Ripley is a Engineer by trade, her rank is simply WO, and she has been appointed as 3iC. So, you may have been entirely correct when you say that A. Ripley is like her mother.

[@criticalcoffee]

Okay! Didn't have the word 'engineer' on her wikia page, so I just assumed that i messed up :D

[@kylkim93]

Ellen's backstory got canonized within the Alien anthology DVD extras and in the Alien: Isolation novelization (based on Riddley Scotts notes, from what I could gather). E. Ripley wasn't an engineer, she graduated from a Evansbrook Academy "showing aptitude for ethics, law and corporate affairs", then moving on to W-Y:s "Horizon Beyond" officer training. 🤓

[@CrichtonNo5]

Bit late to the game on this video, but A I've only just watched it I'll comment anyway. I don't understand the big where you said the alien comes after Ripley and not the other humans - I've used the pistol and firing it to draw the Alien on human enemies plenty of times. It doesn't automatically come right for me. I managed to get the no killing human achievement, and used both the other humans itchy trigger fingers and my own pistol to get the alien to do it for me

[@tadesubaru1383]

This video has 5 million views in my heart

[@chrisrosenkreuz23]

Good work! I for one didn't even realise the tracker makes noise and attracts Steve. I only found that out afterwards and it made sense cos it prevents overuse. I only used it sparingly so I never had the problem which is why I didn't even realise lol.

[@hatad321]

It's not much an issue on lower difficulties (it has worse hearing). On like nightmare though it can hear the thing from rooms away lol.

[@whiskeybuddha1995]

It’s a shame you didn’t find the game fun at all, I can’t stop playing it. I always laugh at fan boys that attack other people that don’t like games they love so that’s not my angle here. I just found it interesting and fascinating that some of the things that turned you off were things that made me love it even more. And the cone of vision would’ve really given me the eye roll, I would’ve hated it. There’s more than a handful of moments to use weapons and you definitely can run but it really has to be so strategic and with a plan to get out of sight before the X shows up. I know that might ruin it for some people but I guess I just love games with details like that. Anyway, to each their own, still loved the quality of your video and detailed review.

[@criticalcoffee]

I'm glad that you like it! Yeah the cone of vision thing was just me spitballing ideas. I don't think it would have fit with the aesthetic or the tone (seems overtly video game-y). Maybe if it was something along the lines of Amanda's heartbeat rising when the Alien sees you? Once again not the best idea but something along those lines would have made the experience better (for me personally ofc). Thank you for watching and the constructive comments! I can see that you're not a fan boy "who's just out to get me" because I didn't like the game as much (so no worries on that front!)

[@jerrydinoballs]

There's a ton of unfun/annoying parts but overall I enjoy the feeling so I play repeatly

[@DarthTingleBinks]

I recently played through the game for the first time, and... I actually prefer the Xenomorph sections to the Synthetic segments. And that's not only out of a resource management perspective, but I can evade the Xenomorph. I can escape the Xenomorph, even if temporarily. With the Synthetics, I either have to kill them, which can use up a lot of resources and items, or hope that I can run far enough out of sight for them to ignore me. Which is easier said than done, especially if there are multiple Synthetics, or if there are Synthetics in an area that ALSO has a Xenomorph. Because the two enemies combined are not fun.

[@HeavyMetalSonicRM]

It's a crime for this game not to have an enhanced PS5 version.

[@Weaselthebassist]

It deserves one 100%

[@Rathian03]

Nice video! I just finished the game on hard difficulty and it was great! To be honest, I rarely used the motion detector because I was so scared that the alien would hear the beeping sound...

[@SaadTheGlad]

It requires sensors and batteries because you can also place it down as a mine so that it can automatically detonate if someone comes near it.

[@gamingcinema8836]

To me, the part about the Alien seeming to know where you are but leaves before finding you always made me feel like it was pretending to be dumb in order to bait me out which I felt like added to its intelligence. There was one time where the alien saw me in medical so I tried to run into one of the patient rooms and locked the door, which worked, but since there was no other exit to the room and the lock was temporarily, I had to hide in a locker. Since the creature knew that I was in the room and didn't see me immediately, he determined that I must have been in the only possible hiding place. He came up to the locker and I had to pass the hold breath test and then it left. Before getting out, I had a feeling it wasn't done, sure enough, the alien returned a few moments later. This means he knew I had no where else to go so I must have still been in the room and wanted to see if I would come out, but after it left the second time, it didn't return, meaning that it must have believed I had escaped while he had left the first time. Anyway, this was just one of several encounters that made me absolutely love this game.

[@robdead4550]

Poker is a real word. It's a metal bar with a small hook on the end and a wooden handle. It's for poking fires.

[@criticalcoffee]

Fair enough. I tried to say "I'm not going to touch that thing with a ten-foot pole" but then I forgot the idiom and ended up with "long poker" which nobody uses.

[@robdead4550]

@@criticalcoffee I guessed it might be that, but thought I'd let you know anyway. Ok have a sub and I'll check out your other stuff when I have the chance.

[@generalskywalker1995]

I just replayed this game on hard, and I breezed right through it. You just have to keep moving and not hide for too long.

[@richardreumerman5449]

I didn't even realise Samuels was a synth until quite late, so I didn't expect him to be a traitor at all.

[@arveranteos712]

This game is amazing. Just absolutely amazing. One thing I have noticed that really ramps up the immersion is playing the game without music. Yes, the music is awesome, but, just it being there kills the immersion. It plants that subconscious tick that it's not real. If you think about it, being in a situation like that, you wouldn't have suspenseful music playing in the background. All you would hear is the defunct station around you, people in the distance, the sounds of your own motion, and the alien scuttling along through the vents.

[@criticalcoffee]

Interesting take, I'll implement this next time I play! That being said, they did a fantastic job imitating the original Jerry Goldsmith soundtrack. I really like the music.

[@arveranteos712]

@@criticalcoffee I agree, they were spot-on recreating that ominous feel with the music. I need to get my hands on the OST, for sure.

[@MariusPartenie]

Hmm... interesting idea. I just finished my first playthrough of A:I on Hard. When I'll play the second time, I'll have to try it without music, maybe on Nightmare difficulty. I did mute the music when playing System Shock 2 because I really thought the techno music didn't fit the atmosphere and that was a good decision. The game transformed into a more suspenseful experience. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@idiot_city5444]

Nah, that's ludicrous. The score is such an important part of the game, more so in the quiet sections. That's like saying they should take the music out of the film, lol

[@arveranteos712]

@@idiot_city5444 I disagree. With a movie, you're seeing it from outside, no matter how hard they try to insert the audience into the scenes. It's always from the outside. That's where the music score of the movie helps set the scene, to help get the audience in the right mindset. When you're playing a game, you're seeing it from the inside. You're interacting with it rather than just watching. You don't need the artificial mood-setter that is the music score; in fact, the score takes away from the immersion, it gives you that unconscious goad that it's all a game, that you're not really on the inside. If you remove the music from the game, you don't have that goad. All you hear is the sounds you make, the sounds of the station falling apart around you, the other survivors, and the alien scuttling along through the vents and stomping through the halls... just as it would be if you were really there in that situation, no music. You really should try it before you knock it. It's far more heart-pounding without the music, seriously.

[@dbfan199]

Wow I wrote a massive essay and accidentally deleated it lol. anyways I found this video quite well written and done, but of course I disagree with a few things. I'm paraphrasing and just quoting for my points (And also none of these are in order.) And some of this stuff is gonna be hearsay as it'll be from my personal experience with the game. "they might have well removed guns as they are useless." I feel like this is too harsh, as guns DO have uses, you just need to see them as tools rather then as weapons of self defense. To clarify because I know that sounds weird, instead of shooting the alien, I've seen people use clever tricks with the revolver, such as using it to lure the alien places (As it goes towards the noise not the player), or shooting nearby canasters in order to scare the alien off without needing to waste precious resources like flame thrower fuel or Molotoves. And as you said, the shotgun CAN stun the alien, even if it can't save you buy it's self, giving you a precious moment to pull out a smoke bomb or something so you can escape does help, and I feel like that was undervalued in your explination. Not to mention the segments of the game in which the Xenomorph doesn't patrol around and you have to fight working joes or humans, in which case Guns are very useful if you fuck up stealth. "It's impossible to know the Alien's fire resistance." From what I understand from expert speedrunner's explinations, the Aliens resistance to fire never actually changes, only how it reacts to the flamethrower in how aggressive or passive it is. It always takes three quick flamethrower bursts to scare the alien off assuming they all hit it. Of course if it's too close it's impossible to get those three bursts off before it kills you. "the alien always knows your location. and will pop out of the vents to keep up presser every few minutes" I Feel like this could have used a better explination, because it makes the Alien sound worst then it is, IMO of course. Because it simplifies the "Director" and Alien ai. the Director always knows the players location and gives the Xenomorphs AI hints at where they are but will never tell it the exact location unless of course you fuck up, AND I believe? at the same time the Alien will also fuck off into the vents for periods of time to give the player some leway. Though this is just something I've heard and could be wrong about. "Never run, always hide for extended periods of time." You can actually run when the Xenomorph isn't making noise in the vents. As that means it's safe to run generally (Unless the audio bugs out.) And Technically there are scripted moments (like the alien popping out of the vent in medical that you used) where it's stuck in an animation, and thus isn't actually active on the map. So you can absolutely run like hell. But that's abusing game knowledge not everyone is gonna know? So I can completely understand not counting it. however, you can walk a vast majority of the game the xenomorph can not hear walking unless your in the same room as it. this helps making you faster and getting things done faster. Making the time you risk the alien exploring minimal. in my recent playthrough I've actually been keeping hiding not as extream as in my first playthrough because I understand how my tools interact with the Xenomorph better. letting me get to exploring more easier. though as a note: I am playing on Hard mode not nightmare. "The Xenomorph will always go towards the nearest human when npc's shoot, which can feel unfair if that's you." Personally never experienced this, but I won't say your wrong. But this has a easy solution, Smoke bomb! it's silent so the alien can only hear it if it's nearby, AND it can't see through the smoke, so it'll always see NPC's first and not the player. I'd honestly look up "17 tips by a pro speedruner" by PsychoHypnotic It gives a lot of insight in the Tools you can use/abuse with the Alien. Overall again I'd like to stress this was a well made video, but there are parts of the gameplay section I disagree with And I understand that if you made this video again you'd focus more on the narrative, BUT I'd also like to stress, a lot of this stuff I disagree with comes from expermenting, which I Agree with the point that experementing is risky and leads to punishment discouraging experimenting unless you don't care about dying, which breaks the immersive atmosphere the game is trying to build. And i genuinly felt quite the same as you with a few points on the gameplay after finishing the game my first time. it's only in retrospect after asking questions and looking up stuff I disagree with them. But the fact I felt the same way does show these are at least in a way a problem. I fully believe this game has flaws as well, and I don't see it as a masterclass of horror other's see it as. But I do see it as a great horror game.

[@pcnoad]

It's not that the story is necessarily bad. It just think that what you experience isn't the most interesting part of it. For example, I tend to think that the most interesting part of the movie Aliens is the unseen story of the colony. I love the idea of the characters encountering the aftermath of an event they don't know the true nature or extent of. It's why I'm always kind of torn about the director's cut. To me it reveals too much too early. The dialogue about receiving communication from the company to investigate grid coordinates is totally unnecessary. It's cool to watch on a second run through, but not the first. You do however need the scene that mentions Amanda, so again I'm torn. It's the same for Alien Isolation. It feels like Amanda was drawn into the aftermath of a more interesting story which you have to piece together from various clues scattered throughout the game. I think the behind the scenes involvement of Weyland Yutani is another interesting element that is easily overlooked.

[@TheRogueCommand]

I believe the Molotov requires sensors and batteries because it can be placed down as a kind of trip-mine.

[@proxcess4946]

I feel like I haven’t seen many videos that critically assess the game like this, this was a great watch. For me atmosphere 10/10, visuals 9.5/10 (the anti aliasing and some of the smoke effects letting it down), and yes the story is lacking, and gameplay can get a bit repetitive. I think they could’ve cut the campaign down by 25% and it would’ve helped with both of those. Love the game, always find myself coming back to it, either in VR (Use a mod called Mother VR) or recently using the Alias Isolation mod which helps with the jagged edges. Unfortunately you can’t run both of those together!

[@Super-Godzilla99]

the funiest thing too do in the game is, attract the alien too the other humans, with the alien available the humans in the game are no treat anymore.

[@flyingkatya]

Only issue I've had is glitches. Other than that, so much fun. The stuff you had criticism for I found fun.

[@Moscoe...]

bro I fucking love this game should have made this video longer

[@criticalcoffee]

I should have fr. However, I knew literally _nothing_ about editing with DVR so this was mostly to learn the software.

[@Moscoe...]

@@criticalcoffee what's DVR

[@criticalcoffee]

DaVinci Resolve

[@Moscoe...]

@@criticalcoffee that thing is garbage don't use it it destroyed my computer for a while just use premiere pro

[@nobodypicksbulbasaur828]

I can understand why people get put off by this game. It can be frustrating at times. Sometimes it feels unfair. As an Alien fan, I cannot stress enough how much we needed this game. It offers hands down the best, most immersive Alien experience out there. It seems like they tried to put you in the game. They make you feel as helpless as you'd feel in that situation if it were really happening. It would feel frustrating. It would feel unfair. You would most likely die screaming.

[@paulknights1764]

Needs a remaster.. great underrated game ..

[@idiot_city5444]

Not it doesn't, looks and runs better than 80% of games made today. Needs a sequel

[@brianfleming5882]

The 1st encounter is definitely not just in your head. If you accidentally say... hit the crate you're hiding behind he will shoot down the hall and kill you

[@derAbsurde]

It never felt unfair to me.....the Alien is amazing and i love it 😊

[@andrewpuckett]

Loved this game and wished they would make a sequel, we need alien isolation 2 !!

[@gwaly1464]

underrated video u deserve more

[@criticalcoffee]

Thank you!

[@WilkenWilkins]

There is NOTHING and I mean 0, times where it breaks the immersion. The only things are the save stations for 1 second there’s a menu, and loading screens obviously but other than that your are trapped until you hit “quit”

[@joeyreliford705]

I love the alien franchise, and have owned the game for a while now... And I am kinda terrified to actually play it... I will eventually, but will never 100% really really want to!