Video Game Review: Alien - Isolation (Xbox One)

HOW WILL YOU SURVIVE?

Discover the true meaning of fear in Alien: Isolation, a survival horror set in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger. Fifteen years after the events of Alien, Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda enters a desperate battle for survival, on a mission to unravel the truth behind her mother's disappearance.

As Amanda, you will navigate through an increasingly volatile world as you find yourself confronted on all sides by a panicked, desperate population and an unpredictable, ruthless Alien.

Underpowered and underprepared, you must scavenge resources, improvise solutions and use your wits, not just to succeed in your mission, but to simply stay alive.

Good Points

- The graphics are outstanding.  The developers spent alot of time watching Alien as the space station, Sevastopol, looks like it came straight out of the movie. 

- At the beginning, the tension is off the hook.  Simple things, like just walking across the room, just creep you out.  Jump scars are in full effect.  The first few times you encounter the alien will put a pit in your stomach.  

Bad Points

-  Stupid movement restrictions.  You cannot jump or walk over simple items or pick up weapons off dead foes.

-  You constantly retracing your steps back and forth across the station.

- After awhile the alien just becomes annoying as you have dodge around it's constant roaming patterns.     

Final Word

To be fair, I have never had the patience to play stealth games and this one is no different.  While Alien - Isolation has great atmosphere the overall game play is repetitive and you spend most of your time hiding under desks and inside lockers.   

                                                           My Rating

Video Game Review: Walking Dead (Game of the Year Edition)

The Game of the Year edition includes all 5 main story episodes which lasts approximately 2-3 hours each.  The "Special Episode-400 Days", previously available only as downloadable content, follows the stories of 5 different post-apocalyptic survivors that last 20-30 minute each.

If I had to come up with one word to describe this game, it would have to be brutal.  I don't mean brutal in bad way, it's just a very emotionally draining game.  You may have watched the TV series or read the comics but they do not come close to the level of emotions that this game puts you through.  Instead of being a passive viewer or reader you are responsible for the life and death decisions.  You have to chose the fate of friends and like life, you just do the best you can.       

The main story line involves your character, Lee Everett, becoming a surrogate parent / protector of a young girl named Clementine (Clem).  Clem is your constant companion and you will want to sacrifice everything just to keep her safe.  It reminded me of Cormac McCarthy's The Road in the way the tension is always present due to the fear of the unknown and danger is always lurking around the corner.  Good luck at not shedding a tear during the final act. 

If there are some criticisms it would be the limited character mobility and the "point and click" aspect.  But, make no mistake this is a cinematic experience first and foremost so this format works efficiently well.  Also, there is a time limit on the dialog options that force you to make decisions in a hurry which puts stress on the player to make the right call.  I was mentally exhausted after each episode.

In the end, Telltale Games has produced a deep atmospheric game that will live with you for some time after the credits roll.