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Alien: Isolation |OT| 1 Alien. 1 Ripley. No Jonesy.
- Thread starter VisceralBowl
- Start date
I'm not even sure I know how to use it.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Another way the game is ridiculous.
It's things like this that I criticize in the game in that make portions of the game extra tedious that don't really need to be.
Some doors can be hacked open, while others can only be opened with keycards. I think they could have created a risk reward scenario where you can hack the door, leave yourself exposed, but not do any card hunting. Or get the card, but avoid leaving yourself exposed.
i need a level 3 hacker to get in to a certain room, but yet somehow my hacker was powerful enough to hack the APOLLO core. Makes total sense.
It's things like this that I criticize in the game in that make portions of the game extra tedious that don't really need to be.
Some doors can be hacked open, while others can only be opened with keycards. I think they could have created a risk reward scenario where you can hack the door, leave yourself exposed, but not do any card hunting. Or get the card, but avoid leaving yourself exposed.
You took down apollo's defenses by doing those other hacking games at each tunnel.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Well my game fucking glitched on me.
I was finishing up mission 15 and after you board the shuttle for some reason it takes me back to the tram station instead of back to medical.
I was finishing up mission 15 and after you board the shuttle for some reason it takes me back to the tram station instead of back to medical.
Markitron
Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
That's supposed to happen. This is the point where you can free roam if you want.
Hell yeah.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
No. You're supposed to go back the medical,station. I've seen the walkthroughs.
Goddammit.
Markitron
Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
Is this after you leave the Anisidora? IIRC the start of mission 15 takes place in medical and after you board the shuttle to the Anisidora you don't come back.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I just had to restart mission 15 and finish all the way through and then restart the PS4 and then I was able to advance.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I have finally finished the game and I have to say that I agree mostly with the 6-7 review scores, because I agree that it can drag far too long.
Missions 15-18 were some of the most frustrating tedious garbage for missions I have ever seen. They were some of the worst examples in gaming of dragging things out.
Mission 17 for christ sake.
It went like this big room, go to other side of big room with a patrol and ion torch the door. Get code to open another door to power up another door. Here comes Alien, avoid it. Go to opposite side flip a switch. Go BACK to the opposite side to signal for a traincar to come. Wait.
Next part. Go back and forth down a long narrow hallway OVER and OVER and OVER. Those of you are calling this game of the year how can any of you honestly say that was fun and not needlessly stupid? That took forever....
Mission 18 was much better, but still at the beginning of the level it was doing those same things (ala flip a switch, go to the opposite side and back and up and then down and then captured into a nest. Then a slow as hell space walk.....
In short, I do feel that they could have trimmed a lot of the fat and made it a much tighter experience.
Missions 15-18 were some of the most frustrating tedious garbage for missions I have ever seen. They were some of the worst examples in gaming of dragging things out.
Mission 17 for christ sake.
It went like this big room, go to other side of big room with a patrol and ion torch the door. Get code to open another door to power up another door. Here comes Alien, avoid it. Go to opposite side flip a switch. Go BACK to the opposite side to signal for a traincar to come. Wait.
Next part. Go back and forth down a long narrow hallway OVER and OVER and OVER. Those of you are calling this game of the year how can any of you honestly say that was fun and not needlessly stupid? That took forever....
Mission 18 was much better, but still at the beginning of the level it was doing those same things (ala flip a switch, go to the opposite side and back and up and then down and then captured into a nest. Then a slow as hell space walk.....
In short, I do feel that they could have trimmed a lot of the fat and made it a much tighter experience.
postcyberpunk
Banned
I was never bothered by the backtracking or the other issues you mentioned as I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The game absolutely nails the tension/frustration/fear of confronting an unstoppable foe. The spacewalks were at once welcome reprieves and walks of doom because I knew I had to go back into Sevastopol.
I don't think the game dragged at all; there were some frustrating bits towards the end, especially if you were out of flamethrower gel and items, but I never felt the game was unfair.
Again, this is not only my GOTY, it is the best game I have ever played. I understand the criticism; I just don't agree with it.
If I have one small criticism, it is that moving from Sevastopol to the
to the
, everything looked the same. Now I don't know if that is just what these things had to look like structurally, but that was a small disappointment.
I don't think the game dragged at all; there were some frustrating bits towards the end, especially if you were out of flamethrower gel and items, but I never felt the game was unfair.
Again, this is not only my GOTY, it is the best game I have ever played. I understand the criticism; I just don't agree with it.
If I have one small criticism, it is that moving from Sevastopol to the
Anesiadora
Torrens
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
At the end of the day I liked the game and playing it on hard obviously had something to do with it getting frustrating and annoying at the end.
In Chapter 17 there was simply no need for that ridiculous walk back and forth down that long hallway section where you flip one switch, walk back down the hallway to flip another switch, then another all while HOPING that the alien isn't hanging out in the hallway, because you're pretty much dead when that happens. That was clearly padding it out.
While it makes sense to not be able to kill the alien, it's kind of strange that shotgun blasts and railgun couldn't do damage to get it to go away. It HAD to be the flamethrower.
For me here are some of the changes I would have made to the game:
1. More or less keep the first 10 chapters the same, drastically streamline the events that lead to Chapter 14 and have that sequence lead directly to an escape and then have a cat and mouse battle on the Torrens.
2. Adjust the save system to save whenever, but maybe give you a limited number of saves, less on higher difficulties. Although there is an equally valid reason for leaving it the way it is.
3. Simply cut back on the backtracking. I'm not saying get rid of it completely.
Despite my complaints, it was a VERY good game and I do feel that they absolutely nailed the feel of the original alien and what it was like to be stalked by something that was completely unpredictable.
My score for the game is a 7.5, which means it's worth playing if you have the patience.
postcyberpunk
Banned
I think those are valid criticisms, besides the save system-- those things are everywhere, at major points in the game, and the game does have checkpoints if you happen to miss one (elevators, etc.). I think I lost twenty minutes once as I didn't notice a save point before beginning a difficult area. Based on your concerns that's a valid review score, too. I think we are arguing between the standards of a "VERY good game" and a great game... I don't know if it is a 10 or a 7.5; I just know I had a blast playing it and was sad to see it end.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
The save systems eventually grew on me and I learned to use them efficiently. I wouldn't say I exploited them but once you learn where they are you could effectively minimize repetition of the tedious parts.
We enjoy playing hide and seek with the alien. The buttons and whatnots are just a mean for more hide and seek. Having said that, I wouldn't call it fun, it just give me this sense of achievement like no other.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
But that wasn't hide and seek though. Walking down a long ass hallway with nowhere to hide makes that section just blind luck.
the black pearl
Member
Yeah, the save points were perfect in this game basically.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
So I just finished the game on hard but I didn't get all the collectibles. I read in the guide that you can mop up on a lower difficulty. How exactly does that work? I'm just confused do all the collectibles permanently stay with you?
the black pearl
Member
I just did the Apollo core. How close am I to finishing?
autoduelist
Member
So I'm currently on chapter 5 or 6, where I'm
Now, I love Aliens in general, but I dislike stealth games, and this section in particular is bothering me since it feels like the Alien just comes out of nowhere and catches me... I've been inches from escaping the first area a couple times, but...
Now, I'm using the motion detector, and I'm crouch walking... but I keep going for supply boxes I don't actually need (ocd, need to check everything).
Long story short, I really don't like stealth games all that much. I'm a little happier if I at least get to kill off guards in an area with stealth executions, but here I feel like I'm eternally slow crouch walking and am NOT enjoying the game, even though I can tell it's a great game.
Does the game change up significantly (or at all) later on? Should I just call it a day since I'm not enjoying it? Or does it hit some point later on where I'm going to be glad I played through?
(for reference, I plat'd Dead Space and beat DS2 a couple times with no issue. It's these damn stealth sections sucking my fun away.
searching for a keycard on a doctor's body
Now, I love Aliens in general, but I dislike stealth games, and this section in particular is bothering me since it feels like the Alien just comes out of nowhere and catches me... I've been inches from escaping the first area a couple times, but...
Now, I'm using the motion detector, and I'm crouch walking... but I keep going for supply boxes I don't actually need (ocd, need to check everything).
Long story short, I really don't like stealth games all that much. I'm a little happier if I at least get to kill off guards in an area with stealth executions, but here I feel like I'm eternally slow crouch walking and am NOT enjoying the game, even though I can tell it's a great game.
Does the game change up significantly (or at all) later on? Should I just call it a day since I'm not enjoying it? Or does it hit some point later on where I'm going to be glad I played through?
(for reference, I plat'd Dead Space and beat DS2 a couple times with no issue. It's these damn stealth sections sucking my fun away.
the black pearl
Member
You eventually get to fight back a little more. But the general design principal will stay the same (at least for a while)
CartridgeBlower
Member
This is a game to me that started great and continually got worse as the game went on, all the way to the 'ending.'
Does some things right, does many things wrong.
Does some things right, does many things wrong.
It's mostly stealth all the way even when you get better armed towards the end unless you play on easier levels.
My advice would be try Easy or even Novice. Get past missions 5,6 & 7 where you're most helpless by using gadgets to distract enemies/alien as much as possible and minimize stealth reliance then switch to being a little more fire-power orientated afterwards.
I'm not sure you can just stroll around one you get the flame-thrower as it does eat up ammo but you can certain proceed with only minimum caution in my experience (I re-played a later mission on Easy just to see the difference in AI and the main difference was actually how much ammo I got for flame-thrower).
At heart though the title is about avoiding engagement as much as possible (i.e. stealth).
The visual design is awesome so I'd try and get through it but switch to the easier levels before you end up hating it is my advice.
My take is:
At the point you arrive on the station most people have been taken and the Alien's have mostly retreated into their hive doing whatever they do when they're all hanging around the hive. It's similar to Aliens except you arrive before all Aliens are in the hive and essentially dormant and when a few are still active hunting down stragglers
As a result I believe the idea is there are only one or two actively hunting around the station - either one which you come across and play cat and mouse with until the end of chapter 10 or a couple and you encounter more than one but don't realize it. I lean towards the idea its a couple because you move around the towers so much.
After your purge the hive the idea is the aliens are much more active and around hence you're almost always encountering them and on occasion encounter more than one.
As a result I believe the idea is there are only one or two actively hunting around the station - either one which you come across and play cat and mouse with until the end of chapter 10 or a couple and you encounter more than one but don't realize it. I lean towards the idea its a couple because you move around the towers so much.
After your purge the hive the idea is the aliens are much more active and around hence you're almost always encountering them and on occasion encounter more than one.
As a side note it's interesting just how much they reference
Aliens
Aliens
Load chapter 16 and switch to easy or novice difficulty. At this point you have all gear upgraded and can get into any room required. Backtrack away. Note
Alien is around though and active. On easier levels though you'll have plenty of flamethrower ammo if you need to shoo it away and in my experience if you keep it quiet it tends to stay in vents and leave you alone.
RedAssedApe
Banned
i know the point was to probably make the game feel more claustrophobic but feels like your head is right up against the ceiling sometimes. this is like the opposite of bioshock infinite where the scale made booker seem like a midget lol
also...strangely missing is the ability to clamber over objects. so annoying when you're getting chased by a joe and a character can clearly just vault over a table and a railing onto a lower level but you can't in this game. so you can hide under a table but you can't speed up/attempt an escape by climbing over it. weird...
also human encounters are annoying. seems like they can always see me (not even peeking) even if im in the shadows. think they really need a cover button so you know for sure you can be seen or not.
also...strangely missing is the ability to clamber over objects. so annoying when you're getting chased by a joe and a character can clearly just vault over a table and a railing onto a lower level but you can't in this game. so you can hide under a table but you can't speed up/attempt an escape by climbing over it. weird...
also human encounters are annoying. seems like they can always see me (not even peeking) even if im in the shadows. think they really need a cover button so you know for sure you can be seen or not.
Which doesn't make so much sense either...
postcyberpunk
Banned
still a good bit left to do.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Yeah, the game does have more Aliens influence than many might realize.
For starters, the character of Amanda Ripley was first mentioned in Aliens: Special Edition, which is the Cameron preferred cut.
I do believe there was a hidden queen in the reactor.
For starters, the character of Amanda Ripley was first mentioned in Aliens: Special Edition, which is the Cameron preferred cut.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Yep, unfortunately you are getting to the point where it starts to drag...
the black pearl
Member
getting my headphones ready as we speak
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Halfway through my second playthrough and am going for the trophy that you get when you make it through the game without dying.
I should then have the platinum trophy. I did make a mistake and accidently killed an innocent. I seriously hope that doesn't ruin my perfect playthrough.
I should then have the platinum trophy. I did make a mistake and accidently killed an innocent. I seriously hope that doesn't ruin my perfect playthrough.
I don't even know how this is possible. well, obviously it's possible, but holy shit would that be hard. especially that last bit near the end where things get relentless. I died like 6 times there.
RedAssedApe
Banned
ok i can see why people were posting that they were annoyed by chapter 10.
is ruining that tension that built up and worked so well up to that point :\
constant presence of the alien and flamethrower
I got the no death trophy. It's pretty easy. Just be ready to pull the plug if you make a mistake or get insta-killed.
At the moment I'm doing a collectible run. After that it'll be the death run so I can get the platinum.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I disagree. The flamethrower isn't this crazy super weapon that everyone makes it out to be. If you have to use the flamethrower the Alien will run and hide and quickly return to aggressively stalk you again. And it will do it until you run out of fuel. Which happens fast on hard. Hide and sneak is still far and away the best method to play the game. The only time I would really use my flamethrower was to kill facehuggers and if the alien was in the way of an objective or an elevator or if I simply didn't feel like restarting a section.
Anyway I just got my platinum trophy and will probably not ever play this game again. It was a good experience and I am glad that I could play it, but it's just not a game that is built for multiple playthroughs unless they implement a cheat mode where you can't die. My second playthrough was on Novice and I did that just to get the One Shot trophy.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Its hard, but on novice it's very doable. The only challenge for novice is to remind yourself that you are not invincible and you will still die if you get seen. So using stealth is necessary.
You also need to know where the facehugger sections are since they are an instant kill. Thankfully, they are not random and appear in very specific sections.
Also, if you are attacked by the alien you can quickly pause and reload your last save and it will not register as a kill. If you do accidently get killed and the death registers you can reload a previous save and/or even restart the chapter and it will wipe the slate clean assuming you didn't die in a previous chapter.
In short, doable even on hard.
postcyberpunk
Banned
I bought the LC, but haven't run through the first two yet. However, I think they are all really just survivor/challenge maps.
So, in sunmary, your issue is that an Alien game has bits in it which are similar to sections of Alien?
And what does this mean?
postcyberpunk
Banned
That you are given different sections of Sevastopol to explore/survive with different conditions. I think the "story" is told mostly through the computers. There may be cutscenes, but as I wrote, I haven't played them. The reason I think this is that the DLC is located under the Survivor Mode menu.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
So, in sunmary, your issue is that an Alien game has bits in it which are similar to sections of Alien?
I don't know how I am supposed to answer this question. My issue with that section was it was a bit too much back and forth and it seemed to exist for the sole purpose of dragging the game out. Making it with less back and forth wouldn't make it less "Alien" There were just too many sections of the game that added nothing, but dragged it out.
Although I don't feel that so much now that I have finished my second playthrough.
Btw, here is another plothole I found.
At the very end where you are briefly captured by the Alien (a sequence I felt was not needed) how the heck did all of those eggs end up there? There is no way a queen could have believably placed those there in the time after the reactor blew.
postcyberpunk
Banned
That was a great scene
when you pulled out the helmet and the slime drips down.
I don't get how you just pull your arms out of it and run away. how come NO ONE else was able to do that?
It's explained by a deleted scene from Alien. What they are using as canon in this game is somewhat unclear.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
The deleted scene doesn't explain it at all. Plus, the lifecycle used in Aliens is the official canon since Ridley Scott does not consider the "directors cut" to be the definite version of Alien. He considers the theatrical cut to be canon. 20th Century Fox called it a Directors Cut for marketing purposes.
However, the deleted scene you are referring to fails to explain:
1. How the eggs arrived there so quickly after the reactor? I suppose they could have been there for a long while but it seems strange that that part of the station would have been abandoned long enough to go unnoticed by the marshall.
2. How the eggs were made? No way a queen could have laid them considering how they were setup.
3. How in the ever loving hell did the eggs end up in such a cramped area? There is a part in the final sequence where you have to remain crouched and crawl through a tiny area with eggs. How did they end up in there? Considering how big the aliens were it made no sense that all those eggs could fit in that area.
2. How the eggs were made? No way a queen could have laid them considering how they were setup.
3. How in the ever loving hell did the eggs end up in such a cramped area? There is a part in the final sequence where you have to remain crouched and crawl through a tiny area with eggs. How did they end up in there? Considering how big the aliens were it made no sense that all those eggs could fit in that area.
For me that is the biggest problem I have is that it throws out everything we know about the xenomorph lifecycle just for the sake of giving us one last drawn out sequence.
I also believe the cycle you see at the end of Alien can easily co-exist with the cycle established in Aliens.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
How were you not expecting something? When I was playing I absolutely knew there was going to be one or two more curve balls that they throw your way that would drag out the escape.
postcyberpunk
Banned
Berserking Guts
Member
According to the Alien Audio Commentary (or the making of featurette, I forget which) the Alien has the ability to turn people into eggs. During the deleted Dallas scene at the end of the movie, you can see Bret is already in the process of turning into one.
