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[strafer]

People should try to follow the tips Amnesia: The Dark Descent lays out at the player right as you start the game, which is to play both 1) in a darkened room and 2) with headphones on (or alternatively to 2, a nice surround system).

I don't think Alien: Isolation or really anything in gaming so far can come close to matching the sheer mounting dread that Amnesia 1 evokes, but it makes a respectable stab at it, and it's naturally heightened if you take some steps to put darkness and sound at the forefront.

This is exactly what I'm planning on doing, play this at night with headphones.

No way im doing it during the day. Fuck that shit.

It's like pissing into the wind.

 

[taco543]

People should try to follow the tips Amnesia: The Dark Descent lays out at the player right as you start the game, which is to play both 1) in a darkened room and 2) with headphones on (or alternatively to 2, a nice surround system).

I don't think Alien: Isolation or really anything in gaming so far can come close to matching the sheer mounting dread that Amnesia 1 evokes, but it makes a respectable stab at it, and it's naturally heightened if you take some steps to put darkness and sound at the forefront.

Gold wireless headset. Check.
Large tv. Check.
Tape to cover light bar. Check.

I think I'm ready!

 

[Nemesis_]

I want to know which area the reviewers say was the "point" where the game stops being fun. I've just finished Mission 11 and it's strange because

Spoiler

the Alien has been thrown off the station for now and the threat seems to just be the APOLLO AI and the androids

.

While the scene where this shift occurred was intense and could've easily served as an ending, I've got a feeling things will change again at some point.

 

[Arkanius]

Pertinent question:

Can the god damn Alien hear the Motion tracker?
Because I swear he found me when I was inside a locker because of it.

 

[888]

Pertinent question:

Can the god damn Alien hear the Motion tracker?
Because I swear he found me when I was inside a locker because of it.

I had an experience where I thought the same when I was in the pitch black under a bed. Ripped me right out but I haven't seen it happen again.

 

[Scoot2005]

People should try to follow the tips Amnesia: The Dark Descent lays out at the player right as you start the game, which is to play both 1) in a darkened room and 2) with headphones on (or alternatively to 2, a nice surround system).

I don't think Alien: Isolation or really anything in gaming so far can come close to matching the sheer mounting dread that Amnesia 1 evokes, but it makes a respectable stab at it, and it's naturally heightened if you take some steps to put darkness and sound at the forefront.

Already did that. Headphones and blackout blinds. Works wonders. It's pretty tense but I haven't been scared yet. I'm loving the game.

I couldn't bother to make it out of the basement in Outlast so maybe this will inspire me to play that.

 

[therealminime]

Pertinent question:

Can the god damn Alien hear the Motion tracker?
Because I swear he found me when I was inside a locker because of it.

Yes. Even her breathing can set it off when it is super close.

 

[frontovik]

Memorable moment:

Spoiler

I just got ambushed by the Alien hiding inside a ceiling vent. I should've noticed the puddle of ooze dripping in front of me, but I was more focused on evading the Android blocking my path. I threw a flashbang to distract it and got pulled into the vent. Well played, Alien.

 

[Nemesis_]

This is definitely needing to be played with a headset or a surround sound system. There have been COUNTLESS times where I hear the Alien walking and thanks to sound localisation I've been able to make a judgment of where I need to go without even having to pull out my motion director.

It literally gives the player and advantage, and it's possibly why I've had little to no frustrations with my Alien encounters too.

 

[888]

Already did that. Headphones and blackout blinds. Works wonders. It's pretty tense but I haven't been scared yet. I'm loving the game.

I couldn't bother to make it out of the basement in Outlast so maybe this will inspire me to play that.

Yeah I feel outlast is way worse than alien. I think it is more the environments. I can handle alien alot easier. I am almost disappointed I haven't been freaked out more. There were some really good times where he got me but the game started to slow in the transit area. It did pick back up tho.

 

[GothPunk]

So it appears these Androids didn't get the memo about, oh I dunno...THE THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS?!


My first death was at the hands of one. So much for that achievement.

They address this in the tutorial script that displays during the loading screens. Aggressive androids are kind of a staple in the Alien universe.

A possible explanation (I've only played until Chapter 4):

Spoiler

If the station is overseen by the APOLLO AI, then perhaps as it is controlling the androids it's really the AI breaking any directives to kill you? Probably just following order from the company...

 

[Spoo]

People should try to follow the tips Amnesia: The Dark Descent lays out at the player right as you start the game, which is to play both 1) in a darkened room and 2) with headphones on (or alternatively to 2, a nice surround system).

I don't think Alien: Isolation or really anything in gaming so far can come close to matching the sheer mounting dread that Amnesia 1 evokes, but it makes a respectable stab at it, and it's naturally heightened if you take some steps to put darkness and sound at the forefront.

I feel like it's going to effect people differently than Amnesia in a very key way. Primarily because (not that much of a spoiler but):

Spoiler

You don't always feel in constant threat of the monster in Amnesia, and you do your best to avoid that monster (and can usually succeed quite easily), but in A:I you spent a lot of time in constant threat, often times right next to the thing, moving from room to room without any consolation of how the AI does things. Amnesia wants you to look away from the monster, and A:I works tirelessly to force you to do so. Surprisingly, it doesn't make the monster less terrifying, but it does make the player braver

. In short, Aliens is a much more stressful game than Amnesia to play, and if that equates to a sense of dread in the player (and I feel it often does), then A:I pushes much further as a kind of endurance test for your nerves. It may never reach the zenith Amnesia does (I would say it gets intensely close), but it keeps a minimum of intensity that is much higher than Amensia's minimums.

 

[todahawk]

dammit, I click on the mission briefing and get a notice that required content isn't available? game preloaded and finished downloading last night
edit: PS4 digital

 

[Zeliard]

Already did that. Headphones and blackout blinds. Works wonders. It's pretty tense but I haven't been scared yet. I'm loving the game.

I couldn't bother to make it out of the basement in Outlast so maybe this will inspire me to play that.

I agree that so far there isn't as much in the way of sheer fear as you might want from this sort of game. I do think it's brutally tense in the sense that, at least on Hard difficulty, a minor slip-up results in the xenomorph, who's just so unrelenting, eating your face off with the slightest of all provocations. And the sound design is just so pronounced throughout.

I hold Amnesia above this game and others because simply navigating the levels there was incredibly unnerving, unpredictable, and depowering even when there wasn't much of anything happening, whereas in Alien Isolation you have enough defensive tools at your disposal to get out of sticky situations even when the aggressive xenomorph is involved.

I feel like it's going to effect people differently than Amnesia in a very key way. Primarily because (not that much of a spoiler but):

Spoiler

You don't always feel in constant threat of the monster in Amnesia, and you do your best to avoid that monster (and can usually succeed quite easily), but in A:I you spent a lot of time in constant threat, often times right next to the thing, moving from room to room without any consolation of how the AI does things. Amnesia wants you to look away from the monster, and A:I works tirelessly to force you to do so. Surprisingly, it doesn't make the monster less terrifying, but it does make the player braver

. In short, Aliens is a much more stressful game than Amnesia to play, and if that equates to a sense of dread in the player (and I feel it often does), then A:I pushes much further as a kind of endurance test for your nerves. It may never reach the zenith Amnesia does (I would say it gets intensely close), but it keeps a minimum of intensity that is much higher than Amensia's minimums.

This is a good consideration of the two games. I'm not sure I totally agree, since Amnesia for me held up that sense of unsettling dread throughout the playthrough, but I can definitely see where you're coming from.

 

[ProvenDeadly]

Seen a lot of Outlast comparisons. My issue with that game is it was easier to run past the enemies, they were pretty dumb. Loses it's scare factor when I can simply sprint past that big dude, turn on a generator, hide, repeat.

 

[MattyG]

So it appears these Androids didn't get the memo about, oh I dunno...THE THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS?!

My first death was at the hands of one. So much for that achievement.

Which achievement is that? Because I'm definitely not getting it.

 

[Reedirect]

3-4 hours in and it feels fantastic. Amazing sound design, superb atmosphere and most confrontations with the Alien are incredibly tense. Not suprised a lot of reviewers disliked it though, it's essentially a slow-burn horror movie so far.

 

[ProvenDeadly]

Also, any word on how big the DLC is in terms of gigs?

 

[todahawk]

fucking hell, just checked the download size and it's only 13gb out of 20. Don't know why it thought it was done last night

 

[owlbeak]

Really enjoying this so far but what the fuck is up with the cutscenes stuttering all over the place? I'm on PS4 and game is buttery smooth but anytime a cutscene it starts the framerate is all over the place, which is weird since I assume they're streaming video and not rendered in real time.

 

[bonesmccoy]

Funny: I compared Dead Space (1&2) to A:I to a friend almost the exact same way Zeliard compared A:I to Amnesia.

I should probably play the Amnesia series.

Not suprised a lot of reviewers disliked it though, it's essentially a slow-burn horror movie so far.

Most reviewers liked it!

 

[888]

Seen a lot of Outlast comparisons. My issue with that game is it was easier to run past the enemies, they were pretty dumb. Loses it's scare factor when I can simply sprint past that big dude, turn on a generator, hide, repeat.

Well there is no wanting to run here. I went thru this part a few times because I became a bit careless. Decided to run back into the objective area figuring the alien wouldn't be in a certain area. Started running towards a door and bam he dropped from the vent and came eight for me.

 

[Dave_6]

I could sit and just watch/listen to the title screen for a while.

 

[Lime]

You know that feeling when you're playing a game and you don't want the experience to stop? That's how I feel. I love the atmosphere and setting so much.

 

[Arkanius]

I think I just learned this the hard way:

Lesson learned number 1:

NEVER RUN
SERIOUSLY
NEVER
RUN

Even if you hide in a locker, he will find you.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

I kind of get what they were going for with the save system, but by golly does it turn me off to go through a 15 minute segment and lose all of that.

 

[strafer]

Is this real life?

Spoiler

Am I actually walking around The Nostromo as Ripley?

Good day to be an Alien fan.

 

[Hawk269]

Anymore Xbox One impressions? Heard that there is tearing in it from the DF article, but just wanting some user feedback as far as tearing, frame rate, jaggies etc.

 

[Visualante2]

I choose to believe that there is a dog and a greased up grounds keeper running around in the vents.

 

[komplanen]

I'm warming up on this the farther I get. Tho I have to say the Xenomorph ain't no Predator when it comes to seeing in a dark corridor.

 

[Arkanius]

Spoiler

You can press Right Click to hold your breath when the Alien is nearby the locker?

 

[evilromero]

Ok, fuck it. I'm getting the PS3 version. I just can't hold out any longer.

 

[Xpliskin]

I haven't had to chance to pick it up yet but my buddy over skype is telling me whoever criticizes the graphics must be out of their mind.
He's very critical when it comes to this type of stuff.

I take it the game looks very good on PC and a lot of care went into the ambiance.

 

[GavinUK86]

I choose to believe that there is a dog and a greased up grounds keeper running around in the vents.

ship creaking... just the ship creaking. there is not a xenomorph on the ship. nope. not one.

 

[ProvenDeadly]

Has anybody played the DLC yet?

 

[GrayFoxPL]

People should try to follow the tips Amnesia: The Dark Descent lays out at the player right as you start the game, which is to play both 1) in a darkened room and 2) with headphones on (or alternatively to 2, a nice surround system).

3) Die from a heart attack.

 

[shiba5]

So is it somewhat "safe" to be out when Mr. Xeno is up in the ceiling? I got to the Quarantine level and basically sat in a locker until he finally ripped me out of it. I was afraid to move if I heard him at all - which makes the game drag obviously.

Spoiler

It didn't help that I set off the corridor explosion which sent him into a tizzy.

 

[Arkanius]

So is it somewhat "safe" to be out when Mr. Xeno is up in the ceiling? I got to the Quarantine level and basically sat in a locker until he finally ripped me out of it. I was afraid to move if I heard him at all - which makes the game drag obviously.

Spoiler

It didn't help that I set off the corridor explosion which sent him into a tizzy.

If you stay in the same place for too long he starts suspecting a room
If you make noise going into a room he will know you are there.

I usually find it safer to be under beds or behind something than inside a locker.

I also notice that there are some prompts that might try to save you while the Alien checks the locker, but I always failed them

 

[Lettuce]

Is there a way to hostler your item you have in your hand at all?

 

[F0rneus]

Alien is my second favorite film of all time (right behind Carpenter's Halloween) so this is basically one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had. What a treat.

 

[Trickster]

Once I get to the

Spoiler

Anisidora

, how far am I roughly?

 

[Lime]

Is there a way to hostler your item you have in your hand at all?

Switch to a weapon once you get one.

 

[spannicus]

I crouch around the space station pretty much the whole time. Im crouched even when I go to access terminals lol. Cant count the hours I probably spent hiding not wanting to come out. I can easily enjoy 30 hours of this game.

 

[boredofcanada]

Alien is my second favorite film of all time (right behind Carpenter's Halloween) so this is basically one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had. What a treat.

Me too. I've been wanting this game for years. It's kind of surreal to be playing it.

 

[Lettuce]

Anymore Xbox One impressions? Heard that there is tearing in it from the DF article, but just wanting some user feedback as far as tearing, frame rate, jaggies etc.

Ive been playing for about 3 hrs now and haven't seen a single tear or even framerate drop (to the point that ive noticed anyway)

 

[Sephzilla]

About an hour in. This game is going to destroy me

 

[JigglesBunny]

Anymore Xbox One impressions? Heard that there is tearing in it from the DF article, but just wanting some user feedback as far as tearing, frame rate, jaggies etc.

A couple of small stutters in effect heavy environments but other than that, no tearing or massive drops out of the ordinary.

 

[taoofjord]

The game is promising so far but I have to say that I'm disappointed by the aliasing and the TERRIBLE framerate during cutscenes. I hope they fix that ASAP as it's pretty inexcusable.

 

[jacksepticeye]

The audio in this game is impeccable. Playing on 5.1 surround sound is so damn good, feeling the whole ship shake underneath you is awesome

 

[shiba5]

If you stay in the same place for too long he starts suspecting a room
If you make noise going into a room he will know you are there.

I usually find it safer to be under beds or behind something than inside a locker.

I also notice that there are some prompts that might try to save you while the Alien checks the locker, but I always failed them

Yep, found that out. I successfully held my breath twice in the same locker until he left. The third time, I thought he was gone, but the jerk was hanging out just out of line of sight. When I finally had to take a breath, he snatched me out so fast I just laughed.
I didn't have much trouble with the human and android enemies, but the alien makes me freeze and second guess myself so much that I end up hiding for long stretches. I'm going to try to just make myself move when he's up in the ceiling.