8Bit/Digi

Nobody Can Hear You Scream

Back in 2014, Alien: Isolation presented a horror survival based on Sir. Ridley Scott’s original vision. Five years later, Nintendo Switch gamers get to experience one of the greatest horror games.

Isolation was released during a time when the horror genre was having an identity crisis while gamers had no confidence in another Alien game. Even though times have changed, this masterpiece of horror still holds up in terms of fear factor and quality.

Get Away Form Her

To recap; the story is set 15 years after the original film and has players take on the role of Amanda Ripley as she searches for her missing mother. When she learns that the Nostromo flight recorder has been recovered, she arrives to the space station Sevastopol. However she walks into a nightmare as the space station has been infested with a Xenomorph.

Before getting into the game one needs to take the time an appreciate the level design. It did a great job of recreating the technological aspects of the original film. Technology may have improved but one has to really admire how the development team recreated how visionaries in the 1970s imaged what the future would look like. Looking back five years later, this is still one of the most impressive moments of the game.

The Switch version of Alien: Isolation, is still a reminder that this is an iconic horror game. Be aware that your character has no combat training nor is she some badass angel of death. To escape this nightmare, one has to overcome the challenge of trying to understand the concept of survival.

Yet this is not a flawless port. When compared to the PlayStation and PC version, I will admit the control layout does feel a little clunky. However it’s something one will get use to after playing for sometime. Also there are moments that game will experience a drop in the frame rate.

Despite the minor shortcomings, this is a great port and a must have game for horror fans.

Return to the Nightmare

The Nintendo Switch version of Alien: Isolation is another reminder that in space, nobody will hear you scream. This is still a reminder of why the game and Sir. Ridley Scott original film are a horror masterpiece.

Disclaimer: The game used for this review was borrowed from a friend then compared it to the PS3 version.

Alien: Isolation (Switch)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• Everything that made the game an icon has been preserved.
• The setting that preserves the tone of the films vision of the future.
• Still scary after five years.

Cons

• Minor frame rate drops.
• Control setup feels a little clunky compared to other versions.