5 years after surviving Sevastopol, we have a new opportunity in one of the best ports to Switch
"Maybe it's synthetic, but I'm not stupid," Bishop in Aliens
5 years ago Alien Isolation came out. 5 years ago we analyzed Alien Isolation. And 5 years ago we gave a note that currently several, including the analyst of this text, we do not share. The truth is that since then we have sought to do it justice that the title of SEGA and CA deserves to be cited in reports and specials. And the recent port for Nintendo Switch made by the Feral Games studio only testifies how great this title remains.
Alien Switch
For those who do not know, in 2014 The Creative Assembly, which until now was a study mainly dedicated to RTS strategy games like Total War, was played by making a 'leap of faith' and daring with three elements that had never been used: a first person game, a horror title and a great license turned into popular culture. The result, endorsed by Sega, was Alien Isolation, a survival horror more FP than FPS with a gigantic fanservice load that instantly turned it into an example type 'Ghostbusters: The Videogame': a product with a use of the masterly, nostalgic license and respectful, and a sample of how to adapt an IP by expanding its lore by the way without betraying the original.
The truth is that the practice we have seen sit comfortably in this generation of recovering titles from not long ago – as we say, Isolation is only 5 years old – is not a plate of taste for everyone, but although sometimes it squeaks, in others it is a wonderful surprise. Because it seems that Nintendo Switch is the perfect console for this Alien from CA. And what is the auction now: it looks (many) times better than the PS4 and Xbox One versions.
USS Sevastopol, take 2
At the plot level, being a port has not touched anything of the game's script. And the only thing you should know is: You are Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Ellen Ripley, and you must go to the USS Sevastopol station where there is apparently news about what happened to your mother, disappeared 15 years ago. Located masterfully in the saga of films – if you want the exact gap, it is between Alien 1979 and Aliens 1986, Isolation is a 'tour-de-force' forced to play (and worship) if you are a fan of the franchise of Xenomorphs
What do you find when stepping on Sevastopol? Well, basically a huge and very labyrinthine mapping that serves as the basis for a survival horror of pure strain in the first person. But no, this is not the nth space Marines game in which to give and take pleasure in emptying full-handed ammo loaders, but something 180º different. There is exploration, there is evidence and there are weapons including some as iconic as Ellen Ripley's flamethrower. But there is also crafteo and ammunition so limited that the study deliberately pushes you to avoid confrontations or use the stage.
The reason? The approach Creative Assembly decided to give Isolation, which is basically an expanded but faithful version of the first film in the series. This translates into a female Ripley being alone with a xenomorph in an isolated and claustrophobic space environment. And the gameplay, which is advised by the ‘Stealth’ and dose the bullets very much, confronts you with an alien that you cannot kill, just dodge and survive – just like the Alien of Ridley Scott. There are more characters, and some must be liquidated, but the base, the heart of Isolation is you and the xeno that looks for you, hunts and chases you.
A Nostromo with the name changed
Therefore we are facing a classic survival horror, faithful to the initial canons, of slow development, even slow sometimes – like the first film – but capable of causing your heart to go from 0 to 100 from one moment to the next. Each appearance of the alien, each hunt to which we are subjected and when we must think how to dodge it, is capable of causing tension to even the most veteran of the genre. The whole experience is like a huge game of cat and mouse in which it is clear who Amanda represents.
And as it is an absolute survival, its tics and mannerisms come into play: as we say, Isolation can become very slow to some, because we are not facing a set-piece after another or a constant script, but rather a very type and rhythm of the game classic, which is fully committed to being 'Stealth Horror' instead of 'Action Horror', 'rare avis' in a generation in which everything must be great, Open World, loud and constant. He is leisurely, methodical and that is both one of his best tricks and at the same time one of his handicaps for those who think he is a Doom 3 or a Colonial Marines 2.
Unresolved fearful tension
But sometimes they pass, it must be said and reviewed. If you accept his leisurely approach, the problem is that the game seems to want to keep you in tension for the 16-20 hours that it lasts, and several times the music will put you on alert when you turn a corner for … nothing, because there will be nothing. Therefore, that kind of deceptive dead time would have liked us to have corrected them, but although they do not ruin the experience of the game, they do cause areas of tedium that should not be.
Sevastopol, as a good space station, is divided into sections connected by elevators, vehicles and watertight corridors. Sometimes we will need key cards to open sections, or hack terminals, or break through with torches. And the crafting system allows you to build from Molotov cocktails to tube bombs, ‘crickets’ to make noise or electromagnetic pulses.
Add the armament and you have a good arsenal for the rest of the enemies – we will not say who – when you are not dealing with the alien, although the funny thing is that the noise of fighting with the other enemies if you choose to go hitting shots can attract xeno, even if you don't have to deal with him at that point in the game. Another element that can be loved / hated is the fact that the bran is not automatic, so the game must be saved manually. If you forget, and die, you will have to repeat a good portion of the game.
‘Expendable crew’
A great addition to this port of Switch is the inclusion of all the DLCs that came out at the time, including that of 'Expendable Crew', which recreates with the gameplay of the game moments of the Alien film such as hunting for the ventilation system or the escape and final destruction of the Nostromo, allowing you to choose between Ellen Ripley, Dallas or Parker. Puritito fanservice of the good we love and it's great to see it included.
But in the playable section we must review something that the Switch port contains and that there will be someone who gets used to it or who sees the experience weighed down by it: Lag. Evident from the moment you wake up in the game, the delay between pressing and responding is one of the few hits that this port has, and that those who are accustomed especially to fast FPS will notice right away. As we say you can get used to it and not even notice it most of the time, or suffer every time you move, turn the camera or consult the in-game interface.
A work of audiovisual art
Although going out as an intergenerational title a little bit of invoice happened to him – it was released on PS3 and 360 in addition to PS4 and Xbox One -, the truth is that at the level of artistic direction, and comparing it with the saga on which it is based, Alien Isolation is An absolute work of art. Every corner of the Sevastopol, every animation of the alien, every room, lighting and design is a tribute to the Nostromo and the universe of the initial Tetralogy that already from that initial 20th Century Fox logo with 'tracking' marks of VHS tape it hooks you -kudos to the option of chromatic aberration.
The impressive thing about this port of the game on Switch is that it really looks better at times than the PS4 and One versions released in 2014. It doesn't matter if the Isolation resolution is lower on the Nintendo Switch, there are parts in which it outshines those of their generational companions thanks to elements such as a better anti-aliasing work – achieved by Feral Interactive with a temporary anti-aliasing tool that works by zones and moments.
The frame rate is stable, the V-Sync is stable, and although it is at the expense of elements such as dynamic resolution or motion blur, we refer you to the exhaustive Reviews of Digital Foundry experts to see the quality of this version.
On a sound level, Isolation is another masterpiece, because when it was released for a long time we did not experience such an atmospheric, scary and enveloping sound design. This Alien is made to be played with headphones or a good sound system, to feel how guttural noises and xeno steps around Sevastopol surround you.
Add a BSO that mixes themes of Jerry Goldsmith's iconic original score and the best: a Spanish dub with the original Spanish voice of Sigourney Weaver. All that remains in the port, the only thing that fails is that played in portable format is not heard equally well by the speakers of the Switch.
CONCLUSION
At a current time when we are flooded with ports and Remastereds, Alien Isolation could well have remained in a simple conversion to another system. But the Feral study demonstrates how things should be done and gives us a master port, almost the best that has been seen on Switch so far, with the best graphic finish of all versions and the inclusion of all its DLC. It is not perfect as a game, and details such as lag or moments of boredom due to its slow tempo affect it, but it is still a work of pure tension and terror. And a gift for Alien fans. I wish all ports to Switch were like that.
THE BEST
- He remains atmospheric and terrifying as he alone
- The improvement in graphics: it is the best version of all and the difference between playing it in the Dock or on a laptop is nimia
- The sound design is still wonderful, and over the dubbing in Spanish
- The inclusion of all DLCs
- Of the best, if not the best, port of a game to Switch
WORST
- The Lag, which although you can get used to and does not affect the tempo of the game, is there and can be a handicap for some users
- The moments when the tempo of the game becomes too slow and causes some tedious parts
Very good
Remarkable game that we will enjoy and remember. A good purchase, highly recommended for lovers of the genre. It is well taken care of at all levels.
