It’s time to have a look at a recent trailer, and this time, we’re diving into the world of gaming. In this case, the upcoming Alien: Isolation sequel, Alien: Blackout. So, first things first, the trailer itself:
OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION
The terror of Alien is brought to life in Alien: Blackout. Try to stay alive while trapped aboard a crippled Weyland-Yutani space station carrying a deadly Xenomorph as it tirelessly hunts you and the crew. Outsmart the perfect hunter by making perilous choices. Players must rely on the damaged controls of the space station or risk sacrificing crew members to avoid deadly contact, permanently altering the outcome of the game.
Survive seven fear-inducing levels by remotely guiding Amanda Ripley’s crew through increasingly challenging tasks using only the station’s emergency systems. The uncertainty and unpredictability of both the alien and her crew can impose total defeat for Amanda and the entire station.
Alien: Blackout is a unique fear-inducing horror premium mobile game experience that will test the inner nerves of both Alien and horror fans alike, where life can end in an instant.
Now, if you’re familiar with Alien: Isolation, you’ll notice straight away that this is a very different beast. For those unaware though, the aforementioned game was an October 2014 first-person survival horror title from SEGA and Creative Assembly. It was released on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC, and saw you playing as Amanda Ripley (daughter of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley) as you explore a space station. It was, frankly, terrifying. I loved it. And while it wasn’t a smash hit in terms of sales, many others are also fond of the game. So, this announcement has naturally been met with some criticism.
Honestly, I do understand why. The switch from the massive environment of the original game to a seven-level mobile title that looks like it’s taking its queues from Five Nights at Freddy’s is going to raise some eyebrows. The thing is though, I don’t actually think it’ll be a bad game per se. Let’s have a look at why people are worrying.
The main criticism that I’m hearing is that switching to the mobile market shows a lack of understanding of gamers. This is, in my opinion, untrue. Personally, I prefer console and PC, but mobile games aren’t worthless. Certainly, from a business standpoint, it’s a massive market, so the jump makes sense. On top of that, you do still hear the argument flare up as to whether casual mobile gamers are gamers. To me, that’s a dangerous slope to start down, as you start heading towards having to fit specific criteria before you can be considered a gamer. As far as I’m concerned, gamers are gamers, no matter how long you play or on what platform. No, this isn’t a lack of understanding about gamers in general, it’s more like they aren’t actually considering whether this is what fans of the original would want. It’s aimed at a different market. Is that a shame? Yes, because I’d love a straight up sequel in the same style, but it makes sense as a move given the size of the mobile gaming market.
The other criticism I’ve heard a few times is that there’s no way it can be as scary. In my opinion, I expect it to be differently scary. I do think that it’s harder to create tension on mobile. I mean, maybe some headphones, no lights, and compatibility with one of those mobile phone headsets would help? I expect it all to work better on a decent sized tablet if I’m being honest. Plus, like I said before, it looks like it borrows a little from FNaF. I’m actually a fan of the FNaF franchise, so I can absolutely see where this may provide some genuine scares. No, it won’t make you feel stalked and hunted in the same way as Isolation, but I do expect it to cater to the modern jump scare game fan.
No, I’m not outraged by this. Disappointed? A little. But I do think it’ll be fun. Really, I think that the only mistake D3 GO! have made with this game is slapping Amanda Ripley’s name on it. Perhaps they’re hoping that doing so means they can snag a few fans of Isolation in the process, but I really don’t think it’s their main concern. I expect the game to do fine. And let’s be fair here; check out the official page. If nothing else, for a mobile title, the game looks pretty nice.
But those are just my thoughts. What do you all think? Let me know in the comments below.
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