I, like many of you, was definitely disappointed to hearAlien: Isolation’sAmanda Ripley would be returning in a mobile game as opposed to a more conventional console-based sequel. However, I did recently get to go hands-on withAlien: Blackoutand I came away with mixed thoughts, most of which were actually positive.Blackouttakes the formula ofFive Nights At Freddy’swhile putting in its own additional mechanics to set it apart from that game.
First and foremost,Alien: Blackoutis not a bad game at all. In fact, graphically, it may be one of the best looking mobile games around. And yes, it actually did have some moments that instilled genuine fear in me. But you may get more scares by wearing some headphones as you play.
I’m a hugeAlienfan, it’s easily my favorite film of all time. So it’s nice to know that the team is taking nearly all of its inspiration from the first film. LikeIsolation,the environments and overall mood ofBlackoutare brimming with nods to that film, and the game is stronger because of it.
If you’re not familiar with theFive Nights At Freddy’sgameplay loop, you’re essentially a night guard who has access to a whole slew of security cameras. Using them you’ll have to watch for enemies and ultimately keep yourself alive. WithBlackout,Amanda Ripley sits in a ventilation shaft, quite similar to the one where Dallas was offed in the movie. Not only will you have to keep Amanda safe; you’ll also need to guide a group of other survivors through a small area in the space station — keeping them alive while also completing objectives. On top of all that you’re on a short timer, and once you run out you’ll be at the mercy of the Xenomorph.
You’re able to allocate power (which acts a source of energy of sorts) to different doors and rooms that’ll either help you track the Xenomorph or cut it off from reaching your survivors. There’s some very natural tension that comes with the overall gameplay and it works better than I initially thought it would. Which was a bit surprising considering the size of the screen I was playing on.
You use a map inAlien: Blackoutto track your survivors, objectives, and of course, the Xenomorph; whenever you can actually see it that is. I think my biggest gripe withBlackoutis how difficult it can be to see the Xenomorph doing anything too meaningful besides walking. With the ways the cameras are placed, I found that I couldn’t really see what it was doing to my survivors, I only knew that they were being killed through sound.
I’m actually relatively torn on this criticism though. TheAlienfranchise is very varied in how it acts as a horror film. With the first movie in particular, pretty much every death was off-screen, it was through sound design as well as the idea of what this otherworldly monster could be doing to its victims that was genuinely frightening. In that regard,Blackoutworks to honor the first film, but the series has also gotten gorier over time, even withRidley Scott’sdirectorial return inPrometheusandAlien: Covenant. This made me really want to see what was happening.
Ultimately, I think I just personally felt thatBlackoutlacked moment to moment scares. There are brief bits that come in the ventilation shafts that are really quite frightening though. You see, the Xenomorph can travel the main corridors you’re guiding your survivors through, or it can come into the ventilation shafts to move more discreetly. If you’re not constantly checking or listening for it, the Xenomorph will attack Amanda Ripley, and in these moments it gets right up in your face.
So the experience overall isn’t 100 percent scary; but like I said these small jumps in the ventilation shafts can feel quite surprising and add to that feeling of terror. WhereasIsolationdidn’t really break up the horror between you and other survivors, this game does and that can work in both its favor and to its detriment.
The gameplay itself is solid. Guiding your survivors is easy to execute but made harder by the unstoppable Xenomorph in front of you. In that regard,Alien: Blackoutdoes deliver a fun experience that offers both horror and strategy elements. Some of the earliest missions in the game can feel a bit slow, but they’re quickly ramped up once you begin progressing more steadily.
If there are any improvements that could be made, I think the ways in which the Xenomorph interacts with the environment could be a bit better. As I played, I noticed the only thing we really see the monster doing is walking around outside of the moments where it attacks. It’d be cool to see the Xenomorph jump in front of cameras when you least expect it or taking them out as time goes on. Maybe that will be the case as you get to later missions but I think it’d really add to that overall sense of dread thatAliendoes so well.
Ultimately, I think it’s safe to say thatAlien: Blackoutis a solid title albeit definitely not the one fans are hungry for. I myself would’ve preferred to see a console-based sequel toIsolationbut it’s definitely cool to know we’re getting this game as well as anew shooter title set in theAlienuniverse. Additionally, the vice president of FoxNext Games, TQ Jefferson,told methat ifBlackoutwere to come to consoles, they’d definitely think of Nintendo Switch first. While theAlienfranchise has suffered as a whole in the film department, its offering of diverse horror-esque gaming experiences is stronger than ever.
Alien: Blackoutwill launch on January 24 for iOS and Android devices.
