The idea of having a virtual reality version ofAlien: Isolationwas a platform seller in its own right, but it never actually came to fruition. Taking the concepts of the early movies with a focus more on a tense atmosphere that didn’t involve just mowing down waves of aliens would have been a fantastic idea. Thankfully, developer Survios has delivered as it has with plenty of quality virtual reality games over the years as it continues to innovate new technologies into its games.WhileAlien: Rogue Incursionisn’t simplyAlien: Isolationin VR form, it takes the same horror elements and comprises its own story that will be split into two parts and provides VR adopters with the next must-have game to experience in a headset.
Xenomorphs, Protagonists and Plot
WhileIsolationhad one Xenomorph randomly hunting the player with unpredictable behavior,Rogue Incursionbrings multiple Xenomorphs, but not in an unmanageable amount. Each encounter is difficult and using the tracker to try and identify where they are at and where they will pop out of is intense. Players will be wishing they had grown more hands with the multi-tasking involved. Guns are a part ofRogue Incursionas it plays as the perfect Alien survival horror game, and in VR. While not having an intense inventory management system, players will need to manage their ammo and decide when to avoid confrontation.
WhileIsolationhad one Xenomorph randomly hunting the player with unpredictable behavior,Rogue Incursionbrings multiple Xenomorphs but not in an unmanageable amount.
Rogue Incursionis slow paced and player eyesight and vision are limited. Puzzles do exist to help with progression and these involve adjusting a power grid. The major caveat is that even in Panic Rooms, which are the save rooms, the player is always at risk. The coast will need to be clear before engaging in a puzzle or reading documentation on futuristic sci-fi monitors with joysticks and mice.Yes, it has that classic Aliens futuristic ’70s sci-fi horror complete with sound effects and interfaces.One could say these are member berries, but this is the proper way to truly get pulled into the Aliens universe.
The protagonists include Zula Hendricks and a Synth known as Davis-01. Zula is an ex-Colonel Marine that is on a mission to Purdan when the ship goes down in typical Alien form. Zula is well aware of the existence of Xenomorphs, so there’s no introduction to something new. The story of what goes on, which is revealed by reading journals at the kiosks and is much in line with survival horror games, is solid and the only way of figuring out what actually happened. Davis-01 will does offer assistance further into the game to help watch the player’s back. The one real knock with Zula’s character comes down to a lacking of fear. This seems to come more into play the deeper into the game, but the dialogue going towards the more fearless element counters the atmospheric vibe the game offers as a whole.
Gameplay and Controls
Survios continues to add more intuitive controls to its VR games, which is a big leap forward fromWalking Dead: Saints & Sinners. Survios implemented the ability to pick up items in close proximity without having to physically launch out and grasp them. Weapons and items are much more easily accessible on the body, and if an item is dropped, it will transport back to the body. Extra items are accessed by holding down one of the buttons on either controller, making that portion of the experience much easier. Now players aren’t going to be able to properly shoot a rifle that requires two hands and hold the tracker with the left hand.
If a Xenomorph is extremely close, the tracker will make its noise just once. The pistol is a big help, but have fun reloading a revolver in the heat of the moment. The rifle has to have a magazine physically loaded on the bottom and the hammer pulled.All is well and good until the ammo runs out.Players will also need to manage a tablet that houses a map, the inventory and play tapes for audio logs. The map also responds like a touch screen on the tablet, but again, don’t take your surroundings for granted.
Survios implemented the ability to pick up items in close proximity without having to physically launch out and grasp them.
Survios also included a variety of options to cater to the player experience. While players can select option to stand or sit, there’s an option for a swivel chair. Players can choose to snap turn and decide on different degrees or can freewill it and choose varying speeds. A quick turn can also be turned on or off. Tracking is fantastic with the hands with no issues to report from the PSVR 2 controllers. The adaptive triggers offer a deeper experience as ammo control from the automatic rifle is required to help conserve ammo. Holding the trigger and just blasting bullets freely will get the player killed. The Xenomorphs have armor on their head, plus they crawl on the wall and into vents and can surprise attack. The abdomen is the weak area that has to be focused on, plus the acid from a dying Xenomorph can hurt Zula.Alien: Rogue Incursionis Survios' best implementation of VR technology to date in its games.
Alien: Rogue Incursion - A New Virtual Reality Horror Adventure Announced
20th Century Games, in collaboration with developer Survios, has unveiled their latest project, Alien: Rogue Incursion.
Visuals Shines on PlayStation 5 Pro
Not only wasAlien: Rogue Incursionreviewed on the PSVR 2, it was reviewed using a PS5 Pro. The lighting and the details are gorgeous, albeit the game focuses on dark areas.Player models are lifelike, especially Davis-01 and the Xenomorphs.Reflections stand out the best about the visuals and help mask some of the lower-res assets in the game. Survios took what elements would stand out the best technically to help this experience shine. Guns look real when being held in Zula’s hands. Fog is used to help immerse the player even more into the environment, but it can actually be easier to see without the flashlight. There’s a flashlight that’s mapped and there are also various kill animations that look spectacular from Xenomorphs.
Survios took what elements would stand out the best technically to help this experience really shine.
Animations are fluid across the board, but there are a few issues. Texture and object pop in will happen periodically,and draw distance visually takes a hit. Davis-01 also will pop around randomly and some clipping will be seen with objects. Any actual object that isn’t a background texture looks the best. The overall look and feel of the early Aliens movies are properly replicated inAlien: Rogue Incursion, but some immersion breaking visual bugs will bring the experience back down to earth. The game does run at a consistent frame rate and didn’t notice any choppiness or drops in frames during gameplay. Finally, there’s one portion of this game that really stands about above the rest. While it’s maybe more of an interactive cutscene, this section of the game will make any Alien fan lose their mind. The direction of this game was clearly designed by fans of the original movies.
That 3D Sound, Tho
The 3D sound design implemented into the PlayStation 5 shines perfectly withAlien: Rogue Incursion. Players won’t be able to tell if there’s a Xenomorph actually in the vents above or if things are just making noise. The directional aspect of the sound design is important for survival. Players will need to stop moving and just focus to see if they hear something that doesn’t match up with the surroundings. Players will be looking around for Xenomorphs much like what is done in the movies.
Players won’t be able to tell if there is a Xenomorph actually in the vents above or if things are just making noise.
Voice acting is solid enough across the board, but the sound effects are pulled straight from the franchise. The rifle provides that nostalgic sound.The one knock is music will heighten when a Xenomorph is nearby and the only way to know it’s truly over is that the music will fade out or Davis 01 will say something. The in-game dialogue tends to get repetitive, but it seems its repetitive because dialogue gets triggered wrongly at times. Overall, the audio experience is excellent and it’s yet another aspect that utilizes the full potential of the PlayStation 5.
Closing Comments:
Games from the Alien movie series tend to be hit and miss, but when they hit, they really hit.Alien: Rogue Incursionimproves on the experience from the legendaryAlien: Isolation. Rogue Incursionoffers more of a traditional survival horror design thanks to its pacing, ammo conservation, puzzle solving and atmosphere. The pacing is what dictates this game, and while there may not be a ton of enemies on screen at once, it’s about being enthralled in the position of a facility overtaken by Xenomorphs.Rogue Incursionisn’t about mowing down enemies, it’s about the unknown and the fact that the controls work flawlessly and minimal damage can be taken on Zula,Alien: Rogue Incursionis the first true survival horror game designed specifically for virtual reality. More importantly, for those Alien fans that have access to VR, this is the game to experience.
Alien: Rogue Incursion
Version Reviewed: PlayStation 5 (PSVR)
Alien: Rogue Incursion is a single-player action-horror VR game. Starring ex-Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks and a Synth known as Davis 01, the two must fight to survive a Xenomorph infestation at a Gemini Exoplanet Solutions research facility.
