People didn’t think of the Five Nights at Freddy game style when a new Alien game which brought about so much excitement was set to be released. Alien- Blackout came and you have the features that you might have expected- retro-future computer display interface, thrills for a quick playthrough, and sound effects that help mimic that kind of world.
Alien- Blackout can be best called an objective-based, hide-and-seek puzzle game rather than a survival-horror game. Even at that, the game has some bits of scary tension and stress. You do everything possible to direct your ship’s crew to prevent yourself and them from a xenomorph via a computer terminal.
The voice was really recorded well and accolades should be given for one of the main characters Amanda Ripley. There’s much to unravel in the game even though there aren’t any noticeable twists or hooks. Your muscles are sure to tense up when you notice an alien or there’s a need for a crew member to quickly hide.
Amanda while in air vents controls and interact with electronics in a ship via a small remote-controlled device. While onboard the ship, she uses her hacking skills to open and close doors after hacking into the network. She does other hacking functions like interacting with motion sensors and doing some overwatch on parts of the space station.
Amanda’s hacking skills are needed by the crew and they rely on her to guide them from room to room, alerting them of the times to hide and sneak. This is all done to avoid the aliens and keep the crew alive. Sounds easy right? But it is much harder than that.
You are set in an intense position as you keep watch by looking at the camera surveillance feeds, keep an eye on the map, and close doors so that your crew are kept safe. The map gives you details about so many things. You can have a view of the air vents which serves as a pathway for the alien, motion-sensing hallways can be enabled, and you can make doors open and close to control pathways. Closed doors and motion sensors are at the cost of a limited amount of power and is a precious resource.
In the vent where you’re hiding, the alien can come from one, two, or three hatches. Sound cues will guide you to close the correct hatch as quickly as possible but for the best guidance, headphones are recommended. This process can close down your monitoring of the space station, as closing the hatch utilizes power. But this closes down is only for a moment.
One of the highlights of Blackout is its presentation. It features stunning visuals and environments, and character models are well designed. Just check out the xenomorph which could get you to be afraid when they approach you at the vent. The sense of mood and atmosphere is something that makes the game stand out too and the developers should be given kudos for that. Playing the game immerses you in the Alien world that we’ve always loved and fantasied. For the sound, it matches the graphics and is excellent too with the ambient noise and voice character that makes it sound realistic.
Alien- Blackout is one game that gives that tense experience coupled with visuals and sound that will make you feel as though you are planted in the alien universe. If you’re seeking to unravel all that is to the alien universe, Blackout will give you a hint.
