Read on for our full review.
The Facts
While Rogue Incursion brings some fresh elements to the series, comparisons to earlier games like
are inevitable. You navigate an environment that is similar to Isolation. It’s characterized by atmosphere and stealth. Rogue Incursion has some of those elements, but is more action-oriented. The introduction of various weapons and combat encounters sacrifice that profound sense of dread I felt during Alien Isolation.Alien: Isolation’s Mother VR MODAlien Isolation – Alien: Rogue Incursion
Where Isolation boasted a singular Xenomorph that unnervingly stalks players, Rogue Incursion focuses on frequent confrontations that tend to dilute the fear factor. Combat can turn genuine horror moments into bland scenarios. Navigating the game’s horrific landscapes becomes more about managing ammo and health than fearing the unknown.
Narrative Depth in a Dark Universe
Alien: Rogue Incursion is a narrative-driven shooter with phenomenal voice acting and an engaging, somewhat familiar story. You play as Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks, and she’s on a mission to uncover dark secrets on the planet Purdan that have been covered up by faceless corporations.
Driven by Zula’s mission to expose these sinister secrets, this storyline sees you embody her as she traverses through the foreboding GES facility, filled with dangers lurking around every corner. The emotional impact of Zula’s journey was immediately apparent, reflecting the larger themes of corporate greed and survival.
Please be aware that the next four paragraphs feature spoilers for major gameplay segments.
These spoilers end when you reach our ‘Atmospheric Immersion Meets Technical Flaws’ header. Captured on PC
The typical storyline feels like a mixture of movies, such as 80s hit Aliens and the latest entry, Alien: Romulus. The game was tense for me when, halfway through the game, I saw Zula restrained and with just a gun and six bullets remaining. Eight Face Hugger pods were laid in front of Zula. It was the perfect time to wear my haptic vest! The Face Huggers were so realistic and the creatures’ movements so unsettlingly elegant, I was forced to hold my breath while mentally navigating this horrifying scene. I was fully immersed into Zula’s fear. The visceral fear of potential implantation turned my fascination with this game’s universe into a sense of true terror.
Captured on PC
Another standout moment that occurs shortly afterward is the “Manual Synth Separation” procedure I had to perform on my ever-present companion, Davis 01. This required me to remove his head and dislodge the synth’s connection. The game’s emotional impact is captured in this moment, which was at once horrifying and intimate. Seeing Davis’s features, his expression frozen in what felt like surprise, reminded me of the humanity intertwined into my synthetic companion.
That said, a huge cliffhanger leaves a frustrating absence of resolution. After completing Alien Rogue Incursion, you are greeted with the words “Zula Hendricks will return” and a splashscreen announcing Alien Rogue Incursion Part 2. Whether that’s a DLC or full sequel remains unclear, but Survios states that’s currently in development.
Atmospheric Immersion Meets Technical Flaws
Rogue Incursion’s atmospheric design is immediately noticeable. Survios’ environments are based heavily on Alien series aesthetics. The flickering lights and oppressive silence in the entire research facility create a terrifying and authentic world. The echoes of sounds were all around me as I walked through the dimly-lit corridors. This amplified my sense of fear. Each new step is accompanied by a fear of the Xenomorphs hearing me, and swarming into my room. The rich environment and the carefully recreated elements of film are a delight to behold. Original designs, which evoke familiarity with their originality, also add to this. The PC version was particularly problematic. Performance proved inconsistent; video memory errors, crashes, and the occasional game-breaking bug plagued an otherwise gripping experience.
Survios addressed some of these issues shortly before launch with pre-release patches on both systems. Performance problems continued to plague my PC even after I updated. This setting also significantly reduced visual fidelity during gameplay. PC Specs for Testing the Game
My system is a Intel I9-13900k at 5.8GHz with 64 gigs DDR5 memory, an ASUS Maximus Z790 Hero motherboard and a Zotac Gaming 3090 Amp Extreme Airo graphics card. My gameplay used a Meta Quest 3 with a Link cable connected to this system.
Frustrating pixelation and blurriness were present and very noticeable at moments I desperately needed clarity, distracting me from these beautifully crafted environments and the finer details present before applying the setting. It was surprising that I had to reduce the settings on my high-end PC. Survios should continue tightening performance and improving graphical quality for those players with systems capable of pushing pixels beyond their limit. Together, the game’s music score and meticulously designed sound effects enhances the atmosphere of horror. The sound of Xenomorphs’ growls and creaks reverberating across distance and silence is the essence of survival horror. I remained on edge throughout my entire playthrough.
Among these terrifying sounds also lies the emotional weight of some outstanding voice acting from
as Zula and
as Davis 01. The two performances add to the story and bring the characters alive. The emotional impact of hearing Zula’s voice quiver with fear, or driven by anger at key moments was tangible. I found myself invested in the pairs’ struggle against overwhelming odds even more with each masterful performance, evoking deep-seated emotions that amplified the overall experience.
Captured on PC
Gameplay: Run And Gun With Nowhere To Hide
With gameplay mechanics, Alien: Rogue Incursion offers a uniquely engaging mixture of combat and exploration, however, As I traveled deeper into the game, I found the balance between stealth and aggressive action often leaned heavily in favor of the latter. There is nowhere to hide in Alien Isolation. Zula is equipped with shotguns, grenades and pulse rifles, which are a diverse but small arsenal to combat oncoming enemies. You will use them continuously. It’s disappointing that the iconic flamethrower was not included. I expected it to be there and would have made for a great visual. It would have been cool to see the igniter flame dancing while destroying another Xenomorph. My initial Xenomorph experiences had me shivering with fear and a feeling of flight or fight. As the game developed, the terrifying encounters became predictable; they turned into a cycle of firing, reloading, and repeating. It was disappointing to find that the Xenomorphs’ hunting abilities were so greatly diminished when playing on the Cinematic difficulty. The Xenomorphs would line up in single file and attack you, expecting to get shot. The normal difficulty is a good balance, but I prefer the Expert and Insane difficulties. These modes are extremely difficult and I would only recommend them to experienced players. Alien: Rogue Incursion restricts movement to stick-based artificial locomotion. There are snap and smooth options with adjustable turning and degree speeds. You can apply different motion vignettes for actions such as walking, crouching, hitting impact, dying, etc. Quick turn and screen shake can both be turned off. Subtitles are also available and difficulty can be adjusted mid-campaign
Standing gameplay is supported, alongside seated gameplay for both swivel and fixed position chairs. The analog stick or your head can determine the direction of movement. You can choose to have your spectator’s eye on the left or right side of your face for viewing flatscreens. A dominant equipment hand can be chosen, and choosing which controller handles the stick-based locomotion is an option.
Tool-based puzzles are used to open doors and terminals that provide the game’s backstory, delivered through messages from the station’s inhabitants. The interactive features of the game captivated me. I loved how you could wipe blood from terminals and reveal vital data. Or, what about solving wire-based problems while Xenomorphs were lurking nearby? This created genuinely tense moments that I will not forget anytime soon.Andia WinslowCaptured on PCRobbie DaymondThe Harsh Reality Of The Save System
One of my biggest criticisms of Rogue Incursion has to be its save system. The save system is one of my biggest criticisms. The log stations can be hard to find and hidden in panic rooms. You’ll have to replay a lot of the storylines that you already know if you don’t find one. Dialogue sequences became tedious reruns, and I’d love a system that lets me savor the narrative rather than dread lengthy restarts.
Losing valuable play time and having this frustration point could have been avoided if Survios added checkpoint-based saves. You can also save progress by using your tablet, which you carry around with you. It is a notable absence of replaying key moments in the game. The ability to replay important moments is also missing. It’s immersive environment, compelling storytelling and emotional character dynamics make it a captivating game, but the technical flaws and lack of closure are what bring this to a halt. This game is great for those who want to use big guns to take down Xenomorphs, but it may not be the best option if you are looking for a gripping and deep horror experience. In February, Alien: Rogue Incursion will also be
. I plan to return to the GES Facility and give it another go. If you choose to take on the corporation and suit up, you will be left wondering what lurks in the darkness and if you can survive another day. Just as it is in space… on planet Purdan, nobody will hear you scream.
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