| Technetbook Rating | |
|---|---|
| Rating Score | 3.5/5 |
| Stars | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
Alien Rogue Incursion Review
The Alien franchise has always been a mixed bag when it comes to video game adaptations. For every "Alien Isolation," there's an "Aliens: Colonial Marines." As a massive fan of the series, I eagerly dove into Alien Rogue Incursion, the franchise's first foray into virtual reality. Let’s see how it fares.
A Familiar Story in a New Medium
In Alien Rogue Incursion, you play as Zula Hendrick, an ex-colonial marine who crash-lands on the barren, snowy landscape of Perdan Station. Alongside your synthetic companion Davis One, you uncover corporate greed, mismanagement, and sinister experiments—classic tropes of the Alien universe. While the story draws on characters from the Alien comics, newcomers will have no trouble following the narrative.
Immersive VR Mechanics
The real star of the game is its VR immersion. Holding a motion tracker in one hand and a pulse rifle in the other feels like stepping into the 1986 classic Aliens. Whether you’re wiping blood off monitors or navigating a metallic maze with a data pad, the in-world mechanics create an engaging experience. However, occasional tracking issues and object clipping can break the immersion.
Gameplay and Exploration
The gameplay revolves around exploring Perdan Station, solving wiring puzzles, and unlocking new areas. The map is surprisingly complex, requiring players to learn its layout. At times, navigation can be frustrating, with minimal guidance on where to go next. Fans of the films will enjoy callbacks like an intimate surgery scene with a synthetic head—a nod to Alien 3.
Combat: Thrilling but Repetitive
Combat is a mixed bag. The initial encounters, where you’re fending off xenomorphs with dwindling ammo and a pulsing motion tracker, are exhilarating. Unfortunately, the alien AI lacks sophistication, often making encounters feel predictable. The limited weapon variety—pulse rifle, shotgun, and revolver—also detracts from the excitement over time.
Graphics and Sound Design
Alien Rogue Incursion captures the dark, metallic corridors and smoky atmosphere of the Alien universe beautifully. While some areas feel more generic sci-fi than iconic Alien, standout moments—like watching a xenomorph egg peel open—are chilling. The sound design, from the beeping motion tracker to the hissing pipes, adds to the tension, making every vent overhead feel like a threat.
Performance and Bugs
The game struggles with performance issues, including stuttering tracking and bugs like aliens getting stuck in walls. One particularly frustrating bug locked a level in an endless "lockdown" state, forcing me to reload a previous save. While these issues don’t ruin the experience, they do detract from it.
Final Thoughts
Alien Rogue Incursion is a solid first attempt at bringing the Alien franchise to VR. Fans will love wielding the pulse rifle and exploring eerie alien nests. However, repetitive combat, lackluster AI, and performance hiccups hold it back from greatness. If you're a die-hard fan, it’s worth a try, but casual players might find the flaws hard to overlook.
What are your thoughts on Alien Rogue Incursion? Share your experiences in the comments below.
