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There seems to be good news for fans of the Alien movie series, as Sega has finally confirmed the development of Alien: Isolation; a survival horror title based on the investigations of Amanda Ripley, the daughter of the film franchise's hero Ellen Ripley.
The publisher isn't shying away from the disappointing Aliens: Colonial Marines either, releasing a new gameplay trailer, screenshots, and a developer diary explaining why Creative Assembly believes Isolation, and not a generic space marine shooter, is the game that fans of the original film have been waiting for.
The first rumors concerning the existence of Isolation - a survival horror game emulating the tension and vulnerability of Ridley Scott's Alien (1979) - promised that both Creative Assembly and Sega were taking their time with the game, intent on both understanding and avoiding the issues that fans and critics alike took with Colonial Marines. And from the first in-progress footage, the studio seems to be heading in the right direction.
Alien: Isolation's new lead, Amanda Ripley
A plot synopsis for the game has also been leaked online (via Videogamer), promising not only a reason for fans of the films to see the plot holes filled in, but an experience more akin to Ridley Scott's movie than those which followed:
"When she left Earth, Ellen Ripley promised her daughter Amanda she would return home for her 11th birthday. Amanda never saw her again.
"Fifteen years later, Amanda, now a Weyland-Yutani employee, hears that the flight recorder of her mother's ship, the Nostromo, has been recovered at the remote trading station Sevastopol. The temptation for her to finally understand what happened is too much to resist. When the crew arrive at Sevastopol, they find something is desperately wrong. It all seems to be connected to an unknown menace, stalking and killing deep in the shadows.
"In order to uncover the truth about her mother, Amanda is forced to confront the same terrifying thing that separated them."
Obviously, fans are going to be apprehensive about any early footage concerning an Alien video game, after Sega admitted that their early trailers were misleading to consumers. But to show their intention in not making the same mistake twice, and that the property is now in the proper hands, a developer diary has also been produced going behind the scenes at Creative Assembly, detailing the team's hopes of making a game "based not on action, but on horror and survival."
The franchise has plenty of ground to make up in the eyes of gamers, but this project looks to be off to a good start, at least this early on. Take a look:
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Enthusiasm coming from developers is nothing new, and Creative Assembly will be forced to endure the skepticism that both Sega and Gearbox Studios helped create, having hyped Colonial Marines based on a similar love of the series, resulting in a game that was described by many as "passionless" - including those who worked on it.
In that regard, the thinly-veiled shots the team takes at the bullet-riddled, 'dude-bro' predecessor will win some to their side from the start. And that momentum may only build when the footage and screenshots promise a chance to retrace the steps of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), even if it is fifteen years after the events of the first film.
And if tension and horror are what the team is after, the screenshots don't disappoint:
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This official announcement means more details will be available in the coming weeks, but which aspects of the game are you most interested in? How the story will connect with the film franchise, or the gameplay itself? Share your own impressions and hopes in the comments.
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Alien: Isolation is confirmed to release on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC in late 2014.
Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.
Source: Videogamer