Alien: Rogue Incursion Review

ign.com:

Of all the series most ripe for a virtual reality adaptation, few have greater potential than Alien. I mean, who aside from Ellen Ripley herself wouldn’t want to experience the thrill of being hunted by the perfect organism without that whole “risk of being dismembered” thing? Alien: Rogue Incursion is an admirable first attempt at delivering just that, with a compelling story, memorable characters, terrifying Xenomorphs, and a perfectly crafted world that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but the iconic Alien universe. There’s plenty of room to improve in its already-in-the-works sequel, however, especially when it comes to the simplistic combat, not-so-clever Xenomorphic foes, and occasional jankiness that could use some smoothing over. Even so, Rogue Incursion is a strong opening act for a series I’m already eager to play more of.

If you’ve read the Alien comics, like Aliens: Defiance, then you’ll already be familiar with the badass protagonist whose boots you’ll be filling: Zula Hendricks. And if that name doesn’t ring a bell, Rogue Incursion does a great job of introducing you to her in short order so you don’t have to do any homework beforehand. An ex-colonial marine with a rough upbringing and chronic back problems, you’re sent to a classically deserted planet overrun by the most evil creatures imaginable, and accompanied by your trusty synthetic companion, Davis – don’t worry, he’s reformed, and not the type to betray you to please his corporate overlords… anymore. What follows is an extremely formulaic Alien tale that apes all the same beats for which the series is known, but thanks to interesting dialogue, great characters, and a relatively short runtime that doesn’t overstay its welcome, that familiarity doesn’t end up being such a bad thing. Zula and her relationship with her robot bestie is genuinely touching, oftentimes offsetting an otherwise relentlessly bleak situation, and the story has a few twists in store and an ending that sets up a sequel