After absorbing the damage brought upon by the wholly disappointing Colonial Marines, Sega is readying the revered horror IP for its return to the limelight with Alien: Isolation. And, in an interview with The Angry Joe Show, the studio’s lead game designer, Gary Napper, stated that the title will have players outrunning the ever-menacing Xenomorph for around 15 hours.
“The game’s actually about 15 hours long because we’ve got so much to do with the narrative and all the different mechanics of the alien. On top of that we have the other threats about the station, we have a big long story that folds out.”
That said, Napper stated that this 15-hour window is a mere estimation, with those players well versed in the stealth genre able to circumvent the Sevasatopol — Alien: Isolation’s abandoned, foreboding setting — at a much “brisker pace.” In fact, Napper went on to describe the game’s setting as Metroidvania in layout, in that players will have the opportunity to gingerly circle back to previous areas to uncover new items and open up all-new locales (or, more appropriately, hiding spots).
Those other threats that the studio alludes to hints that players will also go up against human and indeed robotic enemies during their play through — much like Dead Space, really. In terms of story, though, Alien: Isolation will weave its way into the Alien canon by introducing us to one Amanda Ripley — daughter of total badass Ellen — and her quest to uncover the lost tapes from the doomed Nostromo mining vessel.
Alien: Isolation is pegged to release across PlayStation 4, PlayStation3, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC on October 7th, 2014.
