Almost Great

If I were more of a hardcore gamer I might get into this more.

The art and immersion as well as sound and motion on a late 2013 iMac all are to good effect and I applaud the makers and Ferrel Interactive for the port. It’s a stunning game. But I can’t finish it because for me, the repitition even on the easiest level is just not fun. I don’t like doing the same thing over and over and figuring out what I did wrong just before I was able to get to a save point. I made it to level 10. I even have a walkthrough and FAQ, but I just don’t feel like going through most of the level another time.

The trouble is that when the alien is actively chasing you the weapon stays front and center and you don’t have the option to interact with items needed to complete the level. There is a key to put the weapon away but I can’t figure out which one. Even on easy it’s probably one of the most difficult games I’ve ever picked up. It doesn’t scare me. It frustrates me, even worse it’s comfoundingly difficult. To the point where it’s no longer fulfilling my purpose for its use, that is, I play games for fun. To explore material, position and tactics. To use creativity to solve problems and emmerse in a story. Not to try and figure out something, have the solution and then get stomped because I can’t figure out the controls fast enough.

And I looked at the key map, there is no listing for this that I could find. Statistically only 15% of people who buy this game for Playstation finish the game based on analytics. I can see why. Yes buy the game. But don’t expect to finish it without the fight of your gaming life. I may eventually go back and finish it, but I doubt it. More like replay the first few levels or some of the DLC. Or even use it as a benchmark to test out a new computer.

In the final analysis I just want to say that more than anything else this game gets me excited about the new generation of games we will be seeing. Games now look astonishing to me. I’ve always loved playing and I’ve seen almost everything since Pong. It’s a great time to be alive. Thank you to Feral for making it a treat to own a Mac. I like only buying the best of the best games. And that is what the Mac platform offers more than any other. Only the games worth having make it to the Mac. Everything else with a few exceptions I can skip.

mikepsyche about Alien: Isolation™ - The Collection