Round Up: Alien: Isolation 2 Previews Say It's More of the Brilliant, Terrifying Same

Alien: Isolation is one of the most beloved survival horror games of modern times, so seeing a teaser for the direct sequel, albeit a very brief one, during Summer Game Fest was a very exciting surprise for many.

It seems SEGA and developer Creative Assembly had a little more to show than just the new trailer, however, as some lucky members of the press have recently gone hands-on with Alien: Isolation 2.

The over-arching sentiment from multiple outlets is that the game is hitting the same notes as the original, but that's no bad thing when the horror adventure is as good as it is.

Watch on YouTube

Subscribe to Push Square on YouTube170k

These previews talk about the game's prologue, which introduces player character Blake, sent to planet LV-921 to find the laboratory that was jettisoned from the Sevastopol space station.

It seems that the sequel will introduce exterior environments as well as interior ones, expanding the action beyond the confines of a claustrophobic space ship.

That being said, the prologue has you entering the lab, and it's here where familiar gameplay takes over. Previews note the much-improved visuals, both in the environment and in the xenomorph itself.

The hands-on demo shows the team has lost none of its ability to ratchet up tension as you make your escape, armed with nothing but a flashlight to find your way.

Again, the sentiment so far is that Alien: Isolation 2 isn't messing too much with the beloved formula of the first title. However, what was played was the opening 30 minutes, so there's plenty of potential for Creative Assembly to expand on it and try new things in the full game.

It also seems to be a ways off, still, with no release date in sight, but a playable build could be a sign it's not as far away as it seems. We'll have to wait and see on that, but it sounds like fans of the first game will be well-served when it does turn up.

IGN: "There really is nothing else like Alien: Isolation"

"It’s unsurprising that this short demo was able to so successfully capture the spirit of the original – Alien: Isolation 2 is, after all, helmed by the same director, built by many of the same people, and its prologue specifically designed as a bridge between the two projects. And so it’s convinced me that it’s at least in the right hands. But I’m now more eager than ever to see how this against-the-odds sequel will build upon its predecessor."

Kotaku: "The sequel will give you what you’ve been looking for"

"What I played of Alien: Isolation 2 indicated that it’s a relentless horror game that refuses to let you get comfortable as you crouch behind anything that might, for even a second, obscure you from the creature’s line of sight. It’s a constant game of trial and error in which the odds are stacked against you because you can’t kill this monster, but it only has to catch the slightest whiff of you to bite your head off."

VGC: "This is exactly the sequel that fans imagined"

"So far, Alien Isolation 2 feels very similar to the first game. But then again, would you really want anything else? The sequel will likely diverge once we’ve had a chance to play more of it, but from this early section, it’s very much the spirit and the horror of that first entry brought to life with new technology."

Are you pumped for Alien: Isolation 2? Tell us in the comments section below.