Game Review--Alien: Blackout (Android)

"I need urgent extraction from the Mendel research station.  If you pick up this signal, proceed with extreme caution."
--Amanda Ripley, Alien: Blackout


Though mobile phones--more particularly, smartphones--are capable of providing fairly traditional gaming experiences when utilized correctly, mobile games are often neglected by the more devoted members gaming community.  This bias was responsible for much of the early criticism of Alien: Blackout, especially in light of the fact that many wanted a console sequel to Alien: Isolation instead.  However, the concept behind the game is a superb fit for smartphones and the Alien franchise.  Instead of allowing players to freely roam around, Blackout has them directly control Amanda Ripley (Ellen Ripley's daughter), situated in a secluded room as she searches for the alien, in turn giving orders to crew members.  One must make a series of often mutually exclusive decisions in order to proceed.  To monitor the crew, you must leave Amanda in a vulnerable state.  To close one door, another might have to be opened.  To watch one camera feed, the others must be ignored.

Production Values

The graphics showcase the power of the Android's operating system well, easily matching the visuals of some 3DS or PS Vita games.  Fittingly, the xenomorph, when viewed up close from Amanda's first-person perspective, has the best character model in the game.  Where the game stands out the most, though, is the sound.  The voice acting is excellent, especially on the part of Amanda Ripley herself.  Other characters are voiced well, but Amanda is phenomenal--the same actress who played Amanda in Alien: Isolation (Andrea Deck) reprised the role for Blackout.  Furthermore, the music, often involving stringed instruments, complements the atmosphere.  Even the AI's sound is executed well: when you hear the alien quickly moving around the ship, it might be just about to attack Amanda.


Gameplay

The majority of the gameplay revolves around having Amanda direct other characters around a research station.  When called for, she can make them hide, run, sneak around, or perform various environment-related tasks.  At the same time, Amanda must try to track a xenomorph and close doors to protect herself or others if needed.  Camera feeds can help locate the alien, but you cannot watch a feed and control certain doors at the same time.

At first, survival might seem like it is achieved or forfeited for random reasons, yet experimentation and several deaths can help players quickly adapt to the xenomorph's patterns.  Motion sensors are a great help when trying to identify the alien's location in areas not covered by camera surveillance, but activating them requires power that could be used to close doors to keep the alien from spotting or killing crew members.  Since there is only enough power to perform five tasks (closing doors or using motion sensors) at once, diverting power for one purpose can leave a different part of the ship unsecured.  You must also finish each of the seven levels within eight minutes, or else the electrical power will be lost (hence the title Blackout) and Amanda cannot protect herself.

Story

Spoilers!

Amanda Ripley watches key areas of the Mendel research station, warning a small crew as it enters the vessel about an alien creature loose onboard.  She guides them around the ship as they search for parts and complete miscellaneous objectives.  With her assistance, surviving crew members help destroy the station to annihilate the creature.


Intellectual Content

Despite not exploring any explicitly philosophical themes, Blackout is a thoroughly intellectual game in the sense that the gameplay naturally involves a great deal of planning and rapid strategy alterations.  The timer necessitates quick action, as the titular blackouts render Amanda vulnerable to the alien, resulting in her death.  The xenomorph's relatively unpredictable behaviors amplify the need for sound strategizing.  However, sometimes luck and randomness affect outcomes just as much as premeditated decisions and skill.


Conclusion

Blackout is short and without any significant replay value due to having no alternate modes (besides one where you play the same levels with no saves), unlockables, or collectibles, but it still represents a very clever use of the mobile platform.  It is exactly the kind of spin-off or sequel that actually belongs on a mobile phone.  At the very least, it fits comfortably within the existing Alien canon and offers some fairly intense bursts of cat-and-mouse gameplay.  It is not the sequel to Isolation many people would have preferred, but it is far from a disaster.


Content:
 1. Violence:  The xenomorph can be watched via camera feeds as it attacks crew members, and failing to close the doors to Amanda's room when the alien approaches her leads to a death screen where the creature bites her.