Alien: Blackout Mobile Game to be Delisted by End of October 2023
In the current media age of streaming platform madness, the Alien franchise seems to be doing well for itself. It has had two recent video game releases, a new movie and a new TV series in the pipeline, and a VR title in development by Survios. Unfortunately, there have been some drawbacks, such as the recent announcement that the mobile game Alien: Blackout will be removed from all app stores by the end of this month.
Here is an official statement that was recently released by the game's development team:
I was among the fans who were disappointed that the sequel to 2014's amazing Alien: Isolation was going to be a mobile game, so I didn't give much consideration to Blackout when it was released back in 2019. However, now that I have an iPad, I decided to give this game a shot before it completely disappears and I am VERY glad that I did.
Blackout takes place immediately after the events of Isolation, and players assume the role of Amanda Ripley (again voiced by Andrea Deck) as she helps the crew of the space station Mendel escape from a Xenomorph. Ripley uses digital maps, motion sensors and camera feeds at a maintenance access point to guide the crew through different levels of the station to avoid the Xenomorph while simultaneously using vent hatches to protect herself from a Xenomorph attack. The premise of Blackout reminds me of lab mice in a maze looking for a reward, except in this case it's humans looking for the reward of not being mauled by a Xenomorph.
One of the maps in Alien: Blackout.
The great thing about Blackout is that it FEELS like it belongs in the Alien universe. Like Isolation, the controls, locations and computer graphics look like they were lifted straight from Weyland-Yutani itself. Many compared this game to Five Nights at Freddy's upon its initial release, but the claustrophobic locations and limited options for escape fit in perfectly with the style of horror for which the Alien movies are known. In fact, the game's pervasive feeling of helplessness makes the Xenomorph so much more formidable, proving that just one of these monsters is enough to be terrifying. You will not always see the crew getting attacked by the Xenomorph, but you will hear them being attacked and there's nothing you can do about it when it happens.
At its core, Blackout is a survival horror game but with a different style of play that most other games in this genre follow. Players have to multitask between protecting the crew, protecting themselves, and monitoring cameras, maps and sensors to figure out where the Xenomorph is. Furthermore, players can provide basic instructions to the crew to increase their chances of survival, instructions such as run, slow down or hide. Providing instructions to the crew took me a while to get used to, because I don't play many games that require interactions with NPCs. This aspect of Blackout sort of reminds me of how players had to share resources with NPCs in The Thing video game from 2002 so they would complete tasks, provide support, and not become so afraid that they take their own lives (yes, really).
A Xenomorph is about to attack Amanda Ripley in Blackout.
Of course, Blackout won't appeal to all mobile gamers or all Alien fans. Fans who prefer the action-based, gun-heavy aesthetics that the sequel Aliens is known for will probably hate this game. Furthermore, I cannot imagine playing this game on any device that's smaller than a tablet. It was clearly designed for use with touchscreen controls, so playing it on a small screen could become very frustrating. Nevertheless, if you're a fan of the Alien franchise who is looking to experience that universe in ways that fit its style of cosmic horror, Alien: Blackout is a must-play.
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