No, i\’m talking about the MASTERFUL "Alien Isolation" – a game that, while certainly had it fair share of gameplay faults, did not merely CAPTURE the atmospherics of Ridley Scott\’s masterpiece, it EXPANDED on same – i have never played a game with a better atmosphere, a more interesting environment or a more creative gameplay mechanic. See, this game (at least during it\’s \’good\’ portions…like i said, it absolutely had it\’s share of problems) presented you with the challenge of a single enemy. It was the creator\’s great fortune that that one enemy was the most iconic, terrifying, AMAZINGLY designed and simply unknowable monster of the ages… the titular Alien from Ridley Scott\’s masterpiece. (i will NOT call it a xenomorph, or anything similar, because i am an adult.)

The developers gave this… extremely tenacious nightmare of claws and teeth it\’s own A.I. – it did not operate on routine, or through scripted events, but by following it\’s own agenda – being, of course to savagely massacre every human being it comes across. If you\’ve played the game, you know what i\’m talking about – no two encounters with this intelligent and VERY precocious super-predator every go exactly alike.

Also, while you can sometimes discourage it from immediately slaying your character with the use of fire (your character can find parts and build a flame weapon, as in the film), there is NO WAY TO KILL IT – guns, sharp objects, you name it. Now DOESNT all of this rather -immensely- cinematic material sound like a good jump-off point for this "Alien 5"?? By far the most lasting and important thing this game achieved, in regards to the Alien franchise, is it reminded a whole hell of a lot of people just what a fascinating, terrifying…PERFECT antagonist H.R. Geiger, Ridley Scott and everyone else involved in the creation of the film\’s titular Alien STILL IS.

"Aliens" is a CLASSIC action picture. but as far as I\’m concerned, as a cinematic experience, it\’s giddy action thrills, while immensely entertaining while you\’re watching it for the first, second, tenth time…but "Alien" sticks with me. It\’s use of shadows, how each enounter provides a different part of the alien revealed, while bathing the rest in smoke and darkness… hell, not until the VERY end is their celebrated creation actually revealed.

Too many kids have grown up with the idea that the un-nameable, otherworldly creature…simply called a \’survivor\’ by the disembodied, drooling head of an admiring robot…they\’ve grown up with the idea that these creatures are mere cannon-fodder killed by the hundreds with their space marine pulse rifles. Here we have a chance to turn it all around. To make a truly terrifying \’Alien\’ picture again. Blomkamp, man…don\’t blow it. okay?