As an Alien fan, I absolutely love to get scared by Alien: Isolation, which I think is a masterclass in that kind of slow-burn, atmospheric horror – after all, getting stalked by a relentless Xenomorph can be heart-stopping at some moments.
However, it seems that the alien ended up being smarter than originally planned by the story’s writers.
The Xenomorph’s AI Made The Final Act Longer Than Expected in Alien Isolation
In an interview for the FRVR Podcast, Dion Lay, who worked as a writer on Alien: Isolation, explained that the gameplay evolved pretty deeply as the development progressed, making the Xenomorph constantly learn and adapt to the players’ behavior.
That way, the third and last act ended up being a lot longer than the writers originally had planned when they wrote the story – since the player is literally facing the hardest section of the game, because the villain simply knows too much.
“The Alien really evolved as we were making it. By the time it was perfect, it was like, ‘Oh, wow, everything takes a lot longer!’”, Lay explains, while also reflecting on how that added a considerable number of hours to the game’s overall length.
“It would be really nice to pair it down to its core, make it a lot shorter. […] At the time, it didn’t seem that long. And then you suddenly go, ‘Oh my God.’ So, yeah, I’d definitely shorten it. But, yeah, at the time, there was some stuff where we were like: ‘Yeah, we can’t take that out now, that would kind of upend everything’.”
According to HowLongtoBeat, it takes around 18 and a half hours to finish the main story – and I know many players (including myself) who think that the game’s pacing in its final hours could’ve benefited from a little shrinking, so it makes a lot of sense.
If you think you have what it takes to face the Xenomorph that surprised its own writers, Alien: Isolation is available on a wide range of platforms, including PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile devices (iOS and Android).
- Security Camera Installation – indoor/outdoor IP CCTV systems & video analytics
- Access Control Installation – key card, fob, biometric & cloud‑based door entry
- Business Security Systems – integrated alarms, surveillance & access control
- Structured Cabling Services – voice, data & fiber infrastructure for new or existing builds
- Video Monitoring Services – 24/7 remote surveillance and analytics monitoring
Author: 360 Technology Group
