Alien: Rogue Incursion is finally arriving for consoles…technically with the full title Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition Part One. And while the title might be a little excessive, I’m happy to report that the game is seriously fun.
As someone who doesn’t own a VR console, I was pretty miffed in 2024 when I learned we were finally getting a new Alien game, and that it had vibes of Alien: Isolation…but was going to be VR-only. I couldn’t understand the decision. According to PC Gamer, Isolation sold over 2.1 million copies in its first year alone (a number that has surely gone up in the decade since), and it’s still considered one of the scariest games ever made. So why sequester a new game to the handful of players who actually use VR?
Thankfully, all the wrongs have been made right, and now Rogue Incursion is launching for Xbox, PS5, and PC – no VR set required! Plus, the new version of the game is a lot of fun and even comes with a newly enhanced AI to make the xenos smarter…and deadlier.
Finally, an Alien: Isolation game for the rest of us
We can all agree that Alien: Isolation was a near-perfect game. In fact, the game’s biggest downside is that it's so unforgivingly hard and so incredibly horrifying that at times it's difficult to play through. With no way to kill the alien, very limited ammo, and an AI that gets smarter and eventually knows all your hiding spots, playing Alien: Isolation is a heart-attack-inducing affair. I’m almost certain I’ve shaved years off my lifespan from the physical and mental distress that game inflicted upon me.
Rogue Incursion is heavily inspired by Isolation, but its gameplay mixes action and survival horror. Yes, you’re navigating dark corridors and dealing with tricky door locks, all in a seriously (and fantastically) creepy setting. But you also have a real gun this time, and enough ammo to use it. Plus, you can find health, and the xenos can actually be killed. So during combat sequences, there’s way more action than Isolation ever had.
But this isn’t like Aliens: Fireteam Elite, where it’s a straight action game filled with blazing bazookas. The game still lives deeply within that slow, dark, creepy atmospheric vibe that made Isolation so memorable. It just has the added benefit of more balanced combat when the xenos arrive (and trust me, there’s quite a few of them). The tension is still high and still terrifying, but it feels survivable, which makes the game really compelling.
Rogue Incursion also has tons of easter eggs for fans
The story of Rogue Incursion picks up with players investigating a distress call on the remote planet of Purdan. Once there, they uncover a secret Gemini Exoplanet Solutions blacksite facility overrun by xenomorphs.
The game takes place between Alien and Aliens, shortly after Alien: Isolation. In fact, Amanda Ripley is even referenced in the game. Plus, gamers play as Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks, who diehard fans will remember from the Aliens: Defiance comic series that debuted in 2016.
Throughout the game, you’re also aided by your trusty synthetic, Davis, and the voice of the facility’s AI is so similar to Sigourney Weaver that at various times while playing, I actually wondered if they had secretly hired her. Rogue Incursion uses so much from the Alien universe that it feels like a true nod to the franchise, while also creating its own original plot.
Alien: Rogue Incursion is everything a fan could want in an Alien game
For me, Rogue Incursion is everything I’ve been waiting for in an Alien game. It’s a tense, scary, atmospheric game with a strong story. It balances combat with survival horror, and it’s got its own new storyline that’s nestled deep within the Alien universe. I’ve seen the game described as a “cinematic experience,” and I have to agree. All the pieces work perfectly, making it feel like you’re playing through a brand new Alien movie.
While I seriously love games like Aliens: Fireteam Elite, they don’t have that lurking terror that made the original movie so damn good. But Rogue Incursion is a great follow-up to games like Alien: Isolation and Alien: Resurrection, which capture the horror and action of the original film.
The Verdict: 9/10
Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition is available for consoles and PC on September 30th.