http://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-19179-I-Played-Alien--Isolation-on-Hard-and-Lived-to-Tell-the-Tale---Hands-On-Preview.html"...When you're playing through a section and repeatedly dying, some of the horror understandably gets diluted. It stops being quite so scary, because you're being taken out of the situation and out of the world. Thankfully, however, it never becomes a big problem, because underneath all the scares, Alien: Isolation features some really great design.
This is largely to do with the Xenomorph itself, which responds and reacts in different ways each time you play. Load up a section again and the monster will rarely do exactly the same thing. The game isn't about memorising patterns. It's about staying alert and remaining adaptable in order to survive. You have to keep on your toes.
The potential stumbling block is also overcome by the deadliness of the Xenomorph. Even when you're not terrified of it, you're fearful of its ability to end you. There's no room for error whatsoever. If you mess up, it's over in seconds. It all helps to create a remarkably pressured, tension-filled experience that's deeper than mere horror. You can see why Creative Assembly wants you to play it on Hard..."