Alien Isolation 2 Seems Unlikely Says Creative Assembly

[Xenomorphine]

You can't build a story like this with half of it as Amanda and half as the alien. The alien can't die for starters. The gameplay mechanics would be completely different. If they'd have included a couple of chapters of it, I'd guarantee reviewers would be bitching that it was out of place. Sure, I guess DLC was possible but you're still talking about changing the whole gameplay. I must admit I was expecting story DLC from a different characters point of view. It was sadly a missed opportunity.

See, that's where we disagree. The Alien could die within its own campaign, just like Amanda could die (the story ultimately requires her to survive, but she can die if you don't succeed).

It's not an AVP title, no, but the AVP games demonstrated a multi-species campaign template is perfectly viable.

It wouldn't even have to be the same story. It could be the same situation as a 'what if'. I remember the 'Force Unleashed' games had alternative playable endings, which is the same thing.

You're not completely hounded by the alien all the time. There's plenty of long moments where it doesn't appear at all. They do mix things up with the androids and eventually give you a flamethrower but yeah, I hear ya, it does get overwhelming constantly on the edge of your seat but I don't think the solution is to play as the alien. I didn't think it was a good idea in Colonial Marines either, even it was multiplayer. I just think if you want to play as the creatures, AvP is the way to go. The campaigns are deliberately woven together, all the species are balanced with pros and cons.

Agreed, but I think a similar formula could have been tried. If they had wanted to give us the Alien, they could have.

Hell, what was wrong with playing out what happened on the station before Amanda got there, except from the creature's perspective? You'd have faced an armed population and it would be like creating Hadley's Hope's aftermath in space.

Sales for AvP were less than Isolation and there were lots of variety there. Perhaps, I can see it probably would have got a few more interested but I suspect Amanda's story would have suffered because of it and we wouldn't have got the game we got.

I don't see why Amanda's story would have suffered, though. The same campaign we basically have could still be there. The same basic cut-scenes of importance. They could have just replaced the 'filler' stuff with the Aliens' perspective.

f**k off, sega. This game DESERVES a sequel. Sigh......

Give them the money and I'm sure they'll be happy to do that.

Surely on the heels of a positive reception and two upcoming films there would be heightened interest.

Not unless that positive reception translates into dollar signs.

It's a bit weird for me for CA to pass on the possibility of a sequel because they wouldn't have to spend the time this time to create the engine, A.I etc but focus mainly on the content. They could pump it out with much less effort and time, being still a great effort nonetheless. I was hoping they were about to create a sequel, and namely a multiplayer sequel, a team survival, but I guess not then. Pity to drop it now from the hands who gave it more adult credibility than the last films and games combined.

Creating an engine is only a part of it. All the rest still takes a lot of money and time (both of which they'd rather put into other projects already being done).

Indeed. This game wasn't about being the Alien.

No reason it couldn't have been.

It was about being hunted by the f**ker!

Which is the reason it was only ever going to have limited appeal. Gamers generally like feeling empowered, not hunted down and victimised, precisely because it's an experience. Especially when it could be a very frustrating, repeatedly dying experience, which can sometimes unintentionally feel like a chore.

The product did what it could by relying upon that mechanic, but when it's a big budget production, it needs big budget sales.

It might have been nice as DLC but it would have been development time away.

Well, that's exactly what many were assuming would happen. If there had been such a thing, it could have sold in a far bigger way.

[Samus007]

This is heartbreaking news. I really really loved Isolation. I have played thru it several times on 3 different difficulties. I was really looking forward to seeing where Amanda's story went via Creative Assembly's control. I know that there is always hope that one day, X amount of years from now, we might get a sequel. But if it never happens, I hope to see maybe Dark Horse comics, or a Novel, pick up where her story left off at the end of Isolation and continue on. What ship came by and picked her up? How and when does she meet McClaren? What's he like? Does she really end up dying of cancer or was Burke full of BS? #AmandaLivesOn

[Ulfer]

Gamers generally like feeling empowered, not hunted down and victimised, precisely because it's an experience.

It's not that simple. Take Dying Light for example : the game is really great between the moment when you're a low-level player exposed to high-level zombies, and the moment when you're just high-level enough to confront the high-level zombies, which makes for a good fight. Once you reach the highest levels of skills and competences, the game can become really dull, because there is no real challenge. It can be fun to be able to destroy a horde of 100 zombies in a row without serious difficulty, but the interest gets lower and lower, and actually you remember that you can have more fun doing the same thing with Serious Sam. For me at least, the best memories I have of Dying Light is when I was hunted down in the night by creatures that posed a serious and even sometimes impossible challenge.
In Alien Isolation the frustration itself was kind of new for me, a new experience, and I felt conversely more gratification when I had managed to outsmart a bit the alien. But so to say, I was more frustrated by the fact that many lockers looked exactly the same, than by my numerous deaths at the hands of the xeno.  (Of course I'm well aware of the amount of work required to produce a single locker, the animations and the scripts linked to it etc.).

[THE CITY HUNTER]

Well one was enough and besides there is one thing left for it a film(or AVP isolation)

[USG Ishimura]

I think if I wanted to play an AVP game, I'd do just that...if I wanted to play a multiplayer game, I'd do that too. The guys at Creative Assembly wee focused on the kind of game they wanted to do and what they wanted to achieve with it - a single-player game told through one character - and I appreciate the game for what it is.

As far as Tim Heaton goes, no idea who he is. I enjoyed listening to Al Hope, Gary Napper and Clive Lindop on the games release and their enthusiasm for the game and how they approached it. I have a lot of respect for the Creative Assembly crew - they've captured the aesthetic and universe perfectly as far as I'm concerned.

And that's why this news is such a disappointment. I didn't really think much of Heaton's comments - especially with more movies on the horizon.

[Perfect-Organism]

Yes it is sad.

Looking forward, I expect that the new Alien films will generate some sort of video game.  I mean Prometheus certainly couldn't inspire a video game.  What would it be?  An engineer throwing ampules of black goo at you?  Or maybe you're chased by the snake thing in the pyramid?  Perhaps the deacon is after you?  (well that could almost be cool)

Anyway, one could hope that the new films will create something more video game friendly.  If we do end up going to the homeworld, who knows what sorts of oddities will be discovered there?  It could be good....  or it might not..

[Bio Mech Hunter]

It's criminal the best Alien game we've had didn't sell nearly as well as it should've. Isolation was incredible and I absolutely LOVED it. Such a shame...

Well, what are the odds of Creative Assembly re-making Colonial Marines? hehe

[PRJ_since1990]

Surely on the heels of a positive reception and two upcoming films there would be heightened interest.

If nothing else, the game heightens the interest for the real money making: the films. And arguably, with the 35th anniversary now behind us (with quite an impressive lineup of merch and commemorative events), the series is aiming to go back to the original film, it's lore and atmosphere. The game did precisely that and it's got the fanbase craving more. Ergo, movies. Look for a sequel in about a decade.

[THE CITY HUNTER]

Surely on the heels of a positive reception and two upcoming films there would be heightened interest.

If nothing else, the game heightens the interest for the real money making: the films. And arguably, with the 35th anniversary now behind us (with quite an impressive lineup of merch and commemorative events), the series is aiming to go back to the original film, it's lore and atmosphere. The game did precisely that and it's got the fanbase craving more. Ergo, movies. Look for a sequel in about a decade.

Maybe after 2015

[newbeing]

This is exactly why I didn't want a cliffhanger ending!

Such a travesty since the game now has an install base!

Damnit Sega. You saving up your money so you can force another turd out of the Sonic franchise?

[Ulfer]

Is it an actual cliffhanger ? Not really, if you follow what is said in Aliens, Amanda's future from there is clear.
Actually, if Alien Isolation 2 is done, it would not be very interesting to have Amanda as the main character or as a character. Amanda's interesting story is complete : she has discovered what happened to her mother and has confronted the same monster (amongst other things).

The game did precisely that and it's got the fanbase craving more. Ergo, movies.

As an Alien-enthusiastic, I'd be glad if Alien Isolation had successors and I speak of games. Since they're going to do another Alien movie, I'm curious to see how it turns out (and hoping it will be at least good). But frankly, I'm much more interested with movies that would deepen the Alien universe (maybe Alien : Paradise Lost can get things back on track on this matter, despite the failings of Prometheus), give a sense of wonder and horror but with other things that the good old xeno, than by movies that would feel like unsubtle variations of the preexisting movies and of the same creature.

It's different with videogames since it's another experience. Of course, I'd still expect originality from an "Alien Isolation 2" kind of game, but not of the same kind than the originality I expect from the future movies. But I assume that my position is not really shared by many "fans" here. I'm quite cautious about the "Alien 5" project about these matters and concerning other franchises, Star Wars for example, I've a similar opinion : to sum it up, the problem is that what the fans want can often be the reverse of what the new movie would need to be really original or even better.

[Mr. Clemens]

It's different with videogames since it's another experience. Of course, I'd still expect originality from an "Alien Isolation 2" kind of game, but not of the same kind than the originality I expect from the future movies. But I assume that my position is not really shared by many "fans" here. I'm quite cautious about the "Alien 5" project about these matters and concerning other franchises, Star Wars for example, I've a similar opinion : to sum it up, the problem is that what the fans want can often be the reverse of what the new movie would need to be really original or even better.

You're certainly not alone there, man. Opening up the franchise and charting new territory are exactly what's needed in a sequel. If Blomkamp's film is just Rip n' Hicks blasting aliens and then blasting some newer, bigger, BADDER alien, then I'll be sorely disappointed. Save that type of thing for the fan films.

As far as a proposed Alien Isolation 2 might go, please, for the love of god, don't throw the 'McLaren' character in there. Is it too much to ask that Amanda simply eventually survived her ordeal, met a nice chap, and married him??

[Doggo33]

"Is it an actual cliffhanger ? Not really, if you follow what is said in Aliens, Amanda's future from there is clear. "

- It's still a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger doesn't necessarily involve death.

[Ulfer]

A cliffhanger doesn't necessarily involve death

Of course. But there were not real stakes for me here and I agree with Mr. Clemens. I see a difference between a cliffhanger and a somewhat open ending. In the absolute there could be material for stories about Amanda (would she keep silent about those events so as to not be pursued by the company ? Or would she try to do something ?) but that would not be in Alien Isolation 2 or a "spiritual successor" (hum, I don't know if this expression works in English). I mean : I would not care if there was a story-DLC that would give us the ability to play Amanda while she would confront aliens in the spaceship whose light is glimpsed at the end of the game, and/or androids coming there to erase the traces. That would just be an extension of the same story for the sake of gaming. But for another complete game, it would not work for me. Amanda has got her answers.

You're certainly not alone there, man.

[THE CITY HUNTER]

This is heartbreaking news. I really really loved Isolation. I have played thru it several times on 3 different difficulties. I was really looking forward to seeing where Amanda's story went via Creative Assembly's control. I know that there is always hope that one day, X amount of years from now, we might get a sequel. But if it never happens, I hope to see maybe Dark Horse comics, or a Novel, pick up where her story left off at the end of Isolation and continue on. What ship came by and picked her up? How and when does she meet McClaren? What's he like? Does she really end up dying of cancer or was Burke full of BS? #AmandaLivesOn

Someone has a thing for Amanda