Survios, a studio known for its experience with VR titles like Creed: Rise to Glory and The Walking Dead: Onslaught, steps into the Alien franchise with Alien: Rogue Incursion. This single-player VR action-horror adventure places players into the boots of Zula Hendricks, a former Colonial Marine, as she navigates the ominous Gemini Exoplanet Solutions facility on the uncharted planet Purdan. The game builds on the atmospheric terror and visual polish expected from the Alien franchise and is a must-play for fans, even though its gameplay mechanics and pacing sometimes stumble a little.
The narrative sets the stage with Zula infiltrating the Weyland-Yutani black-site facility, a setup that blends intrigue with fanservice. Zula’s backstory, rooted in the expanded Alien lore for hardcore fans, provides a strong protagonist, while her synth companion Davis 01 adds moments of light commentary to an otherwise intense experience. The story, split into two parts (with part two not yet available), establishes a complete arc for this first installment while leaving a dramatic cliffhanger to build anticipation for Part Two. However, the plot feels uneven at times, with some key revelations delivered too abruptly to fully resonate.
Where Alien: Rogue Incursion shines brightest is in its use of VR to amplify tension. Survios leverages their expertise to create a deeply immersive environment filled with darkened corridors, flickering lights, and distant sounds that keep players constantly on edge. The Xenomorphs, as expected, steal the show, and their presence (even when they’re not on screen) feels genuinely menacing, whether you’re creeping through ventilation shafts or engaging in frantic shootouts. The game balancing stealth and action well, requiring players to think carefully about their approach. Some sections push for all-out combat with Zula’s arsenal of weapons, while others demand quiet precision, avoiding enemies or using distractions to progress and come out alive.
Unfortunately, while the mix of stealth and combat creates variety, it also exposes some of the game’s weaknesses. The gunplay feels somewhat floaty in VR, lacking the weight and precision needed for truly satisfying firefights. Meanwhile, stealth mechanics, while tense, occasionally suffer from inconsistent AI behavior, making some encounters feel more frustrating than frightening. Controls can take some getting used to as well, particularly when juggling weapon management, movement, and environmental interactions, though they become more intuitive over time.
Visually, Alien: Rogue Incursion delivers a striking, polished world that feels true to the franchise’s aesthetic. The GES facility is beautifully rendered, blending claustrophobic industrial hallways with eerie sci-fi environments, all enhanced by strong lighting effects that amplify the sense of dread. Xenomorph designs are equally impressive, with terrifyingly lifelike animations that make every encounter feel dangerous. Audio design plays a crucial role in building tension, from the pulse of motion trackers to the echoing hiss of an approaching Xenomorph, ensuring players are constantly immersed in a state of paranoia.
Despite its strengths, Alien: Rogue Incursion does have its rougher edges. Mission objectives can feel repetitive, with a reliance on fetching items or accessing terminals to move the story forward. And while the game’s pacing is generally effective at building suspense, there are moments where the tension wanes, leaving certain segments feeling too stretched out. Additionally, we only recently found out that the story has been split into two parts, and some players may feel the first installment ends too abruptly and doesn’t give enough narrative closure.
In the end, Alien: Rogue Incursion delivers an intense, immersive VR experience that captures the essence of the Alien franchise, even if it doesn’t always hit its mark. Survios’ strong visual and audio design elevate the atmosphere, while the blend of stealth and combat offers thrilling moments of survival horror. However, issues with repetitive mission design and inconsistent AI hold the game back from greatness. For fans of Alien or VR horror, this is a must-play addition to the genre, but it’s hard not to hope that Part Two will refine and expand on what’s already a promising foundation, and that we’ll see some post-launch refinements to Part One as well – Alien fans deserve it.
Score: 8.0/10
Press Play Media 