Good horror relies on suspenseful twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing. Accurately anticipating what will happen next dispels the illusion and eliminates any need for dread. Since players will know exactly where to go for scares the second time around, this is a major problem for horror games. Fear in Alien: Isolation is effective, though, because it avoids this mistake.

Players take control of Amanda Ripley, Ellen Ripley's daughter, in Alien: Isolation, a movie tie-in in which Amanda sets out to discover what happened to her mother. To further her investigation, Amanda travels to Sevastopol Station, where an alien who seems to be bulletproof resides. The success of Alien: Isolation hinges on this flawless killing machine, which is powered by one of the most powerful artificial intelligences in video games. The alien follows the player around while they explore the space station. Besides being able to squeeze through tiny cracks and exit via ducts in the ceiling, it also develops new skills throughout time as color by number. Only by taking in the game's ambience and listening carefully to the soundtrack will you be able to find the alien's hideout and avoid certain death. Players can never relax and let their guard down in Alien Isolation; not even in the "save rooms" typical of other horror games.