While Alien Isolation is a favored horror game, many players agree on its excessive length. The game’s tension escalates as it seemingly nears its conclusion, only to drag on further.

In a conversation with FRVR, writer Dion Lay explained that the substantial duration wasn’t intentional. It stemmed from the highly adaptive AI of the Xenomorph.

In contrast to typical horror games where enemies follow predictable patterns, the Xenomorph’s AI allows it to change its strategy based on player actions, making it a formidable foe. This complexity contributes to the immersive and dreadful atmosphere of Alien Isolation, but it also leads to more cautious gameplay, inherently extending playtime.

“The Alien really evolved as we were making it. By the time it was perfect, it was like, ‘Oh, wow, everything takes a lot longer!’ So, it would be really nice to pare it down to its core, make it a lot shorter.”

Although the story was finalized as the AI became more sophisticated, it was too late for significant edits. “I think it would have been hard at the time to do that [cut it down],” Lay acknowledged, reflecting on how difficult those decisions would have been during development.

Today, Alien Isolation is celebrated as a modern classic, recognized for its unique dread and gameplay mechanics. A sequel was confirmed in 2024, yet updates have been sparse since then.