Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition – Everything You Need to Know

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Occasionally, a VR title manages to captivate virtual reality reviewers, and for me, Half-Life Alyx was one such game, despite my lack of interest in VR hardware. As a longtime fan of the Half-Life series, I’ve been hoping for a flat screen port for years, but that hasn’t happened yet. On the other hand, Alien enthusiasts are fortunate as Rogue Incursion breaks free from the VR prison with its new Evolved Edition for PC and PS5. This game will be accessible to non-VR users when it releases on September 30th. Here are 15 things you should consider before making a purchase.

From VR to Flatscreens

In December 2024, the game Alien: Rogue Incursion, known for its immersive first-person gameplay in the VR world, made a significant impact. Fast forward to 2025, the developer Survios is adapting this thrilling VR experience for mainstream screens, bringing it to PC and consoles. This move with Rogue Incursion is quite unusual as it’s one of the few instances where a VR exclusive title expands its reach beyond virtual reality.

Evolved Edition Enhancements

Without doubt, this standard version of the game offers certain unique improvements and peculiarities that both veteran and novice players might find intriguing or unexpected…or not. The list of fresh additions and refinements is somewhat minimal. The enhanced edition, labeled as Evolved Edition, will maintain a steady 60 frames per second on PC and PS5, offering screen-compatible frame rates that the VR space could not accommodate. A significant difference lies in controller functionality. Alongside the obvious conversion of motion inputs to buttons and joysticks, the game is compatible with full haptic feedback and rumble technology, which should provide at least a small amount of tactile immersion similar to virtual reality. Though it may lack many additional features and non-VR bonuses, these improvements are still considered superior to a basic port of the original game.

Graphics

Rogue Incursion seems to handle this common VR issue better due to the advanced tools in Unreal Engine 5. The game’s visuals don’t appear distorted or disproportioned like other VR conversions, even though it might not be the most visually stunning game of the year. It still offers decent graphics, avoiding significant visual flaws.

Setting and Characters

In the comic “Alien: Defiance,” colonial marine Zula Hendricks embarks on a mission to explore a mysterious distress signal sent from a distant planet, leading to the storyline for “Rogue Incursion.” This game is set within the timeline following the events of “Aliens” and after “Alien: Isolation.

Variety of Xenomorphs

In a similar vein as how Alien Isolation paid homage to the original Alien movie, Rogue Incursion seems to pay tribute to its sequel, Aliens. This is evident in the diverse types of Xenomorphs that roam the overrun colony, unlike the single xenomorph type found in Alien: Isolation. You’ll encounter the standard warrior Xenomorphs, as well as the smaller facehuggers and the fearsome Praetorians. This increased enemy variety led to more tactical combat in the original VR game, with the strategic encounters reportedly being amplified even further in the Evolved Edition.

Atmospheric Survival Tone Inspired by Alien: Isolation

The main appeal of “Rogue Incursion” lies in its similarity to “Alien: Isolation.” It shares the same tense, slow-paced environment and emphasizes stealth and careful ammo management. However, “Rogue Incursion” offers a more action-packed experience than “Isolation,” as encounters with Xenomorphs are less challenging due to a higher degree of control over combat situations. It’s evident that the developers drew significant inspiration from “Alien: Isolation” for both the game and its sequel. If you’re looking for a game that builds upon the success of “Alien: Isolation,” then “Rogue Incursion” is the closest you can get.

Zula and Her Android Companion

If the loneliness and quietness in “Isolation” became overwhelming, the game “Rogue Incursion” introduces some variety with an android character named Davis as your companion. Although their conversation isn’t frequent or light-hearted like in many modern productions, Davis provides occasional dialogue that helps develop the story around characters. However, it’s important to note that this game maintains a more serious and realistic tone compared to other media you might be familiar with.

Sound Management and Stealth

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The atmosphere of stealth in the game is enhanced by sound effects. Just like other survival horror games, if you run around loudly with heavy footsteps, it will draw enemies faster towards you. Various objects within the environment produce noises when stepped on or pushed, which helps the xenomorphs locate you more easily. To stay hidden, you need to utilize a motion tracker for xenomorphs and carefully plan your silent attacks at opportune moments.

Weapons and Tools

To clarify, as previously stated, this game isn’t as focused on stealth like Alien: Isolation due to its more abundant weapon options and ammunition. Unlike in the movies, Zula features a pulse rifle, a revolver, and a reliable shotgun for those up-close enemy encounters.

Straightforward Combat

Xenomorph warriors often fall after only a couple of shotgun bursts. The game, while it still has an eerie atmosphere, leans more towards action than survival horror compared to Isolation. Unfortunately, Zula’s defensive abilities are quite limited, with only the ability to dodge and throw grenades to keep enemies at bay.

Deadly Xenomorph AI Behavior

In the build-up to the debut of the VR game, the studio exaggerated the unforeseen AI scripting of the xenomorph enemies, suggesting they would be quite formidable. However, upon playing, it was evident that these creatures were not particularly different from typical shooter enemies. While they did take alternate paths and didn’t always charge straight towards players, their vulnerability to gunfire made their unique routes insignificant. Fortunately, for the standard game release, it seems that the developers plan to make the xenomorphs more challenging, as promotional materials suggest “more dangerous Xenomorphs” and show footage of them executing aggressive leaping attacks.

Save System

In case Xenomorphs are stronger in this new version, it’s crucial to save often. You can save by locating one of several panic rooms inside the abandoned facility. The game seldom autosaves, so you’ll need to find these safe spots regularly. This increases the tension, as the danger becomes more pressing.

Brief Runtime

You won’t need to wait an excessive amount of time before you can save your game since there are many panic rooms strategically located throughout the game. Interestingly, the game isn’t particularly long, taking approximately 7 hours on a casual playthrough, and this duration remains similar even with the Evolved Edition, as it doesn’t offer much additional content. Alien: Rogue Incursion here refers to the game being discussed.

Part 1 of 2

As an enthusiast who can’t get enough of the gripping tension in the Alien series, fear not! Rogue Incursion is merely the opening chapter of a two-act narrative masterfully crafted by the minds at Survios. Keep your eyes peeled for more thrilling encounters with those terrifying xenomorphs!

September 30th Release Date

On September 30th, the updated version of “Alien: Rogue Incursion” titled “Evolved Edition” will be available for purchase at a cost of $29.99. This game offers a similar experience to “Alien: Isolation”, and it is playable on PCs or PlayStation 5. At this time, there’s no information about an Xbox release, but we can only hope that one will be announced as well.

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2025-09-04 14:49