In a way, the Alien movie franchise is better suited for video games than it is for film. The premise is very limited for movie storytelling because there are only so many things that can be done with a killer space monster. They’ve tried, but in the end, each movie follows pretty much the same structure as the one before, with only the director’s vision adding a unique touch of style or directorial stamp. The truth is, the series’ main threat, the “xenomorph,” is no more dangerous than being stuck in a room with a Bengal tiger. In video games, there is so much more that can be done.
The Weyland-Yutani universe offers endless potential for players to explore, with a flexible premise that can be imagined in countless ways. From shooters and RTS to survival-horror games, metroidvanias, rail shooters, and tabletop RPGs, the possibilities are limitless. When Alien: Rogue Incursion was first released, it was crafted as a VR survival-horror adventure. It was the ideal combo: a turbo-charged, action-filled, and streamlined version of Alien: Isolation, brought to life in virtual reality. It was too niche to gain much attention as a VR game, but that led to a non-VR console port. How has it “evolved” on Nintendo Switch 2?
Set between the original 1979 film and Aliens (1986), Rogue Incursion is the first part of a two-part story, following Zula Hendricks, a flatly written ex-Colonial Marine with a history of battling corporate exploitation of xenomorphs. Accompanied by a Working Joe-like synthetic named Davis 01, they respond to a distress beacon on the remote and harsh LV-354. Zula and Davis crash-land at Castor’s Cradle, a black-site operation ostensibly involved in terraforming and mining.
What starts as a straightforward rescue mission soon spirals into a nightmare. The facility is eerily empty, marked by signs of violence and gore everywhere, blood-smeared walls, smashed equipment, and the unmistakable organic traces of xenomorph presence. As the story unfolds, it becomes less direct, encouraging players to piece together a conspiracy through audio logs and terminal emails. The big, obviously evil corporation was secretly experimenting on xenomorphs, trying to weaponise them in a way that mirrors the franchise’s themes of corporate greed… Like always.
The plot is admittedly a somewhat tired and generic Alien story, focusing on the dangers of corporatism and the arrogance of humanity in trying to control something they don’t truly understand. It’s not inherently bad or even poorly executed, but after 40 years, seven movies (nine counting the two Alien vs. Predator films), and over 30 video games, exploring the same ideas is a bit dull, especially when they’ve been done so much better in older examples like Alien: Isolation.
The story largely takes a backseat to the circumstances that drive the gameplay, with the only real emotional core being the dynamic between Zula and Davis 01. Their relationship provides emotional grounding amid the bleak horror, Zula’s hardened determination contrasting with Davis’ calm, sentient support. The only problem is that Zula sucks. It’s a combination of her voice actress sounding like she’s bored and uninterested, and how meat-headed and undisciplined she comes off when talking, which makes her repulsive and unlikable.
Seriously, Davis 01 deserves a better partner. Davis 01 is a very well written and interesting character despite being a mid-range android. He’s not as advanced as Ash, Bishop, Call, or David, but he’s definitely a step above the drone-like Working Joes. Calm, intelligent, and armed with a dry sense of humour, he often delivers deadpan sarcasm or witty remarks, bringing both gravitas and a touch of levity to the horror, all while showing a surprising tenderness.
As mentioned earlier, Rogue Incursion is the first half of a two-part story. Unfortunately, this means it wraps up with a hell of a cliffhanger, leaving players eager to see what’s next. It’s also the point where the plot takes some twists and starts introducing fresh ideas, since up until then, it’s mostly relied on the same worn-out Alien tropes fans have seen before. Castor’s Cradle is suspiciously too similar to Hadley’s Hope. There’s a copy of the birth scene from Prometheus. Zula is a poor man’s Vasquez. Davis 01 is a lot like Andy from Romulus. Even the gameplay is a lot like Alien: Isolation meets Colonial Marines, and while this seems like a good recipe, the execution could have been better.
The gameplay focuses on exploring a vast, atmospheric corporate complex made up of both linear and interconnected areas packed with dimly lit corridors, vents, and industrial spaces. Progress comes from tackling simple environmental puzzles, like rewiring fuse boxes, cutting through sealed doors with a hand welder, or rerouting power, to open up new zones and find supply caches. Just like in classic survival horror, backtracking is frequent as new tools let you access previously blocked-off areas.
The visuals are fine in fidelity mode, but in 60fps mode, the shadows are disabled, killing the atmosphere and making everything look flat and evenly lit regardless of the light source’s direction. The art direction is on point and resembles a mix of the cassette futurism seen in Isolation and the industrial chaos in Romulus and Aliens. Rogue Incursion does look a bit cheap at times, with the lack of grit and the aliens themselves looking a bit too sleek and clean. The game is also a little buggy. Onscreen icons can sometimes freeze, character models may fail to animate their mouths during dialogue, and xenomorphs might get stuck in the environment when navigating complex ceilings.
Ideally, the combat blends bursts of aggressive gunfire with moments of careful pacing. Zula’s arsenal may be limited, but it’s undeniably satisfying: the iconic M41A Pulse Rifle with its unmistakable sound, a pump-action shotgun (for close encounters), and the familiar revolver from Isolation. Ammo is deliberately scarce, forcing careful resource management and conservation. In theory, it should work, but the game’s main threat and namesake are not terribly formidable and have iffy AI. They slowly lurch toward Zula, but her quick dodge lets her easily circle them just as they brace to pounce, making it easy to gun them down.
