A reader recommends the art book for Segas highly authentic Alien tie-in and has a tip for where to get it cheap.
Last week I succumbed to the allure, the recognisable aesthetic, and familiar colour palette one almost instantly associates with the Alien franchise. The Art of Alien Isolation by Andy McVittie, from Titan Books, was released on October 2014 to coincide with the launch of its companion game. It provides an in-depth look at the development from conception to publication of the cross-generational title that made amends for the legacy of the franchise in video game format.
Promoted as a high-end art book it certainly stands alongside its peers in terms of content. It covers art from the conception of the characters to the finalised models used in gameplay, the ships, and the equipment used in-game – all detailed from early sketch work to finished product. The high-end finish serves as an accomplished supportive piece to the game. These books tend to sell for a higher price than traditional subject matter and as such its good to have a nicer finish in terms of paper texture, image quality, and presentation.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Like the game its based on both the character model and equipment design certainly draws inspiration from Ridley Scotts 1979 original, which when you stop to consider turns 40 next year in 2019. You have an appreciation not only for the source material but also the dedication and effort that went into designing a gaming world that faithfully reproduced the aesthetic design of the environment around you.
The game is principally based on the world and design of Alien and as such the weaponry and equipment is consistent with the first film, the world of Sevastopol Station brought to life through illustrations detailing the design curve. Equally, I found this book functions as a supportive piece to the original film itself as a great level of detail went into reproducing the style and structure of the world. It works to show how the equipment and environment were designed and produced.
I do enjoy the lore and legacy design work that goes into creating the worlds within these games as it can quite often be overlooked during the experience. During the seventh generation of games consoles these sort of books gained traction in the West after previously being limited largely to Japan. Studios recognised a growing demand to embrace the gaming culture away from the console experience and into the broader fan base. Beyond the base, monetary gain publishers can attract from releasing these books they satisfy a curiosity and I feel provide illumination to the work of the game designers and creators who shape the narrative.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Within the opening credits of Alien Isolation the game had the flickering presentation style of a video cassette being played back, corrupted slightly perhaps but consistent with the opening moments of the film itself. For many of a certain generation this was how Alien was experienced before the advent of digital restoration and as a visual piece served to illicit a sense of dread.
The art book covers both the main game experience but also the DLC material that returned the player to the world of the crew of the original Alien film and details how the source material was broken down and utilised almost four decades later. An aside that I found fascinating was the detail to which the material was studied. One of the design artists focusing on the small details such as the boots worn by the original crew and the small variances in uniform design that created the lived in world of the Nostromo.
The design of the xenomorph by H. R. Giger is iconic and one of the aspects of this art book was seeing the progression and perhaps the different design considerations that went into the final character model used in the game. Production in 1979 restricted the original character model to an actor in a rubber suit. With the release of Covenant and Prometheus the temptation may have been to base the warrior drone on the digital creatures utilised in those films. Given the rich lore that has built over the last four decades from the original humanoid creature to the more animalistic nature of the beast there was clear consideration as to what form the creature would be based on.
Advertisement
Seemingly the illustrations and images provided point to a number of different forms that were under consideration but certainly the final form used again points to a respectful homage of the original creature design. This was the creature we first experienced, first saw in the ventilation ducts emerging from the shadows.
Ultimately the value or worth of this book will come down to the readers appreciation of the source material and the larger franchise its based on. Certainly from a gaming perspective it does provide a fascinating insight into the design aspect of the people, creatures, and the world they inhabit. The photos and images are high quality, ranging from character and equipment design, world and environment conception, and the different ships and space stations used in-game.
There is a growing number of the gaming community who enjoy absorbing the culture and worlds we experience and lose ourselves in. Whilst perhaps the Alien universe by design would run contrary to that belief I do personally enjoy these art books as they provide a means to step back inside that world and to appreciate the work and effort that went into bringing them to fruition. I consider this a great buy. As of writing the book can be picked up for as little as £4.99 at Forbidden Planet, which in my opinion at least makes this a fantastic and must-have purchase.
By reader ATBonfire (Facebook)/around.the.bonfire (Instagram)/ATBonfire (WordPress)
The readers feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email [email protected] and follow us on Twitter.
Advertisement
Advertisement
