Alien: Isolation 2

Preview

PAX AUS 2026 Hands-on

October 14th, 2026 by William Thompson

previewed on PC

Thanks to the team at SEGA, we spent 30 minutes or so with the demo build at PAX AUS 2026. Although half an hour in such a game with a grand scale barely lets players get a feel for the story, there is clear ambience from the moment you set foot on the surface of the planet.

Players take on the role of Blake, starting off in an outdoor area blanketed in a fogginess from a storm, giving the game a creepy, foreboding atmosphere. It is something expected from the horror franchise, but even in this open setting, there is a sense that something may be lurking nearby. You eventually meet up with two fellow crewmates, highlighted by flares and after a little exploring you see a crashed spaceship on the shore of a beach. Of course, the game nudges you towards the crash site to investigate, despite knowing that this could be a bad idea.

You find a way into the seemingly abandoned spacecraft, and after scavenging some parts, you have enough to get power restored to the downed ship. There must be a leak though, as the craft is slowly filling with the water from outside, whilst a fire blocks your path to a vital area of the ship. That would normally be enough of a puzzle to solve, but combine that with the appearance of a Xenomorph, and you soon realise that escaping the ship will not be a simple process.

Even in the demo, it is clear that the Xenomorph has a mind of its own and does not simply follow a pattern. Hiding under tables, crawling into ducts and using empty bottles strewn throughout the spacecraft’s tight confines to distract the alien are some of the tactics at your disposal.

The demo did not provide Blake with any weapons to defend against the Xenomorph, so it was purely a task aimed at survival. After eventually escaping the vehicle a short scene plays, but I won't give away what happens.

I wouldn't say that I was frightened at all in the short playtime, but I was cautious in the knowledge that something would be out there and I can certainly see potential for some scary moments in the full release. I'm definitely looking forward to see more of this as the game progresses.

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