This game is ridiculously hard.

[klimothy splinge]

I love horror games, I love stealth games more. I'm a huge fan of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and I've completed that many times along with other horror games. This game isn't so much as scary, since I'm a fan of the Aliens franchise so I know what a Xenomorph looks like and I know what it does. It's dripping with atmosphere and tension however and I feel more tense than anything. But there's one problem, this is super hard. I have 8 hours on this game and I have barely made past the part where the Xenomorph drops down from the vent and you have to find Dr. Morleys keycard. It's, in my opinion, ridiculous. I'm not saying I'm good at this game, because I'm not really but the lack of save stations and unpredictable alien AI, one-hit kills by the Xenomorph, crawling around forever incase the Xenomorph hears you, realising how screwed you are when you see it walking down a hallway toward you. It's not fair, and I know that the Xenomorph is the 'perfect organism' and I know you have more of chance later in the game. I originally started playing on Hard mode but got too frustrated and changed it to Medium and eventually Medium to EASY. EASY. I never play games on Easy, even then it's still hard! I have to know what the Alien is doing, it can play tricks because of the motion tracker. The motion tracker tells me its 0.90 (meters?) away and if I check again its 0.60 meters away. Then eventually it's right up to my face, I die and I have to restart and do ALL the things I did again. It's constant, and it seems to be a recurring thing for me and it's driving me insane.

Please keep in mind that I love the Alien films and I think the game is great but it's completely ridiculous how unfair it is, in no way am I hating on it. Does anyone have tips or anything? Any help is appreciated.

[Sr.KS]

It is simple try not to make noise :V

[Max Headshot]

No, it isn't unfair, it looks like unfair because you are used to simple mechanics of other stealth games, but it is far away from being unfair. There are many threads about this issue so it makes no sense to talk about more. You have to go through a learning process how to deal with this challenge and you will finally have success without much frustration.
Be aware that experienced speedrunners need less than 3 hours for the whole game !
There should be a reason for, shouldn't it ?
I would suggest to search the forum for tips, there are so many.

[Mapwales]

The only advice i can give you is perseverance and crafting items helps alot too and you will progress slowly but surely and with some luck you'll get there. I spent a good portion of time in cabinets, cupboards, under tables and trollys behind any object I could hide. Like you said save points are sparse but getting to one is such an achievement So enjoy.

[Sunshine]

If possible, load up ~30minutes of gameplay if you can.
I guarantee you, this would be most helpful, I am sure the problem is you playing the game "wrong". Not meant to be condescending or something, but it sure sounds like it from what you've described.

My suspicion would be that you aren't hiding well enough.
You know that you can hide under beds and tables etc? As long as you break line of sight, you are pretty safe, even on highest difficulty.

When moving around, remember places to hide and always check for vents - because it could drop from one at any moment.

By the way, the medical station is one of the most difficult passages the game offers, at least that is how I remember it as well. Build things that make noise, and use them BEFORE 'it' reaches you. It buys you time and after a while, you know how to outsmart the Alien.

[☆Heike'sFootSlave™☆]

Like Max said, it isn't unfair (and he's right)
Also that speedrunners need less than 3 hours (WR is something like 2:42) and that is not all, they do that on nightmare without dying once!!! And they never safe the game bc it costs too much time! Nightmare = NO map, no motion tracker (it works a bit but it's broken)

But to give you tips bc speedrunning ruins your game experience if you not made your 3rd or 4th complete playthru!

Hide everywhere!
Never use the wardrobes (sorry don't know the word), not the big and not the smalls ones bc they are the best deathtraps of the game (you can't move in them anywhere!)
Better hide under beds, tables (you can move around the same table with the alien without being seen (just be quiet)!
You can even walk behind the alien thru the whole complex bc his focus is front, and 90° (or it was 110°) to left and right side!
But no matter what you do, never never never touch the tail!!!

Just take a short look at the tracker bc the alien can hear the peep sound that it makes!
Sound, well sounds are very importand!
Learn the sounds! They save your life!
KNOW the sound it makes when it comes out of the vent (time to hide and "play" with the alien ;)
KNOW the sound it makes when it goes into the vent bc now you can move on to your objectives!

Also don't use "working" weapons against the alien too often bc this lifeform isn't stupid and his fear will go down if it "checks" what you do!

Oh, and please never use the torch as light source!
No joke, someone really ask for what this fu.... torch is good for bc anytime be used it as light the alien kills him after 10 seconds!
:D :D :D

I lmfao as I read that and just thought: why don't you put a orange Sirene light onto your head and run firing the revolver???

Hope that helps a bit?
Turn it back to hard!

[L0rd_CSVeteran(only HS)]

I turned it down to easy and played all the way to the end. Questioned why it was so damn hard then checked settings - It was on hard -.-' double check that setting because the alien is a ♥♥♥♥♥ at novice

[Max Headshot]

Originally posted by ☆Becky'sFootSlave☆:

You can even walk behind the alien thru the whole complex bc his focus is front, and 90° (or it was 110°) to left and right side!
But no matter what you do, never never never touch the tail!!!

Muahaha, makes fun but will not work for a first time player because of some sudden turnarounds, that could cause a heart attack XD
Last not least knowing the locations and where to go next is a BIG advantage you are missing at the first time. I remember my own stressful confusion then. It was all too strange.

[magaxil]

Its hard because its insta kill 99% of the time and saving is very restricted i.e. to the save points dictated to you in the game, THAT is a big part of why the game is so tense imo. Also because there is a big scary alien trying to kill you all the time. But you have to learn when to hide and when to have some balls and proceed. Hope that helps.

[klimothy splinge]

I'll try my best, thanks guys.

[burivuh]

It is not unfair. It is about careful risk. You have to let him came close to your hiding place, to watch his movements and not to give yourself away. Don’t wait for a true safe moment, you'll never know it for sure. Move when you see an opportunity for it. Don't run :) Listen for all the sounds, they are often more informative then your motion tracker. Don't rely on flamethrower when you get it. Return to hard ;)

[-|Nur|-]

The worst thing you can do is start blaming the game for being unfair: It's not. If you keep dying, you keep making mistakes. There's no reason why the game should be that hard even on Easy. Many finished their first playthrough on Hard with no guides to help them. Easy is really easy because the alien has such a huge patrol radius. You just need to be brave but also smart, and use your inventory effectively.

[Berserk Slayer]

You have our sympathies :)

[TheHuskyGT]

That's the mission that makes most people very frustrated to the point of giving up in some cases. I was victim of it. Stopped playing the game for a year, until now that I gave it a second try. There are a few things I did different and it made such a huge improvement on enjoying this game to the point were I'm close to finishing it. Let's see:

1. Hiding or trying to "read" the Xenomorph's pattern while inside a locker will severely punish you. The Xeno's A.I is not scripted at all and it will be as random as it can be.

2. This game rewards you by being bold, fast-thinking while being very careful and silent with every move.

3. If your strategy is knowing where all the lockers and hiding boxes are, you are playing it wrong.

4. Reading your motion tracker properly. The bottom left corner is often more helpful that what you see on the main radar. Tells you the distance of the Xeno, if it's getting closer or further away. If you learn how this tracker works, you might even know if there is a chance of the Xeno to drop from a vent, or if the Xeno is even in the area.

5. Always keep moving! Silently, of course.

6. If you think too much or doubt, you will have a rough time and will end up hating the game.

7. You can even get away with not using sound lures at all.

8. Playing on Easy is not bad. This game is still very hard. difficulty will indeed affect the chances of the Xeno being frisky, but it's mostly the amount of damage that you or your enemies can recieve. Ammo is affected, but this is a game that you can beat without shooting a single bullet.

In short, this is unlike any modern game. This game will not take you by the hand. This is a game that will keep you on edge from beginning to end, and even luck plays a huge role sometimes.

And last, this game is not unfair at all. 22 hours into it and not a single time I've felt it's been unfair, now that I've changed the way I play it.

I'm glad I gave it a second chance. Once you play it how the game is meant to be played, it's one of the most intense, yet enjoyable experiences. Honestly, it's not even that scary once you figure it out. Dead Space, even with all the arsenal at your disposition, is a lot scarier.

[Dayve]

It's not unfair but it can be hard at times. Even on nightmare difficulty it's possible (quite easy, even) to get through the hardest missions without the alien seeing you even one time, once you know what you are doing.

My advice is watch some videos to see how people play the game successfully and then imitate their tactics. The absolute easiest way to play this game (on medium or hard difficulty) is to hide under a table and wait until the alien goes in the vents, then go about your business, then hide when he comes down again. But those are chump tactics. The best way is to be brave (but not stupid) and keep going forward when the alien isn't looking.

[SuperSluether]

I'm pretty sure that's one of the hardest parts of this entire game. I was stuck on it for a while too, but so far everything else has been much easier. Not saying the game is easy to begin with, but the doctor's keycard is one of the trickiest places to get in and out of between save spots.