Level Zero: Extraction – Comprehensive Guide to Aliens

Aliens Guide

As a seasoned veteran of countless battles against mercenaries, I can confidently say that the tools at your disposal are not just weapons, but strategic assets to be wielded with precision and cunning.

By Eligitine.

As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, let me walk you through the fascinating world of Alien: Isolation. This game is not for the faint-hearted; it’s a brutal, exhilarating journey that will have you on the edge of your seat. But fear not, I am here to guide you through the intricacies of this deceptively deep masterpiece.

The Map and You

Eggs:

Known more formally as “energy orbs,” these are the glowing green spheres that you’ve fired at countless times. Over time, they expand in size and potency, reaching a maximum of about 5 minutes. These orbs can be shattered by mercenaries, so if you notice several disappearing on your alien vision, it indicates someone is present. Each orb you collect will increase your energy capacity to a certain extent, with the level of growth determining the amount of increase.

Energy:

After discussing eggs, let’s move on to the topic of energy. Energy is what enables you to perform actions. There are two types of energy: current energy, represented by a light green color, and max energy, shown as dark green. When you pass away, you forfeit all the max energy you had accumulated from eating eggs. Each ability consumes a specific amount of current energy, which gets depleted when the abilities are activated. Energy is replenished gradually over time while not in light, and it can be regenerated at an accelerated rate by standing near wires.

Wires:

As a seasoned adventurer with years of exploring strange lands under my belt, I can confidently say that those towering, electric-blue creatures have become my newest and most valuable companions! You see, during one of my expeditions, I stumbled upon two types of energy-giving wires: the ground ones and the hanging ones.

Doors:

Incredible! Just like us, doors have a crucial role. They often hide your belongings or in this case, your eggs, from unwanted views. Some doors are even solid enough to completely darken a room. It’s usually best to keep them closed, as it gives you more privacy and security. Mercenaries can force these doors shut by tampering with the circuitry, which might cause sparks.

Vents:

As a seasoned adventurer with years of exploration under my belt, I find that traps such as dropbear traps are rarely beneficial for me in my quests. They seem deceptively useful at first glance, but they often prove more trouble than they’re worth. Mostly, these traps are effective for ambushing a merc or two, or providing a quick escape when being pursued. However, the time it takes to set up and the only slightly faster movement speed inside one, make them less than ideal for me. Instead, I prefer to stick with roaming the map freely, allowing myself more opportunities for discovery and treasure-hunting.

Invisibility

Light hurts. A lot actually. Standing in it can kill you quickly. Luckily the alien can turn invisible and prevent light damage. Be warned, it isn’t true invisible, more like Halo-esque partial invisibility. Mercs can see you shimmer as you go by, and rather easily in a lit room.

Pressing the button triggers a brief one-second visual effect before your invisibility mode kicks in. Note that during this phase, all energy regeneration processes will pause temporarily. While unseen, you’ll be resistant to light damage but will instead sustain slow, continuous energy damage. This invisible state allows you to endure significant amounts of light for extended periods – even the initial energy can keep you alive for around 10 seconds or more.

As a stealthy gamer, I’ve learned that invisibility isn’t always an advantage. If I get hit or attacked when I’m hidden, the damage I receive is amplified, and for the next two seconds, I can’t retaliate or regenerate energy. Enemies like Mercenaries will exploit this, firing at me even when I’m invisible.

Recently, the default shortcut key (R) may not be conveniently located. Consider repositioning it to a more accessible spot, like a mouse side button or perhaps the spacebar. Jumping isn’t crucial, so the spacebar could work well as an alternative.

Movement

Navigating an alien character offers more complexity than one might initially assume. Firstly, this character possesses two distinct modes: standing and crouching. It is generally advantageous to maintain the crouched position due to its speed, stealth, and smaller target area (hitbox). The standing mode can be utilized when encountering enemies that are jumping, for a better view to activate your abilities, or to interact with overhead structures. However, you should predominantly stay in the crouching mode unless there is a specific need to switch.

Sprinting:

As a stealthy gamer, I’ve learned that making noise can give away my position. So when it comes to surprising an enemy, it’s better to move quietly rather than sprint. Interestingly, my crouch speed is swifter than the mercenary’s regular pace. However, when I’m on the hunt, I find it beneficial to dash ahead since my stamina regenerates quickly. In that case, I let the bar deplete and then charge forward.

Circlestrafe:

In this scenario, we’re revisiting the year 1994. Strafing is incredibly effective against aliens. By circling around a mercenary while attacking, you can improve your escape route and also make the mercenary aim more accurately (which isn’t always straightforward). Instead of charging straight at someone, try approaching from the sides.

Jumping:

It exists. It forces you into standing mode, which really isn’t ideal. Jump over low railings, or to hit a merc standing high up on something. Otherwise avoid.

Powers

Let’s delve deeper into mastering the role of an alien. Here I’ll explain what each ability does and provide tips on how to make the most of them, excluding invisibility and melee as they are considered part of a larger group. So, let’s focus on the remaining eight abilities.

Healing (C):

Maintaining a grip on the ‘C’ key is crucial and likely the second most significant action in the game. After every battle, make sure to keep this key pressed before moving back to a power line. A ground line restores your health, while an overhead line recharges you with energy during the healing process.

Alien Vision (Alt):

Lets you see vents and eggs through walls. Can also be used to get a better vision on scan.

Melee (LMB):

The primary method by which you inflict harm on this mercenary is by landing six melee attacks, but it’s usually challenging as you might only manage three or four before having to withdraw. However, it’s not always necessary to fully engage in an attack. If the merc is audibly gasping and groaning, just two or three hits should be sufficient to incapacitate them. Once downed, they require another three attacks to eliminate, with the number reducing if they’ve been stationary for a while. It’s essential to note that being in any kind of light considerably decreases your attack speed, making it almost ineffective.

Spit (RMB):

As a gamer, I’ve found that the Spit is an ability best saved for emergency situations, like when enemies pull out their flares. It takes some getting used to due to its slow-moving projectile and peculiar mechanics. At first, don’t focus on using it for damage, but rather hold onto it until you need those flares neutralized. The Spit can be charged up to boost its damage output, speed, and accuracy. If you’re planning to throw the Spit from a distance, ensure it’s fully charged for optimal results.

Egg (1):

Marvelous Eggs! These versatile items can be employed to establish traps and surprise attacks, with each egg slightly increasing the controlled area. Although a mercenary could obliterate one with a single bullet, their placement behind doors or around corners adds an extra layer of challenge. Upon impact, a merc is temporarily incapacitated for 3 seconds, providing ample opportunity to inflict 4 claw hits if you are close by.

Gas (G):

Utilizing the zoning tool not only prevents entry but also slows and moderately harms enemies who pass through it within the next 15 seconds. If you don’t wish an assassin to proceed somewhere, hurl a gas projectile. Since it inflicts minimal damage on direct impact, it can be employed for harassment purposes. Typically, this tool is used to obstruct doorways temporarily to allow your teammate time to respawn, or directed at a fallen enemy to guarantee elimination.

Scan (2):

As a long-time gamer with countless hours spent navigating virtual battlefields, I find this feature incredibly helpful. It simplifies the gameplay by breaking down the map into three phases: finding trios initially represented as blobby red lights, then moving on to duos once all trios are eliminated, and finally displaying any remaining solos at the end of the match. This makes it easier for me to keep track of the action during the heat of battle and strategize accordingly, especially at the beginning and end of each game. It’s a game-changing addition that enhances my gaming experience significantly.

EMP (E):

Instead of finding lights irritating, let’s consider turning them off. By deactivating all nearby light sources within a considerable distance, you will trigger one of the two primary ways to engage mercenaries. When the flashlight of a merc is deactivated, it takes substantial damage and remains dark for several seconds, during which time you can deal some blows. However, be cautious of any teammates they might have or if they’re planning to use flares.

Scream (Q):

A very loud and screechy noise that makes mercs unable to move their mouse or switch weapons. The more people that get affected by this, the longer it lasts. Scream from behind to lock a team looking forwards, where you can hit them a good number of times. Can also be used as a replacement for EMP if you scream and lock the flashlight user looking away from you.

General Strategy

At the outset of the game, your main focus should be on securing those precious eggs. Marvelous eggs! Gaining access to EMP or Scream allows for more effective engagement with enemies, so strive to do so promptly. Once you’ve acquired it, coordinate with your teammate and roam together.

1. In and out with a few strikes: Entering, landing some blows, and then departing swiftly. Dying isn’t just a lengthy process, but it requires starting over again from scratch. Therefore, let’s avoid that. The most effective instructor in this case is experience itself; once you’ve landed 2-4 hits, if the opponents seem intelligent, become invisible and flee towards the closest corner. If not, sometimes one must take a stand and keep striking until defeat ensues.

Long-range disruption tactic: While its effectiveness has diminished over time, the use of spit and gas allows for distant harassment of mercenaries, inflicting minor damage in the process. Particularly useful in situations where mercenaries are in exceptionally well-lit areas, such as elevators, this technique can create disarray without putting oneself at immediate risk.

Prepare scrambled eggs by cracking 3-4 eggs into a pan, and as the soldiers switch to their weapons to fire at them, yell and dart around to avoid their shots while landing your own hits.

Teamwork

As a gamer, I’d say: “Ally with my extraterrestrial buddy! Use the ‘M’ key for marking important spots, and press ‘V’ to communicate where things are hidden. Let’s charge in together when it’s time. Keep in mind: It’s better to be a pair of dim-witted explorers than a lone genius. After all, two heads that don’t know much can still outsmart one who thinks he has everything figured out!”

I hope this was helpful to you!

2024-08-25 19:53