Alien: Rogue Incursion might not be the nerve-shredding horror experience that Alien: Isolation was, but it succeeds on its own terms as an action-focused VR shooter
Coming into Alien: Rogue Incursion, my experience with the franchise was limited. I'd seen one film with the jacked Engineer, and played through Alien: Isolation, which remains one of my favorite horror experiences. So when I started up Rogue Incursion on my Quest 3, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. What I found was a game that takes a decidedly different approach - trading pure horror for action-packed encounters while maintaining enough tension to keep you somewhaton edge.
The game puts you in the boots of Zula Hendricks, a former Colonial Marine accompanied by her synthetic companion Davis 01. While I wasn't familiar with these characters beforehand, their dynamic quickly won me over. Zula's determination and Davis's supportive yet sometimes mysterious nature create an engaging relationship that carries the narrative forward.
The story takes place in a massive research facility, where Zula responds to a distress signal from an old friend. Unsurprisingly, things have gone horribly wrong, with Xenomorphs running amok and dark corporate secrets waiting to be uncovered. While the plot might not win awards for originality, the strong character writing and voice performances make it compelling enough to drive you forward. It is also just Part One so it ends on a really cool cliffhanger.
What really shines is how the story unfolds through environmental storytelling. As you explore the facility, you'll find audio logs, written messages across terminals, and other evidence of the chaos that unfolded before your arrival. The narrative reveals itself naturally through exploration, making each new discovery feel earned rather than forced.
If Alien: Isolation was about hiding and surviving, Rogue Incursion is about standing your ground and fighting back. The game arms you with an impressive arsenal that includes a pulse rifle, shotgun, revolver and mines... no flamethrower though. Each weapon feels distinct and satisfying to use, with the pulse rifle in particular delivering that signature rapid-fire sound that sends shivers down your spine.
The VR implementation of these weapons is fantastic. Reloading requires physical actions - manually feeding shells into the shotgun, ejecting spent revolver cartridges, or slapping in fresh magazines for the pulse rifle. These interactions never got old, and in tense moments, fumbling with a reload while Xenomorphs close in creates genuine panic. The one thing that I didn't like though was the sticky ADS and I would have loved to have a toggle to disable it.
Speaking of the Xenomorphs, they're fast, aggressive, and come in numbers. Unlike Isolation's singular, terrifying stalker, these aliens are more like deadly pack hunters. They'll use vents to flank you, crawl along walls and ceilings, and generally try to overwhelm you from multiple angles. While they're not particularly difficult to kill (a few well-placed shots will do the trick), their speed and numbers mean you can never let your guard down.
The motion tracker returns here and you can either hold it in your hand or place it on surfaces to monitor approaching threats. However, I didn't really use it all that much as I played in Normal difficulty. Due to the visual presentation of this version, you don't really need to use it as these Xenomorphs really stand out in these mostly grey environments. Maybe in higher difficulties, it is more useful, but I'll leave that for another playthrough.
The research facility is quite big and initially maze-like, but the game provides excellent tools for navigation. Your data pad contains a detailed map and objective tracking, and interacting with it feels surprisingly natural in VR. Opening it up, scrolling through information, and seeing waypoints all have a satisfying tactile feel that adds to the immersion.
The game employs a light Metroidvania-style progression system. You'll frequently encounter locked doors or obstacles that require specific tools or access cards to overcome. As you acquire new equipment like the plasma torch or rewiring tool, previously inaccessible areas open up. This creates a nice sense of progression, though it does mean you'll be doing quite a bit of backtracking through similar-looking corridors.
Save points come in the form of Panic Rooms scattered throughout the facility. These safe rooms provide a moment of respite and a chance to catch your breath, but as I mentioned before, these Xenos go down easy and if you give me a shotgun, it's game over man... for them. The placement of these rooms can sometimes feel a bit sparse, leading to frustrating moments if you die and lose significant progress.
While the game might market itself as horror, it's really more of an action game with horror elements. Having access to powerful weapons from the start means you're never truly helpless, which naturally reduces the fear factor. That said, the game still manages to create tense moments through its combat encounters and one or two jump scares.
Having to reload mid-fight, even though the ammunition is aplenty, can be a butt-puckering experience, especially when you're forced to resort to your trusty revolver as a last resort. Health is also a precious resource, with healing syringes being few and far between. One or two hits from a Xenomorph is enough to take you down, so every encounter carries real stakes.
There are a couple of really cool set-pieces I would say, which if you are a true fan of the Alien franchise, you might guess what they are, but still when you are there and experiencing them yourself in VR, it's a lot of fun.
The final sections of the game somewhat ramp up the intensity with quarantine sequences that force you to hold out against waves of aliens. These moments are exciting, though they're somewhat marred by what seems to maybe be a bug where the quarantine timer continues even after all threats are eliminated, leading to some awkward waiting periods for the doors to open. Maybe Survios can take a look at this and patch it if it needs to be fixed.
Visually, Alien Rogue Incursion makes some obvious compromises on the Quest 3 compared to its PCVR and PSVR2 counterparts. The lighting is notably flatter, there's less environmental detail, and some effects like blood and acid pools are completely absent. The color palette also leans heavily on grays, which, while making it easier to spot Xenomorphs, somewhat diminishes the atmospheric potential. So if you plan to play this on a Quest 3, do not see how good it looks on the other platforms or you'll be disappointed. Also, I would advise Survios to update the Meta Quest Store screenshots with actual screenshots from the game running on Quest instead of the PCVR ones that they are currently using.
That said, the game still manages to look really good for standalone VR. Character models, particularly the Xenomorphs, are well-detailed, and the environments, while repetitive, maintain a consistent level of quality throughout. Sure some textures are a bit blocky, but overall, the game looks good. The audio design is particularly strong, with weapons sounding appropriately powerful and the skittering of aliens through vents creating genuine unease.
The VR implementation extends beyond just combat and navigation. Nearly every object in the environment can be picked up and examined, drawers and cabinets can be opened, and interactive elements like keypads and computer terminals feel natural to use. I love how jiggly the "mouse stick" is, it's so satisfying to use. These small touches add significantly to the immersion, making the world feel more tangible and real.
Alien: Rogue Incursion might not be the nerve-shredding horror experience that Alien: Isolation was, but it succeeds on its own terms as an action-focused VR shooter. The combination of satisfying combat, engaging exploration, and strong character work creates an experience that's hard to put down once you start. While the Quest 3 version makes some visual sacrifices, the core gameplay remains intact and impressive. The physicality of VR adds a new dimension to the Alien universe, whether you're frantically reloading your shotgun as Xenomorphs bear down on you or carefully examining environmental clues to uncover the facility's secrets. It might not redefine the franchise or the VR medium, but it delivers a thoroughly entertaining adventure that makes excellent use of its source material and platform. I recommend it. Thanks for reading!
The game was previewed on a Quest 3 via a promo copy provided by the publisher. Alien: Rogue Incursion is available on Meta Quest, PSVR2 and PCVR.
