Alien Isolation 2 uses Unreal Engine 5 instead of Creative Assembly's custom engine, and fans are starting to worry: "This completely ruins any enthusiasm I have for the game"

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We don't know much about Alien: Isolation 2 - there isn't even an official title yet - but it's been confirmed that the sequel is being built on another engine. Specifically, Unreal Engine 5, and this has raised a number of questions and concerns about the follow-up from Creative Assembly.

The studio's own website gave it away in job listings for the Xenomorph-filled project. "This is an excellent opportunity for a talented senior development manager to join the sequel to Alien: Isolation being built in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5)," reads a post on the company's site.

No further information is given on the game's status. This a marked change in direction, as the original was made using the Cathode Engine, a bespoke framework created for Alien: Isolation. Since that's the only game it was ever used on, there was perhaps a belief that Creative Assembly might maintain using it for a second installment.

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That's not the case, and despite it being very early days on the sequel, this has sparked some worries among fans. Alien: Isolation stands out for the level of atmosphere and tension maintained throughout. The Xenomorph AI combined with the shadowy layout of the Sevastopol, which was very in line with the lived-in vibes of the Nostromo, made for a riveting, albeit terrifying, recreation of the spirit of Ridley Scott's classic film.

Switching engines could result in a different feel and texture, and fans are already bracing themselves for the change – and potential performance issues. "Welp, I'm not holding any hopes for the stability of the game," says one response on Twitter. "This completely ruins any enthusiasm I have for the game," says another.

The first proper teaser went live this past Alien Day, on April 26, providing a brief look at what might be an off-world colony, followed by one of the phones you'd use to save the game in Isolation. In the spirit of optimism, let it be known we're still months if not years away from playing this, and Creative Assembly is still the team constructing the terror. And, yes, there are plenty of good, stable Unreal Engine 5 games. Maybe let the devs cook.

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Anthony McGlynnContributing Writer

Anthony is an Irish entertainment and games journalist, now based in Glasgow. He previously served as Senior Anime Writer at Dexerto and News Editor at The Digital Fix, on top of providing work for Variety, IGN, Den of Geek, PC Gamer, and many more. Besides Studio Ghibli, horror movies, and The Muppets, he enjoys action-RPGs, heavy metal, and pro-wrestling. He interviewed Animal once, not that he won’t stop going on about it or anything.

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