10 Video Games That Punish You For Exploring
9. Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation was rightly praised upon release for the impressively dynamic AI programming for the Xenomorph that stalks the player throughout the game.
However, given how gorgeously reminiscent of the original film's ship, the Nostromo, the space station Sevastopol is, players couldn't be blamed for wanting to stop and smell the roses while traipsing around its halls, even with a terrifying alien creature on the loose.
While the game absolutely presents itself as encouraging exploration of Sevastopol Station, this is in constant conflict with the game's AI design, because the longer you spend walking aimlessly around the station, the more opportunity the AI has to fling a Xenomorph attack your way.
If you keep moving it becomes tougher for the game's adaptive AI to adjust to your tactics, but if you take it slow and explore every nook and cranny, it's just a matter of time before you get waylaid by the Xenomorph.
Hilariously, enough players complained about this that a mod was eventually created by a fan allowing you to freely explore Sevastopol without the threat of the Xenomorph at all. Genius.