10 Video Games That Saved Franchises From The Brink Of Doom
5. Alien: Isolation
Franchise on the brink? The Alien series has long been a gaming staple, with cult favourites like Alien Trilogy and Aliens vs Predator (1999 & 2001) earning rightful admiration. But by the late 2000s, the brand was sputtering. The film franchise was stuck in creative limbo, and Sega’s game output had slowed to a crawl. 2010’s Aliens vs Predator reboot had its fans, but it wasn’t the AAA revival the license needed.
Then came Aliens: Colonial Marines - Gearbox’s alleged love letter to James Cameron’s Aliens, hyped to the heavens and sold as canon. The final product? A broken, buggy, bargain-bin embarrassment. Its story was a hollow fan-fiction mess, the AI was laughably bad, and the backlash was nuclear. Many assumed Sega would shelve the franchise for good.
Saved by: Alien: Isolation
Enter Creative Assembly - yes, the Total War studio - who zagged where everyone else zigged. Instead of guns and gore, they channelled Ridley Scott’s original: slow, dread-filled survival horror. One unkillable Xenomorph stalked you through a lo-fi 70s-inspired nightmare, and you could only hide, trick, or run.
Alien: Isolation didn’t just redeem the franchise - it elevated it. It reminded fans and publishers alike that Alien could still inspire terror, tension, and brilliance. The brand has had a healthier run ever since, but Isolation remains the benchmark. Here's hoping that long-rumoured sequel finally gets made.