The Alien

About

The Alien drops you into the heart of a sci-fi survival thriller where every move feels like a gamble. As the commander of a research vessel, you must balance resource management with tactical evasion. Crew members can be assigned to build tools, hack systems, or craft weapons while you navigate claustrophobic ship corridors. The alien stalks you in real time, forcing you to weigh exploration against the risk of being cornered. Victory comes through capture, kill, or triggering a self-destruct, but each path requires careful planning and quick reflexes. This 1982 title stands out for its tense decision-making and sparse but effective storytelling. The alien's unpredictable behavior and the constant threat of ambush create a mood of uneasy paranoia. With roots in classic turn-based design, it leans into simplicity without sacrificing depth. Published by Avalon Hill, it’s a relic of early strategy gaming that still tests your ability to stay one step ahead in a high-stakes environment.

Storyline

Slowly the U.F.P. Research Vessel Thrasybulus breaks orbit. The planet below shows on the screens as a seething hostile mass of browns and greys. You relax as your crew starts the procedure to prepare the ship for the long voyage through interstellar space. Suddenly an alarm rings. You quickly call the crew to the bridge, where Professor De Vries reports that the alien creature found on the planet below has escaped while she was running some tests on it. In the confusion of its escape, several of the lab animals also got away. It is important that the creature be recaptured, and you quickly give orders to search the ship. A few short hours later your are crawling through the port ventilation shaft, searching. Engineer Benson whipped up some makeshift electric control prods to help recapture thee alien, and you are holding one in front of you as you move slowly forward. The sultry voice of your lieutenant, Rebecca Davis come over your headset. "Commander, there are life form readings in your immediate vicinity. Be careful." "Thanks, Becky. I'll watch out." You continue cautiously on into a side passage. Then you see the cause of your apprehension - one of the lab cats. Grinning with relief, you pick it up and turn around to leave. Then, silently from behind some pipes, a dark form moves out to block your exit. As you poke at it ineffctually with your prod, your only thought is "How did it get so BIG?" Fleet Lieutenant Davis stares blankly at the console as a faint shriek comes over the intercom. One of the lights showing life forms fades slowly to black.