Isolation’s UI is one of its defining features, and McKellan went to great lengths to make sure it had an authentically analogue, retro feel. The look of Alien and Aliens is remarkably different, and it's easy to muddle them in your mind and end up creating assets and looks that are a jumble of 'the franchise' and that's not what I wanted to make.' 'I was fully immersed in Alien and deliberately didn't watch the other films during that time.
I'd record UI elements onto old beaten VHS tapes, deliberately magnetise the screen and the cables, and just destroy things Jon McKellan It was on loop, and over a 8-10 day shift I would have it in my peripheral vision running 4 times a day for over 4 years.' For a long time I was sitting next to one of the big screens that had it on. It genuinely was running on screens in the studio 24/7. 'When we first mentioned that we had the film running on loop during initial press for the game, I think everyone thought we were talking BS,' says UI lead Jon McKellan.
