Alien: Isolation update goes live, introduces two new difficulty modes

Alien: Isolation has received a new update, introducing two new modes to the game: Nightmare Mode and Novice Mode.

As detailed yesterday, the new Nightmare difficulty — as the name suggests — will offer you the "ultimate Alien experience." It's said to be a more difficult mode in which the Alien is much more aggressive.

"One of the most requested features from fans, Nightmare Mode ramps up the difficulty to a frightening level. Gamers with a strong disposition are challenged to venture into Sevastopol Station with a broken motion tracker featuring a distorted display and unreliable information," developer The Creative Assembly explains. In addition to being unable to track the alien, resources are limited, androids and survivors are more deadly, and the map systems have gone offline.

The alien AI has also been upgrading, ramping up its aggression. "It's more adaptive, learning players' tactics faster, has heightened senses and will give players no 'second chance' encounters," The Creative Assembly adds. "Nightmare Mode is the ultimate Alien experience."

If that sounds a little too difficult, the update also introduces a new Novice Mode to help some less experienced players with the game's trickier seconds. In this mode, you are offered more resources and ammunition, weaker androids and survivors, and the Alien will be a little more forgiving, more easily distracted, and less aggressive.