You’re Becoming Hysterical – Inside Alien: Isolation with Will Porter & Anthony Howell

What goes down when several creators of a cult classic finally step into the same room – over a decade on from shaping one of gaming’s most terrifying sci-fi experiences?In this special episode of ReadyAimFire, we welcome Anthony Howell and Will Porter, two pivotal forces behind Alien: Isolation alongside our very own Kez, who provided the likeness and performance capture for Amanda Ripley. From the chaos of early table reads to alchemy inside the studio, together they reminisce over the creative process that redefined survival horror – and the Alien franchise itself. You’ll hear:The cast’s first rehearsal felt like “table read for a film”, a rarity in video games, with the entire script in hand before anything was shotWill Porter landed his writing gig after showing a game demo in a pub. He never planned to stay, but became “part of the furniture” for a year and a halfHow Samuel’s iconic “can we see it?” line became a personal favourite of the writing team, living rent-free in their vocabularyKez’s face was scanned for Amanda Ripley, before months later she had to return – just to have her ears scanned!Anthony Howell was gifted a handmade Samuels Christmas ornament by a fan, and proudly hangs it on his tree every year.“The thrill of being part of that franchise was definitely there because it's iconic, it's a huge thing. It was more excitement than nerves.” – Anthony HowellWhether you’re new to the original, or a superfan whetting your appetite for the upcoming Alien: Isolation 2 – this episode’s a timely trip down memory lane, and an insight into the creation of a gaming classic.  🧭 Timestamps:00:00:28 - Alien: Isolation “reunion” – meeting again after over 10 years00:02:38 - Anthony Howell’s surprise: only his second game job00:03:18 - How games were uncharted territory for many UK actors00:05:41 - Project Zomboid’s unique vision and unexpected cult following00:07:31 - Designing vulnerability: traits and accessibility in Zomboid00:08:33 - Will Porter joins Alien: Isolation to provide “overflow writing”00:09:47 - Creative adaptation: writing for evolving game features in real time00:13:53 - “Like a film”: sensations from the first full script table read 00:15:29 - Anthony on acting Samuels: “a good android” and emotional restraint00:17:30 - How Kate Saxon’s theatre background shapes performance direction00:20:11 - The epic “spacewalk” scene – bringing theatre scale to games00:22:45 - Will on the thrill of experiencing RSC actors performing his lines00:24:23 - Being part of something that changes a franchise00:28:08 - The special feeling of performance capture versus ‘just’ voice00:29:00 - Streaming the game: Anthony’s hilarious trouble escaping the pods 00:33:48 - Building fear: rules for vulnerability and horror in game design00:41:06 - Getting her ears scanned - a first for Kez00:42:19 - The real question: how would you survive a zombie (or Alien) attack?  👤 Guest Info:Anthony Howell is an actor who has appeared as lead roles with the RSC as well as on TV in series like Foyle’s War and Outlander. His gaming credits include Black Myth Wukong, Final Fantasy XVI and Margit in the Elden Ring series. 🌐IMDb  📸 InstagramWill Porter has written for many games as well as Alien: Isolation, including No Man’s Sky, Observation and Mafia: Definitive Edition. He’s also the creator-writer-director of cult Steam smash, Project Zomboid. 🌐IMDb  📸 Instagram🔗 Resources & Mentions:(chronological order of appearance)Alien: IsolationAlien (Film, 1979)Alien Covenant Alien: RomulusCastlevania: Lords of Shadow Creative Assembly (Studio)Need for Speed: Shift 2 Electronic Arts (EA) Project ZomboidHorizon Zero DawnKate Saxon (Director)Dan Abnett (Writer)Dion Lay (Writer)Mafia: Definitive EditionRSC (Royal Shakespeare Company)Red Dwarf (TV)ObservationDead SpacePac-ManBrain AcademyTetrisKingdom Come: Deliverance 2 World of Warcraft💬 Quotes:“I'd never really worked with actors properly before that first time. When you became Samuels, it was like some sort of amazing magic trick.”– Will Porter"It will go down as one of the things I feel incredibly proud of and. And it was an amazing experience." – Anthony HowellEnjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to:Follow the podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsSubscribe on YouTube for full episodes and clipsLeave a review and let us know who you want featured next!🎧 Check Out More ReadyAimFire Episodes:Episode 1: Devora Wilde on Lae’zel and Performance in Baldur’s Gate 3Episode 2: Michael Geary on Warhammer, Magic, and Mushroom WarriorsEpisode 3: Damien Goodwin on directing Returnal, Helldivers 2 and moreEpisode 4: Doug Cockle on D&D love and voicing Geralt in the Witcher Episode 5: Tom McKay & Luke Dale on Kingdom Come Deliverance 2Episode 6: Kirsty Gillmore on directing for games including Baldur’s Gate 3Episode...