Editing Alien 8 (section)

{{short description|1985 video game}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
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{{Infobox video game
| title = Alien 8
| image = Alien 8 Coverart.png
| developer = [[Tim and Chris Stamper]]
| publisher = [[Ultimate Play the Game]]
| designer = 
| engine = [[Filmation engine|Filmation]]
| released = ZX Spectrum{{vgrelease|UK|1985}}BBC Micro{{vgrelease|UK|1985}}Amstrad CPC{{vgrelease|UK|1985}}MSX{{vgrelease|UK|1985}}
| genre = [[Action-adventure game|Action-adventure]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
| platforms = {{cslist|[[ZX Spectrum]]|[[BBC Micro]]|[[Amstrad CPC]]|[[MSX]]}}
}}

'''''Alien 8''''' is an [[action-adventure game|action-adventure]] video game developed and published by [[Ultimate Play the Game]]. It was released for the [[ZX Spectrum]], [[BBC Micro]], [[Amstrad CPC]] and [[MSX]] in 1985.{{efn|The game was first released for the [[ZX Spectrum]], and was ported to the other formats later in 1985.}} The game is a [[spiritual successor]] to the best-selling ''[[Knight Lore]]'', which was lauded by critics for its [[Isometric graphics in video games and pixel art|isometric graphics]]. In the game, the player takes control of a robot, Alien 8, whose job is to ensure that all of the [[cryogenics|cryogenically]] frozen passengers on board a starship remain viable during the ship's voyage.

The game was written by Chris Stamper, and graphics were designed by Tim Stamper. ''Alien 8'' uses the same [[image masking]] technique as ''Knight Lore'', which allows the developers to create composite structures out of stacked images without visual overlay. The technique was copyrighted by Ultimate as the [[Filmation engine|Filmation]] game engine. As with its spiritual predecessor, the game is rendered [[isometric projection]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.crashonline.org.uk/51/runagain.htm | title=Looking For An Old Angle | publisher=Newsfield | work=Crash Magazine, Issue 51 | access-date=2006-10-03| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060924030425/http://www.crashonline.org.uk/51/runagain.htm| archive-date= 24 September 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref> The game was critically acclaimed upon release. Reviewers praised the game's graphics and innovation, while minor criticism was directed at its similarities to ''Knight Lore''.