What do Alien: Isolation and Blade Runner have in common? A franchise director, lots and lots of running around, and apparently, origami unicorns.
While exploring in-game, an Alien: Isolation player on Reddit noticed that someone had slipped in a cheeky little Blade Runner reference: an origami unicorn. The item was implied to have been left by Officer Gaff for Deckard to find at the end of the film. Considering Officer Gaff’s general character and Deckard’s decision to run away with Rachael, it’s not exactly a happy find for the would-be escapees.
The Director’s and Final Cut of Blade Runner include an additional scene where Deckard daydreams about a unicorn before finding the origami unicorn. According to director Scott Ridley, this sequence is meant to hint that Deckard is a replicant, as it implies that Officer Gaff is somehow aware of Deckard’s daydream as Deckard himself is aware of Rachael’s memories.
Needless to say, the origami unicorn does not serve as a good omen regardless of which version of the film fans regard as canon. In Alien: Isolation, where things frankly cannot get any worse for Amanda Ripley, the unicorn is downright cheeky. Officer Gaff is nothing compared to the titular Alien. What’s a veiled threat to safety and personhood compared to an unkillable superpowered space predator?
A cool reference, that’s what. In addition to Blade Runner, Ridley Scott also directed the first and most iconic entry into the Alien series, as well as a number of prequel films. Alien: Isolation is set 15 years after the events of the first film, and centers around Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda Ripley, who is investigating the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance. The gameplay centers around sneaking around an abandoned space station to complete tasks, all while avoiding the titular unkillable Alien, androids, and other enemies. It's considered one of the best horror games of the decade and for good reason.
Besides sharing a director and therefore sharing certain themes and storytelling goals, there's not much connecting Alien: Isolation and Blade Runner. The origami unicorn is still a great reference to put in, and a treat for film buffs as well as gamers who really just want something new to look at while trying to escape the Alien.