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Hi everyone,
I started a 6 episode space trucker campaign for my group but I did NOT tell them it was in the alien universe. I did not give them any clue. I save the alien outbreak for the finale and I wonder what would be the best way to let them know.
Because, in my opinion, the real horror moment, for the PLAYER, will be when they find out.
What would be, for you, the best solution :
Acid burns on the ground ? A chestbuster scene ?
An encounter with an adult ? Fellow crewmembers resined on a wall ?
Maybe there is a post already covering that matter but I did not find it. Any piece of advice is welcome

I'm a fan of two different reveal moments. 

1. A pressurized pipe in the hallway/corridor is cracked, or has had a valve opened, so that a curtain of harmless white steam is venting. As the characters are approaching the curtain of venting steam, the bowed head of a xenomorph slowly pushes through from the other side. The xeno then slowly raises his head to look at the characters; it opens its toothy slobbering mouth and hisses at them menacingly. 

2. The characters enter into a room to investigate something. As they are in the room, a hiding xenomorph begins to lower itself from the ceiling, (where it was disguised as industrial conduits and piping). The tail unfurls first, then the legs unfold and lower, and finally the enormous xeno drops down to block, (hopefully the only), exit from the room. 

These are really strong hits indeed !
I hesitate between hitting them hard as you suggest or try to milk it a little longer...
I mean, once the player discover they will face alien(s), their characters step into the horror phase.
I agree with you that this first step must be strong, but isn't a direct confrontation too strong ?

I think the chestburster is the most inconic, and defining moment of "what is alian" that I wouldn't go any other way in an RPG. 

You can probably introduce a grown xenomorph in a way that is cool and scary, and also manages to make it clear to the players that it is in fact a xenomorph even though they didn't know it was an alien campaign. But I think it's going to be hard. 

If they new this was in the alien universe, sure! But since they don't know that, I think a chestburster scene will pull them in to the right mindset right away, with minimal confusion. 

I would probably set it up as a standard sci fi horror introduction (when the time comes): a space station or similar where everything is trashed, blood here and there, but no bodies. They investigate for a while, and then they enncounter a survivor who can drop some strat up clues like "they run in the vents" and "they hunt us from the shadows". Making clear it's some sort of monster but not what (the survivor would not have seen them). 

After a few scenes of exposisions, the survivor goes into convulsions, with a chestburster popping out saying hello. And then, when everybody realize how deep the hole they just stepped in is, I'd let them hear the fierce hiss comming from behind them and introducing a grown xenomorph. 

Or maybe I'd turn the light off. 

There's two ways to go with this. Rymdhamster has told you one way, and it is a really good way of doing it. However I would suggest another and I think it is an equally good way of doing it.

Assuming your having more than one Alien, then have your players find the hive. The secretion all up the wall, forming a rib cage like pattern across the ceiling, the unbearable warmth and the stench.

I love Alien: Isolation and while the original introduction to the creature is terrifying, and while finding the broken body of patient zero is also unnerving... what still makes me cringe now, is walking out into the hive.

have your players find the hive. The secretion all up the wall, forming a rib cage like pattern across the ceiling, the unbearable warmth and the stench.

Ooo, yeah that's a good one! Didn't even think about that =D

I hope you manage to keep your players from suspecting what kind of a game this is. That said, if they figure it out it's not a problem. My guys know they are playing an Alien game, it hasn't stopped them from feeling freaked out though.

We paused rpg for a few years and we don't get to play that often (distance, work, kids, you know). So i want this campaign to be the best I can. Sure the element of surprise isn't stricly necessary, but I think it's a nice cherry on the cake.
For now i teach them the game mechanics and I also build the relationships between them and between NPC through various trucker missions.
I still have a few sessions before shit hits the fan so I am planning it meticulously ^^.

I'll let you know what I come up with if you're interested.