I Am Alive, the dark survival game released earlier this year by Ubisoft on Xbox 360 and PS3, is making its now making its way to PC. Slated to release this fall for mouse and keyboard wielding folks, the game tells the tale of a post-apocalyptic America. A nameless survivor must make his way through cities wrecked by “The Event” in an attempt to save his family. The “event” was basically a ton of earthquakes, for the recond. In any case, things in the game don’t quite go to plan for our nameless hero.
Players can expect to partake on third person climbing and exploration, as you traverse through the decimated remains of major cities. When trying to survive against hostile survivors–because civilization tends to do that in games whenever things go down the shitter–tactics will require you to balance sneaking, bluffing and running away. Also shooting. Because this is a game and you shoot things in games, don’t you know?
And like any hardcore survival game, you need to make sure you’re stocked up on water and other supplies–personal upkeep is important. Unsurprisingly, then, climbing also asks a player to remain cognizant of their energy levels, and to make sure one takes breaks and paces how fast one climbs. You’re no Nathan Drake, with Herculian stamina. Just an unnamed man lookin’ for his family. That comes with drawbacks, which make for more interesting gameplay.
The most noteworthy of all of these elements, to me, has to be the bluffing: it adds some delicious tension to stand-offs in games, and also postulates the possibility of non-violent problem solving. Tension and survival horror also go hand-in-hand, so there’s that.
I Am Alive received somewhat decent reviews the first time around, but it’s likely to be praised for its bleak aesthetic–which will probably look even better on capable machines, thanks to the benefits of PC gaming.
