More people probably remember I Am Alive better for what it wasn't than what it was. Early concept trailers for the game suggested something truly exciting, but the game entered development hell for several years before finally emerging as a half-baked shadow of what we all had in mind. But despite its faults I still sort of liked my time with it.
Your unnamed protagonist has traversed the entire country and has returned to his home city a while after some unexplained disaster has struck the world, leaving a ruined and crumbling urban landscape. There are few survivors and society has completely broken down. The story is pretty simple and sparse as your character meets a few survivors in need and decides to help them, while running into some truly despicable gangs of murderous foes.
Gameplay is comprised mainly of traversal with the occasional combat scenario to break things up. While your character is an apt climber, the man does not have a lot of stamina and you have to deal with a constantly depleting bar as you try to make your way through the environment. Scaling a tall building can become a major challenge as you attempt to find ledges you can rest on while you make your way up. It's a little annoying to constantly have to worry about a draining stamina bar but it does add some tension when you are barely going to make it (or not).
The game has a limited retry system for chapters which means you don't want to get too fancy with your exploration, which probably works to the game's favor because even the game's more open areas seem pretty limited in scope. You'll pick up resources that might be climbing picks to create a rest point mid-climb, health and stamina boosters, and the occasional weaponry.
Combat encounters are interesting at first but all play out the same quickly. You'll want to quickly dispatch of any foes with your pistol by shooting them via the auto-lock on system, and then take out the rest with a combination of button mashing QTE melee or getting them to back up to a cliff or fire that you can push them to their demise with. I thought the bow mechanics were pretty fun when you get that weapon, but it comes pretty late in the experience.
I Am Alive is short which works in the game's favor because the gameplay is pretty shallow and lacking many ideas. Ultimately, the whole project feels unfinished, dumping you into an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion that suggests a sequel that never came right after contending with a pretty fun combat arena to finish the game.
I Am Alive wasn't given the budget or attention it deserved, but I suppose the final game is better than nothing despite being a somewhat medicore experience.
Your unnamed protagonist has traversed the entire country and has returned to his home city a while after some unexplained disaster has struck the world, leaving a ruined and crumbling urban landscape. There are few survivors and society has completely broken down. The story is pretty simple and sparse as your character meets a few survivors in need and decides to help them, while running into some truly despicable gangs of murderous foes.
Gameplay is comprised mainly of traversal with the occasional combat scenario to break things up. While your character is an apt climber, the man does not have a lot of stamina and you have to deal with a constantly depleting bar as you try to make your way through the environment. Scaling a tall building can become a major challenge as you attempt to find ledges you can rest on while you make your way up. It's a little annoying to constantly have to worry about a draining stamina bar but it does add some tension when you are barely going to make it (or not).
The game has a limited retry system for chapters which means you don't want to get too fancy with your exploration, which probably works to the game's favor because even the game's more open areas seem pretty limited in scope. You'll pick up resources that might be climbing picks to create a rest point mid-climb, health and stamina boosters, and the occasional weaponry.
Combat encounters are interesting at first but all play out the same quickly. You'll want to quickly dispatch of any foes with your pistol by shooting them via the auto-lock on system, and then take out the rest with a combination of button mashing QTE melee or getting them to back up to a cliff or fire that you can push them to their demise with. I thought the bow mechanics were pretty fun when you get that weapon, but it comes pretty late in the experience.
I Am Alive is short which works in the game's favor because the gameplay is pretty shallow and lacking many ideas. Ultimately, the whole project feels unfinished, dumping you into an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion that suggests a sequel that never came right after contending with a pretty fun combat arena to finish the game.
I Am Alive wasn't given the budget or attention it deserved, but I suppose the final game is better than nothing despite being a somewhat medicore experience.