I Am Alive Reviews

  • Removed Gamer
    Gamer has been removed
    30 3 10
    (for the all singing and dancing thumbACTIVE version... http://www.thumbactive.co.uk/?p=4252)

    Squinting through the suffocating dust I pace through the barren and broken post apocalyptic streets of Haventon. I keep my breathing to a necessary minimum. Jogging although time efficient comes at a price that my dwindling scrounged supplies can’t afford. I’m only human after all and energy these days doesn’t grow on trees. I hear a distant desperate beckon. It sounds like they’re up high. Scaling up that ragged brickwork is going to take some effort. Do I have enough bottled water? And what if it’s a trap? I only have the one bullet. My morals get the better of me. Lunging onto the drainpipe I lug my weary limbs upward. Pulling myself over the roof’s ledge I identify the SOS. What will this next survivor encounter entail? I ready my only arrow in my Hunter’s bow and take a deep breath…

    For me this sums up the captivating suspense crafted from Xbox LIVE Arcade’s 2012 House Party finale. A satisfying ethos of risk and reward that Darkworks/Ubisoft Shanghai have woven into their morbid and desolate interactive tale. This is I Am Alive and how third person post-apocalyptic survival games should be.

    I must admit my expectations for this title took a considerable plunge after witnessing its visual shift from the 2008 E3 teaser. But after cracking out two equally enjoyable playthroughs I’d happily eat my previous naysays for breakfast.

    You play as a lone anonymous father with an equipped and weathered appearance (not the suit wearing Adam promised from 2008). You’re on a homeward bound journey for what you’re hoping to be a family reunion. The thing is however that this is one year after ‘The Event’. In a fictional future Earth has been left in a catastrophic aftermath. Let’s just say it’s not going to be all party poppers and cake once you reach your doorstep’s welcome mat!

    The game pans out with traversal sections similar to the likes of Uncharted and Prince of Persia (2008). Climbing daunting distances with death defying drops are the norm here. But whereas those games offered an exhilarating streamlined walk in the park I Am Alive packs a ‘clinging on for your dear life’ time limit punch. Think Shadow of the Colossus’ ever shrinking stamina bar. It adds that much needed realism to the clambering antics. Personally I believe it to be a fantastic game making addition! Just like doing the real thing (yes I climb, do you?) you have to tactically plot your ascending course, pit stops and all. Once you’ve calculated your route there is no time to admire the view as your energy levels start to plummet. Making directional mistakes or that unneeded effort-sapping leap could quite possibly spell your doom if you haven’t been thorough enough with your item foraging. Let’s not forget survival is for the fittest and your not going to get anywhere unless your well hydrated!

    These all but important HUD indicators gauge all of your athleticism. At the top of the screen you’re reminded of the teetering scales of your remaining stamina and health. When they empty from exhaustion heart-racing music warns you so with dramatic intent. It truly is all rather terrifying and edge of your seat exciting stuff!

    Your hometown of Haventon is in an utter state of disrepair. The straggling population’s emotions are frayed and resources are down to canned rarities. During your time there you are going to encounter desperate and hostile human beings doing there best to survive this inhabitable predicament. Morally you’ll be tested. You are going to plunder across vital resources, a tin can of fruit cocktail here or the odd inhaler there. Do you use them up on the spot for that much needed boost? Cling onto them for the inevitable later climb? Or do the ultimate heroic act and provide for those in need? Is banking that extra retry worth it? It’s your choice.

    Not everyone will be so happy with the local meet and greet. There’ll be scenarios where avoiding confrontation is more often than not the preferable outcome. At times it reminded me of Thief: The Dark Project. Other times combat will be the only outcome. I Am Alive offers a unique switch-up to enemy encounters. On average you’ll always be outgunned and outnumbered. Plus to stoke that suspense fireplace you are extremely limited on ammunition. You are going to have to be methodical…

    Only got the one bullet? Pick off the chap with the gun first! Then continue your ‘tough guy charade’ like you’ve got a full clip with the vocal threat button! Most will cower and surrender others may not be so easy to trick. Find yourself surrounded? A quick machete to the throat surprise may just be enough to tip the odds in your favour! Guns a blazing isn’t really going to cut it here, as you’ll soon discover a stray bullet is certainly a regrettable action. Unfortunately the combat overall feels slightly wonky as it snaps to a first person perspective with questionable auto aim. But for where it drops short in execution it makes up for in nerve-racking creativity.

    Presentation wise I Am Alive connects its narrative dots with home video ‘found footage’ cinematics. Us as the player are re-enacting the past, gather from that what you will. Not the greatest of stories but it plods along at a happy rate or should we say at a glum one. The hazy in-game visuals have been contrasted wonderfully with lighting prowess. There are countless examples of impactful imagery when roaming the foggy streets to scaling uprooted skyscrapers. This game has made dull look beautiful. For an XBLA release I can only put my hands together in praise. However that being said the limitations do also hinder, for example the character models are dated. It’s amusing to watch them pop up every couple of minutes. Oh look I’m talking to same fellow I had already left for dead earlier… but then again Gears of War 3 got away with it! Also I wish they could of allowed for a ‘hint popup off switch’. I know I’m going the wrong way but I like exploring for Pete’s sake!

    Sound wise it’s a mixed bag of sweets. The voice acting in some instances is far too comical which unfortunately detracts from the game’s tone. It also glitches, I do recall putting down a particular threat for him to still be announcing his epic speech albeit from his lifeless body! For the more solid sound work though there were nice touches like the appropriate EQ tweaks to your character’s gas masked muffled voice. I also did become attached to the little gamey SFX highlights when devouring your resources, -scoff- -gulp- etc. As for the music? Really crackin’ stuff I must say, it fitted the suspenseful scenes perfectly. As I’ve mentioned earlier the dramatically escalating orchestration mirroring your stamina bar decrease made every climbing decision all that more meaningful!

    I Am Alive is a one trick game mode pony. The story is somewhat linear with a few alternative shortcuts and optional victim excursions. Not really the rescuing sandbox depth of something like you’ll find Dead Rising offers. There are two difficulty settings to attempt: Normal and Survivor. The first offering guaranteed retries and more forgiving resource management. Whereas the latter you best learn that the spoils will be worth the risk! I’d recommend giving them both a go. My first Normal playthrough inclusive of a touch of dillydallying clocked in around seven hours or so. Okay so not a massive barrage of content but if you compare it to some retail releases’ campaigns it surely gets a few clobbers in before it hits the deck!

    With its climbing simulations, tactical combat confrontations and optional moral choice errands. I Am Alive for once offers something of a realistically entertaining survival experience. It’s not very often you’ll find a game brave enough to not spoil its players with inventory overload and superhuman endurance. Okay so it’s not the most original IP nor is it the greatest adventure ever but by gum does it give it a good go. It’s a real promising benchmark for what can be stuffed into a downloadable package. I think it has created its own genre as so to speak. Take survival horror and drop the horror. Now add suspense, voilà!

    Surprisingly for me strolling through the thick post apocalyptic dust clouds accompanied by somber music and a wilting stamina bar, overall was the most favorable moment I’ve experienced in this year’s XBLA’s House Party lineup. And like every good party once the dust has settled memories shall be rekindled…
    Showing most recent comments. View all comments.
    Ferocious SwanGreat review! :) Thinking of giving it a shot now! :)
    Posted by Ferocious Swan on 05 Nov 12 at 16:22
    DeviSlatorReally nicely written review, thanks!
    Posted by DeviSlator on 13 Sep 17 at 13:00
    OnzaNice review... I'm seriously considering this now. How long did your second (survivor) playthrough take?

    There's a review in OXM (US version, May 2012) that gripes about play time. "We'd have much preferred a tight, four hour XBLA game to one that took us six hours due to needless repetition." FYI, I'm an "explorer" too, so I don't mind repetition and dillydallying.
    Posted by Onza on 14 Sep 17 at 15:56
  • iAmTheTotiAmTheTot104,719
    26 Feb 2013 10 Apr 2013
    12 1 7
    iAmTheTot and I Am Alive

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    Developed and published by Ubisoft, this title was originally intended to be a full retail video game. The game got downgraded to just an arcade title due to circumstances I won't go into. The question many people were wondering was: will this lead to a truncated retail game, or an arcade game with a lot of punch? The answer may be up for debate.

    The game begins with a somewhat indistinguishable character sitting in an ambiguous room pressing play on a video recorder. The playback shows our protagonist (unnamed) using the camera to serve as a video journal. He briefly explains that he is travelling back to the city of Haventon from the east coast to find his wife and daughter after something known as “The Event” rocked the country.

    The Event was a devastating series of earthquakes which lasted for days on end which brought cities to its knees, toppling skyscrapers and inducing massive dust clouds and floods. Even a year after The Event, occasional tremors still keep what survivors there are on their toes. The crumpled city of Haventon houses many survivors, but not much food or clean water, and is plagued by constant ash and dust clouds.

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    Gameplay begins as the Protagonist is approaching a bridge which leads into Haventon. The bridge is utterly destroyed and long-abandoned cars clutter what little of it remains. We're treated to a simple enough tutorial to one of the game's most prominent aspects: the platforming. As we make our way across the haphazardly remaining bridge, the game prompts you with vital information regarding how to climb and how to maintain your stamina – a crucial thing to have in this game.

    Not too long after this, we're ambushed by a group of survivor thugs; in a world like this, it's purely survival of the fittest. With nothing but an empty gun and a recently acquired machete, the game explains how to combat groups of thugs like this by using intimidation and tactics: your gun may be empty, but they don't know that. The game instructs you on how to land a “surprise attack” which will prove invaluable as the game proceeds, and then shows you how to use your gun to intimidate targets into either surrendering or luring them near a fire or pit, which you can use to dispose of them. You do obtain ammo, but the game makes one thing abundantly clear: use bullets as an absolutely last resort.

    Immediately the combat in this game is fresh and unlike most other games I'd ever played. It was genuinely pleasant having to think out my approach thoroughly, but quickly. As I progressed through the game I would quickly learn to keep my eye out for armed opponents (they are the first to go), fires and pits to dispose of others, and to generally be aware of my environment so as to not be cornered by a gang of ne'er-do-wells.

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    A series of events leaves you running around the city completing various tasks for survivors – some are entirely optional, while others are a part of the progression of the game. The overall goal is to find your wife and child, but survivors along the way offer suggestions and aid in the search. In this regard the game plays half as an open-world, and half as a dungeon game. It's split up into chapters, about half of which are in the open city, where you may wander as you please.

    Wandering the city when you're capable is generally unsatisfying, though. At ground level you can hardly see anything because of the ash and dust clouds (which drain your stamina, so you usually don't want to stay at ground level anyway), and there are really only a limited number of “spots” you generally end up going to. A little exploration can definitely lead to finding some handy extra resources, which are typically scarce to begin with, and even optional survivors, so it's not entirely for naught.

    The dungeon-esque segments are usually their own chapters, and are typically a destination that you wind up in as a result of an errand someone asks you to complete. You'll head to a location in the city during a free-roam session, and when you get there it'll initiate a load and a new chapter. These locations vary, like travelling through the subway system, seeking safe haven inside a mall, climbing to the top of a pair of toppled skyscrapers, and more. You generally wind up heading through these dungeons in one direction, performing various platforming or engaging groups of enemies, until you reach your goal at the apex, at which point you turn around and usually pass through the same dungeon using a different route.

    The system works pretty well in this game and completing dungeons is usually pretty satisfactory, both in pure effort required and the reward you typically receive at the end, which progresses the story and gameplay (obtaining new tools or weapons). If at any point you die, you can use a retry to go back to the nearest checkpoint. Retries are limited, though, and are usually a reward for helping people; if you die with no retries, you must restart your current chapter. This system, coupled with scarce resources, can sometimes lead to a very genuine sense of urgency. If for any reason you're getting stuck on a chapter, you can actually go back any number of chapters and try to complete those previous ones better, leading to you having a greater variety of resources or just overall better circumstances when it comes to the chapter you were stuck on.

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    For an XBLA title, I Am Alive usually looks pretty great. The crumbled fictional city has some great design and exploring it in this 3D action/platformer is usually a treat, as the textures get the job done. The very thick ash clouds present through much of the city may be a huge turn-off to a lot of people, as it's hard to see ten feet in front of your character when you're in these clouds. As you learn the lay of the city, this becomes less of a problem and I more began to appreciate the heavy atmosphere it offered. The bottom line is when you're in the ash clouds, you really get the feeling that you should be looking for high ground – which is never too difficult to find.

    Because this game was meant for retail then downgraded to an arcade title, the entire thing has an annoying stench of “could have been.” The controls are pretty solid, until a platforming mishap costs you precious stamina. A lot of the features seem so cool at face value, but begin to seem shallow near the end. The progression is great, but ultimately it ends up seeming short. The graphics are good and the sound is okay, but they feel like something is lacking. It's unfortunate that this aura of “let's wrap this up” kind of hangs over the game, but we still get a memorable experience out of this fun title.

    Achievements
    The achievements for I Am Alive are mostly completionist ones. They consist of things like “help 5 people,” “help 10,” and “help them all.” There are a few story progression ones, and also a few that are purely side-content cheevos that could be missed if you're not looking, like the completionist ones. With no DLC, the game shouldn't be too hard for an achievement hunter to max this title out with a guide. Without one, it'd take some thorough exploring.
    Achievements never affect the score of a game and are included by reader request. Only the categories below influence the final score.

    Summary
    Graphics: Very cool level design with graphics that get the job done may be marred only by the admittedly annoying thick ash clouds which can make navigation difficult at first.

    Sound: Not one of the game's strong points, with music not really worth mentioning and sound effects that don't really stand out. The voice work is satisfactory, but nothing special.

    Plot: A fairly cryptic, vague plot leaves room for imagination, but also may leave players wondering why they bothered to do whatever they just did.

    Gameplay: Platforming and resource-management is complimented by combat that rewards quick thinking.

    Length/Replay Value: For a single-player game, it has a decent campaign for an XBLA title. That's still pretty short all things considered, but high scores and two difficulties may encourage some players to go through at least twice.

    Yea or Nay? This XBLA title sits at 1200 Microsoft Points, which is $15 USD. I'm having a hard time justifying that price with the game's length and lack of polish in a few areas. It's not a terrible game, but there's a few titles out there that are better and even cheaper. This is definitely a unique game experience that's out there right now, so I'll leave it up to you ultimately. If you catch it on sale, I'd recommend you pick it up.

    Final score: 6.8

    I claim no right to the pictures used in this review, and they will be removed if requested.
    3.5
  • ryanlegend95ryanlegend95198,754
    31 Oct 2012 01 Nov 2012
    10 5 7
    Well isn't this interesting. A post-apocalyptic game on the Xbox Arcade marketplace. Surely this must be a cheap rip off.

    Fortunately it's not a cheap rip off. This game is called I Am Alive and I have to say I am impressed. For an arcade game it shows off some nice features that are usually used in full retail games. Do you know why Ubisoft did this to an arcade game? It's because the game was supposed to be a full retail but Ubisoft decided to make it as an arcade game. Not sure why but why not stick to the original plan? Is it because you had doubts about the game or are you trying to make it episodic which would actually be a fair reason. Any way I don't care. I love this game full stop.

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    I am alive cause I can climb. Eat my dust losers!

    You play as an unnamed man that wants to find his family where he thinks that they are in New York. New York is huge and has suffered the worst from the unexplained Earthquakes. New York is a lot more dustier than most places and even more dangerous. It's not the collapsing buildings that are dangerous. It's the few remaining survivors that kill and loot people so that they can survive. Ever heard of the survival of the fittest? Well this game truly puts your survival knowledge to the test.

    This game is a free roam that lets you decide what to do. You can either do main quests or help the weak so that they can live to see a tomorrow. The choice is yours. The game allows you to climb up buildings, perform CQC (Close Quarter Combat) and help the remaining survivors.

    Lets put my reviewing knowledge to the test shall we.

    Graphics:
    For an arcade game it actually looks pretty good. The dust camera filter is nice and the transparent graphics is fantastic if not overdone. Because of the good use of dust particles it can be hard to see. Like OK it can be annoying but it brings the realism to life. I can imagine it in my head of the look of that type of situation. The character models are fine but the animations are dated. It lacks facial animations and other animations are stiff. Because of the this, controlling the character feels stiff too. Textures are nice and detailed. The atmosphere deserves the most credit here though.

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    You can't see jack. That's how high you are.

    The game performs well. The frame rate is solid and there are no visual glitches like pop-ins, screen tearing etc.

    I give the graphics an 8/10.

    Sound:
    Unfortunately the sound design is poorly done. The sound effects are not satisfying and sound pretty cheap. Like a copy and paste sort of thing from a 7 year old game. The voice acting though is mostly solid. Some voices are a bit stiff but they make up for it for great dialogue. There is however poor punctuation used in the subtitles e.g. no upper case "I" or no full stop at the end of a sentence. Probably a last minute thing from a tight schedule. The soundtrack is nice but barely makes an entrance during the game.

    I give the sound score a 6/10.

    Gameplay:
    The game is good. You have freedom and plenty of things to do. Climbing is a great feature that should be used more in other games. However the rules of engagement is quite limited. Instead of a proper smash the button to attack combat system the game uses quick time events. It's fine at the start but then gets tedious towards the game. It's like the recent resident Evil 6 game. A great game but relies too much on the quick time events.

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    Attacking you Resi 6 style! Oh I am funny.

    Shooting is a hit and miss but I like the idea that finding ammo is rare. It's more realistic and believable that way. The inventory system is well done and quite unique by its own merits. Finding secrets couldn't be better.

    I give the gameplay score an 8/10.


    Storyline:
    For an arcade game the story is not half bad. It has mystery and emotion but the down side is that the plot is too simple. It doesn't explain how the Earthquakes effected New York and why was the impact big enough to wipe out almost all of the population. The game also could've told us the name of the unnamed protagonist. The game however gives us nice hints about our unnamed protagonists background history that keeps us guessing who this guy really is.

    I give the storyline an 8/10.

    Is it your Cup of Tea?
    -If you like post-apocalyptic games then you will like this.
    -If you want sense of freedom then this will be a joy.
    -If you want a great combat system then stay away!

    Summary:
    Good
    -Realistic post-apocalyptic game.
    -Interesting features for an arcade game.
    -Fantastic use of transparent graphics.

    Bad
    -Combat is restricted to quick time events.
    -Underrated sound effects.
    -Should be a full retail.

    Overall I think that this is a great game with much to offer. I give it an overall score 8/10. Would be better if it had zombies in it.
    4.0
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