I Am Alive (Video Game)
Kenny King
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Developed by Ubisoft Shanghai
Distributed by Ubisoft
Rated M for Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes and Strong Language
Available for Xbox 360
I Am Alive is one of the newest Xbox LIVE Arcade titles from game developer Ubisoft and the last in the House Party promotion. The game is an action adventure game like you’ve never played before. You will literally fight for your survival using very scarce resources. This may sound like a familiar plot, but I Am Alive takes limited resources to a whole new level, as you’ll play a large portion of the game with one or no bullets for your gun and you’ll rarely find food, water or other useful supplies.
The game stars a protagonist named Adam, who is returning to his hometown of Haventon in search of his missing wife and child. It has been over a year since the apocalyptic Event destroyed civilization and since Adam has seen his family. Now, he will face danger of all types to see his family once again, as toxic dusts fills the city streets, roads and bridges are all but destroyed and buildings have become crumbling deathtraps. Adam will meet up with a few companions along the way, but most of the post-apocalyptic survivors have become savage in the wake of the Event.
For the majority of the game, you will be climbing, jumping and otherwise maneuvering throughout the game’s environments. This portion of the game requires plenty of strategy, as you’ll have a rechargeable stamina meter with which to work. You’ll find it drains more quickly with more rigorous actions. You can survive slightly longer after your stamina meter has been fully depleted, but it will cost you a portion of your maximum stamina. This effect isn’t permanent however, and your maximum stamina can be regained through consumption of food or water.
Combat will require more strategy than skill as well. Your primary means of fighting off enemies will be a pistol and machete, although you do receive other weapons during the game such as the stealthy bow and arrow. Pistol ammo is so hard to come by that you’ll typically use it only as intimidation to get in close for a machete attack or to push an opponent over an edge. The machete will require you to get in close, but it can be the best way to dispatch of enemies in certain situations.
I Am Alive looks really nice for an Xbox LIVE Arcade game. The character models look realistic even if some of the animations do not, and the game’s world feels massive. The color and lighting effects are also well designed that they actually contribute to making the game’s tone feel overall more dreary and frightening. The game’s sound also does a good job of making you tense up when you’re about to run out of stamina or intimidating you when facing off with a group of killers. The voice acting in the game isn’t great and is even laughable in some scenes, but it never really takes away from the overall experience of playing the game.
I Am Alive offers up a realistic take on the post-apocalyptic world. You’ll really feel immersed in the game from start to finish, and not a lot of games can say the same. Exploring the city ruins is a blast, and the storyline is compelling and keeps you guessing the fate of your family until the very end. There isn’t a whole lot of replay value with this game, but the online leaderboards and achievements will be enough of a reason to keep coming back for some. For the low purchase price of 1,200 Microsoft Points, you can’t afford to pass up on I Am Alive.
I Am Alive released for Xbox 360 on March 7, 2012, and is coming to Playstation 3 in April 2012. For more information on the game, check out the official I Am Alive website.
Game Features
4 out of 5
Categorized:Horror Gaming Reviews
