I Am Alive is a refreshing new game that instead of being an unstoppable super soldier you are a human being with limits
Im surprised im the first to review this.
Anyways, I Am Alive is a PSN game, available on said market for $15. Now this game is worth every penny, the first game to not suck in a long time. I could find nothing wrong with this game, no glitches to are game breaking, no texture pop ins or anything of the sort. Although the game could use an extra layer of polish, not sure if its my HDMI or the way the games graphics are, but the anti- aliasing is a bit rough. But I have to say that can be quickly overlooked once you start walking and admire the destroyed but beautiful landscape.
I Am Alive's story is primarily told through a handheld video camera, the main character records himself every pitstop he comes to on his journey for his lost wife and child. This journey he takes him through the city of Havington where he and his family had an apartment. Along the way you meet people in need, Marauders, and even a child that needs your help. The concepts of the game are very easy to understand if you put yourself in a survival mindset. This isnt a game where health and ammo item pickups are scattered throughout the levels generously, no, no, no. I Am Alive has you think very carefully about using that water bottle you just picked up, or giving that first aid kit to a survivor who needs it for her son so he doesnt die, but that doesnt mean you have to give it to them, it is your choice. Helping survivors with the various things they require grants you a additional retry, also some have useful information, how do retries work in I Am Alive you ask? Retries load you back to the last checkpoint when you die, now if your out of retries or simply cant get past the spot your in, you can always load from the previous episode start.
I Am Alive's combat is just what youd think itd be in a survival game, the keyword being survival. When you run into enemies and are usually outnumbered. Theres many ways to go about the situation, you can always run and try to get away, or wait for the bravest of the enemies to walk up to you to bully you and then surprise kill him with your machete, OR you can use your gun to intimidate people, whether it be loaded or not. While pointing your gun, you can order the enemy to "get back" and they obeyingly do so, but you can only do this so many times before the smarter ones think that maybe this guys gun isnt loaded, bullets are hard to come by. So you want to either intimidate them even further by getting them near a fire or cliff/hole, which you can then kick them in. Killing an enemy with a gun before he fires it grants you a single bullet, but hold onto that bullet because you might want it for something else, or someone else. Your not some ammo collecting guy who has a bullet for every bad guy you see, you have to limit your urges to shoot sometimes and think more ahead of time how to take out enemies. I applaud this game for making you think about which supplies to use, if you should give them up to someone, or use them right away. No one has ever tried this to the extent that I Am Alive has gone with it.
There are also platforming sections in I Am Alive, which you need to keep a close eye on your stamina bar at the top of the screen, which is split with your health. As you climb, run, jump, slide, swing, or use and physical exertion you will lose stamina depending upon your action. Jumping while climbing loses quite a chunk of stamina and when you run out your enter a sort of adrenalin mode where you tap R1 repeatedly to keep climbing, until you reach a ledge where you are able to stand to recover. Once you enter this mode however far your stamina drops, that will be your stamina's capacity until you use a drinkable item to replenish it. While climbing use also have a tool at your disposal, the piton. You can place these bad boys where ever you like, as long as you have one, to act as a rest spot where your stamina regains. These help out a great deal when climbing but remember to use them sparingly as just like everything else... you dont come by them often.
I cant find a single thing wrong with this game, I enjoy it every step of the way. Whether im saving my bullet for the first bad guy to think hes tough and try and strike me to saving survivors and scavenging every inch of the areas for supplies I Am Alive doesn't disappoint.
10/10
If your still second guessing I Am Alive, check out the demo on PSN first and you should get a better feel for it. Hope this helps anyone wondering about this wonderful game!