Unpolished and linear (even for a linear game).
User Rating: 4.5 | I Am Alive PC
The rough edges in this game are all too evident. It doesn't quite carry the usual polish (at least on the surface) of the Ubisoft brand. The most annoying thing, which is also probably the most pointless thing to mention, is how the little girl statically attached to my back as if she were a backpack, never blinks - ever. That alone tells you something about the "passion" the developers put into this game... Everything is stiff in this game, the world, the characters and NPCs, the story, the atmosphere -everything-, and for a game that tries all too much to give you a realistic approach to gun-fights (in terms of only being given a handful of bullets pretty much the entire game), it conveniently makes the character a super-star gymnast by incorporating Assassin's Creed/Prince of Persia-like moves. The "timed" acrobatics are annoying, though I get the idea, it just doesn't come off well. The imbalances are clear as day. In every situation you are given only specific choices in how to respond to the threats - so creativity or variety are out the window. The story is basic, very basic - such a let-down. At least this could have been great, but even this they didn't quite get. I feel that this project was given to the wrong team. Maybe Ubi. Shanghai wasn't quite ready for this game... I am trying hard to think of something positive but I really can't come up with anything. If you are into these sort of games, you'll hate it for sure, if you just want to pass a day or two playing a game then go ahead but you'll walk away at the end with an empty feeling.
