Most of us probably don’t remember I Am Alive, a third person survival game teased by Ubisoft at E3 2008. But it is still in development and worth a look.
The character models and overall look of I Am Alive seem to have changed quite a bit from the original we saw years ago. It appears to have a more polished graphical engine and an even grittier style.
Compare the style.
In I Am Alive you play a main character who is trying to find his wife and daughter. An apocalyptic event has fallen across the world and you return to your hometown of Haventon. The city is a disaster areas with toxic ash, ruins and a society of people scrounging for basic necessities.
It’s good to see Ubisoft trying something new with this. Not only does the environment include many unknown dangers but you will also be forced to decide how you want to interact with the other survivors. Your choices will mean life or death for other people in the zone, adding another mental aspect to the horror.
The main challenges of I Am Alive come from the fact that you must manage your stamina and other items. The main draw of the combat system is mental warfare such as intimidation. You can scare away some opponents simply by waving a gun around. Others can be quite fearless or driven by hunger and thirst.
Originally slated for the first quarter of 2009, we’re quite unsure of when it will be released. However we can only hope that the long wait pays off in a decent game. We want a FF7 or Metal Gear Solid here, and hopefully not a Duke Nukem Forever. Regardless, it’s good to see Ubisoft stepping out of their comfort zone. It’s even better to see a fresh take on a genre. Be sure to check out their official site.
