I Am Alive Survives Development and Prepares to Take the Plunge

There really is nothing quite like a good post-apocalyptic survival story. They are often shocking, gruesome, and bleak beyond comparison yet completely engrossing. However, films like "The Road" and even the popular AMC drama, "The Walking Dead" are addicting not because of the violence or the shock value but because of the undeniable depictions of human nature. But how close can a video game come to capturing that same feeling? After many years of speculation and questionable decisions at the hands of Ubisoft (Ubisoft Shanghai), "I Am Alive" is finally releasing. But will it succeed?

A Rocky Beginning...

The first thing that you should probably know is that I Am Alive has come a long way since it's initial announcement. What started as a full-console release has seen its fair share of troubled development and has gradually evolved into a downloadable title to be released on XBLA and PSN. Centering around the struggle to survive and reunite with his family amidst a world ravaged by natural disaster, I Am Alive relies pretty heavily on a story that is typical of the genre. Where Ubisoft has focused their creative efforts however is on the mechanics that will ultimately separate it from the competition.

Innovation in a World Without Tech

While I am apprehensive about the quality of this title thanks to the prolonged and troubled development cycle, I certainly appreciate the mechanics that were born from the fiction that they created. These days, it is all too easy to fall into the trappings of a stereotypical third person shooter. The lazy way out would have been to populate the world with gun-wielding maniacs, a decision that would have ultimately done it a disservice. Instead, it seems that Ubisoft has given many of the inhabitants their own sense of self-preservation without reducing them to mere bullet fodder. If these encounters in which other survivors cling desparately to their disheveled lives are as genuine as they appear, then I believe this game holds the potential to redefine or at least reinvigorate the genre.

I Am Alive is a game that is sure to be packed full of beautiful vistas and exhilerating survival scenarios but not even that can save this game if the gameplay falls victim to mediocrity. My only concerns now are that the story won't carry the proper weight and the creativity behind the mechanics will be overshadowed by broken controls, boring combat, or unfortunate camera controls. Either way, I Am Alive is coming and it is almost time to find out if the game can find it's footing in the torrent of high-profile releases.

I Am Alive releases on March 7, 2012 on XBLA for 1200 Microsoft Points ($14.99) and will eventually launch on the Playstation Network.