Review - Lone Survivorby Paul Fiander
Format reviewed on Vita (Mainly) also PS3 |
Creator; Jasper Byrne
Publisher; Curve Studios Formats; PS3, Vita (regular version also on MAC and PC) Release Date (UK); 24/09/13 |
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To begin with this game is a one man project in terms of creation. Jasper Byrne has put around 7 years of his life into this game and at times I’m amazed he did not go insane. The level of complexity in the ‘mission’ design is something to behold. You will find yourself trekking around what is essentially a very small map (when compared to other adventure games), but thanks to the clever crafting you almost forget about the re- trodden path as the games environment holds you in check. I have to stress the word almost; there are times where the journeying back and forth will drive you to distraction. The game though does do a great job of explaining why this treading over old ground is needed for the player to progress and becomes one of games more interesting mechanics.
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This game is built on strong mechanics and they will be the reason that you will either love or hate this game. A few examples of what I’m talking about;
1) Your character needs to be fed, this is a simple enough process when you have the food all it takes is a few button presses and you can munch till drop. However the quest to find food may force you to explore corners of rooms that you would not have looked in before. It makes you concentrate on the screen at all times and really helps the process of immersion.
2) Not only does your character need to eat but sleep is also an important part his daily routine. However this basic mechanic is made more appealing by the integration of other factors. For example if you go to bed on an empty stomach you will not rest properly and this will alter the experience on the next day.
3) And then there are Pills which come in differing forms, each with their own special trait. As you explore you find out their uses and this helps the depth in the game come to the fore. However as usual no spoilers on the effects of each, you will have to the experience the game if you want to find out.
1) Your character needs to be fed, this is a simple enough process when you have the food all it takes is a few button presses and you can munch till drop. However the quest to find food may force you to explore corners of rooms that you would not have looked in before. It makes you concentrate on the screen at all times and really helps the process of immersion.
2) Not only does your character need to eat but sleep is also an important part his daily routine. However this basic mechanic is made more appealing by the integration of other factors. For example if you go to bed on an empty stomach you will not rest properly and this will alter the experience on the next day.
3) And then there are Pills which come in differing forms, each with their own special trait. As you explore you find out their uses and this helps the depth in the game come to the fore. However as usual no spoilers on the effects of each, you will have to the experience the game if you want to find out.
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There are other mechanics such as tools you can use to solve puzzles and a gun you are able to wield, each of these has their place and help make the experience. However the main aspect of this game in my mind is the environment. The director has made a world filled with sound and dark areas that will keep you on edge (though not really what I would describe as horrifying). It thankfully resembles titles like the original Dead Space in that the sound and what you don’t see help to draw you into the experience.
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I really will recommend you taking the advice the creator gives you at the start of the game. You are told the experience is heightened by turning the lights down around you and turning the sound up or use a pair of headphones. It’s quite amazing how true this is, at times you can sometimes forget that gaming is an all encompassing experience but this game proves that even an indie title can really give you a high quality experience even with a lower graphical appearance. Visually the game resembles an 8 bit title as you can see from the screens and the text is blocky but thankfully very easy to read. I think it’s the graphics that make the game less ‘scary’ for me this is not a huge issue as the game does not really need the scare factor to be good.
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I played this title mostly on the Vita and it feels perfectly at home on Sony’s handheld. The controls are crisp and very intuitive (it appear the 6 months development to convert the game were time well spent). But it’s the small screen that really draws you into the game that makes it so well suited. Due to the size of the Vita you have to concentrate even harder on the screen making any movement in your peripheral vision something that will distract you. This mixed with the sound (I used headphones as the speakers on the Vita do not do the game justice) give you an extra air or claustrophobia and make the experience more engrossing. The cross play/buy with the PS3 is a great move as the game can be enjoyed on the move and then synced back to your PS3 with ease. Though as I said this game really is a Vita title for me at least.
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All in all as experiences go Lone Survivor is a great title. The game is made more by its mechanics than its story and you will find quite a few hours of fun in your first run through and the pull to come back to experience the different endings will be high as well. Its not a universal title but I do hope as many people can experience the game as possible, mostly due to the fact that the immersion you can get from a well made yet graphically inferior (compared to AAA titles) is astounding
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Good - Immersive feel, Wonderful audio experience, Great Mechanics.
Bad - Back Tracking, Not really Scary, |
4/5 |
Game Supplied by Publisher
Images - from Publisher
Images - from Publisher
