Okay, so here's the low-down on this new title for the downloadable games market "I am Alive".

I Am Alive is an action video game developed by Ubisoft Shanghai and published by Ubisoft. It was released for Xbox Live Arcade on March 7, 2012 and will be released on the PlayStation Network in the spring. The developers released the official release date for the Xbox 360 version via Facebook as March 7, 2012.

The game takes place in the fictional American city of Haventon, one year after the Event, a worldwide cataclysmic event that wiped out most of the human civilization and left the world in ruins and barely habitable, with the ground now covered by a toxic cloud of dust and ash. I Am Alive focuses on facing the permanent insecurity of a now decaying and hazardous world, and humanity's darkest inclinations.

Originally under development by Darkworks from 2008 until 2010, Ubisoft Shanghai has since worked on the title.

Not much is really known about this game(assuming you aren't one of the few people, such as I, that have been stalking this game since 2008) so I'm here to give all of you post-apocalyptic gamers the green light to go ahead and get this game.

Aside from the beautifully, although rather grainy looking, pieced together world and the fairly well written dialogue, "I am Alive" features a revolutionary diplomacy system when interacting with NPC's.

Because of the mysterious Event, people have resorted to raiding, pillaging, and killing to get what they need to survive. This should come as no shock to veteran players of Fallout, but the NPC's are also very much aware of the situation they're finding themselves in.

Each and every NPC character you come across can be an enemy. How you approach people(such as whether or not you walk or run, if you have a weapon drawn, or if you just stand there) can mean a simple passing-by or an all out fight to the death.

Combat focuses on the element of surprise as well as using bluffs to keep back your attackers. Someone with a machete will not try to rush someone who pulls a gun, instead they will hold their hands high and either surrender by placing their weapon on the ground, or simply standing in fear. Some enemies don't buy the bluff, and some have guns that won't hesitate to fire on you if you draw your weapon.

What really caught me is how the AI doesn't know whether or not you have a bullet for your gun or not. Sticking to the true element of survival(scavaging) you will constantly find yourself both out of food and ammo. Yet, when in a combat sequence, the AI sometimes doesn't know any better and will act as if a real person would. You can then find interesting ways of dispatching your enemy using commands to "Back off!", pushing them into a camp fire or off a ledge.

To be honest, this game is by far an amazing piece of tech. I can't begin to nerd-gush about how amazing the NPC interactions are, let alone the intense amounts of free-running. Bottom line, this is definately a game to get your hands on.

if you like a game that the coloring is mostly gray, black or white then get the game but in my view this game is like a very dark sad game with no hope for you to find happyness

>>2 Isn't that the general idea of post-apocalyptic survival? Or am I missing something here?

Seems legit. -Boards wagon-

I.. I am one to screw with people in life, so this game should hold an element for me that no other games have before.
Bluffs and taunts are powerful tools that other games never really grasped well..

and >>3 Nope, that seems to be the point. Maybe some one should spend a week in a zombie infested game world?

>>4 I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the bluffing mechanic. If done correctly, a fight can fly by in just a few seconds. Has some deep strategy involved when in a confrontation.

Can't wait! I LOVE survival games!