Left Alive Game Cover
In concept, Left Alive could have had the potential to bring about the revival of Front Mission and fill the void left by the absence of Metal Gear at the same time, but none of its elements click to become a cohesive whole.
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"Left Alive" is a survival action game set in a war-torn city, where players control three different protagonists trying to survive a devastating invasion in 2127. The Day One Edition includes a digital soundtrack sampler, wallpapers, and a destructive DLC pack. The game boasts contributions from experienced developers known for the Armored Core, Metal Gear Solid, and Ghost in the Shell series. Characteristics: Survival Action, Third-person shooter, War-torn setting, Multiple protagonists, DLC pack, Contributions from experienced developers.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​Station

Reviews

28%
Audience ScoreBased on 293 reviews
story29 positive mentions
gameplay21 negative mentions
  • The game has a promising story and interesting characters.
  • Some players found the crafting system and resource management engaging.
  • The graphics, while dated, still have a certain charm for some players.
  • The game is riddled with bugs and performance issues, making it unplayable for many.
  • The AI is poorly designed, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • The controls are clunky and unintuitive, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story171 mentions

    The story of "Left Alive" is described as having potential with interesting themes of survival and character development, particularly within the context of the Front Mission universe. However, many reviewers criticize its execution, noting that the narrative feels rushed, lacks depth, and is often overshadowed by poor gameplay mechanics and technical issues. While some players find the story engaging and emotionally resonant, others feel it is ultimately underdeveloped and fails to deliver a compelling experience.

    • “The story is great, the characters and how different they feel/act is awesome.”
    • “Beneath the jank and unpolished is a confronting story of survival and decisions that share themes with world events currently unfolding right now... the three playable characters are all very captivating, charming, and relatable in their own way.”
    • “The story is pretty deep with some rather Kojima-styled twists and turns.”
    • “The only problem is, the story is told by following characters who have little to no memorable qualities.”
    • “This obfuscates the plot and makes it feel like all your gameplay and choices from previous chapters had no effect as the story progresses.”
    • “What kills it is how poorly the story is told (not that the story told is any good).”
  • gameplay113 mentions

    The gameplay has been widely criticized for its numerous bugs, unresponsive controls, and poorly implemented mechanics, particularly in stealth and combat. Many players find the experience frustrating due to clunky animations, lack of essential stealth features, and a general feeling of incompleteness, making it feel like a subpar imitation of classic stealth games like Metal Gear Solid. While some appreciate the crafting system and story elements, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is disappointing and in need of significant improvement.

    • “Although brought down by admittedly janky gameplay and a few bugs, the game is very much playable and rewarding.”
    • “If you can look past its shortcomings, the survival-stealth-action hybrid gameplay is worth playing this game for.”
    • “The gameplay is rather entertaining.”
    • “Gameplay is mid on console because the wanzers feel meh and turning feels unresponsive, slow, sluggish...”
    • “The stealth mechanics are bare bones, the enemy AI is barely passable, and the combat is annoying - more so thanks to the ammo starvation.”
    • “It's a stealth-action game with terrible stealth mechanics, a boring combat system, and stupid AI (the worst part is saving survivors).”
  • graphics104 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the stylized art design and character models, while others criticize the overall quality as outdated and poorly optimized. Many players report performance issues, including crashes and low frame rates, even on high-end systems, leading to frustration despite the game's potential. Overall, while the graphics may appeal to some for their aesthetic, they are often described as subpar compared to modern standards.

    • “What we have here is the bare bones of a great game: got that stealth action, crafting traps and medical supplies, mech combat, really nice stylized graphics and effects, choices having consequences and interesting and adequately written characters.”
    • “Graphics are really nice, the character models are top notch.”
    • “The graphics, which reminded me of RE4, did not bother me.”
    • “Every time I lowered the graphics, it hard crashed itself, even with default graphics settings. I went lower, capped the frame rate to 30 fps... crash... crash... crash... crash.”
    • “The first thing you're going to notice is the PS3/360 era graphics, then the horrendous controls, then the disgusting UI, and lastly, you're going to see that the game simply isn't fun.”
    • “Graphics feel like 2010, and that's with a 1080 Ti maxed out. There are also many occurrences of frame rate drops.”
  • optimization77 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates, long texture loading times, and frequent stuttering, even on high-end hardware. While some users managed to achieve decent performance by adjusting settings, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for PC, resembling a rushed port from the PS4 version. Many reviewers express hope for future patches to address these issues, but currently, the game's optimization is a major drawback.

    • “The performance is decent; I have a GTX 1080 inside a 3-year-old laptop, and with everything nearly set to the max, it runs at 60 fps with a few dips.”
    • “Game runs well at 1440p on a 1070 and 7800x on mostly high settings; not sure what the performance issues others are having are about.”
    • “This game has the groundwork for something very good, but at the time of this review, the game runs really badly on very high-end hardware, which can only be concluded as poor optimization. Despite all the good stuff in the game, if the performance is bad, none of the good stuff really matters.”
    • “It's a shame how badly optimized this game is.”
    • “Game runs terribly, very poorly optimized.”
    • “I want to like this game, but at the current level of optimization, the game is unplayable.”
  • music19 mentions

    The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many praising its emotional depth and ability to enhance the atmosphere, particularly during tense moments. Composed by Hidenori Iwasaki, the soundtrack effectively complements the narrative and character experiences, although some players noted that it can be overshadowed by gameplay mechanics. Overall, while the music is well-regarded, its impact may be diminished by other gameplay issues.

    • “The game looks pretty good in general and the music is nice.”
    • “Amazing soundtrack written by Hidenori Iwasaki (composer of Front Mission 4 and 5), characters designed by Yoji Shinkawa, good story and cool mechs (wanzers).”
    • “The soundtrack felt just right since the beginning.”
    • “It's just that I don't play games just to hear music.”
    • “I did not put much time into the game, but I can tell you now, if I have to hear 'caution: the enemy is approaching' every single time I sneak past someone, then I'd sooner just turn some music on max and let it wash out everything else.”
    • “I have had to run across areas quickly hoping not to be spotted or have to hide quickly because I was spotted, and other than the music, I have no way of knowing if I am being followed.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its clunky mechanics and absurd AI behaviors, which lead to unintentionally funny moments, such as enemies behaving in ridiculous ways and awkward animations. While the game is criticized for its poor performance and design, many players find enjoyment in its comedic misfires, making it a source of laughter despite its flaws. Overall, the humor is described as a redeeming quality that adds to the game's charm, especially when approached with the right expectations.

    • “The game is clunky, the behavior of enemies is laughable. The game is bad but in a funny way, so I'll keep it and play it for fun.”
    • “Spawning enemies out of nowhere is also hilarious, and not to mention the (nonexistent) stealth system!”
    • “Add hilarious and moronic guard AI, ludicrously stupid and more easily parodied than anything MGS has done.”
    • “I see that it is on sale, so I gave this a try, but this is so bad; it just is not funny.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, making the humor feel more like a chore than a laugh.”
    • “I expected some clever wit, but instead, I was met with tired clichés and unoriginal gags.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its excessive and poorly integrated advertisements, particularly for World of Tanks, which detracts from the overall experience. Players find the placement of these ads unrealistic and overwhelming, often feeling like they clutter the game environment rather than enhance it. While some ads can be disabled, the reliance on them for upgrades and the sheer volume of promotional content has left many users frustrated.

    • “It's basically a janky Metal Gear wannabe that has its moments, though the game really falls short with its bugs and distracting advertisements.”
    • “There are World of Tanks ads everywhere in the game to the point where it's comical.”
    • “I don't like that they have World of Tanks content in here; this is a separate game, why are they using it as advertisement?”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, including freezing, stuttering, and unresponsive controls. Many players express frustration over the lack of support from the developers, leading to a generally negative reception regarding its performance.

    • “It's a buggy, unoptimized mess of a game and it's sitting at negative reviews for a very good reason.”
    • “So since there's no word from the publishers or even acknowledgment of the glitches, nor does Square Enix actually have a good track record for PC support, I may as well just refund this and move on.”
    • “Has some issues with stability as the game freezes or stutters at times.”
  • character development5 mentions

    The character development in the game is praised for its strong design, heavily influenced by the Metal Gear series, which enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling. However, some reviewers feel that despite the excellent premise and character design, the potential for deeper character development is not fully realized.

    • “The premise is excellent, and good character design is a significant highlight.”
    • “Pros: character design, story, soundtrack, atmosphere, tension when you're surrounded by the enemy; it really feels like you're alone and you need to survive.”
    • “While graphics are separate from gameplay, the mecha and a fair amount of character design are great.”
    • “Even going as far as to hire the character designer from Kojima Productions!”
    • “I haven't yet finished it, but the game is sort of a mash-up... it owes a lot to the Metal Gear series in terms of character design and the overall look and feel of the game, not just the walking tank robots.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its compelling artwork, character design, and tension, effectively immersing players in a survival scenario. However, some reviews note that the writing and overall execution fall short of creating the desired urgency and depth, leaving a mixed impression. Despite these criticisms, fans of stealth and atmospheric role-playing games may still find value in the experience.

    • “People, if you enjoy stealth games, atmospheric role-playing, and using brains over bullets to survive, consider picking this hidden gem up!”
    • “It's a shame it didn't deliver on its setup because I really dig the artwork and atmosphere.”
    • “4/10 atmosphere was good and I liked the looting system.”
    • “Pros: character design, story, soundtrack, atmosphere, tension when you're surrounded by the enemy; it really feels like you're alone and you need to survive.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply impactful, evoking a strong sense of heartbreak and allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the narrative's moments and settings.

    • “And it's truly heartbreaking.”
    • “It made me feel every moment and have a sense of place and time.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unsatisfying, noting that while the transition from a crawler to a faster-paced shooter introduces some cool moves, the overall experience is marred by poor AI and repetitive gameplay loops.

    • “The AI is bad, and while you have some cool moves, it's just a tedious loop that gives no real satisfaction.”
    • “But then again, the game changed from a tedious crawler to a faster-paced shooter.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Users express disappointment in the game's replayability, indicating that it falls short of expectations and lacks the engaging elements needed to encourage multiple playthroughs.

    • “I was really hoping that the game had more replayability than what everyone was saying.”
    • “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
1-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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