Once Alive Review (PC)

Post-apocalyptic stories are branching further and further out. Take Once Alive, for example. A story about two brothers who are convinced they are the last remaining people on Earth. But soon, they receive a signal about a possible safe haven out there. Could there really be more survivors? Perhaps people they know? Family maybe? With newfound hope, the brothers set out to build a new life among strangers and friends. As you probably already see coming, none of the events to come go as planned. A sinister mystery brews in the background while the brothers jump from the frying pan into the fire of yet another survival threat. 

The storyline probably sounds familiar, kind of like The Last of Us, without the clickers and bloaters. You have to keep in mind, though, that this game is the product of a solo developer who only just entered the gaming scene three years ago. He’s since been working on the game and has finally put out quite an impressive title with mostly positive reviews on Steam. So, you probably shouldn’t expect something as spectacular as The Last of Us. Yet also, look forward to a surprisingly solid entry into the survival adventure genre. If you’re wondering whether to play the game, we’ve compiled our thoughts in our Once Alive review below that should help you make a final decision.

End of the World

A catastrophic global virus outbreak has taken out nearly all of humanity. Panic ensued as people tried to outrun the virus. Shops were looted and chaos reached peak levels. However, neither Science nor survival instinct could save people from the virus. And so, everyone died leaving the world but an empty, desolate vessel. Sixteen years later, though, we’re introduced to brothers James and Jim. Still alive and healthy, the brothers believe they are the last humans on Earth. So, they roam about the world scavenging and hoping to find more people. Perhaps more immune people who survived the virus outbreak. After a long trek, they come to a huge signpost informing them of a possible safe haven housing even more survivors. It’s a no-brainer: they must find this place, even if it kills them.

Danger is still very much a factor to consider as the virus has also infected animals, making them aggressive. The animals do not go down without a fight. Certainly not by sustaining bullet holes. So, the only option is to run for your life. But there seems to be an even bigger threat. Upon arriving at the survivor’s base, the place looks deserted. What’s more? There are fresh blood spills on the ground, tents have been destroyed, and no one is in sight. But even more mysterious, there are remnants left behind indicating proof of life. Notes have been left lying haphazardly on the ground. Beer cans. Cigarette butts. Something has gone terribly wrong here and you’re determined to find out what and why. 

Fear of the Unknown

Once Alive’s story is definitely an intriguing one, sparking intense curiosity the more you dig in. It often leaves you with lingering questions you can’t help chasing down the answers. And when the answers come to light, they feel like an exciting page-turner. Being set in a post-apocalyptic world, the overall theme here is pretty gritty and hopeless. There is a constant sense of dread hanging in the air from the missing survivors and strange animal behaviors. You’ll definitely experience some horrific encounters that leave both the protagonist and yourself gasping for air. Even as you run for your life chased down by bloodthirsty infected animals, you feel helpless for a time before you can find safety. And that’s the thrill of Once Alive, at least in the sense of tension and suspense. If anything, the story wraps up a little too soon. 

Not that the short run-through doesn’t justify the price. At $9.59, Once Alive feels almost like a steal. But still, you enjoy unraveling the story so much that you can’t help wishing there was more to dig into. Who knows, though? If the game is a success, perhaps the developer will look into a sequel that picks up where Once Alive left off. Indeed, the ending leaves you on a gripping cliffhanger. So, there’s a high chance we might be getting an expansion or sequel. The idea of a sequel could be further warranted by the rough edges that still need smoothening. Like the voice acting, for instance, which can sometimes feel unnatural and break the immersion. The narration, too, could use a little more intrigue. At times, the dialogue can be bland and uninteresting. Meanwhile, you do experience some technical issues like dialogue overlaps and frame rate drops. 

Deeper Self of Humanity

Amid all of the hiccups here and there, Once Alive does a fine job of incorporating deeply evocative story moments. With the brothers in the spotlight, they get into an emotional fight right at the beginning that causes the youngest to storm off into the wild. Once things have cooled down, the eldest regrets his outburst and goes after his brother, hoping to reconcile. But the outside world is packed chock full of danger. So, as much as you feel like you’re gaining ground on your brother, you may also very well find him dead. Moreover, other family themes have been infused into the story, including the search for your missing father. And the ending is sure to bring tears to your eyes, which I’ll definitely not spoil for you here. 

Overall, Once Alive has some pretty excellent narrative moments, which is perfect since it’s a story-driven walking simulator. You need the story to be quite strong to keep you going. But the game takes a step further to include similarly strong and evocative environmental storytelling. Exploring the world in first-person, you’ll adventure through a desolate and eerie world. The atmosphere hangs heavily over you with distant cries and screams further turning your insides. As you explore, you run into informative pieces of information and clues that further open up the events that took place at HaustVille. Some sound effects are missing but what’s here immerses you deeply in every moment. Even the burbling of the streams and the rustling of the wind helps to nab your attention through to the end. 

Visual World

You do play through light interactions with the environments like picking up objects, dropping them in your backpack, moving things around, and more. You can climb ladders and sprint. In between interactions, immersive cinematic cutscenes cue in. And thanks to the high-quality power of the Unreal Engine 5 software, the graphics look top-notch. It’s quite impressive from a one-person studio. Details are incredibly fixated on objects and your surroundings. The lighting and shadows are exceptionally done to artistically bring out the mood and atmosphere of HaustVille. Honestly, the visuals may be the best part about Once Alive, having really captured the look and feel of the world at a time of chaos and destruction. 

But the character animations could use a little more love. Facially, the characters’ expressions are believable. They evoke emotion from you as they go through deeply traumatizing and painful moments. However, their eyes are empty, and borrowing a leaf from The Last of Us, the eyes are where the deepest emotions are relayed. 

Verdict

In just one to two hours, you should complete exploring the desolate and eerie world of HaustVille. Something has gone horribly wrong here and it’s up to you to figure out what happened. You’ve also lost your brother, who after spending the past 16 years all alone, ramps up the urgency in reconnecting with him. In many ways, Once Alive evokes heavy emotion. It pokes at the heartstrings and even has moments of tearing up. You really feel the hopelessness of living in a post-apocalyptic world, trying to find other survivors to rebuild the world together. And it’s in the hope of finding others that you power through the dangers lurking in the shadows. Animals are aggressive and don’t respond to gunshots. The so-called survivors you’ve been searching for are all missing, possibly dead. 

Look, there may be a few issues that need ironing out. Like the dialogue overlaps and frame rate drops that can sometimes detract from your experience. Also, the voice acting can feel unnatural, and sometimes, falls flat on its face. The same goes for the narration, which can sometimes feel bland. However, the core story is intriguing, so much so that the playthrough can wrap up a little too soon. With a maximum of two hours, Once Alive is wise enough not to overstay its welcome. However, it wouldn’t hurt if developer Cem Boray Yıldırım considered launching an expansion or sequel. If anything, the atmospheric, eerie vibe in the game is to die for. With the minor issues ironed out via updates or an even better sequel, Once Alive stands the chance to truly stand out among the numerous post-apocalyptic-themed games out there.