How long could you survive on a desert island? Think about it in reality. I would say, in my case, maybe three weeks before dying a slow death of hunger and/or thirst depending on the amount of rainfall on my particular island. The whole thing sounds kind of exotic in the abstract; palm trees, tropical heat, coconuts and a dishevelled beard. But in reality, it’s a horrific prospect. Yet it’s exactly the prospect the three weary protagonists of Survivors: The Quest must face in the new action-adventurer RPG from the awesome G5 Games, out now for free on iOS.
The gameplay takes the form of a series of puzzles. There are three characters to play with, the only survivors of a catastrophic ‘Lost’-esque plane crash, who must find their way off the island while pitting their wits against the mysterious dark force that seems to have infiltarted the tropical retreat. There are strange buildings, signs of previous life, and a mysterious laptop which suggests the island has been previously used for some kind of dastardly scientific research. Utilising a selcetion of tools such as ropes, rocks, wrenches, gloves and whatever comes to hand, you must confront a startling number of obstacles in your tireless escape attempt.
The mechanics are simple enough, but to encounter an RPG of this depth on an iPad is very refreshing. Too many games function as mini-distractions and feel they were knocked up in an hour or two. Survivors bucks this trend, and while its premise may be a little familiar, the gameplay is smart and engaging, while the challenges are detailed and in-depth, ranging between ‘a cinch’ and ‘overly challenging’. The graphic are cool too, the island being beautifully rendered in 3D. Being an iPad game gives G5 a little more scope to play with, and they really play to that adavantage, packing the screen with cool details and stylish additions. You have to balance your play between the three chartacters as well, ensuring that they all get along; if tensions boil over, things start going wrong.
Overall, Survivors is an engaging, entertaining challenger that scores major points for longevity and detail. If you’re the kind of person, like me, who’s sick of pointless little App mini-games and would relish a more cerebral challenge, you’d do well to check out this action adventurer. With promised future updates to its already burgeoning quest selection (currently standing at over 100!) Survivors is sure to be around for the long haul. But not the long haul flight.
Battle the elements and get exploring today for free at the App Store!
