Square Enix fans got a good dose of Left Alive for their gaming fix at #ESGS2018. The game’s take on tactical action combat, mecha, and survival elements make for quite an interesting experience for gamers to expect and enjoy. This information comes courtesy of Square Enix executive Shinji Hashimoto and Armored Core producer Toshifumi Nabeshima.

Our What’s A Geek! team offers an E-Sports and Gaming Summit 2018 (#ESGS2018) exclusive of what’s happened

Left Alive: Fighting For Salvation

Left Alive sets its story in a post-apocalyptic 2127 Earth, where two factions are warring for what appears to be their own vision of salvation. The game appears to happen in a place called Novo Slava. Not much has been revealed in the media meeting as well, except that all three main characters have special roles in the story.

The game’s story timeline appears to be very short, with developers teasing the story will be happening in the span of “a day.” Not much has been revealed aside from this.

Folks from @SquareEnix at #ESGS2018 also explained @LeftAliveGame will be set in a post-apocalyptic Earth where two factions fight for their survival. Many options are available for players, and they can tackle many situations in the game in many ways. #ESGS #LeftAliveGame

— Whats A Geek (@whatsageek) October 27, 2018

A Mystery In The Name

In the media panel session, player choice appears to influence the naming of Left Alive. Player decisions affect the destiny not just of the main characters, but everyone around them. Square Enix emphasized the tactical and survival direction meant players have to evaluate the way they look at life as well.

“It’s not just about surviving the game. It’s choosing how to live,” folks from Square Enix said in the panel.

Endings of both main and side characters will reveal themselves when the time comes. However, Square Enix refused to mention the number of alternative endings to the game, if there are any. It appears Left Alive will focus on making sure choices of players matter not just with the story, but the overall “feel” of the game as well. This seems to be emphasized through dynamic dialogue options, and a lot of “hard decisions” throughout the story.

A lot of the game’s inspiration also has come from Front Mission. It’s not a copy, though. Square seems to have “rebuilt” Left Alive, given its departure from Front Mission‘s “simulation” focus. Now, Left Alive gives more emphasis to more realism in terms of combat and mechanics. This is reflected courtesy of the game’s action focus. The game forces players to be intuitive and creative with their environments and resources. Like a lot of games presented in ESGS 2018 like Resident Evil 2, resource management has got a lot to do with surviving the game. This means combat can be as action-filled or as nonexistent as a stealth game.

Even character and “random” NPCs have unique profiles and perspectives. This gives a new kind of depth and uniqueness in the game. Sometimes, people will also have dynamic personalities – including grateful people and ungrateful civilians.

Not Just An Action Game

In terms of development, at first, it appears like a third person game. It involves a lot of stealth and using traps, and the mechanics implemented offers players a lot of opportunities for customizing their strategies.

Third person mechanics make the Left Alive feel as though your typical action game. However, dynamic environments and the survival aspect of the game give opportunities for unique gameplay moments. Aside from strategically using your weapons and managing your resources to survive, you may have to go through unique levels. These include saving people (or not), and tackling levels without having to kill a single enemy.

This appears to coincide with Square Enix’s goals to provide users with “hundreds of hours'” worth of experience playing the game. These appear to be in the form of missions that can be tackled multiple times, and hits to multiple endings.

According to @SquareEnix, @LeftAliveGame will need players to strategically think about tackling problems and situations. #ESGS2018 players heard hints of mechanics heavily involving various mech action combined with tactical gameplay. #ESGS

— Whats A Geek (@whatsageek) October 27, 2018

Also A Mecha Game

Mechs appear to have a huge involvement with the game’s story.

Like in Front Mission, players can fight enemy mechs and use them as their own. The mech design and controls appear realistic but fluid. Robots can walk and dash as they will and appears to have a dash tackle maneuver as well. Mechs appear large but also customizable, reflected by different weapons gameplay footage has shown. These include rockets and long range explosives.

Square Enix did clarify that customization will allow mechas to have around four weapons.

Expansions And Future Stories?

Square Enix clarified the game’s future content will depend on the reception of the game.

Fans can expect Left Alive in a February release for consoles and March release for PC! #ESGS #TheHypeContinues