[Photo Source: Flickr]

Indie developer Jasper Byrne of Superflat Games recently announced the updates about his survival horror game called Lone Survivor which hit the Windows and Mac platforms last year. In his post in the Playstation Blog, the game will be made available for the PS3 and PS Vita platforms. The release date for the new game consoles are tentatively scheduled for July with no exact date revealed by the developer.

The game can be likened to the famous survival horror game Silent Hill because of its violent nature, disturbing psychological theme, sexual references and other adult-oriented features. However, the game does not make use of the 3D engine that most games in its era use. Instead of utilizing stunning and realistic graphics, it only makes use of retro-styled 2D visuals. But still, most critics found the game very thrilling and its soundtrack has been admired by fans.

The Plot and Mechanics

Lone Survivor revolves around a nameless character with a face mask. The goal of the player is to help the character survive the post-apocalyptic world he lives in and find a way to escape the nightmare. How the character survives is completely up to the player. The player can either shoot all the enemies in the game or find a way to evade them.

Then, the player must ensure that the masked protagonist has enough sleep and food to balance his mental and physical conditioning. The player can omit resting though by letting the protagonist use drugs to boost his performance. But doing so comes with some psychological effects like hallucinations and acts of madness.

To progress in the game, the character must explore the apocalyptic world around him. Doing this fills his map gradually. The process lets him get additional items that he can use to help him throughout the game.

Much like Silent Hill, it is difficult for the protagonist to distinguish the barrier between reality and dreams as the environment around him continues to evolve. Even the rooms that he has previously visited have the tendency to change in terms of layout and overall appearance if he revisits them. Strange surprises also await him at every turn or area that he explores.

Aside from the bizarre foes in the game that defy the law of evolution, odd-natured allies are present in the game as well like a talking toy cat and a man with a box covering his head. But he will be able to encounter humans too as he advances.

There are multiple endings that can be achieved by the player. Each ending depends on the moral choices of the player during the course of the story. How the player arrives at a certain ending will be explained during the final credits of the game.

What is New in the PS3 and PS Vita Versions?

New contents will be exclusively available for the Playstation platforms, said Byrne in his post. Trophies will be awarded upon completing certain missions, plus Cross-Buy and Cross-Play support will be provided. Moreover, around 19 new items, additional dialogues with all NPCs, additional side quests, added soundtracks and an extra ending which is dubbed as the “Yellow Ending” will be offered.

Lastly, the developer stated that his team is exploring ways to incorporate touch-control features in the character’s movements and inventory use. He did not elaborate further on the subject though. However, one thing is for sure in this game according to Byrne. He said that it will surely be more enhanced and more exciting than its original version.

Sources: Wikipedia, Playstation Blog of Jasper Byrne and Lone Survivor Official Website

The Droid Guy