Lone Survivor

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 146 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 146
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 146
  3. Negative: 26 out of 146

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  1. suneater
    Dec 17, 2012
    4
    Side scrolling pretentious indie survival horror with emphasis on the survival. Gameplay is clunky, tedious, and requires a lot of backtracking. It doesn't do anything necessarily wrong (except the graphics strained my eyes at the default "aspect ratio") , but it's nothing special apart from the poorly executed concept. Clocking in at about 4 hours I had no clue what happened during thisSide scrolling pretentious indie survival horror with emphasis on the survival. Gameplay is clunky, tedious, and requires a lot of backtracking. It doesn't do anything necessarily wrong (except the graphics strained my eyes at the default "aspect ratio") , but it's nothing special apart from the poorly executed concept. Clocking in at about 4 hours I had no clue what happened during this game. I guess it was just too deep for me.… Expand
  2. fhouse
    Sep 3, 2012
    4
    I bought it because I wanted to enjoy a suvival horror story, not a time management and character management simulator.

    I give it a 4 because it has atmosphere and some nice ideas. As others have written, I was also bored by the constant messages of being hungry and sleepy. I could not go back to the game and finish it. The graphics are TOO low res, you need to shrink the aspect    I bought it because I wanted to enjoy a suvival horror story, not a time management and character management simulator.

    I give it a 4 because it has atmosphere and some nice ideas. As others have written, I was also bored by the constant messages of being hungry and sleepy. I could not go back to the game and finish it.

    The graphics are TOO low res, you need to shrink the aspect ratio with "q" or sit far away from your monitor to actually enjoy it.    … Expand
  3. Vex
    Nov 29, 2012
    3
    I feel bad about buying into all the hype surrounding this game. Judging by the reviews I was expecting some kind of unforgettable masterpiece, but the game turned out to be a mediocre, somewhat nonsensical 2d adventure. I can understand that this genre appeals to some people but it is a very specific niche and if you are like most people out there, you will probably be hard pressed toI feel bad about buying into all the hype surrounding this game. Judging by the reviews I was expecting some kind of unforgettable masterpiece, but the game turned out to be a mediocre, somewhat nonsensical 2d adventure. I can understand that this genre appeals to some people but it is a very specific niche and if you are like most people out there, you will probably be hard pressed to like this game. Furthermore, contrary to some reviews here, the game isn't scary at all. I don't know how a 8bit 2d game with extremely low resolution can possibly be scary. If you want to experience a truly terrifying game, you're better off playing Amnesia The Dark Descent.… Expand
  4. JimCorbett
    Sep 24, 2012
    1
    Probably the worst game i've received in a HIB. Horrible graphcis, horrible level design, horrible gameplay. Constant messages proclaiming that your character is hungry or tired. The story makes no sense, the flow of the game doesn't make sense either. It gets a 1 because you can atleast start the game up and play it without any problems. It gets -9 for being a complete piece of trash.
  5. timed
    May 10, 2013
    3
    A terrible port. No video options menu, no windowed mode, terrible controls (WARNING: esc instantly closes the game), no mouse compatibility (really?). A graphics style chosen due to laziness, it adds nothing to the game. Other "retro features" such as terrible shooting and unreadable text also included.
  6. Rolotoast
    May 2, 2013
    3
    I'm a bit into this game and I can promise it has no real RPG characteristics. The story is muddled, a combination of Silent Hill and Resident Evil written in a hurry. I'm just completely unimpressed with this as an indie game, let alone one I paid $3 for on sale. I haven't completed it, but from what I've played over several hours (broken up), I am not impressed. This is flash game quality.
  7. Lukja
    Sep 21, 2013
    4
    After having finished this game (in 4 hours and a half or so) I can only use one adjective to define it: lazy.
    Some people will say it doesn't do justice to the colossal work of a 1-man team, and in this they're probably right: the retro, pixelated graphics are good. Not excellent, but they work just fine. The music score is well chosen and well placed, the sound effects are really good.    After having finished this game (in 4 hours and a half or so) I can only use one adjective to define it: lazy.
    Some people will say it doesn't do justice to the colossal work of a 1-man team, and in this they're probably right: the retro, pixelated graphics are good. Not excellent, but they work just fine. The music score is well chosen and well placed, the sound effects are really good. So what's so bad, what's so lazy about this game?
    Gameplay, for once. It places a strong emphasis on the survival aspects but it makes no efforts whatsoever to make it even remotely bearable for the player. I mean, a game where you run out of food, batteries and fatigue is good, but no effort has been made to look for a hint of realism. Your character will easily tire out after a 5 minutes walk, and he'll constantly remind you of his needs so much that it feels like playing The Sims.
    Originality is another factor of laziness. This game is more Silent Hill than it is Lone Survivor, and it's a pity because the premises were good.
    But the laziest, duller of all things is the plot. I won't spoil it here, but after finishing it I feel cheated. It's a huge cliché and you can see it coming from two miles. It involves things being not exactly what they look like, of course, but no effort whatsoever is made to link elements and characters together. The game's resolution is a massive hole for you to fill with huge amounts of speculation. Now, I understand this is a matter of personal preference but while I don't particularly like this genre I recognize there are some games that can pull it off (like Braid or even The Binding of Isaac) and this one failes to deliver so hard that it mocks the entire experience of the player.
    Why? Because the creator couldn't be bothered to come up with elements that made sense in his established setting.
    I'm sorry, but this is just a no. This game starts with a lot of personality and ends up underplaying its qualities.
    Color me disappointed.    … Expand
  8. stop9091
    Feb 22, 2018
    3
    Very arguable graphics; this is way beyond pixellated... it's stamp-sized screen.

    The user interface is terrible; keys are fixed, can't use a gamepad, and couldn't find any obvious way to show which key does what (after the initial help). A standard point and click interface would have done the job good enough (much better anyway). Also, it's a sort of point and click, but it's never    Very arguable graphics; this is way beyond pixellated... it's stamp-sized screen.

    The user interface is terrible; keys are fixed, can't use a gamepad, and couldn't find any obvious way to show which key does what (after the initial help). A standard point and click interface would have done the job good enough (much better anyway).

    Also, it's a sort of point and click, but it's never obvious what to click, so one ends up clicking on everything.

    Detention is similar, in a way, and has a much better interface.

    All in all, a game designed like point and click had never existed.    … Expand
  9. ns0l
    Feb 24, 2014
    4
    I don't think this is a good game. Scary, hungry, sleepy. What is this? I'm just getting sick and nervous all the time. I can't enjoy by playing that. Can you? This is torture, not a game.
  10. papermanda
    Apr 7, 2014
    3
    This game was extremely slow and boring. As a supposed "nod" to Silent Hill, I get what the game is going for, but it steals from every aspect of Silent Hill, down to the sound effects and flashlight. If you want to make good games, make your own games.

    Pro: Pixels always look cool.
    Cons: Completely unoriginal.

Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Best PC Game of 2012
76
#76 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 13, 2012
    88
    Lone Survivor has a great atmosphere that keeps getting more oppressive as the game goes on. At times there is too much running back and forth, but other than that it's a pure horror masterpiece. Just don't play it on a large monitor or the pixels will hurt your eyes. [Aug 2012]
  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Aug 31, 2012
    80
    2D, pixilated graphics are not the best thing to happen in a 2012 game ("oh, how the years have gone by, etc"), but those of you who judge solely a game from the graphics and reject it, think again: it may look simple and outdated but through its simplicity, Lone Survivor is extremely profound, content-wise (definitely more profound and "horror" than other failed horror blockbusters that we have witnessed the last years). [July 2012]
  3. RPG Fan
    Jul 30, 2012
    87
    Lone Survivor bears doubtless resemblance to that classic survivor horror franchise, Silent Hill. After all, Lone Survivor has creepy monsters, a mostly-empty city, a basement you don't want to be in but must be, fleshy red membranes, and a psychological bent. I like to think of Lone Survivor not as a tawdry imitator, but as an intelligent and surreal homage to a once-powerful series, and even perhaps a comment on the genre itself.
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