First look at the world and gameplay of Left Alive

Following on from its reveal during Sony’s Press Conference, Square Enix has given a first look into its mech-ridden action shooter Left Alive during a panel at the Tokyo Game Show. Set in the Front Mission universe, the game is set to arrive on PlayStation 4 and PC next year.

Left Alive takes place between 2005’ Front Mission 5: Scars of the War and last in the series, Front Mission Evolved which came out in 2010, featuring three protagonists. Alongside the shift in title for the series, the gameplay also seems to have taken a turn, moving on from its focus of Wanzers, which the mechs are known as, to the characters themselves. With the premise of customisable mechs seemingly gone, players will at the very least be able to customise and craft weapons to fight the Wanzers around them.

With the players of course being vulnerable against such powerful mechs, there is a greater emphasis on surviving and sneaking, granting the ability to place traps and use the environment to your advantage. This, alongside the third-person combat mechanics makes for a Metal Gear feel to the trailer, further emphasised by Left Alive’s character designer Yoji Shinkawa, who worked as the lead artist in Kojima’s famed series and has continued on with Kojima studios to work on Death Stranding.

The screenshots released by Square Enix reveal little about the game aside from its beautifully war-torn world with emphasis on the importance of shadows. Alongside the stills, we are also treated to another teaser trailer for the game's announcement, showing off snippets of what to expect from the 2018 release.

KitGuru Says: I might be a little biased but I love the Metal Gear influence here and without the weight of the title, the game might fill that hole left by Konami and the direction it is taking the series in. As for the Front Mission franchise, I can’t say much about it as I haven’t had the luxury of playing one. What do you think about Left Alive? Do you think it will continue the Front Mission legacy well?

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