Black Survival

A lot of games offer excellent replay value through the many paths you can take to achieve victory, while others are so breathtaking and leave you thinking that you could only ever play them once. However, a select few immerse you so deep into their universe that you almost feel like never playing it again just as you start a new game session because you fear you may never enjoy it the same way you did the first time. One such game is Black Survival, a unique blend of visual novel storytelling with point-and-click elements that have a battle royale premise as a story.

Whenever you say out loud "battle royale" your mind wanders off to the massive 3D shooters that are on the market now, and that is not a bad thing since they pretty much define the genre. However, this exciting title gives you time to think and strategize at your leisure, without taking away any of the difficulty.

While some may argue that visual novels are just a cheap excuse for making low-budget games, Black Survival destroys that common misconception with the beautiful art style it brings, making you forget that it isn't in top of the charts 3D. This is paired with a beautiful OST score that truly feels immersive, mysterious and brooding.

Most battle royale games share the same story: for some reason or another, the world has been devastated, and the few survivors have to battle it out on a large-scale map that eventually gets smaller and smaller. Black Survival, however, has you take on the role of an unwilling experiment subject that is forcefully made to participate in a "social experiment". You are fitted with an explosive collar that will detonate whenever you are in a zone that becomes restricted, and your only means of survival is to be the last one standing out of nine different characters.

Instead of oh having the entire map shrink slowly, the game chooses random areas that eventually become restricted, and you cannot visit them anymore. However, being caught in an area that becomes restricted causes instant death via the explosive collar around your neck. Combat is done in the way of traditional point-and-click games, and your opponents can be either the other survivors you have to kill eventually or NPCs of the island, such as the wildlife.

The game would not be complete without the crafting element, and this game has it as well. You gain a tech tree which you can inspect where you can see all the items you can create, as well as find out where each ingredient can be found. Permanent items such as weapons can be upgraded to higher-tier versions, eventually leading up to legendary weapons of epic power.

Hiding is not a solution in this game since given the shrinking area, you will eventually have to face off opponents at some time, so the least you can do is be prepared for combat. Fights aren't so straightforward, as enemies can flee to heal their wounds themselves, so the game also has some hide-and-seek elements to it.

Black Survival surprises you the moment you open it, and it is indeed an enjoyable experience each time you play it since the characters are never the same, the maps randomly become restricted, and every game session feels like a new experience. Those of you that regard video games as a new type of artwork instead of just a way of passing the time should try this title.