AWAY: The Survival Series is an indie action-adventure video game developed and published by Canadian studio Breaking Walls. It was released on September 28, 2021 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on June 1, 2023.^[1][2][3][4]

Gameplay

"AWAY: The Survival Series" is a story-driven adventure game where players assume the role of a tiny sugar glider navigating through a nature documentary-like setting. The gameplay involves gliding among trees, combating dangerous predators, and exploring picturesque environments on a quest to save the player character's family. The game allows for exploration either through a main storyline or by embarking on side quests that unveil the concealed mysteries of the new world. Players have the option to confront larger foes, hunt smaller prey, or use stealth and agility to evade apex predators undetected.^[5][6]

Development

The game was developed by Montreal-based developer Breaking Walls, which raised $1.75 million to fund the game's development. This funding round featured contributions from Game Seer Venture Partners. Initially, the game was funded through a Kickstarter campaign that raised CAD $136,000 by July 2019 and also received support from the Canada Media Fund. The studio was founded in 2015 by Laurent Bernier, Nathanael Dufour, and Sebastien Nadeau, with Bernier and Nadeau having previous experience at Ubisoft. The game emphasizes realism and communicates the impact of climate change on the natural world.^[7][8][9] The music, composed by Mike Raznick, known for his work on nature documentaries like Planet Earth II and Life, added to the game's ambiance and narrative style.^[10][11][12]

As part of a broader effort to address environmental issues through gaming, "AWAY: The Survival Series" was involved in the 'Playing for the Planet Alliance' initiative launched in 2019, reflecting on biodiversity protection in alignment with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.^[13]

Reception

The game received mixed reviews from players and critics. While the beautiful environments, narration, and musical score were appreciated, the game faced criticism for technical issues like glitches, erratic camera controls, and poorly implemented combat mechanics. The game holds a rating of Mixed on Steam with 56% of the 210 user reviews being positive, and a score of 65 on Metacritic indicating generally favorable reviews but with noted issues regarding bugs and gameplay elements.^{[14][15][16][17][18]}

The game won the "Best In Play" award at the GDC 2019.^[19][20]

It also garnered the "Most Adoptable" award during the UN's Green Game Jam, lauded for its concept of intertwining real-world environmental action with gameplay through an in-game reforestation zone themed around the Play4Forests petition, promoting a deeper engagement with global warming themes.^[21][22]

References