The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
34

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 13 out of 14
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  1. GamesBeat
    Mar 22, 2013
    55
    Survival Instinct left me feeling empty. It’s less of a story arc and more of a montage of “Here’s what Daryl and Merle did before Season One.” Unfortunately, technical problems and frustrating design decisions prevent its one redeeming feature — the survival gameplay — from reaching its potential.
  2. IGN
    Mar 21, 2013
    45
    It’s boilerplate first-person shooter mechanics paired with dated visuals and cool ideas that never develop into cool experiences.
  3. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Aug 25, 2013
    40
    You can send out fellow survivors on scavenging missions, the downside of this is that they can fail or , even worse, die. Unfortunately the number of goods they collect is so abysmal you won't care if they make it back or not. [May 2013, p.88]
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  5. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    May 21, 2013
    40
    It almost feels as though developer Terminal Reality ran out of money, right on the home stretch. If only the game was shot in the head long before it ever got to that point. [June 2013, p79]
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  6. Eurogamer Portugal
    Apr 21, 2013
    40
    Survival Instinct focuses on the less interesting part of a zombie apocalypse and does not follows the quality of writing we have come to expect after the series, the game from Telltale and especially the comic books of Image Comics.
  7. 4Players.de
    Mar 20, 2013
    40
    I don’t care who dies or survives. In the beginning my curiosity was sparked by stealth mechanics as well as team and resource management. But in the end this is an outdated, very generic, very boring and often very ugly zombie action that certainly fails to live up to the big name it carries.
  8. LaPS4
    Apr 9, 2013
    33
    The Walking Dead is a huge letdown for the comic and TV show fans. Activision and Terminal Reality have thrown away a big franchise, missing the chance to create a great game. The walking Dead: Survival Instinct is a bad game that doesn't keep up with the standards of the current generation.
  9. Pelit (Finland)
    May 13, 2013
    30
    This game tries to ride with the same horse as Telltale. Although the names are identical, the games themselves are just the opposite of one another. This is utter garbage in every single meter. Steer away. [May 2013]
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  10. Push Square
    May 7, 2013
    30
    The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is an appalling, unpolished mess. Gameplay is dull and buggy, there’s very little attempt at a plot, the characters are unlikeable, and bar a couple of interesting mechanics, everything feels rushed and dated. The likenesses and voices are accurate, with Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker reprising their roles as Daryl and Merle respectively, but that isn’t enough to rescue this abomination from the shallow grave of wretchedness that it has dug for itself.
  11. PlaySense
    Apr 2, 2013
    30
    What could have been a great game has turned out to be the exact opposite: a rushed effort, supported with ugly graphics and boring gameplay. Granted, Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus' voice acting is pitch perfect, but that's hardly worth spending fifty dollars for... isn't it?
  12. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Mar 25, 2013
    30
    Unfortunately, there’s just no hope for this one. Sure, it looks like a game – and we all love games – but the rot has taken hold and it’s too late to save it. You should go on ahead and we’ll put this sorry thing out of its misery.
  13. Meristation
    Mar 22, 2013
    30
    A TV show like AMC's The Walking Dead wants a game to match. Survival Instinct is not that, at all. Ugly, unoriginal and boring, this FPS has many mistakes and bugs, besides being short and without intensity. Don't buy it, even though you love Daryl.
  14. Play UK
    May 27, 2013
    20
    Genuinely one of the worst games we've ever played. [Issue#231, p.74]
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  15. Giant Bomb
    Mar 21, 2013
    20
    As awful as Survival Instinct is mechanically, the really depressing thing about it is that it offers no meaningful information or commentary on the characters it revolves around. Yes, Daryl and Merle's lives are a bit more fleshed out, but nothing you learn is anything you couldn't have gone the rest of your life not knowing.

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
24
#24 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
3.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 206 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 206
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 206
  3. Negative: 126 out of 206
  1. IrishDegu
    Mar 19, 2013
    3
    Let's just say that because this game isn't as bad as we thought, doesn't give us an excuse to fool ourselves into thinking this game isLet's just say that because this game isn't as bad as we thought, doesn't give us an excuse to fool ourselves into thinking this game is decent. We all know the graphics were lackluster in this game, so I will move through that point fast. The graphics are a little better than a ps2 game, maybe early this generation of consoles. The backgrounds looks better than the walkers(only 3 different types) and humans in the game. However, the locations in this game are very generic and boring. Here a few points that I want to hit in this review: As you will notice early on in the game is the combat. While using the knife, you basically have to slap the zombie in the face 4 times causing them to fly backwards as stiff as a board. Later on in the game some melee weapons will allow you to one-hit kill a walker in mediocre style. The knife stealth kill animation is nice at first when you sneak up on walkers, however it gets boring and actually hinders your ability to fight in some aspects. While this animation unfolds, there is no way to stop it, so walkers from all sides of you can hit you while you perform this move. Nevertheless, it would have been nice if they created animations for stealth kills with other weapons, but they didn't. Other weapons can been found such as shotguns, rifles, pistols, a crossbow(of course), axes, bats and other weapons. However, guns usually are the secondary weapon of choice and all guns act the same(since you can only shoot the zombies in the head to kill them). Creating too much noise will cause zombies to come find you(sometimes). That brings me to my next point...the zombie AI. In some situations, the AI is spot on. If you make a noise, they will find you, investigate or they will see you from yards away and confront you. Other times, you can shoot their friend right next to them and they might walk the other way. Also, they cannot reach you if you stand on top of a car or in a train car, giving you the chance to pick them off one by one. This unpredictable nature of the zombies can make the game too easy. Other times, zombies will spawn behind you and overrun you quickly. In this case, there is a real-time event when a zombie grabs you, where you have to line the button up to the zombies head(while pressing it), this in turn puts you one on one with a zombie(in a crowd) and allows you to kill them in one hit. In many cases, it is easier to use this real-time event to your advantage and pick zombies off one by one while fighting a horde. Another way in which this game disappoints is the traveling sequences(staring at a map much of the time), it all gets too predictable over the course of the game. I really wish they allowed you actually drive the vehicle. You can choose three routes(text based choices), which include highways(conserves the most gas). Each of the three choices gives you the chances of finding supplies and breaking down. If you break down, the game will bring you on a side mission to fight a horde of zombies and receive gas and supplies. Again, this gets old after a while. I agree that the inventory works pretty well, where you only have a set amount of space for weapons and supplies. However, collecting the same weapons and supplies over and over(such as energy drinks for health), drags the game down. The voice acting in this game is actually one of the things that shines. Norman and Mike really seem like they put a lot into these roles and make the game bearable. Without those two, the game wouldn't even be worth mentioning. The other survivors do a pretty good job at supporting them, albeit the story is lackluster. One other positive about this game are the survivors. The aspect of having a team and allowing survivors to help you find supplies is a great idea. However, a lot of times the survivors only find 1/3 of what you would find on your own. In most cases the reward isn't that great, but might make a difference when your close to running out of bullets. My final point has to do with the reason many people have bought the game. As a prequel to TWD show, explaining how Daryl got his crossbow. To tell you the truth, I expected an Excalibur moment. Yet, I was very underwhelmed at the point he received his crossbow. I will not go into too much depth, but it was basically like "Oh, ok that's how he got it...that sucked." I feel as though the walking dead's name was sold out here. There was so much source material to make this game great, but it just seems rushed. Also, Merle and Daryl without co-op? What a waste! I really wanted to like this game, since I am a big Walking Dead fan, but it was a 6-7 hour let down. I would say this game is not worth more than $20, if that. There is no game ending glitches that I have noticed yet, but there is nothing special about this game. This game is nothing more than a half-finished disappointment.… Full Review »
  2. Silentassassin9
    Mar 19, 2013
    10
    Got this game first thing today at gamestop and its all I hoped it would be, the game is amazing! I have played for about three hours now andGot this game first thing today at gamestop and its all I hoped it would be, the game is amazing! I have played for about three hours now and I can't put it down!… Full Review »
  3. TheyCallMeEnvy
    Mar 19, 2013
    7
    I picked this game up this morning as soon as game stop was open. So that means i have spent about 2.5 hours with it. I will say that i wasI picked this game up this morning as soon as game stop was open. So that means i have spent about 2.5 hours with it. I will say that i was a little surprised. To to a tv tie in it was much better then i thought. All the cries about the graphics are not wrong, but maybe thats why they knocked 10buck off its price. All the cries about the game play however are wrong, I find it very good. Gun play is tight, and movement is on par with any other FPS with a little peeking around walls to make the sneaking a little better. Now the melee is not half bad you have a quick kill from behind a grapple if you get grabbed and a light/heavy attack. Different weapons will swing faster/slower but also push zombies back different distances. I would put the melee a cut about games like skyrim and fallout because of the grapple and quick kills. Voice acting is nice also, but the NPC fall a little flat when compared to the voice of Daryle and his brother.

    Over all i would give it an 8
    but this is from a huge walking dead fan, so if i step back and act like its just another game that might drop to a 7    … Full Review »
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