AWAY: The Survival Series

AWAY simply shouldn’t have been released in this state. We’re hoping that in a few months, and with a few patches down the line, things are going to end up better. However, for the time being, we suggest that you stay away from AWAY.

Perhaps the greatest drama here is that AWAY: The Survival Series fails both as a game and as an interactive documentary. The numerous bugs still present in the game ruin even the last ounces of potential, turning it into something you better stay away from.

The story mode will be wrapped up within five hours but there is an exploration mode if you haven’t quite had your fill of bugs. Here you’ll be able to take control of other creatures and, as the title suggests, explore. There are short video logs dotted around the place if you want to try to find out more about what happened to the world.

AWAY: The Survival Series is an audacious game that fails to deliver on its excellent premise. Although clearly built with love and passion, the number of bugs and flawed mechanics make this a frustrating and arduous trek through the wild.

This is an extremely buggy game with clunky controls and very little to offer anyone. It was nowhere near ready for release and you absolutely shouldn’t play it. The cuteness of the sugar gliders be damned.

While AWAY: The Survival Series nails its nature doc narration conceit, it doesn’t have anything particularly enlightening to say. The game does sometimes succeed as a straightforward cinematic adventure, but rough controls and a general lack of polish derail the rollercoaster far too often. Playing AWAY can be compelling at times, particularly if you’re an animal lover, but you might find queueing up a few episodes of Planet Earth more fulfilling.