The summer drought is coming to a close, and just over the horizon we can make out the oncoming horde of fall videogames. This holiday season is crammed full of impressive titles – seriously have you looked at the line-up? – all vying for your dollar. So, when I heard Cabela's hunting games team were releasing a new property – beyond their Kinect release – I probably didn't pay as much attention as I should have.

Don't let the Cabela's brand and orange, plastic gun peripheral mislead you; "Survival: Shadows of Katmai" probably isn't what you're expecting.

The name alone should raise a flag. "Shadows of Katmai" sounds more like a traditional role-playing game than a hunting title. If the word Cabela's invokes thoughts of dudes in camo hats standing around shooting deer while drinking Milwaukee's Best, well, know that this is certainly a different game. While there's still plenty of first-person shooting sequences with the Top Shot Elite, I was actually taken aback by the third-person adventure game that was shown to me earlier this week.

"Survival" will have you assuming the role of one Logan James, a rough-yet-handsome everyman who just so happens to make his living flying a Cessna into some of the most unforgiving areas of Alaska. When the game opens, you've found yourself hired by Dr. West, a nice lady who's just trying to get a vaccine out to a remote village. The little town has come down with a rather tragic virus, and thanks to their relative seclusion, the meds need to get there in a jiffy. Unfortunately, the plane ride in doesn't go so well – you'll actually steer the plane, by the way – and you'll soon realize it's up to you to deliver that vaccine.

The remainder of the game will focus on surviving this rough Alaskan wilderness, hunting for food, warmth, and defense. Everything in this outdoor playground is looking to kill you, even the ravens that peck at your fingers as you try to climb a cliff-face. Yes, you'll climb up the side of mountains in third-person – with a Top Shot Elite gun.

It's definitely worth noting, "Survival" resembles "Uncharted" in the same way Ken kinda looks like Ryu. They're extremely similar, and as I watched everyman Logan James dangle from a precarious ledge, it was hard to not immediately think of Nathan Drake. Heck, "Survival" even comes out on November 1, the same day as "Uncharted 3." That said, there's worse source material, and the acting – albeit in an early build – actually sounds convincing.

"Uncharted" comparisons aside, the action in "Survival" looks promising. After Dr. West ends up injured, you'll have to hunt down a large moose. Why, you ask? Well, so you can shove her inside its carcass – Tonton style – for warmth while you carry on the adventure. Once she's good and snug, I was shown a sequence where Logan must fend off wolves while alternately digging up ammo and weapons buried in the snow at the wreckage site. Switching between shooting with the Top Shot and performing actions like digging seems like it will take some practice, but looks potentially enjoyable.

My demo with "Survival" ended with Logan helping an injured mountain man named Jonah down the mountain. You'll have to steer his dogsled, while dodging dangerous obstacles, to survive. Beyond Jonah and Dr. West, I was also introduced to Logan's canine companion, Togo, who will appear occasionally throughout the nine or ten hour game.

Toss in four more traditional, on-rails shooting galleries, and "Survival" was a hell of a lot more than I expected. The version I saw was an early build, but much respect must be awarded to Cabela's and Activision for going outside the comfort zone on what could have just been another hunting title.

"Survival: Shadows of Katmai" will retail with a Top Shot Elite gun for $80 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The Nintendo Wii bundle will run you $60. The game will also be available without the Top Shot for $40 and $30, respectively.