Project Zomboid: The Review

With American popular culture comes a massive influx of anything zombie or undead related—from movies, TV shows, and of course, video games. Project Zomboid, an isometric zombie survival game, has created quite the buzz amongst PC gamers.

Development

Project Zomboid is developed by The Indie Stone. Originally released on Desura, an online PC distribution system, the team has faced challenges like office break-ins that hampered early development. However, they found a new office and continue updating the game rapidly. The developers encourage modding, with player-created systems often implemented in-game. This demonstrates a dedicated staff listening to their fans.

Gameplay

What sets Project Zomboid apart from many survival or undead games is that your character WILL DIE—no matter what. Whether by hordes of the undead or starvation, death is inevitable. Players must scavenge supplies, build fortifications, and keep their character happy, entertained, fed, and healthy. Hordes keep you on your toes, but monitoring mental health adds paranoia. Multiplayer introduces threats from other living players.

RPG Elements

Players can level up skills while alive. Sneaking around zombies improves the sneak skill. Cooking gains points, making meals more nutritious. These RPG elements enrich the experience, creating a gory, fun recipe for undead fans.

Availability

The game is available on Steam for around $14.99, offering great replayability. Cautious buyers can try the lengthy demo on Steam. Remember though, this is how you died…