State of Decay
Review
To die for
by Christopher Coke
reviewed on PC
Lobbing Arms and Cracking Heads
Thanks to a quickly depleting stamina bar, every swing you take costs you. If you get low on stamina and need to sprint away, it is already too late. Your character will become winded and at that point even a slow zombie will catch up to you. This creates a wonderful sense of tension that emphasizes sneaking. On the other hand, sneaking can get old fast. Tension is tension throughout, so while sneaking in the first hour is likely to be exciting, sneaking in the tenth just feels slow. Thankfully, the game also includes a full inventory system so a quick stamina boost is often just a coffee away.
State of Decay features multiple enemy types, as well as hordes. Apart from the shambler, there are fast moving zombies and tank-like fatboys. You can outrun any of these while sprinting, and with the exception of the biggest enemies, most can be easily mowed down with the one of the many available vehicles.
Vehicles are almost too readily available and a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, mowing down a horde never failed to bring a grin to my face. Having them grip the side of my truck and even pull me out the door was original and neat. On the other hand, having cars at every street corner really undermined any sense of danger the world tries to create. What does it matter if I wreck one car when I can hop out and into another one? Many missions force you out and onto your feet, however.
Building a Settlement
At its heart, State of Decay is a survival-sim with arcade inspirations. Returning back to the first ranger station introduces the other major game systems. It is your first home base. Bases, called settlements, come with banks and a handful of supplies that need to be added to. Members of your party stay there and pass the time, guarding against invading hordes. With the right resources, med bays and workshops can be constructed, offering stat boosts and perks to residents. Windows can be boarded up and fortified against zombie attacks that are never a matter of if but always when.
Maintaining your homestead’s supplies is important. Neglect your food stock and your residents will become unhappy. Ignoring medical supplies might mean they get sick. When these things happen, you can count on unrest and in-fighting. Supplying your homestead by scavenging abandoned homes and stores is an important element of the game and, like weapons, what you find tends to be logical. NPCs will go on supply runs themselves but the real weight of survival lies on you. This system is enhanced by the unique character traits driving each character you encounter.
All characters have unique attributes and personalities. One early character, a former conservation officer, is brash and take charge, so naturally he had the “leader” characteristic. These attributes are wide and varied, including such oddities as loving to read or watch movies. Characters develop relationships, both with you and each other, based on them. The dynamic interplay between settlement management and, frankly, personality management is one of the most unique and endearing qualities of the game.
7.5
fun score
Pros
Tense, frightening atmosphere; great settlement gameplay; character system.
Cons
Feels too familiar; not enough options for PC players
