State of Decay Reviews

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Written by WorstUsernameEver on June 8th, 2013

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State of Decay's ambition reaches farther than most $60 titles, so its value is unquestionable as a $20 download especially given how it manages to successfully meet so many of its lofty goals. I spent about 12 hours in this Zed-infested world, and while I saw most of what's there, I could've spent a few more hours exploring. And since I focused on melee weapons the first time, I fully plan to start another game with a gun-centric character. Meanwhile, startup developer Undead Labs has already said that if State of Decay is successful, it hopes to follow it up with a massively multiplayer online sequel, codenamed (Class4.) But for now, Decay belongs in the pantheon of great modern zombie games alongside Valve's Left 4 Dead series and Telltale's Walking Dead episodes.

State of Decay isn't a polished product, but it still manages to shine. The graphics are chunky, the lighting unsubtle, and there are occasional clipping issues. But that doesn't kill the atmosphere. The maps aren't terribly large, but the city areas are densely packed - to the point where the mini-map becomes useless, beyond the waypoint compass.

The system that generates conversations between different characters frequently doesn't ring true, and you'll find yourself suddenly allied to someone, without explanation, who looks like a bad guy. But you'll also have endearing moments where a certain unexpected occurrence does have an appropriate line scripted for it, and that's enough to win you around. It's by no means perfect, but Undead Labs has won itself a high level of forgiveness, with an atmospheric world that's as compelling as it is flawed.

Moving between moments of greatness and moments of glaring ineptitude, State of Decay leaves me with mixed feelings. It has a great idea at its core, and I want to give the developers at Undead Labs credit for that. But lots of games begin with great ideas; executing those ideas well and letting the player experience them fully is the challenge. That's where State of Decay falls apart.

The technical hurdles are very steep at first, but once I put about five hours in, the sting started to dissipate. These flaws mar the atmosphere that State of Decay tries to create. If you can stomach them, however, the game's sense of urgency and its mountain of tasks and systems will be a nice vacation away from the societal constraints of your everyday, zombie-free life.

If you enjoy exploring post-apocalyptic open worlds, I suggest you at the very least give the demo of State of Decay a shot. There's plenty of depth for those who appreciate the role-playing genre, and the constant threat of death and limited resources will have adrenaline junkies on the edge of their seats. It may not be my cup of tea, but I certainly can see why others would love to take the plunge into this zombie-infested wasteland.

My impulse is to excuse State of Decay's problems in light of everything it does well. By tying so many systems together with tough choices and the constant spectre of death hanging over it, Undead Labs has created something singular. Small complaints notwithstanding, State of Decay is one of the most cohesive, terrifying and engaging open-world games I've ever played.

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