In Project Zomboid, the question isn’t can you survive. It is simply how long can you survive? The game’s opening text clearly lets you in on this game’s most innovative feature, ‘you,’ Mr. Lead Character, Mr. Protagonist are going to die. How and when is what playing this zombie survival game is all about.
Project Zomboid is a survival horror sandbox. The game takes place in a massive urban area full of buildings that the player can loot in his search for weapons and supplies. Wood nails and tools will be your best friends early on. Stealth tactics will only get you so far, you will need a safe place to lay your head. This means fortifying one of the games many buildings. Even after this is done, don’t get too comfortable. Players will have to contend with the issues of starvation, illness and mental stability. No matter how secure your dwelling may be, eventually food, water, and medicine will be in short supply. You will have to venture out into the streets. The horde of undead in true zombie movie style provide a difficult obstacle to getting the necessities of life. The longer you survive, the more the world around you starts to degrade as power plants and municipal services begin to fail. Fresh foods go rotten and canned food become more of a commodity. Even a simple cold or fever can become a life threatening situation when getting the necessary medicines means heading out into horde infested streets.
Looting and salvaging are rewarding experiences in Project Zomboid as they lead the player straight into the games crafting system. Gas cans and rags are used to make powerful Molotov cocktails. Baseball bats and nails can be combined into a lethal version of the Louisville slugger. Bed sheets can be torn and used to bandage bleeding wounds. The in-game food can be prepared and consumed to keep you properly nourished.
You aren’t alone in this gruesome modern day apocalypse outside of the flesh hungry horde pounding at your barricaded doors. NPC survivors are also roaming the streets. Developer theindiestone.com has made mention of an eventual multiplayer experience, which really seems like a natural progression for this game.
The developers at theindiestone.com have packed a lot of depth into this top down 2D sandbox RPG. If you want to explore all that Project Zomboid has to offer, go to projectzomboid.com.
