State of Decay Review

Quick Recap: Our State of Decay Review dives deep into the game's mechanics, storyline, and overall experience. From combat and base-building to its captivating story, find out if this zombie survival game should be on your must-play list.

Introduction

The State of Decay is an open-world zombie survival game that seamlessly blends base-building, resource management, and exploration with action-packed combat. Developed by Undead Labs and published by Microsoft Studios, the game was first released in 2013 for Xbox 360 and later on PC. The State of Decay stands out in the crowded zombie survival genre with its unique permadeath mechanics and focus on character progression.

Game Mechanics

Combat and Weapons

The combat system in the State of Decay is both fluid and satisfying. Players can choose from a wide range of weapons to fend off the undead, including:

• Melee weapons such as bats, axes, and machetes
• Firearms like handguns, shotguns, and rifles
• Improvised weapons and explosives

Each weapon has its unique feel and effectiveness against various zombies, encouraging players to experiment and find their preferred playstyle.

Base-Building and Resource Management

A crucial aspect of surviving in the State of Decay is establishing and maintaining a well-functioning base. Players must carefully manage their resources to ensure the community's survival. Key elements of base-building include:

• Scouting for suitable locations to establish a base
• Constructing various facilities such as infirmaries, workshops, and gardens
• Allocating resources to upgrade and maintain the base
• Assigning community members to perform specific tasks

Resource management is essential for maintaining morale and ensuring the community's long-term survival.

Exploration and Scavenging

The open-world environment of State of Decay encourages players to venture out and explore the game's vast landscape. Scavenging for resources is crucial for survival and can be found in various locations such as:

• Abandoned houses and stores
• Wrecked vehicles
• Military outposts

While exploring, players will encounter random events, side missions, and even other survivors that can be recruited to join their community.

Permadeath and Character Progression

The state of Decay features a unique permadeath system where once a character dies, they are gone for good. This raises the stakes and adds a sense of urgency to the gameplay. Players must carefully manage their community members, ensuring they are well-equipped and ready for challenges.

Each character has a unique set of skills and traits, which can be improved through gameplay. As players progress, they must balance their community members' roles, ensuring they have a well-rounded group to tackle various challenges.

Storyline and Characters

The story of State of Decay follows a group of survivors attempting to navigate and survive in a world overrun by zombies. Players are tasked with building a community, making tough decisions, and ultimately finding a way to escape the relentless undead horde.

The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with a unique backstory and personality. Players must make choices that can significantly impact the story, creating a dynamic and immersive narrative experience.

Graphics and Sound Design

While the State of Decay may not boast the most cutting-edge graphics, its art style and visual design effectively convey the game's bleak, post-apocalyptic setting. The game's sound design complements the visuals, with eerie ambient noises and chilling music that set the tone for a zombie-infested world.

In the next part of the review, we'll discuss challenges, replayability, community, multiplayer features, and our final verdict on the game. Stay tuned for a more in-depth analysis of this thrilling zombie survival experience.

Challenges and Replayability

Difficulty Levels and Enemy Variety

The State of Decay offers a balanced challenge for both newcomers and seasoned veterans of the zombie survival genre. The game features various difficulty settings, allowing players to customize their experience according to their skill level.

The game also boasts a diverse array of zombie types, including:

• Standard zombies: Slow-moving but dangerous in large numbers
• Screamers: Emit a high-pitched scream that attracts more zombies
• Ferals: Agile and fast, capable of dodging attacks and leaping at players
• Juggernauts: Massive and heavily armoured, these zombies can take a lot of punishment

The combination of difficulty settings and enemy variety keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.

Side Quests and Random Events

The state of Decay is filled with side quests and random events encouraging exploration and providing additional challenges. Players can:

• Rescue survivors from dangerous situations
• Retrieve valuable supplies from infested buildings
• Clear out zombie-infested areas to create safe zones

These side quests and events add variety to the gameplay and contribute to the game's overall replay value.

Endgame Content and Replay Value

As players progress, they'll uncover more of the story and eventually reach the endgame. This includes a final mission that provides a satisfying conclusion to the game. However, the game doesn't end there. Players can continue to explore, scavenge, and build their community, ensuring there's always something to do in the world of State of Decay.

The permadeath mechanic, coupled with the dynamic nature of the game world, ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, providing a high level of replayability.

Community and Multiplayer Features

Cooperative Gameplay and Multiplayer Modes

While the original State of Decay is a single-player experience, its sequel, State of Decay 2, introduces cooperative multiplayer gameplay. This allows players to team up with friends or join online sessions to tackle the zombie apocalypse.

This cooperative multiplayer aspect adds a new dimension to the gameplay, allowing for more strategic and collaborative approaches to base-building, resource management, and combat.

Community Engagement and Developer Support

The State of Decay community is active and passionate, sharing tips, strategies, and experiences on forums, blogs, and social media groups. Undead Labs, the game's developer, actively engages with the community and has supported it since its release.

Check out our Best 25 Zombie Games article for more insights into zombie survival games.

Final Verdict

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• A unique blend of base-building, resource management, and exploration
• The challenging and satisfying combat system
• Engaging storyline and diverse cast of characters
• High replay value due to permadeath and dynamic game world

Cons:

• Graphics may appear dated compared to more recent games
• Lacks multiplayer features in the original game (available in the sequel)

Comparison to Other Zombie Survival Games

The State of Decay stands out among other zombie survival games like 7 Days to Die and Project Zomboid, thanks to its unique blend of gameplay elements and focus on character progression.

While it may not boast the most cutting-edge graphics or a vast array of multiplayer features, State of Decay offers a rewarding and immersive experience for fans of the zombie survival genre.

Final Rating and Recommendation

Considering its engaging gameplay, dynamic story, and high replay value, we give State of Decay a solid 8.5/10. We highly recommend it to both fans of the zombie survival genre and newcomers alike. If you're looking for a game that blends action, strategy, and resource management with an engaging story, State of Decay is a must-play.

If you want to expand your zombie game collection, check out our articles on Best 25 Open-World Zombie Games and Best 25 Games Like DayZ.