Peter McCoy
Jun 7th, 2013, 07:44:23 PM
This title has just been released on XBOX Live and a PC release is pending but no date is yet known.
State of Decay is a 3rd-person open-world action-RPG survival-horror game. Breathe! The game opens up shortly after a zombie outbreak. Whether it's global is unknown but it cannot have happened too long ago as your initial character is suddenly finding this all out as you start the game. I say initial character as you can recruit other survivors to join your merry band and build up a base/hideout/safezone. You then have the option of carrying out missions which are essentially you carrying out the suggestions of your comrades such as your looking spotting something in the distance and asking if you want to go and check it out, or alternatively you can just leave the safety of the base and go explore on your own initiative, but being in contact with the folks back at base via radio means mission areas can pop up on the map as you explore.
I say missions but they're not self-contained. They're like quests in Skyrim - they exist in tandem with the living sandbox world and you can ignore or investigate as you see fit. While you're out and about you can scale vantage points such as radio towers and then reconnoiter the area by focusing on question marks on your HUD - this will identify those question marks to reveal things such as vehicles, buildings worth searching, potential safehouses, as well as threats such as roaming zombie hoards or special infected - one which I know is referred to as a Screamer, how lovely! Then, these newly-identified points of interest will appear on your main and mini map for future reference. Next thing to do is go investigate one.
If you're inside a building you can move around and rummage through cabinets and bags etc but be careful! You can search quicker but risk making noise that will attract unwanted attention. The items you find range from weapons both melee and ranged, ammunition, food and medical supplies and other assorted items - I've seen an alarm clock that can be used as a distraction/lure. I imagine there are other bits and bobs for use in crafting or for activities at your base such as resources for upgrading - eg. a perimeter fence or watchtower, workshops and more.
Back at base you have a stash in which to store your supplies. The more you store, the greater your influence which is a bit like a form of currency you utilize for base upgrades and possibly interactions with other survivors (I'm guessing!). As you take items out of the stash (when gearing up for a supply run or scouting) that influence diminishes until you restock the stash.
As for the zombies themselves - combat isn't something to welcome! The game has permadeath. Also, you can earn character skills such as higher proficiency with weapons or higher stamina etc. So if a well-developed character dies, it's time to take control of o0ne of the other, possibly less-developed survivors. Also the gear your fallen comrade had on them is gone - unless you fancy heading out to find the corpse and reclaim any goodies they were carrying when they snuffed it. I believe you can take NPC's with you when you leave your base, so make sure you look after them while you're out and about. Zombies can take several attacks to drop, but I think you have some kind of critical strike chance which can take their head off. You also have the ability to knock them down - while they're on the floor you can execute a... er... execution whereby you stand over their body and with an almighty swing of whatever melee weapon you're holding you free their decaying brains from their skull. As I said, there are ranged weapons. I've only seen a hunting rifle in action and the shots attract a lot of zombies! Stealth is also an option - you can crouch to sneak by zombies who have yet to notice you, and stealth takedowns are possible if you can get behind them.
Vehicles are present. To what extend I don't know but I've seen a station wagon, a police car, a truck and some kind of sports car but I'm awful when it comes to automobile knowledgification.
The open world itself is quite big considering this is an XBOX Live title. It's certainly not a short romp through a zombie-infested forest. There seems to be multiple towns dotted about the place. It's no Grand Theft Auto but the area you get to play in is pretty substantial. I don't know the full extend of it; there may be a lake, maybe even boats to cruise around that lake on, who knows!? I doubt there are air vehicles but I could see something like a hanglider working nicely.
If you have an XBOX and have been waiting for an open-world zombie survival game with base building and scavenging in it, check out State of Decay. I'm having to sate my hunger with Youtube vidoes since I'm waiting on the PC version!
Speaking of Youtube videos, here's one from IGN that gives a nice intro to the game.
_SxRCZS86nE
But maybe search for a more generic trailer if you don't want to start playing for yourself with advanced knowledge of what to expect.
State of Decay is a 3rd-person open-world action-RPG survival-horror game. Breathe! The game opens up shortly after a zombie outbreak. Whether it's global is unknown but it cannot have happened too long ago as your initial character is suddenly finding this all out as you start the game. I say initial character as you can recruit other survivors to join your merry band and build up a base/hideout/safezone. You then have the option of carrying out missions which are essentially you carrying out the suggestions of your comrades such as your looking spotting something in the distance and asking if you want to go and check it out, or alternatively you can just leave the safety of the base and go explore on your own initiative, but being in contact with the folks back at base via radio means mission areas can pop up on the map as you explore.
I say missions but they're not self-contained. They're like quests in Skyrim - they exist in tandem with the living sandbox world and you can ignore or investigate as you see fit. While you're out and about you can scale vantage points such as radio towers and then reconnoiter the area by focusing on question marks on your HUD - this will identify those question marks to reveal things such as vehicles, buildings worth searching, potential safehouses, as well as threats such as roaming zombie hoards or special infected - one which I know is referred to as a Screamer, how lovely! Then, these newly-identified points of interest will appear on your main and mini map for future reference. Next thing to do is go investigate one.
If you're inside a building you can move around and rummage through cabinets and bags etc but be careful! You can search quicker but risk making noise that will attract unwanted attention. The items you find range from weapons both melee and ranged, ammunition, food and medical supplies and other assorted items - I've seen an alarm clock that can be used as a distraction/lure. I imagine there are other bits and bobs for use in crafting or for activities at your base such as resources for upgrading - eg. a perimeter fence or watchtower, workshops and more.
Back at base you have a stash in which to store your supplies. The more you store, the greater your influence which is a bit like a form of currency you utilize for base upgrades and possibly interactions with other survivors (I'm guessing!). As you take items out of the stash (when gearing up for a supply run or scouting) that influence diminishes until you restock the stash.
As for the zombies themselves - combat isn't something to welcome! The game has permadeath. Also, you can earn character skills such as higher proficiency with weapons or higher stamina etc. So if a well-developed character dies, it's time to take control of o0ne of the other, possibly less-developed survivors. Also the gear your fallen comrade had on them is gone - unless you fancy heading out to find the corpse and reclaim any goodies they were carrying when they snuffed it. I believe you can take NPC's with you when you leave your base, so make sure you look after them while you're out and about. Zombies can take several attacks to drop, but I think you have some kind of critical strike chance which can take their head off. You also have the ability to knock them down - while they're on the floor you can execute a... er... execution whereby you stand over their body and with an almighty swing of whatever melee weapon you're holding you free their decaying brains from their skull. As I said, there are ranged weapons. I've only seen a hunting rifle in action and the shots attract a lot of zombies! Stealth is also an option - you can crouch to sneak by zombies who have yet to notice you, and stealth takedowns are possible if you can get behind them.
Vehicles are present. To what extend I don't know but I've seen a station wagon, a police car, a truck and some kind of sports car but I'm awful when it comes to automobile knowledgification.
The open world itself is quite big considering this is an XBOX Live title. It's certainly not a short romp through a zombie-infested forest. There seems to be multiple towns dotted about the place. It's no Grand Theft Auto but the area you get to play in is pretty substantial. I don't know the full extend of it; there may be a lake, maybe even boats to cruise around that lake on, who knows!? I doubt there are air vehicles but I could see something like a hanglider working nicely.
If you have an XBOX and have been waiting for an open-world zombie survival game with base building and scavenging in it, check out State of Decay. I'm having to sate my hunger with Youtube vidoes since I'm waiting on the PC version!
Speaking of Youtube videos, here's one from IGN that gives a nice intro to the game.
_SxRCZS86nE
But maybe search for a more generic trailer if you don't want to start playing for yourself with advanced knowledge of what to expect.