Project Zombiod (Video Game, 2014)

Project Zomboid

 A survival RPG from Indie Stone, Project Zomboid is still in it's Alpha state and it's already an intriguing game. The first thing you've got to understand is that; YOU'RE GOING TO DIE. Once we have that out of the way you can set about trying to survive as long as possible, before you die, build a new character, hunt down and kill the shambling corpse of your old character and steal their gear. It can be a bit depressing at first until you realize you can build on the progress of the last character, and as you learn the game, it becomes much more survivable, at least for a while.

You have a steep learning curve for this game. For it's simple graphics and slow, stuttering and moaning antagonists, this game is really complicated. Unfortunately your characters are so anal retentive that they refuse to sleep anywhere but in a bed, and much to my relief I discovered later, in chairs. The game is simple, try to survive, and it's pretty easy until you go to far, get injured and can't find a safe place for a breather. The problems compound fast and when a hoard of zombies is chasing your down and you've got 6 angry red status indicators, get ready to start your next character.

 

If this happens, you are already dead.

 

Disaster starts off simply. You are looking for an Axe so that you can build walls and it starts to rain and you get cold. You decide to search for a Sweater rather than staying indoors. You break a window and cut your arm. Cold, bleeding and the sound attracted some zombies. You easily outrun them but you didn't get to search and you keep running into more. The tired icon appears, dusk settles in. Tired, cold, bleeding and falling asleep on your feet, your vision is so bad, zombies are vanishing in front of you. You make a mad dash for the next house, open a window, remember to close it and finally you have time to rip some bandages, eat some food and sleep. The last thing you hear before drifting off is the window breaking and wonder if you remembered to close the bedroom door?

 

There are four modes of play, Survival, Sandbox and Last Stand for single player plus an Online Multiplayer Mode. Last Stand is the most bizarre and cuts straight to the heart of the game. You wake up in a cabin with a few supplies and must endure a never-ending assault of zombies. You can't survive and it's bragging rights to see who can last the longest before their brains become dinner. You can adjust the environmental and zombie settings for each mode, making the game easier or much, much harder.

 

Home sweet fortress.

 

Crafting in Project Zomboid is logical and very satisfying. Your chances of survival increase dramatically when you learn to make the Rain Barrel and start walling off areas to keep the zombies out. Once you have a secure perimeter you can safely starting thinking about farming. You can only survive of ramen noodles for so long, simply because after about 2 months you would probably have eaten all the available food on the map.

 

With a source of water, a garden and a safe house you could just wall yourself in and call it a good life. However the Project Zomboid maps are huge and there is a temptation to explore it all. I decided I wanted to see the Movie Theater on the other side of the map. After several characters died exhausted in the dark, I gave up. Instead I'm trying to collect all the components to build a tent, so I can sleep anywhere I want. I have actually built several chairs in warehouses and other buildings, as emergency sleep locations.

 

You can get into deep trouble and survive. Injured, exhausted, swarmed and starving, I have lucked into houses, found something to eat, the time to bandage up and sleep. It is the greatest feeling to watch all those angry indicators vanish. You also have emotional problems with boredom and stress which can be alleviated by reading and certain foods. But one thing remains. If you see that word SCRATCHED, well for all your best efforts your time might be up. My second attempt to the theaters, my poor character got scratched and come morning he was turning.

 

I love the soundtrack to Project Zomboid. It really sets the tone for the game, depressing, bleak and doomed. The game keeps getting upgraded and there is already a community of mod'ers if you want to change your game further. There is already a Katana mod, a weapon not found in the original game. I can say, I only look forward to developments as this game progresses. It's got a few bugs but some of them vanish with each patch.

 

Indie Stone is not without a sense of humor.