Because zombies! That’s why!
One of Big Lu’s most anticipated games, State of Decay 2 showed off a new trailer. This game, however, is a legitimate console exclusive, not a console launch exclusive.
Set in yet another zombie apocalypse, the original game on the Xbox 360 asked players to manage a community of survivors while killing hordes of undead. The sequel adds online co-op, allowing players to join forces with up to three other friends. It’s set in a refugee camp that the military has abandoned. Like the original, it mixes zombie killing with community building.
The co-op will be drop-in/drop-out, not a persistent world. There were talks during initial planning to make it MMO-like but decided against it. One of the benefits of that decision is that players can play solo and offline. That benefits players – like me – who sometimes just want to go at it alone.
In a departure from the original, State of Decay 2 does not focus on a single protagonist. Each character in the community has his or her own stats and traits that determine their role in the community. Players will be accompanied by survivors that are adept at scavenging and combat. The resources scavenged can be taken back to the community. They’ll be needed to keep the other survivors going, keeping them sated. If you lose control of the community, chaos ensues and you’ll be forced to leave and find a new locale.
Developer Undead Labs mentioned that the game will launch with three maps. Any resources you have will carry over when your community moves between maps, which is a plus. Each map is huge, individually equaling the original game’s size. Each map has its own layouts, home sites, and mission types.
The trailer on display showed some gameplay, including how you’ll come across people you can bring into the community. It also showed off one of the home sites and how the people in it can fortify it. Cinematics also show tough choices, like what locations to scavenge and whether to cure someone whose bitten or kill them. It’s some pretty heady stuff.
State of Decay is set to release sometime next year for Xbox one and PC. It’s also a Play Anywhere title, so digital pre-orders on one platform will net players a free copy on the other.
