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7 Days to Die

A frustrating and flawed experience that could have been great. It will be interesting to see how the game is updated and whether the developer's can capitalise on the potential that 7 Days To Die offers, but unfortunately doesn't deliver on.
64%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, optimization
88% User Score Based on 331,909 reviews
Critic Score 38%Based on 18 reviews

Platforms

PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|SPlaystation 5Playstation 5Playstation 4Playstation 4WindowsWindowsPlayStationPlayStationXbox Game PassXbox Game PassLinuxLinuxCloudCloudMac OSMac OSXbox OneXbox OneXbox Cloud GamingXbox Cloud GamingTabletTabletNVIDIA GeForce NOWNVIDIA GeForce NOWSteam DeckSteam Deck

About

"7 Days to Die" is a zombie survival game set in an open world environment. Players must gather resources, craft items, and build shelters to survive while facing hordes of zombies in a dynamic day-night cycle. With a focus on melee combat noveltile-based physics and a rich destruction system, the game offers a challenging and immersive experience. Cooperative multiplayer is also available, allowing for joint survival and exploration with friends.

7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
7 Days to Die screenshot
+3

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 331,927 reviews
gameplay6.6k positive mentions
story1.3k negative mentions

  • The game offers a deep and engaging gameplay experience with extensive crafting, base-building mechanics, and a strong emphasis on survival, especially in cooperative play.
  • Players appreciate the immersive atmosphere, dynamic weather, and day-night cycle that enhance the tension and realism of the post-apocalyptic world.
  • The humor and chaotic moments generated during gameplay, particularly in multiplayer sessions, contribute to a fun and memorable experience.
  • The game suffers from persistent bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer, leading to frustration among players.
  • Many players criticize the outdated graphics and lack of a coherent narrative, feeling that the game feels incomplete and lacks direction.
  • The optimization remains a significant issue, with reports of poor performance even on high-end systems, detracting from the overall experience.
  • gameplay
    21,967 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "7 Days to Die" is characterized by a blend of survival mechanics, crafting, and base-building, offering a dynamic and engaging experience, especially in cooperative play. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of gameplay options, including the strategic challenge of the blood moon horde mechanic, there are significant criticisms regarding clunky controls, outdated graphics, and frequent changes to core mechanics that can disrupt the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game remains popular for its addictive gameplay loop and extensive modding community, which enhances replayability and customization.

    • “The gameplay loop is very simple, but fundamentally, it's a fun game and worth spending some time on with your friends, building a base, upgrading weapons, exploring, and fighting zombie hordes.”
    • “The crafting system is deep, the progression is satisfying, and co-op with friends makes for some of the best emergent gameplay moments ever.”
    • “With its deep systems, intense survival mechanics, and endless replayability, it’s a must-play for fans of the genre.”
    • “The gameplay, while deep in terms of systems, often feels clunky.”
    • “Clunky and unresponsive gameplay, particularly melee combat.”
    • “The gameplay loop is empty and boring as ever.”
  • graphics
    21,215 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "7 Days to Die" have been a point of contention among players, with many noting that they feel outdated and lack the polish seen in modern titles. While some appreciate the game's unique art style and the charm of its voxel-based visuals, others find the low-resolution textures and clunky animations detract from the overall experience. Despite these graphical shortcomings, many players emphasize that the engaging gameplay and depth of mechanics more than compensate for the visual flaws, making it a worthwhile experience, especially in multiplayer settings.

    • “The graphics have improved significantly over time, with revamped textures, lighting, and environmental details.”
    • “The graphics are charmingly blocky, giving it a retro-meets-apocalypse vibe.”
    • “The graphics are great, especially for a voxel game based on the Unity engine, but can not be compared to polygon games.”
    • “The graphics are undeniably dated, and while the art style has a certain charm for some, the low-resolution textures and stiff animations can be jarring.”
    • “Despite its strong core gameplay loop and endless replayability, 7 Days to Die suffers from technical problems, outdated visuals, and a slow development cycle.”
    • “The graphics look like they were left in the oven too long, the physics are questionable at best (floating boulders, anyone?), and multiplayer is basically a co-op panic attack.”
  • story
    11,062 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of "7 Days to Die" has received significant criticism, with many players noting the absence of a coherent narrative or engaging plot. While the game features a quest system primarily centered around trader missions—often repetitive fetch or clear objectives—players express a desire for a more developed storyline and character interactions to enhance immersion and provide a sense of purpose beyond survival. Despite the lack of a traditional story, some players appreciate the environmental storytelling present in the game's world, but overall, the consensus is that the game feels incomplete without a substantial narrative.

    • “The environmental storytelling through the design of the locations helps to create a rich, immersive world that invites players to delve deeper into its mysteries.”
    • “The quests are interesting especially with the difficulty that is increasing.”
    • “The missions are truly a breath of fresh air in this otherwise getting stale genre and I really feel it makes a big difference.”
    • “What bothers me the most about the game is that it revolves mainly around the traders that also double as quest givers.”
    • “Yes, there's little hints in the background of certain points of interest if you're paying attention, but there's no definite progression of story.”
    • “The lack of a dedicated story also leaves some players wanting more structure and direction beyond the survival aspect.”
  • optimization
    9,802 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of "7 Days to Die" has been a persistent issue, with players reporting significant performance problems, especially in densely populated areas and during horde nights. Despite ongoing updates, many users express frustration over the game's inability to run smoothly even on high-end systems, citing frequent frame drops, stuttering, and long loading times. While some improvements have been noted in recent patches, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized after years in early access, leading to a mixed reception regarding its performance.

    • “Poi's improved greatly, AI pathing much better, graphics and performance improved immensely!”
    • “The devs have done a great job continually updating and improving performance and content.”
    • “The recent updates have made a noticeable difference in the game’s performance and visuals, which is a huge plus.”
    • “Great game, but poorly optimized.”
    • “Terrible, badly optimized piece of garbage.”
    • “Horrible optimization, runs horribly on any machine.”
  • stability
    7,541 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of "7 Days to Die" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reviews highlighting its persistent bugs and glitches. Despite being in early access for over a decade, players report frequent crashes, performance issues, and various gameplay-affecting glitches, particularly during multiplayer sessions. While some find the game's chaotic nature and occasional humorous glitches endearing, others express frustration over the lack of optimization and the game's unfinished state, suggesting that it may not be worth the full price until these issues are addressed.

    • “For an alpha, the game is very addictive, bug free, versatile, and there are many things that you can do without getting bored.”
    • “This game is very stable from our experience, has a ton of features, and is for the most part bug free.”
    • “I was very surprised when I started playing the game as to how complete it feels, how bug free it is.”
    • “For something that is £37.99 that crashes every 5 seconds, and I genuinely mean 5 seconds, is a joke. It took me 30 minutes to even get into creating a world; it just crashes, freezes, it's so unplayable.”
    • “The game also suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, some of which are game-breaking and severely impact the overall experience.”
    • “This game is a buggy mess. After all this time, the game is still unfinished and buggy as all hell.”
  • grinding
    5,962 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of "7 Days to Die" is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as tedious and time-consuming. While some enjoy the grind for resources, crafting, and leveling up, others find it overly repetitive and frustrating, particularly due to the recent changes in the skill and farming systems that have made progression feel artificially prolonged. Overall, the game is seen as more enjoyable when played with friends, as the cooperative experience can alleviate some of the grind's monotony.

    • “The crafting is fun but not tedious, the fighting is fair, and the exploration is fun as well.”
    • “It's the only open world survivalcraft game that didn't bore me to tears, offers up a lot of different ways to play, tons of points of interest to explore and loot, a balanced crafting system that isn't too tedious, and a gameplay loop that keeps things interesting for hours on end.”
    • “Game itself is very fun to play and has a solid but not tedious grind for progression.”
    • “The game's skill leveling system is such a tedious chore.”
    • “The new way for crafting levels is very tedious, and while I understand why they added it, it's more of a limiting factor to the game in the same way of them removing most armor slots.”
    • “The game has just become more tedious and less fun over the alpha updates.”
  • replayability
    2,601 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    "7 Days to Die" is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its procedurally generated worlds, diverse skill trees, and extensive modding support. Players appreciate the game's ability to offer new experiences with each playthrough, whether through different character builds, crafting options, or multiplayer interactions. While some users note that the game can become repetitive after extensive play, the overall consensus is that it provides a rich and engaging experience that keeps players returning for more.

    • “The game's open-world sandbox offers extensive crafting options and base-building mechanics, providing depth and replayability.”
    • “With its deep systems, intense survival mechanics, and endless replayability, it’s a must-play for fans of the genre.”
    • “The sheer amount of replayability and the sense of tension and accomplishment you get from surviving the zombie hordes is unmatched.”
    • “Especially if you've already played 1-2 sessions, there is 0 replay value with the current loot/explore system.”
    • “That being said, 'replayability' is about zero, especially if you make a base where you simply beat everything and everyone, and that's a 8x8x8 steel base.”
    • “The replayability of the game is completely gone now.”
  • humor
    2,442 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "7 Days to Die" is a standout feature, often described as chaotic and absurd, particularly when playing with friends. Players frequently highlight the game's ability to generate hilarious moments through glitches, unexpected zombie behavior, and the absurdity of survival scenarios, making it a source of laughter and memorable experiences. The combination of dark humor, silly character animations, and the unpredictable nature of gameplay contributes to its reputation as a fun, albeit janky, survival game.

    • “Hilariously fun with friends.”
    • “The situations you will find yourselves in can be hilarious.”
    • “It's a blast with friends, often leading to unexpected hilarious and memorable moments!”
    • “Just goes to show how unfunny it is to play a barely finished game, and with the development over the years - probably will never be finished.”
    • “The game is so bugged it's not funny.”
    • “The amount of reworks in this game is not funny.”
  • atmosphere
    1,366 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "7 Days to Die" is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively capturing the essence of a post-apocalyptic world filled with danger. Players appreciate the dynamic weather, day-night cycle, and detailed sound design that enhance the eerie and suspenseful environment, making every moment feel critical, especially during horde nights. While some critiques mention graphical limitations and occasional immersion-breaking elements, the overall consensus is that the game excels in creating a gripping and atmospheric survival experience.

    • “The atmosphere is tense and immersive, yet offers enough freedom to cater to different playstyles—whether you’re a lone survivor or prefer teaming up with friends.”
    • “The dynamic weather system and day-night cycle further enhance the atmosphere, adding a layer of realism to the desolate, haunting landscapes.”
    • “The atmosphere is one of the best parts; whether it’s the eerie silence of the wasteland or the tension of hiding from hordes during the night, the game truly nails the survival experience.”
    • “Honestly, 10 years in alpha and they didn't do the basics, still is one of my favorite games, but the moderation is pretty toxic, and this creates a bad atmosphere, I feel like I could use my time better in other games.”
    • “The late game is lacking in the oppressive atmosphere that you have in the early game where there are zombies everywhere and you are as robust as a wet napkin.”
    • “The overall aesthetic feels generic and uninspired, lacking the atmosphere and immersion necessary to truly engage players in the world of the game.”
  • music
    1,220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "7 Days to Die" receives mixed reviews from players. While some praise its atmospheric and immersive qualities, particularly during tense moments like horde nights, others find it repetitive and annoying, often opting to turn it off to focus on gameplay. The soundtrack is noted for enhancing the game's eerie ambiance, but many players express a desire for more variety and control over the audio settings.

    • “The soundtrack is immersive, and when you are doing single player it genuinely feels like you are the only living soul for miles.”
    • “The music is pure vibe when things are chill, and during the intense situations, the music really gets your heart racing.”
    • “The music and sound effects really do whatever they can to keep you constantly in a state of fear.”
    • “The music is terrible at the moment.”
    • “Grindy, boring, horrible sounds and music, feedback delay in single player, crafting chains make no sense.”
    • “The downside... only one I can ever think of .. is at night there is this loud constant whale of music that repeats over and over at random with no way to shut it off without turning off other important ambient sounds.”
  • monetization
    484 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a "cash grab" due to unfulfilled promises, price hikes, and a perceived lack of substantial updates after years in early access. While some players appreciate the absence of microtransactions, others express concern over aggressive advertising and the developers' focus on new projects rather than improving the existing game. Overall, the sentiment is that the game prioritizes profit over player satisfaction, leading to a lack of trust in the developers.

    • “This game was in development for years, but… even so, no skins, no microtransactions, no battle pass - nothing.”
    • “There are no microtransactions, which enhances the value, especially for long-time players.”
    • “On top of everything else, the developers have never added any microtransactions or DLC even though they continue to actively develop, improve, expand, and refine the game beyond anything I've seen outside of a free-to-play game.”
    • “While there is a bit of fun to be had in the game, it's obvious the 'cash grab pimps' have decided to promise things, take your money, and leave without adding the promised features.”
    • “This game has been frozen in time and they decided to just release it for a quick cash grab.”
    • “The upcoming release of 1.0 is nothing more than a blatant cash grab because the devs are running out of budget after spending 12 years developing this game.”
  • emotional
    312 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "7 Days to Die" elicits a wide range of responses from players, often described as an emotional rollercoaster that can provoke laughter, fear, and even tears. Many players express a deep connection to the game, feeling both joy and frustration as they navigate its challenges, while others lament the game's long development and technical issues that detract from their experience. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to create intense emotional moments, whether through the thrill of survival or the heartbreak of lost progress.

    • “I cried as I realized that she saw my lights and was desperately trying to make it to the safety of my home.”
    • “Few games can make you scream in terror one moment and laugh until you cry the next, but 7 Days to Die delivers this emotional rollercoaster with the precision of a zombie swinging a poorly-aimed punch.”
    • “This game takes you on an emotional ride the whole way from crying babies to the sound of dogs, fighting through many elements like hunger and thirst and proper building; this is Minecraft for adults!”
  • character development
    184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is noted for its variety and flexibility, allowing players to explore multiple skill trees and customize their characters according to personal play styles. However, some reviews express concerns that recent updates have simplified the system, making it feel less rewarding unless players adhere to specific paths. Overall, while the character development system offers depth and encourages teamwork, there are calls for improvements in character design and a more engaging progression experience.

    • “An astonishing world with a lot to explore, a rewarding character development system, and lots of things to try and build.”
    • “The game allows for character development the way the gamer wants and for your own imagination and intelligence to show in the game.”
    • “The new skills system actually helps character development and can be tailored to optimize based on your play style, enhancing many aspects including: weapons, physical attributes, mining, building, and even armor.”
    • “What started off as extremely flexible character development, crafting, and problem solving has now with v1.0 become overly simplistic and pointless unless you follow the path pre-planned for you.”
    • “I would describe this game as an RPG without a storyline or character development, and this seems to be the way TFP are moving with the next slated A21 release, forcing players into trader quests and going through POIs as opposed to allowing players to just go and get resources and build big bases to tackle the horde.”
    • “They took a game I loved and turned it into the cheap instant gratification of indoor zombie encounters fun for about 8 seconds, but I guess that's quick dopamine release mechanism gobbled up by 4th grade Fortnite players at the expense of discouraging any real character development and progression.”

Buy 7 Days to Die

182h Median play time
492h Average play time
54h Main story
397h Completionist
34-800h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2,342 analyzed playthroughs

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