How to Survive
- August 28, 2014
- Eko Software
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreHow to Survive is a zombie-themed survival game where you'll need to navigate through a deadly island, scavenge for resources, and craft weapons to defend yourself against the undead. With a distinctively dark humor and a challenging crafting system, players must strategize and make difficult decisions to stay alive. Owners of the first game receive a special armor set as a bonus in this standalone version.
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- story2,050 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in "How to Survive" is generally perceived as minimal and lacking depth, primarily serving as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus. Players often describe it as a series of repetitive fetch quests with a predictable plot, featuring a few humorous elements and quirky characters, but ultimately feeling shallow and uninspired. While some enjoy the crafting and survival mechanics, many agree that the narrative does not significantly enhance the overall experience, making it more of a casual zombie-killing game than a story-driven adventure.
“I really enjoy that you have enough side quests to feel like there's more to the game but can choose to beat the game story mode if you'd like.”
“The story is quite good, sometimes it can make you laugh.”
“The game has an intriguing story mode and survival elements that are factored through the story.”
“Limited storyline: the narrative is minimal and does not provide much depth or motivation for players.”
“The story is empty and devoid of any real plot, the characters are undeveloped, and the quests are stuffed with backtracking through the bland cookie cutter islands.”
“The story is incredibly boring.”
- gameplay1,118 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "How to Survive" is characterized by its blend of crafting, scavenging, and survival mechanics, which add depth to the zombie survival genre. Players appreciate the cooperative multiplayer aspect, though many note that the core gameplay loop can become repetitive over time, with fetch quests and basic graphics detracting from the overall experience. While the crafting system is seen as enjoyable and essential, some players find the survival mechanics superficial and the gameplay lacking in excitement, leading to mixed reviews on its long-term engagement.
“Players appreciate the depth it brings to the zombie survival genre, offering more than just typical zombie smashing with its detailed gameplay mechanics.”
“The core gameplay revolves around scavenging for materials, crafting weapons and tools, and managing vital stats like hunger, thirst, and fatigue.”
“How to survive offers a solid and enjoyable survival experience with its crafting system, survival mechanics, and cooperative multiplayer.”
“Repetitive gameplay: the core loop of scavenging and crafting can become repetitive over time.”
“The gameplay isn't exciting, just a series of fetch quests.”
“The gameplay is uninteresting, and I got too annoyed before I could finish an hour of gameplay.”
- graphics704 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as functional but not groundbreaking, with many reviewers noting that they are serviceable yet dated, often reminiscent of older titles. While some players appreciate the atmospheric visuals and detail in environments, others criticize the lack of graphical options and the presence of glitches. Overall, the graphics are seen as adequate for gameplay, but they do not stand out in comparison to more modern titles.
“I was amazed by the graphics, they looked very realistic to me... the water, the trees, the animals, the little safe zones, the characters themselves and every other graphic-related detail... you guys did a great job there.”
“The graphics are good, love that there is some crafting in it and like the fight combinations.”
“The presentation and graphics are very solid, and especially when the daytime and/or weather changes, the lighting effects are beautiful.”
“Basic graphics: while serviceable, the graphics are not particularly impressive by modern standards.”
“Level design feels like it was done by an 8-year-old, sound design is non-existent - chock-full of the most overused stock sound effects, graphics are rough even by 2013's standards - other indie games that came out that year include The Stanley Parable, Gone Home, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs which is to say there's really no excuse how this game looks so 2003.”
“Where should I start… the graphics are extremely weak, without any polish or additional design.”
- humor546 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, often described as self-aware and satirical, particularly through the character Kovac and the survival guide's comedic elements. Players appreciate the blend of dark humor with absurdity, making for entertaining dialogue and situations, although some find the humor can become repetitive or forced over time. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy a lighthearted take on the zombie survival genre, especially in co-op play.
“The humor gives the game a unique tone to the zombie genre as it is self-aware and satirical.”
“The manual is written by a loony survival expert named Kovac, and each chapter is hilariously written, narrated, and animated.”
“The little touches of humor make this game great.”
“Other than that the environments look rather samey after a while, the enemy models are somewhat limited, sound assets are not the best, the 'funny manual' is not funny and the controls could be better.”
“It is supposed to be funny, but in fact it really isn't.”
“Was the voice acting supposed to be funny?”
- music174 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the eerie ambient sounds that enhance the survival atmosphere, while others criticize it for being repetitive and forgettable. Many users noted that the soundtrack lacks variety, often repeating the same few tracks, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while some find the music fitting for certain moments, a significant portion of players consider it annoying and low-quality.
“The sound design complements the visuals with eerie ambient noises and unsettling music that enhance the tension of the survival experience.”
“The day and night cycle is pretty cool, and things do get very tense with the nightfall soundtrack that always put me on edge.”
“The music is great and sets the tone of what's happening on screen.”
“The music on any of the screens is the same song over and over, and it's a boring song.”
“The soundtrack was repetitive - I only heard maybe 2-3 songs in the game in total.”
“First off, there is the god awful 'music' I very quickly had to mute it because it had quickly surpassed what was annoying.”
- stability148 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly in co-op mode, making it frustrating for many players. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these issues, the overall sentiment leans towards it being unpolished and often unplayable, especially in multiplayer settings. Many reviewers express a desire for improvements in stability, indicating that the current state detracts significantly from the gaming experience.
“It runs fine with minimal to no glitches; the actual gameplay feels tight enough and well put together.”
“Unfortunately, the PC version of HTS is lagging, with many glitches that make it uncomfortable to play with friends.”
“The entire game felt buggy and unpolished, which was the biggest turn-off for me.”
“It freezes all the time, lags out, and sometimes crashes.”
- replayability124 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the engaging crafting system, character variety, and challenge modes that enhance replay value, while others criticize the short story mode and lack of significant new content after completion. Many reviews highlight that replayability can vary greatly depending on individual preferences, with some finding it enjoyable to replay with different characters or higher difficulty settings, while others feel it lacks depth and becomes repetitive. Overall, the presence of DLCs and co-op modes can add to the replay experience, but many agree that the game may not offer extensive replayability on its own.
“The crafting system is fun, the game has a lot of content when you add the DLC, and with online co-op there is a lot of replayability.”
“With two current DLCs, another set to release, and future expansions planned, this game packs plenty of replay value and is fun from start to finish.”
“Each character has different sets of abilities, adding to replayability.”
“Although you will not find much story or replayability in this game, it is very much a one-time playthrough.”
“This game has no replay value.”
“For a start, it is short and has little or no replay value; it has really quite small limits on the character progression (you can max in a few levels) and the game is easy.”
- grinding112 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later stages where fetch quests and survival mechanics become burdensome. While some enjoy the initial gameplay and crafting elements, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration with the excessive grinding required for progression, leading to a diminished enjoyment of the game. Players have noted that the combat and inventory management can also contribute to a sense of monotony, making the experience feel less engaging over time.
“The quests started getting tedious; there were no more weapons to build, and killing zombies was not fun anymore.”
“However, in the end, I was left with a sour taste in my mouth from all the grinding and repetitive, redundant fetch quests and zombie killing. Whenever I see it in my library, I cringe just a little on the inside because I could have spent my money on better.”
“I felt as though I was grinding trivial quests rather than surviving; the food, hunger, and sleep mechanics can be a pain for the most part.”
- atmosphere96 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its engaging visuals and immersive survival elements, particularly during nighttime and stormy weather, which enhance the sense of danger. However, the audio experience is often criticized for being inconsistent, with generic sound effects and a lack of diverse music that detracts from the overall ambiance. While some players appreciate the blend of crafting and survival mechanics, others feel that the game's tonal shifts between horror and comedy disrupt the atmospheric experience.
“The atmosphere is cool, but it gets a bit stale in the music department.”
“Of course the time changes from day to night and that is when you can really notice the nice atmosphere: creeping zombies, your flashlight, the music...”
“How to survive has a creepy atmosphere (especially at night and during thunderstorms), a user-friendly crafting system and pleasant gameplay.”
“The sound effects are generic, there is practically no music in the game, and the 'songs' or 'BGM' that are present are just weird sounds that I guess the developers thought would add to the atmosphere.”
“While Kovac’s voice acting is comedic gold, I think the atmosphere of the game is quite inconsistent if you’re going to judge it by listening to the audio.”
“Much of the dark atmosphere is lost with kooky things, like your guide Kovac and a monkey.”
- optimization54 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 48 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe performance issues, including lag, low frame rates, and unresponsive controls. Players have noted that the game struggles to run smoothly even on modern systems, often feeling like it was designed for outdated hardware. Overall, the lack of proper optimization significantly detracts from the gaming experience, making it difficult to recommend.
“The game looks beautiful, it runs smoothly and it is pure joy, from start to finish.”
“Game runs smoothly, I didn't encounter any bugs and after you're done with story mode, you can try to play in local co-op, co-op, and multiplayer.”
“The co-op is fun and seems to run smoothly.”
“Inexplicably bad performance.”
“The game also suffers from being ridden with bugs and is also terribly unoptimized.”
“Terrible performance for how ugly it looks, terrible UI and controls that simply never do what you need them to.”
- emotional22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 45 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with players noting a lack of emotional attachment due to a poorly developed storyline and characters. While some moments attempt to evoke feelings, they often fall flat due to shoddy writing and repetitive gameplay, leading to frustration rather than genuine emotional engagement. Overall, the game struggles to create a meaningful emotional experience, leaving players feeling disconnected.
“Somewhat frustrating as the game is relatively difficult and when you grind over an hour without being able to lag over to a save point and the game times out, you kind of want to cry.”
“I laughed... I cried... I died... over and over, hard game I like it.”
“It is an afterthought, but I find it hilarious considering that at certain moments the storyline wants to be emotional, but fails miserably because of shoddy writing.”
“Incredibly boring story, horrible combat mechanics, ridiculously difficult.”
“Boring storyline (the only reason I kept playing the missions is because I loved killing zombies with my bow).”
“People who played Crimsonland and thought to themselves - 'yeah this is ok, but what it really needs is fewer enemies on screen, a boring storyline and some fiddly inventory management and crafting.'”
- character development8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The character development in the game has been widely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of background and depth for the four playable characters, leading to a poor overall presentation. While some opinions suggest that character development is acceptable, the prevailing sentiment highlights it as one of the weakest aspects of the game.
“Character development is also good.”
“You play as one of four characters, who, with no prior background or character development, are supposed to survive a zombie apocalypse on an island.”
“You play as one of four characters, who, with no prior background nor character development, are supposed to survive a zombie apocalypse on an island.”
“Worst character development I've seen in a while.”
“- bad character development/presentation.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for feeling like a cash grab, with excessive promotion of a survival guide overshadowing gameplay. Players noted that the lack of substantial advertising prior to release did not justify the game's pricing, leading to disappointment. Additionally, some found the control scheme awkward, further detracting from the overall experience.
“Next was the survival guide, which I know was supposed to be the point of the game, but they spend more time advertising the book than they do anything else, which quickly gets old.”
“Making this game feel like a cash grab, the Xbox controls also feel awkward to me as you push the right bumper to attack and 'B' to access the menu.”
“This game is an example that really didn't receive much publication or advertisement, but I purchased it on impulse because I liked what I saw and read.”
