Infection Free Zone
- April 11, 2024
- Jutsu Games
- 9h median play time
In "Infection Free Zone," players must survive in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by a deadly virus. Choose any location in the real world and build shelters, production facilities, and defenses to establish an infection-free zone. Manage resources like electricity, water, and food to ensure the survival of you and your group. Fight off aggressive and strong infected enemies to stay alive.
Reviews
- Unique concept of playing in real-world locations adds immersion and excitement.
- Engaging gameplay with a mix of resource management, base building, and tactical decision-making.
- Regular updates from developers show commitment to improving the game and addressing player feedback.
- Game suffers from bugs and performance issues, especially in late-game with high populations.
- Repetitive gameplay loop can lead to boredom after a few hours, lacking long-term objectives.
- Micromanagement of squads and resources can become tedious, with no automation options available.
- gameplay520 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Infection Free Zone" is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and a unique premise that allows players to establish bases in real-world locations. While the core gameplay loop of scavenging, resource management, and base building is generally enjoyable, many players note that it can become repetitive and lacks depth as they progress. Additionally, issues such as bugs, micromanagement challenges, and a need for more content and mechanics have been highlighted, suggesting that while the game shows promise, it requires further refinement and expansion to fully realize its potential.
“The gameplay is fun and replayable; I have about 30 hours in this game, and I have a fortress. I've passed day 50 and I'm entering late game.”
“Overall, 'Infection Free Zone' is a standout entry in the strategy genre, offering a compelling blend of strategic depth and immersive gameplay.”
“The core gameplay loop is similar to any colony-builder, but with a more RTS/RRT bent to it.”
“Infection Free Zone does almost nothing new with zombies and with its mechanics.”
“The gameplay is honestly rather basic.”
“The current gameplay experience offers a taste of what's to come, with promising updates on the horizon.”
- story438 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is currently viewed as limited and repetitive, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of depth and variety in missions. While some find the initial narrative engaging, it quickly becomes stale as quests often bug out or become uncompletable, leading to a sense of stagnation. Players are hopeful for future updates that will expand the storyline and introduce more dynamic events to enhance the overall experience.
“The storyline is beautifully crafted, adding depth to the gameplay.”
“I enjoy the story, and that it's not just another undead zombie game.”
“The story is really limited so far, and there's nothing really in-game to let you know when you've come to the end of what's there, or any conclusion to anything really; events just sort of... stop.”
“The story feels basic and underdeveloped, leaving me hoping for more depth in future updates.”
“The missions are the same every map pretty much, and the only real goal I can see for when to call it is when your zone can produce enough food for you to stop scavenging.”
- stability150 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent crashes, hard freezes, and various bugs that hinder gameplay. While some players acknowledge the fun aspects and potential of the game, they emphasize that it remains in a very buggy state, often rendering it nearly unplayable. Overall, the consensus is that while the developers are actively working on fixes, the game currently requires substantial optimization and bug resolution.
“Fun game, needs some work yet but it's basically bug free with a relatively unique take on the zombie survival setting.”
“It is not bug free but I am finding fewer bugs than AAA games that have been published recently, and the team is quickly addressing issues.”
“The game runs great, plays great, and there is a lot of content to interact with - do not get me wrong, it's not an incomplete mess.”
“This game is so buggy, nearly unplayable.”
“No clue what happened, but anytime I try to load a map or create a new game, the entire game crashes and then glitches out my computer to where I have to restart it.”
“The game is in a very buggy and poorly polished state, with no balancing.”
- graphics115 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them serviceable but lacking in detail and polish, while others appreciate the unique use of real-world geographic data. Many users report performance issues, particularly when scaling up gameplay, leading to significant frame rate drops even on high-end systems. Overall, while the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they are deemed functional for the gameplay experience, though there is a consensus that improvements are needed in both aesthetics and optimization.
“From the outset, 'Infection Free Zone' impresses with its polished graphics and intuitive interface.”
“The ability to build and defend your base feels refreshingly different, enhanced by realistic graphics that perfectly suit the game's atmosphere.”
“Graphically, it's brilliant, smooth, and runs without issue; the art team deserves a pat on the back for their work.”
“I would like to express my disbelief on the game graphics, it is horrendous. I have played 20+ year old games that look better.”
“The graphics are very poor and the gameplay alongside the graphics makes the game look and feel like a Facebook game.”
“The graphics/visuals/aesthetics look stale and bland, I imagine this would fatigue me had I played longer as it looks like it never changes... every location (USA, China, my hometown, etc.) is basically the same.”
- grinding105 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game where micromanagement becomes overwhelming. The need for constant resource gathering, manual squad management, and inefficient farming mechanics contribute to a sense of frustration, with many reviewers calling for quality of life improvements to reduce the grind. While the initial gameplay is engaging, the lack of automation and the slow pace of resource acquisition lead to a feeling of stagnation and diminished enjoyment over time.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Not too grindy.”
“With only 100 workers grinding away at it (an appropriate late-game number), this thing would take 43.56 in-game days to fully scavenge (seeing as how late game is about day 100, that's still a massive time investment).”
“While the game is initially enjoyable, the repetitive nature of micromanagement can quickly become tedious.”
“The game at its current state is interesting for a few hours, at a new location, then it starts to get very tedious and repetitive.”
- optimization85 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a significant concern among users, with many reporting severe performance issues, particularly as settlements grow larger. Players experience lag, stuttering, and crashes, especially on lower-end systems, indicating that the game is not well-optimized for a range of hardware. While some improvements have been noted after patches, the consensus is that extensive optimization work is still needed to enhance overall gameplay experience.
“More than hoping for more content, I would like to see a more optimized run-time behavior.”
“Despite minor glitches and memory issues, the game runs smoothly.”
“I can see the potential of this game, and as a software engineer, I can sense that the dev is prioritizing the feature & storyline more than optimization.”
“This is a big performance issue that urgently needs to be fixed.”
“Game performance is horrific; once you scale up your zone, you're constantly around 20fps with an RTX 4080 and Ryzen 7800X3D, which hover around 20-40% utilization (graphics settings don't seem to impact anything).”
“I really want to like this game, and at times I do... but it's barely playable in the current state due to many bugs and performance issues.”
- replayability57 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While many players appreciate the ability to explore different real-world locations and the potential for endless gameplay through map generation, others find the experience repetitive due to a lack of varied objectives and scripted story events. Improvements in content and mechanics are needed to enhance long-term replay value, but the foundation for replayability is strong, especially with future updates.
“The inclusion of various difficulty levels and optional objectives adds to the replayability, offering a range of experiences for both newcomers and seasoned strategists.”
“The randomly generated maps provide endless replayability, and I appreciate the depth added by squad customization.”
“With the world to set up at, the replayability is pretty much endless because each new area presents a different challenge you can do in a new way.”
“The half-baked unfinished story is scripted with zero variations to it, so replayability is nil.”
“Replay value is near zero because even if you select another city, you'll end up doing exactly the same boring and repetitive things until you explore your initial tiles and find out expeditions are too slow to keep your encampment alive.”
“It can be a bit rough around the edges, but the replayability is endless with the design of the game and core components.”
- music29 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in "Infection Free Zone" is generally praised for enhancing the game's tension and immersion, with many players enjoying the ambient soundtrack and its ability to complement the high-stakes atmosphere. While some users appreciate the customizable soundtrack feature and the eerie, war-like feeling the music evokes, others find certain tracks repetitive or tedious over time. Overall, the sound design effectively contributes to the gaming experience, though there are calls for more variety and additional tracks.
“The sound design and music in 'Infection Free Zone' contribute to the overall tension and immersion.”
“The music complements the game beautifully, adding an eerie yet war-like feeling that heightens the gaming experience.”
“The soundtrack has a few real bangers that I found myself really enjoying even hours in.”
“The music is annoying, commanding squads is cumbersome, the tech and build trees are limited, and there are some issues with the objectives.”
“Music and sound effects need work as well, where the music becomes tedious very quickly and the sound effects are bland.”
“The voice lines and music are repetitive and could use some additions.”
- humor26 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- -8 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its absurd scenarios and quirky AI behaviors, such as soldiers running out of ammo while facing hordes and cars inexplicably driving on water. Players find the game's mechanics, like the slow pace of tasks and the bizarre interactions with the environment, to be both frustrating and amusing. Overall, while the game has significant issues, its comedic elements and potential for fun keep players engaged.
“Overall at this point, it's a funny game with a lot of potential carried by the map feature.”
“Like if you send them to a car from that building, they will then proceed to run back and forth like they're trying to steal the resources the builders are taking over to build there (which was hilarious the first few times).”
“The game just crashed like 4 times on me and the crash report is too funny: it crashed because of the crash report function?”
“That's not smooth, that's not funny; that's a pain in the... the storytelling I already mentioned.”
“The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, making the experience more cringeworthy than enjoyable.”
“I expected some laughs, but the jokes were stale and the punchlines predictable.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating environment, effectively enhancing the overall experience with a gritty, post-apocalyptic vibe. The ambient soundtrack and sound effects contribute to a high-stakes tension, while the visuals, despite some fidelity issues, create a detailed and engaging world. Players appreciate the balance of intensity and strategic gameplay, making the atmosphere a standout feature that draws them into the narrative and survival elements.
“The ambient soundtrack complements the high-stakes atmosphere of the game, while the sound effects effectively convey the urgency of the situation.”
“The management aspect is fantastic and the atmosphere really does feel modern post-apocalyptic.”
“Visually, Infection Free Zone delivers a gritty and atmospheric world rendered in stunning detail.”
“It has an atmosphere to its visuals, but its fidelity is still quite low.”
“It's understandable that this is to create a sense of despair and doomsday atmosphere, but not all players like to pay for a game just to suffer.”
“2 - either removing VAs outside of America or trying to recruit some additional VAs, as when I launched into the UK, I was not expecting an all-American team of survivors, which kind of ruined the atmosphere.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with users labeling it as overpriced and expressing concerns that it may be a cash grab, especially in its early access phase. While some players appreciate the absence of pay-to-win mechanics, the overall sentiment suggests skepticism about the developers' commitment and the potential for future microtransactions.
“Microtransactions/pay to win concepts - 10/10 - none that I know of at this moment, so that is always a plus.”
“What's even better is that it's a new game where you don't have to read through reviews and Steam discussions full of people complaining about enemy variety and microtransactions!”
“Waaaaay overpriced and in such an early phase I fear this game will be left behind by the devs as they move on to other quick cash grabs.”
“Just a cash grab release!”
“This is just a cash grab.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game resonates deeply with players, evoking feelings of abandonment and the struggle to rebuild and defend a home. However, some users find the experience frustrating and unplayable, which detracts from the overall emotional engagement.
“Really clicks with me emotionally, like my home was actually abandoned and I have to not only build from ground zero, but to constantly defend it.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players feel that while the game utilizes environmental storytelling and journal entries effectively, it lacks sufficient depth in character development, leaving some wanting a more robust exploration of the characters' backgrounds and growth.
“The plot unfolds primarily through environmental storytelling and scattered journal entries, leaving some players wishing for more depth and character development.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional, lacking the complexity and growth that would make their journeys more engaging.”
“Despite the intriguing premise, the character arcs are predictable and fail to evolve in a meaningful way throughout the game.”