State of Decay

About

State of Decay is an open-world survival horror game set in a zombie apocalypse. Manage a group of survivors, fortify your base, and explore a vast, dynamic world. Fight hordes of zombies, scavenge for supplies, and make decisions that determine your group's fate in this thrilling, immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 17,692 reviews

story938 positive mentions

stability927 negative mentions

story
6,434 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
77%
9%
The story in "State of Decay" is generally viewed as serviceable but lacking depth, with many players noting its predictability and reliance on typical zombie apocalypse tropes. While the game features a main storyline that introduces players to the mechanics and characters, it often feels overshadowed by repetitive side missions and a lack of character development, leading to a sense of detachment from the narrative. Overall, the gameplay mechanics and survival elements are praised, but the story itself is often seen as a secondary concern, with many players preferring the sandbox experience offered by the DLCs.
- “Absolutely incredible game, one of the best, if not the best zombie-oriented TPS, RPG, survival, resource management video game out there. When you play it, you can see that the devs poured their soul into this game, despite its certain clunkiness on animations and story part. It's so great to play that you don't even notice this, because of its incredible and addictive gameplay, atmosphere, soundtrack, and to an extent graphics that still hold up very well after 10 years on max and ultra settings, especially during daylight.”
- “The attention to detail in the game's environmental design and the variety of mission types ensure that players are constantly faced with new challenges and opportunities for exploration, making each playthrough a unique and thrilling adventure.”
- “With its immersive gameplay, strategic depth, and engaging storytelling, State of Decay stands as a testament to the evolving and innovative nature of the survival game genre.”
- “Story-wise, the game does not offend but neither does it excite.”
- “The overall story, not just the companion dialogue, isn't very in depth either.”
- “To say the least, the story elements are not the strong parts of this game, and the second game didn't have any story at all for a long time.”
gameplay
2,889 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The gameplay of "State of Decay" is characterized by its engaging mechanics that blend survival, resource management, and community building within a zombie apocalypse setting. Players appreciate the depth of gameplay, including permadeath, scavenging, and base-building, which create a tense and immersive experience, although many note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time. While the game has its share of bugs and clunky mechanics, the overall fun and addictive nature of the gameplay often outweighs these issues, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.
- “Absolutely incredible game, one of the best, if not the best zombie-oriented TPS, RPG, survival, resource management video game out there. When you play it, you can see that the devs poured their soul into this game. Despite its certain clunkiness in animations and story, it's so great to play that you don't even notice this, because of its incredible and addictive gameplay, atmosphere, soundtrack, and to an extent, graphics (that still hold up very well after 10 years on max and ultra settings, especially during daylight).”
- “I enjoyed managing my resources and building up my community, and the randomized events kept the gameplay feeling fresh and unpredictable.”
- “The gameplay is fun, suspenseful, and sometimes risks need to be taken to survive.”
- “The AI was also often simplistic and unresponsive, which made the gameplay feel repetitive and predictable at times.”
- “Repetitive, boring gameplay.”
- “The gameplay dried up quickly and just ended up becoming a repetitive drag.”
graphics
1,999 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
The graphics of "State of Decay" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and often lack polish, especially when compared to modern titles. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and art style, others criticize the graphical glitches, low resolution, and overall performance issues, particularly on higher settings. Despite these shortcomings, many players find the gameplay engaging enough to overlook the visual flaws, especially in the context of its survival mechanics and open-world design.
- “Its vast scope, boundless possibilities, breathtaking visuals, and thriving community make it a standout masterpiece on the Steam platform.”
- “Absolutely incredible game, one of the best, if not the best zombie-oriented TPS, RPG, survival, resource management video game out there. When you play it, you can see that the devs poured their soul into this game. Despite its certain clunkiness in animations and story, it's so great to play that you don't even notice this, because of its incredible and addictive gameplay, atmosphere, soundtrack, and to an extent, graphics (that still hold up very well after 10 years on max and ultra settings, especially during daylight).”
- “Graphics are nice considering the age of the game.”
- “The graphics are really dated, even setting everything to max still looks pretty bad.”
- “Terrible graphics unable to customize graphics.”
- “The graphics may be a bit of a letdown and non-gamebreaking bugs may appear from time to time, but none of this should stop you from enjoying a zombie experience that can be endlessly replayable.”
stability
955 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The stability of "State of Decay" has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and technical issues that significantly detract from the gameplay experience. Common complaints include zombies clipping through walls, erratic AI behavior, and frequent crashes, leading many to describe the game as a "buggy mess." Despite these issues, some players find the overall experience enjoyable and recommend it to those who can overlook the technical shortcomings.
- “It's pretty bug free though.”
- “Overall, I give it a 9/10 because it is mostly bug free - no game breaking ones that I've seen, and most of them are just normal stuff like AI pathing or a zombie falling down under the terrain and they are fairly rare.”
- “Very polished, I have hours and hours into it with no glitches or bugs.”
- “However, the game also suffered from several technical issues, including frequent bugs and glitches that detracted from the overall experience.”
- “The game was impossible to complete due to various bugs and glitches.”
- “Worse yet, they completely abandoned this bug-ridden nightmare.”
replayability
402 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
3%
The game's replayability is generally regarded as high, particularly when enhanced by the "Breakdown" DLC, which introduces new challenges and gameplay modes. Players appreciate the randomness in NPC spawning and loot, which keeps each playthrough fresh, although some note that the base game can feel repetitive without the expansions. Overall, while the game offers significant replay value, especially for those who enjoy sandbox-style survival gameplay, some players feel that the lack of multiplayer options and limited map variety detracts from its long-term appeal.
- “There is near-endless replayability and it is just overall a very fun game.”
- “The game is fun, complete and has a ton of replayability and is a cool innovation over the generic zombie games being shoved out these days.”
- “The additional content and replayability added by the breakdown and lifeline DLC are fantastic too!”
- “Not a lot of replayability without the DLC; however, the quality is great, and the few bugs are forgivable.”
- “It can get fairly repetitive, and with little replayability, you can't help but feel the game is a little hollow.”
- “The main game does not have a lot of replay value; get the breakdown DLC if you can.”
optimization
279 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
45%
42%
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting serious performance issues, including frame drops, stuttering, and bugs that hinder gameplay. While some users noted that minor tweaks could improve performance, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for PC, often feeling like a subpar console port. Despite its enjoyable gameplay, the lack of proper optimization has led to frustration among players, particularly those with lower-end systems.
- “The year one edition is optimized for DX11 and up.”
- “A solid performance.”
- “Great, but has optimization issues.”
- “A menagerie of good ideas poorly implemented, embarrassing optimization failures and gameplay mechanics that fail to mesh with each other properly; the potential was there, the follow-through however was not.”
- “The game was a mediocre console port, with glaring issues for the PC (performance, graphics, controls, interface/gui, etc.) while most issues weren't completely game-breaking, they added up to enough to make me quit the game until proper support was released.”
- “Poorly optimized, buggier than a family picnic in the rainforest, and poor controls make what could've been an excellent game clunky and unenjoyable.”
atmosphere
252 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense portrayal of a zombie apocalypse, effectively capturing feelings of danger and urgency. Players appreciate the detailed environments, sound design, and the emotional weight of survival mechanics, which enhance the overall experience despite some technical flaws. While the graphics may not be groundbreaking, the game's atmosphere, combined with engaging gameplay and a compelling soundtrack, creates a captivating and addictive experience.
- “The atmosphere is real creepy.”
- “The developers really nailed the atmosphere of the game world and features both dense forests and urban towns all ripe for scavenging.”
- “It has a great atmosphere and intensity.”
- “The atmosphere of the game, the feeling of constant danger and impending doom, and the fact that all choices you make lead to a permanent outcome due to the autosave only function... it's an incredible experience.”
- “I feel like I'm playing a glorified arcade game which in itself is not a bad thing but this game is marketed as open world and while that is true it really, really lacks atmosphere and immersion.”
- “The ever-present moaning and shuffling of the zombies adds to the atmosphere enormously as you can't tell if they're outside or it's a case of 'I don't think I'm alone in here'.”
music
201 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and how it enhances the overall experience, particularly during tense moments. While some find the soundtrack composed by Jesper Kyd to be engaging and fitting for the game's themes, others feel it can be repetitive or overshadowed by in-game sounds. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a solid complement to the gameplay, though some players prefer to mute it in favor of their own selections.
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, keeping the calm moments calm and the thrill to danger when zeds are nearby.”
- “Nice, comfy music plays when you're at the base during daytime upgrading things or just hanging around, a nice ambience plays while you're out exploring, grim, 'darker' music plays when you're in the middle of battle against overwhelming odds.”
- “Music is especially commendable when it can have a range of relaxing tunes when driving around the countryside, to heart-pounding tunes when faced with a horde of zombies.”
- “I usually turn the music off instantly when I start a game for the first time.”
- “Because every game developer likes to have their games start with music blasting at 100%.”
- “I can't say much about the music score though, as it's been months since I muted the game's music in favor of my own.”
grinding
189 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and repetitive, with many players noting that while the initial gameplay is enjoyable, it quickly devolves into a cycle of monotonous tasks and missions. Players express frustration over the lack of meaningful progression and the necessity of repeatedly scavenging for resources, which can feel like a never-ending chore. Despite these criticisms, some players still find enjoyment in the game's mechanics and the challenge of survival, suggesting that the experience may vary based on individual preferences for grinding in gameplay.
- “It's just tedious and like running on a hamster wheel, with no sense of progression or end-goal.”
- “The actual game is tedious and repetitive.”
- “This game was fun for a while but after the 2-4 hour 'new game' feel wore off the gameplay seemed to get repetitive, tedious and relatively unfun.”
emotional
125 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
10%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its strong character development and the weight of player decisions, which can lead to heart-wrenching moments, especially when characters face permanent loss. Players often feel a deep attachment to their survivors, making the stakes of survival feel personal and impactful, though some critiques mention a lack of emotional investment due to character immaturity or repetitive story elements. Overall, the game successfully evokes a range of emotions, from elation to despair, making it a memorable experience for those who engage with its narrative and mechanics.
- “Furthermore, the game's strong character development and personal storylines make each survivor feel unique and valuable, fostering a sense of attachment and responsibility that adds emotional depth to the gameplay.”
- “This game will break you, this game will enrage you, and this game will test your mental and emotional strength.”
- “Because of the time spent with your survivors, you can really form an emotional bond with them over time, and it can be especially heartbreaking when they die.”
- “Over and over and over again, the same old boring story.”
- “To summarize, the game has a lot of potential; however, due to the technical issues and a boring story, this game falls short of being a must-have.”
- “Laggy, outdated graphics, crappy controls, boring story.”
humor
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players noting both intentional comedic elements and unintentional hilarity stemming from bugs and glitches. While some find the interactions with survivors and the absurdity of certain situations amusing, others feel that the humor can be overshadowed by frustration from gameplay issues. Overall, the game balances dark humor with lighthearted moments, making it entertaining despite its flaws.
- “There's plenty of humor though when interacting with survivors.”
- “The ragdoll physics are hilarious.”
- “Maintains a reasonable balance between the somber, tense battles for survival with a lighter humor during character interactions and base-building.”
- “But there are so many glitches it's not funny.”
- “It's better to say not funny but maybe more human-like.”
character development
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
68%
11%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it shallow and lacking depth, making it difficult to form attachments to characters. While there are moments of strong character development and unique backstories that add emotional weight, many reviews highlight a general absence of compelling narratives and character arcs. Overall, the game offers a variety of gameplay elements, but character development often feels secondary to other mechanics like base building and resource management.
- “Furthermore, the game's strong character development and personal storylines make each survivor feel unique and valuable, fostering a sense of attachment and responsibility that adds emotional depth to the gameplay.”
- “With its intricate survival mechanics, compelling character development, and dynamic open world, State of Decay sets a new standard for what a truly immersive and engaging survival game should be.”
- “There is so much character development and macro management in this game that you really feel like you're 'surviving' rather than adventuring.”
- “While the game had an interesting premise, the lack of a compelling story and character development left me feeling somewhat detached from the world and its inhabitants.”
- “There is almost no character development, so you will not find an RPG element there.”
- “I found it generally hard to bond with almost all of the individuals in my group (I ended up with 22 survivors) and in fact only interacted with a couple of them regularly - character development and depth does not have a big part of play.”
monetization
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized by users, who label it as a "cash grab" that prioritizes profit over quality and customer satisfaction. Many reviewers express disappointment in the publisher's tactics, feeling that the focus on quick financial gain has led to neglect of necessary updates and bug fixes, ultimately damaging their trust in the brand.
- “I felt the need to write a review that criticized the underhanded tactics and cash grabbing of the publisher.”
- “Shame on you Udlabs for not fixing bugs and going for a cash grab instead.”
- “After the cash grab and leaving their customers behind, I unfortunately lost all interest in SOD and lost more with Undead Labs as a brand.”