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Undying

Undying offers one of the most authentic survival games I've played, with fantastic gameplay and a story that sticks with you for a long time.
Undying Game Cover
79%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, atmosphere
82% User Score Based on 265 reviews
Critic Score 67%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCXboxWindows
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Undying Game Cover

About

Undying is a single player survival role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Vanimals and was released on October 19, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Infected by a zombie bite, Anling's days are numbered. She must now fight to survive, not for herself but her young son, Cody. Ensure Cody's survival in this zombie infested world by protecting him, searching for safety, and teaching him valuable skills, at any cost.

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Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
Undying screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 265 reviews
story58 positive mentions
grinding16 negative mentions
  • Unique and emotional storyline that focuses on the relationship between a mother and her son in a zombie apocalypse.
  • Engaging gameplay mechanics that require resource management and teaching skills to the child, adding depth to the survival experience.
  • Charming art style and sound design that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • Gameplay can become tedious due to resource scarcity and the overwhelming number of symptoms that can hinder progress.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and can lead to frustration, especially when dealing with multiple enemies.
  • The game lacks clear guidance and has several bugs, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • story
    156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Undying" is a poignant exploration of a mother's love for her son amidst a zombie apocalypse, featuring emotional depth and character development that resonates with players. However, many reviewers noted that the gameplay mechanics, particularly resource management and quest design, often detract from the narrative experience, making it difficult to fully engage with the story. While the premise is compelling and the emotional stakes are high, the execution can feel disjointed and frustrating, leaving some players wanting a more polished storytelling experience.

    • “The game weaves a rich tapestry of plot twists, character development, and unexpected turns that elevate it beyond the typical gaming experience.”
    • “Undying truly excels in delivering a story that is not only entertaining but also thought-provoking.”
    • “This is a very moving story of a mother and son surviving the zombie apocalypse.”
    • “I already had some minor concerns, but having to spend around 10 hours in-game traveling to the police station for 4 or 5 days, just to repeat a poorly designed cooking quest and do nothing else was infuriating.”
    • “The story is rubbish!”
    • “It's hard to get emotionally connected to anything when there's not much of a story being told besides the relationship between son and mom, and it's nowhere near the quality of The Walking Dead Season 1.”
  • gameplay
    87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Undying" has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its innovative mechanics and emotional storytelling, particularly the unique mother-son dynamic and survival elements. However, many have criticized the lack of clear explanations for core mechanics, leading to confusion and frustration, especially as the game progresses. While the combat and resource management aspects show potential, they often feel clunky or tedious, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “This immersive experience not only offers thrilling gameplay but also boasts a captivating narrative that keeps players hooked from start to finish.”
    • “It offers a fresh take on the survival genre by intertwining mechanics with a powerful narrative, making it a must-play for those who appreciate games with a strong emotional core and thought-provoking themes.”
    • “Undying offers one of the most authentic survival games I've played, with fantastic gameplay and a story that sticks with you for a long time.”
    • “There's nothing that explains a lot of the core mechanics.”
    • “You simply do not have enough time to explore all this game has to offer without getting overwhelmed, especially when by its own mechanics, you can't do anything past midnight without taking a major risk.”
    • “First 20 in-game days were fine, after that the lack of balance and idiotic mechanics reared their ugly heads.”
  • graphics
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning and charming art style, which effectively brings the fantastical world to life. Many players appreciate the minimalistic and low-poly design, complemented by soft pastel tones, which enhances the overall atmosphere and emotional storytelling. While some critiques mention that the graphics may not be groundbreaking, the unique aesthetic and visual appeal contribute significantly to the game's enjoyment.

    • “The game features stunning graphics that bring its fantastical world to life.”
    • “The low-poly art style is a visual treat, and the music sets the perfect tone.”
    • “The atmosphere, graphics, and music are brilliant.”
    • “I wish I could, because it's a terrible game, unbalanced, no voice acting, vague cliché story, and empty promises from the devs. How can it even be that difficult with awfully executed low-poly graphics?!”
    • “I don't love this art style, but it is what it is.”
    • “It's this war of mine on a more personal and much upgraded level and graphics.”
  • emotional
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Undying" is a central focus, with players highlighting the touching and tragic relationship between the mother and her son amidst a zombie apocalypse. While the narrative is praised for its depth and ability to evoke strong feelings, some players note a tonal mismatch with the survival mechanics, which can detract from the emotional impact. Overall, the game is recognized for its compelling storytelling and the emotional investment it fosters, making it a standout in the survival genre.

    • “The narrative is carefully crafted, keeping players on the edge of their seats while also allowing for a deep emotional connection with the characters.”
    • “Overall, 'Undying' is a memorable and emotionally charged indie survival game that stands out for its storytelling and the unique relationship between its main characters.”
    • “Undying is more than a game; it's a captivating, emotional journey.”
  • music
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the lovely soundtrack and its emotional impact. However, some players find the frequent pauses in the music during menu transitions and other actions to be disruptive, detracting from the overall experience. Despite this, the combination of the music and visual style is often described as brilliant, contributing positively to the gameplay.

    • “I think the game's main musical motif is lovely.”
    • “The OST of this game is beautiful.”
    • “Accented by the sad and melancholy soundtrack, Undying is a game that definitely gets you in the feels—especially, if like me, you are yourself a parent.”
    • “Loading screen transitions, opening menus, or the inventory completely pauses the game's music (and this happens way more than it should).”
    • “It's an awesome experience except for one thing... the music pauses anytime you do anything and it's really annoying and ruins the atmosphere.”
    • “Visual style is lovely, although I find the background music a bit boring but the gameplay makes up for it.”
  • grinding
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, with many tasks feeling repetitive and lacking in reward. While some appreciate the emotional depth that keeps them engaged despite the grind, others criticize the resource management and crafting systems as overly complex and frustrating. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “Some areas, such as the police station, feel horribly tedious and are just genuinely a waste of time.”
    • “On the negative side, there is a lot of managing resources and crafting that felt a bit tedious.”
    • “It was disheartening to say the least to have all that grinding for nothing, and it would be one thing if the RV park had some fresh water or at least a regular meager meal to hand out every once in a while.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its captivating graphics and music, effectively conveying a sense of a zombie apocalypse. However, some players find the music interruptions during gameplay to be distracting and detrimental to the overall experience. Additionally, the high difficulty level can limit exploration, impacting the immersive quality of the atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere, graphics, and music are brilliant.”
    • “It's an awesome experience except for one thing: the music pauses anytime you do anything, and it's really annoying and ruins the atmosphere.”
    • “The game is very catchy with its atmosphere; however, playing on a high difficulty level, I was constantly short of supplies and had almost no time to explore the world.”
    • “You can really feel the atmosphere of the zombie apocalypse.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game offers high replayability for players interested in exploring different narrative paths and retaining skills and items for subsequent playthroughs. However, some users feel that the replay value is limited, leading to a lack of motivation to continue after a certain point.

    • “The replay value is high, as players find themselves drawn back to uncover additional layers of the narrative and explore alternate paths within the game.”
    • “Good replay value, especially as you can keep some skills and items from one game to another, which makes it easier the next time you play.”
    • “The game offers a variety of choices and outcomes, encouraging players to experience different scenarios and strategies on subsequent playthroughs.”
    • “I saw so little replay value from the game at this point that I just had to quit at day 25. I wouldn't bother to play the game over again when it's done, and at that point, I've been playing for some time without being entertained.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage players to replay it, making each playthrough feel repetitive and uninspired.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there is little incentive to return, as the experience doesn't change significantly with subsequent playthroughs.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is marked by some bugs and glitches, particularly noticeable after about 20 days of gameplay, which can hinder choice selections. While players have reported issues, they generally agree that these do not significantly disrupt the overall experience.

    • “Still a little buggy when you get about 20 days in; with the choice selections, it seems to struggle a bit and does not allow the selections to be chosen. The gameplay is reasonable and works well.”
    • “Complained about bugs and glitches, and got banned in forums.”
    • “Has some glitches, but nothing crazy that will break the game.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues and inefficient quest designs that lead to unnecessary backtracking, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The cooking quest could be better optimized, as running back and forth feels like a waste of time.”
    • “The game's optimization allows for smoother gameplay, making it easier to focus on strategy rather than technical issues.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have optimized the user interface, making navigation intuitive and efficient.”
    • “I ran Cyberpunk on launch, but I can't run this poorly optimized piece of garbage.”
    • “There's a cooking quest that frankly could be better optimized, as running back and forth is just wasting time.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features intricate character development, enhanced by plot twists and unexpected turns that significantly enrich the overall narrative experience.

    • “The game weaves a rich tapestry of plot twists, character development, and unexpected turns that elevate it beyond the typical gaming experience.”
    • “The depth of character development is truly impressive, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
    • “I was amazed at how the characters evolved throughout the story, with their backstories and motivations adding layers to the gameplay.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by dark and absurd elements, with players noting instances of unexpected comedic responses to serious situations, such as a character's suicidal thoughts met with a lighthearted reaction. This juxtaposition creates a unique and often jarring comedic experience that resonates with players.

    • “The other funny thing is that I may have missed a progression gate somewhere.”
    • “There are a lot of funny responses, like a mother trying to commit suicide and Cody just answering a few sentences down the line, 'hahahahahha.'”
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67%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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4h Median play time
6h Average play time
3-11h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Undying is a survival role playing game with horror theme.

Undying is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Windows and Xbox.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing Undying.

Undying was released on October 19, 2021.

Undying was developed by Vanimals.

Undying has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Undying for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Undying is a single player game.

Similar games include UNDYING - "KINGDOM", Dead State: Reanimated, Roadwarden, Verfall, Survive the Blackout and others.