UNDYING - "KINGDOM"

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 348 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • emotional
UNDYING - "KINGDOM" Game Cover
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In "Undying - Kingdom," Anling fights to lead her son Cody through a zombie apocalypse and her own infection, with their survival dependent on the player's choices and interactions with various characters. Every decision impacts the story's outcome, making for a unique and potentially tragic journey. Trust is fragile, and the line between friend and foe blurs in this brutal world.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 348 reviews
story73 positive mentions
grinding22 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique and emotional narrative centered around a mother teaching her son survival skills in a zombie apocalypse.
  • The art style and sound design create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • Gameplay mechanics, such as resource management and the relationship dynamics between the characters, add depth and engagement.
  • The game suffers from balancing issues, particularly with resource scarcity and the harshness of survival mechanics, making it frustrating at times.
  • There are several bugs and translation errors that detract from the overall experience, indicating that the game is still in need of polish.
  • Combat mechanics can feel clunky and unresponsive, which can lead to frustrating encounters with zombies.
  • story213 mentions

    The story of "Undying" is a poignant and emotional narrative centered around a mother, Anling, who is infected with a zombie virus and strives to teach her son, Cody, survival skills before her inevitable transformation. While many players appreciate the touching relationship and unique premise, some criticize the gameplay mechanics, particularly the reliance on fetch quests and resource management, which can detract from the storytelling experience. Overall, the game is recognized for its compelling narrative and character development, though it faces challenges in balancing gameplay with its emotional depth.

    • “Undying is a testament to the potential of video games as a storytelling medium.”
    • “The story hooks me up with how the mother tried to teach everything to her son while trying to survive her nightmare of being bitten by a zombie and slowly turning into one.”
    • “A touching story of survival in the zombie apocalypse.”
    • “Revolving fetch quests and limited time to make substantial progress in a single day have killed it for me.”
    • “Boring - 80% of gameplay is resource gathering/allocating; to proceed with the story you need to find resources, craft, and all that.”
    • “The story is rubbish!”
  • gameplay128 mentions

    The gameplay of "Undying" combines resource gathering, crafting, and a unique mechanic of teaching survival skills to the child character, Cody, which enhances the emotional narrative. While many players appreciate the innovative approach and emotional depth, criticisms arise regarding the lack of clear explanations for mechanics, a sense of rushed gameplay, and some repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a compelling mix of survival elements and storytelling, though it requires further refinement and polish to fully realize its potential.

    • “This combination of time-sensitive gameplay and deeply personal stakes makes 'Undying' a powerful and memorable experience.”
    • “The game’s mechanics are straightforward yet effective, adding depth without overwhelming the player with overly complex systems.”
    • “Unique zombie control mechanics and a strong story make the game exciting and emotional.”
    • “Boring - 80% of gameplay is resource gathering/allocating; to proceed with the story, you need to find resources, craft, and all that.”
    • “Every gameplay aspect feels rushed and unfinished.”
    • “The game mechanics didn't lure me in to keep replaying, unfortunately, at this time.”
  • emotional57 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Undying" is widely praised for its poignant storytelling, focusing on the deep bond between a mother and her son in a zombie apocalypse. Players report feeling a strong emotional investment in the characters, particularly as they navigate themes of love, sacrifice, and survival, often leading to heartfelt moments and even tears. While some critiques mention tonal mismatches and technical issues, the game's unique narrative and character dynamics set it apart in the survival genre, making it a memorable experience for those seeking emotional depth.

    • “The dialogue and interactions between Anling and Cody are genuine and touching, portraying the bond between a mother and son in a way that feels realistic and deeply moving.”
    • “Ultimately, 'Undying' offers a deeply affecting take on the survival genre, combining resource management with a touching narrative about love, sacrifice, and resilience.”
    • “Undying is more than a game; it's a captivating, emotional journey.”
  • graphics36 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their charming low-poly art style, which features soft pastel tones and a minimalist approach that enhances the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the intuitive UI and the emotional depth conveyed through the visuals, noting that the graphics, while not hyper-realistic, effectively complement the game's unique story and gameplay. Overall, the art style is described as visually appealing and contributes significantly to the game's enjoyable experience.

    • “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 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.”
    • “The artwork uses a low-poly aesthetic and the sets are pretty well put together.”
  • music26 mentions

    The game's music is generally praised for its emotional depth, featuring a beautiful and melancholic soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere. However, many players express frustration with the frequent pauses in music during loading screens and menu transitions, which disrupts immersion. Overall, while the soundtrack is well-received, there are calls for improvements in its implementation and variety.

    • “The game’s sound design and music further enhance its emotional atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack is subtle, with melancholic piano and strings that underscore the tension and sadness of Anling and Cody’s situation.”
    • “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.”
    • “The music and sound effects are not all there.”
  • grinding22 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be extremely repetitive and tedious, often describing it as a chore rather than an engaging experience. While some appreciate the emotional depth and variety of activities available, many feel that resource management and certain quests contribute to a frustratingly grindy gameplay loop. Despite these criticisms, some players still enjoy the game overall, indicating that the grind can be bearable when balanced with other enjoyable elements.

    • “Extremely repetitive and tedious.”
    • “Some areas, such as the police station, feel horribly tedious and are just genuinely a waste of time.”
    • “It was disheartening to say the least to have all that grinding for nothing, and it would be one thing if like the RV park had some fresh water or at least a regular meager meal to hand out every once in a while.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its emotional depth, enhanced by impressive sound design and music that effectively convey the zombie apocalypse setting. However, some players find the music interruptions during gameplay frustrating, detracting from the overall experience. Despite this, the graphics and immersive environment contribute to a captivating atmosphere, especially on higher difficulty levels.

    • “The game’s sound design and music further enhance its emotional atmosphere.”
    • “You can really feel the atmosphere of the zombie apocalypse.”
    • “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; played 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 zombie apocalypse's atmosphere.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game's stability is criticized for being unbalanced and buggy, with missing textures and issues that become more pronounced after extended playtime. While some glitches are noted, they are generally not severe enough to disrupt gameplay significantly. Overall, it appears the game was released before being fully polished.

    • “Unfortunately, it is horribly unbalanced and buggy.”
    • “Its buggy, missing textures, and general guidance; honestly, it feels like the game was not remotely ready.”
    • “Still a little buggy when you get about 20 days in; with the choice selections, it seems to struggle a bit and not allow the selections to be chosen.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, the game offers high replayability for players interested in exploring different narrative paths and retaining skills and items across 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 significant replayability, as once you've completed it, there isn't much incentive to return for a second playthrough.”
    • “After finishing the game, I felt no urge to replay it. The experience was enjoyable, but it didn't offer enough variety to warrant going through it again.”
  • humor2 mentions

    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, 'hahahahaha.'”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players noting significant performance issues and inefficient quest design that leads 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 resource management system, making it more intuitive and efficient.”
    • “I ran Cyberpunk on launch but can't run this poorly optimized piece of garbage.”
    • “There's a cooking quest which frankly could be better optimized, as running back and forth is just wasting time.”
  • character development1 mentions

    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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
3-24hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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