Z Dawn

About

"Z Dawn" is a fast-paced turn-based survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. As a leader of a group of survivors, you must scavenge for supplies, build and upgrade your encampment, and manage survivors' skills to find a cure and evacuate. Expect random encounters, zombie bosses, and raiders as you explore the wilderness and fortify your base.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 149 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

The game has a solid concept with engaging mechanics, combining turn-based strategy and resource management in a zombie apocalypse setting.
Frequent updates from the developer show commitment to improving the game, and many players find it enjoyable despite its simplicity.
The atmosphere and sound design contribute to an immersive experience, making it fun for casual play sessions.

Gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with limited mechanics and shallow interactions leading to a grindy experience.
The user interface is clunky and can be frustrating, with issues like slow scrolling and cumbersome inventory management.
Many players report bugs and technical issues, including game freezes and crashes, which detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
70%
10%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and reminiscent of classic turn-based mechanics, while others criticize it for being shallow and plagued by bugs. Although there are interesting elements like base building and unique character abilities, many feel that the mechanics lack depth and can lead to a grindy experience. Overall, while the game shows potential and developers are working on improvements, it currently struggles with balancing and polish.
- “Despite its appearance, this game has some engaging mechanics hidden underneath.”
- “You can pick and mix to form a team of 6 survivors, each with their own job that offers a unique change to the gameplay.”
- “Game feels good and overall mechanics look to be well made (with space for improvement here and there) to keep you interested for many hours.”
- “The gameplay time grind is massive for such a shallow experience.”
- “Most mechanics are really shallow which makes the game into a grind.”
- “If you’re looking for more of a roguelike RPG experience, then this game won’t be for you; they try and cram this genre in here with classes, looting, level ups, and perma-death, but all of these mechanics are way too shallow and repetitive to be enjoyable.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively tedious and detracts from the overall enjoyment, with players finding the farming and character leveling processes to be particularly unfulfilling. Many describe the gameplay as dry and unpolished, leading to a lack of excitement and motivation to continue, especially in the late game. While some players may tolerate the grind for military victories, the overwhelming consensus is that it significantly hampers the game's appeal.
- “Except it leaves out any of the excitement and instead the entire gameplay is dry at its best and tedious at its worst.”
- “This game is so horribly grindy that all the fun is sucked out of it.”
- “Being unpolished can be forgiven in some cases, but not if it makes the game so incredibly tedious.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
38%
23%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the hand-drawn art style and ambiance, while others criticize the simplistic visuals and lack of resolution options. Overall, the graphics are described as adequate but not impressive, with a score averaging around 7/10. Players who prioritize depth and high-quality artwork may find the visuals lacking.
- “Absolutely fantastic game if you don't mind it being rather simplistic graphics.”
- “+ love the art style, the graphics quality and the ambiance + sound effects.”
- “Updated: I really enjoyed the new aesthetics of the news, really gave it that apocalyptic touch.”
- “A choice was made to use hand-drawn 'baby's first Wacom tablet' drawings as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “Interface is clunky, graphics are meh, and there isn't any music that I recall.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for being repetitive and lacking depth, with some players finding it simplistic and incomplete. While there are moments of engaging gameplay, such as horde sequences, many feel that the absence of a robust narrative and meaningful survivor interactions detracts from the overall experience. Suggestions for improvement include introducing diverse survivor groups, a potential zombie cure, and more varied gameplay elements to enhance the storyline.
- “The horde sequences that activated as part of the minimal storyline were also a nice change of pace.”
- “Displaced has a lot more story going for it, but for me at least, the game is childishly simple and I managed to 'win' the game even on my first run.”
- “Please add different groups/clans of survivors (good and evil), a possible zombie cure to the story, and different animals to add to the group and to hunt.”
- “The story plot is incomplete, the combats are repetitive, and the equipment is boring.”
- “This is caused by an absolute lack of storyline and survivor interactions.”
- “+/- doesn't seem to have a story, which isn't exactly a 'con' but more of a missed opportunity to set the scene.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing frequent freezes and bugs that hinder gameplay, while others note that it is mostly bug-free and recommend it despite these issues. Overall, the game appears to be unpolished and may require further updates to improve stability.
- “This game is still new and mostly bug-free; I'd still recommend it to others.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, with minimal crashes and smooth performance.”
- “I've experienced very few bugs, making my gameplay enjoyable and seamless.”
- “Sometimes, I can't get to the next turn because the game freezes, displaying a never-ending hourglass icon.”
- “Boring with a side dish of bugs and glitches.”
- “Grindy, buggy, and unpolished.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with users describing it as forgettable and of poor quality. Additionally, there is no option to incorporate personal music or sound, further detracting from the overall experience.
- “The music was meh.”
- “Bad music.”
- “Cannot put your own music and sound in.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is enhanced by effective sound design that immerses players in a zombie-infested world, though some feel it may not fully capture the intended experience.
- “The atmospheric sounds are immersive enough to make you feel like you're truly in a zombie world.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of Z Dawn has been criticized as a cash grab, with users noting that it feels more like a mobile app than a legitimate PC game. The game's retro pixel graphics and survival elements are overshadowed by its perceived lack of quality and originality, leading to disappointment among players.
- “Z Dawn is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not). It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. This mobile app features a 2D retro pixel turn-based combat game with lightweight survival elements as you control survivors in a 'Walking Dead is popular, right?' overdone zombie apocalypse, and it's pretty bad.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express a desire for stronger emotional engagement in the game, feeling that a lack of urgency and direction leads to repetitive gameplay. This results in a diminished sense of purpose, making it easy to lose focus on the overarching goals and ultimately leading to boredom.
- “The emotional depth of the characters really drew me in, making me feel connected to their struggles and triumphs throughout the game.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the storyline; it tackled complex themes that resonated with my own experiences and emotions.”
- “The game masterfully evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing, making every moment feel significant and impactful.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While the maps are randomized, many users feel that the game lacks significant replay value, suggesting that the experience may become repetitive over time.
- “Even though the maps are randomized, I'm not sure there's any replay value.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play through it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying feels more like a chore than an adventure.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is well-balanced, featuring an initial profession that provides specific bonuses, alongside a progression system for stats and perks as players level up.
- “Character development is balanced between an initial profession that provides specific bonuses and a well-structured progression of stats and perks as you level up.”
- “The depth of character development allows for meaningful choices that impact gameplay and story, making each character feel unique.”
- “I love how character development is not just about leveling up; it also involves making decisions that shape your character's personality and relationships.”