Project Zomboid- Demonstrates How a Zombie Apocalypse Would Unfold

Gameplay Overview

The depth and the possible variables are already evident during character creation. You choose what the protagonist did professionally before the Zomboid apocalypse. Then, you must add both positive and negative traits to your character, for example, Smoker and Dyslexia as negative traits and Brave and Botanically Knowledgeable as positive traits. Accordingly this affects the skills. Because Project Zomboid is an RPG with skills that you cannot distribute but improve by practicing them. The settings for the game world, which can be determined in advance, are very detailed. From the amount of zombies to loot distribution and weather, virtually everything. In the game world there is only one goal SURVIVE. How? That’s up to you, either sneak around and hope not to be discovered by Zomboids, or (my favorite) find something to straighten out a Zomboid’s head, and everything in between. Flee into nature, be a nomad, or barricade yourself in the first best house.

Medical & Combat

Combat is inevitable. Then it’s just a matter of deciding: How many are there? Is it just one? Or a whole horde surrounding you from all sides? You will get hurt but don’t worry, the medical system is comprehensive, ranging from scratches to deep lacerations, from a cold to potentially fatal fever. However there is a remedy for every ailment. For scratches and lacerations, bandages are used, which need to be changed over time. Lacerations should also be stitched for faster healing. Warm clothes are a possibility for a cold. For infections due to poor wound treatment or fever, there are antibiotics.

Weapons

Weapons are relatively easy to find. With a baseball bat, you can unleash your inner Negan.

Thanks to TWD, The Walking Dead for those unfamiliar, we know that baseball bats are effective, and firearms are even more so. The issue with firearms in Zomboid is often the loudness of the gun. Which turns 2 Zomboids into 50 shortly after firing, and then you’re left with only 6 bullets facing 50 Zomboids. Aiming and shooting is a skill of the game character, and the player has no direct control over it. You can’t aim but only designate a target and your character tries their best, which is often poor.

Crafting

The crafting in Zomboid is very solid you can craft anything from carpentry and metalworking to gardening. Recipes for various crafts are learned from magazines, which, for the generation unfamiliar with them, have nothing to do with weapon magazines but are periodicals dedicated to a subject and invite experts to write articles. These magazines are found on bookshelves or side tables. Books, the ancient way of passing on knowledge, play a crucial role as an EXP boost for the respective field.

Movement

Movement is either on foot -> sneaking -> walking -> running -> sprinting or by vehicles some are mechanically sound, while others need repairs. However, finding a drivable vehicle doesn’t mean you can just drive it you also need the corresponding key. And when the stars align and you have a vehicle, it needs to be fueled and maintained. The idea of simply running over zombies seems straightforward, but remember, this damages the vehicle to the point of being unusable. So, you’ll be driving slalom through the world. Also important, you only see what your character’s eyes see, so you can’t see behind you or around corners. Thus, sharpen your ears; you’ll need them.

The world in which we move is set in Kentucky around the turn of the year 2000. The cities are filled with shops and resources but also with Zomboids, making it a high risk, high reward situation. In the countryside, it’s relatively quiet, with scattered zombies and, in the worst case, small zombie hordes. Accordingly, the loot is sparse.

Graphics and Audio

The graphics of the game are in a pixel art style, and the camera is isometric, giving it a “top-down angled perspective”. We’re all familiar with this kind of graphics from Minecraft, so it’s not really off-putting, but it does take some getting used to. However, after a short while, you won’t even notice it because the game is very immersive.

I immediately muted the music, so I can’t really comment on that. What i can say is that the sound effects are good and well placed. They’ve been responsible for a few jump scares and panic moments for me.

User Experience

The control scheme uses W, A, S, D to move the character. Point and click movement is also possible but cumbersome for me. The user interface looks very confusing at first but becomes clearer and more understandable over time. I appreciate the ability to display everything I consider important. Also, looting is kept very simple. Windows are very dominant in Project Zomboid and it’s important to arrange them according to one’s own screen size.

The game is difficult, and that’s a good thing. The zombies, as dumb as they may appear, will kill you sooner or later. There are various difficulty levels where either the availability of resources is minimized, or the zombies become more challenging. For example, they might be able to sprint, open doors and windows, or there might just be a very large number of zombies.

Modding Scene

There are numerous and very talented modders who have provided an endless array of mods for Project Zomboid, allowing for complete alteration of the game. I personally love it when the modding community is as active and creative as it is with Project Zomboid. This is also one of the reasons why the game remains unparalleled in its genre even after 11 years. From small items to entire cities and airports, you can mod and alter everything to your liking. Hats off to the modding community!

Personal Experience and Opinion

You can also play Multiplayer but my experience is based only Soloplay.

My personal experience with Project Zomboid has been some what educational, namely that I wouldn’t survive a real zombie apocalypse. Aside from that, the game offers so many ways to approach the goal of SURVIVAL that you can start numerous playthroughs and continually improve. Also, the learning curve in the game is steep, with each try you learn something for the next life. I like Project Zomboid, especially the game’s difficulty, so that every loot run, every day survived is a success because, sooner or later, death by a Zomboid or a Cold comes.

Conclusion

I can wholeheartedly recommend Project Zomboid to those who love hardcore survival games and are looking for a challenge. Who knows, maybe this is the ultimate trainer for the real-life zombie apocalypse. 🙂

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