State of Decay 2 Reviews

Undead Labs’ co-operative zombie survival action-RPG State of Decay 2 will be releasing in less than a week, on May 22, 2018. And if you like knowing what you’re getting into before picking a game up, a good number of reviews for State of Decay 2 has already gone up, painting a broad, more or less positive picture of enjoyable but somewhat buggy zombie bashing. Check them out:

IGN 7.5/10:

State of Decay 2’s zombie-infested maps are good places to scavenge, fight, and survive in. Combat is satisfyingly brutal and the special zombies inspire some real fear of permanent death, even though the Blood Plague turns out to be more of a sniffle. But the bugs are just as persistent as the zombies, and after a dozen or so hours the repetition of both eventually take their toll, making the appeal of replaying feel more limited than I’d expected for a sandbox RPG.

Destructoid 8/10:

State of Decay 2 comes together as a game that feels designed for players who like to make checklists and chip away at long-term tasks. That notion might sound contradictory to existence in a zombie apocalypse, where death comes fast and often, but engaging with the game from this perspective makes its rough edges seem more like minor smudges. State of Decay 2’s unique approach to survival and management might not appeal to everyone, but it certainly feels like an instant cult classic.

Hardcore Gamer 3/5:

State of Decay 2 is an improvement over its predecessor, but it’s still held back by a number of technical shortcomings. It feels sluggish, some of the systems don’t always work properly, the AI can be downright horrendous and there’s a good deal of bugs. Despite being a bit of a mess, I continue to find myself entranced by it and continuously coming back for more. It’s a surprisingly deep and rich survival RPG that you’ll be hard pressed to find another like it, especially at the lowered price point. It can be a stressful and frustrating adventure through undead infested territories, but it’s loaded with a lot of charm, and the cooperative play adds a whole new level of enjoyment. With some modifications and continuous work, State of Decay 2 could be a great and meaningful experience, but in its current state, it’s far from the best zombie game out there.

USgamer 3.5/5:

It’s the core loop of the management sim where State of Decay 2 really clicks, though I imagine it’ll be overwhelming for some players just as the first game was. With morale, hunger, health, and dozens of other statistics to constantly keep an eye on in addition to the always-present zombie apocalypse on your doorstep, State of Decay 2 is a game that rewards the smartest of players. And that’s a good thing too, because I’m starting to feel like my entire school life was a lie and I’m actually good at math. Or at least, I’m generally okay at managing the resources of a post-apocalyptic community who eats a lot of pizza.

TechRaptor 6/10:

For all of its problems, State of Decay 2 keeps pulling me back in. Some areas should receive more polish, but what works is damn fun. State of Decay 2 is about killing zombies and building up your base, and it delivers on that front wholeheartedly. The experience isn’t going to blow anybody’s mind, but this is a solid game with something for everyone. Also, I’ve learned that I may do alright in a zombie apocalypse. I can’t say many other games have shown me that.

WCCFTech 7.5/10:

State of Decay 2 is every bit as fun and rough as the first game was in 2013. It feels like a game that would have massively benefited from additional resources during development given its numerous technical shortcomings, but even so, its core (improved in this sequel) remains unique and fun to play, especially with friends. It’s one of those titles that can be described as being more than the sum of its parts.

COGconnected 40/100:

The gameplay itself is less bad, but generally only barely approaches mediocre. It’s a survival game, so expecting a lot of scavenging and tedious walking around is necessary, but State of Decay 2’s world is totally devoid of any personality. The zombies aren’t scary or menacing even in large groups, which is severely disappointing for a game like this. Exploring and scavenging should be terrifying and require careful planning – it isn’t, and it doesn’t. There are only a few types of zombies, and they’re all dealt with by mashing the X button. Each kill is more or less identical, and with very little to make it stand out compared to almost any other game. Driving with your car doors open and smashing through deadheads is admittedly a good time, but going further than a few minutes from home is just asking for a randomly generated crisis to happen at base. Things get boring in an awful hurry, and there was very little motivation to explore much after a few hours.

I was about to launch into another broken situation here, but I’m sure you get the point. The point is this: although there’s a very competent core loop and entertaining resource management sim somewhere within State of Decay 2, it’s really, really, broken. Unacceptably so. It frustrated me mightily to see a flash of a game I wanted to play, only to be immediately reminded that it’s not ready for release.

GamingBolt 6/10:

Unlike the first game, State of Decay 2‘s whole doesn’t surpass the sum of its clunky parts, instead highlighting their fallacies when it matters the most. Just “okay” isn’t enough after all this time, even if there are a few fun scenarios on offer. If you couldn’t get enough of the first game, then State of Decay 2 offers plenty to wile away the time. Don’t expect anything revolutionary, much less sublimely ground-breaking from the first game, and you won’t be too disappointed.

PCGamesN review in progress:

State of Decay 2 is a strong sequel that, bugs and odd design decisions aside, expands on the innovative original in all the right places. The larger map might not add much, but the game is deeper and more refined. I found that the best stories in State of Decay 2 were the ones I wrote myself but, while the game can stand on its own in single-player, I look forward to doing that even more with friends.