State of Decay

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.

State of Decay 2 implements some interesting mechanics but fails to engage with them in a meaningful way.

Technically shambolic, obsessed with hoarding, and a waste of a once-promising society simulation.

A solid survival game vastly improved by putting the focus on people, not zombies.

State of Decay 2 made me sad, but mostly bored

State of Decay 2 confidently reaches the series' potential as the ultimate zombie survival sim, even if it hits a few familiar bumps in the road on the way there.

State of Decay 2 has a lot to love, but it's overwhelmed by legacy issues and a slew of all-new ones that came along for the co-op ride

This zombie survival game tries hard to stand out from the flesh-hungry crowd, but glitches will leave players groaning

If you play in co-op, you'll probably be able to ignore the flaws long enough to have a jolly evening or two with some friends (Windows 10 friends only, of course) and if you're dead set on rolling around in the blood and gore, I suggest this is how you play it.

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.