State of Decay 2 Juggernaut Edition

State of Decay 2 on PC and XONE is the sequel to the successful game from Undead Labs studio, released in 2013. Like the first part, the title is a survival production with RPG elements, set in an open world. The main task of the player is to survive in the realities of the zombie apocalypse, which requires gathering resources, expanding the group of survivors, expanding the hideout and defending against the attacks of the undead. A new feature in State of Decay 2 is the multiplayer mode, where other players can assist us in survival and gathering.

Storyline

State of Decay 2 takes us to the world after zombie apocalypse, about one and a half year after events from the first part. On the ruins of the previous civilization few survivors carry on a daily fight for survival, while seeking a safe haven from the attacks of undead hordes. The game is set in the provincial towns of the United States - the previously vibrant places are now swarming with the ever hungry living dead.

Mechanics

State of Decay 2 on PC and XONE is a third-person action game in which we have the opportunity to lead a small group of survivors. Instead of one protagonist, the production offers randomly generated characters with their own biographies, skills and character traits, between which we can freely switch. Together they establish and expand their hideout and gather supplies necessary for survival. State of Decay 2 offers a character development system modeled on solutions from The Elder Scrolls RPG series - we train particular skills by performing appropriate actions. Over time, heroes appear among the members of the group - particularly influential individuals who can become leaders of the community. Adding to the tension is the fact that in case of death of the hero we lose him forever.

The main activity in State of Decay 2 is scouring the surrounding buildings in search of resources. This usually involves sneaking inside and quietly finishing off the living dead that roam inside. The heroes can use a variety of white weapons (mostly improvised) and firearms, with open combat being the last resort, as it draws the attention of the zombies nearby. The game is varied by story missions and additional tasks, as well as various random events. New in the series are hostile people from other settlements and the so-called plague hearts spreading a deadly virus among our charges.

Game modes

The basic game mode in State of Decay 2 is the story campaign with an open structure, where the only goal is to survive as long as possible. In addition to solo gameplay, the title allows cooperation for four people, in which players joining the host help him develop only his community, without any benefit to their own. It should be added that cooperation is the only form of multiplayer gameplay here - as the developers noted, they were more interested in creating a production in which players would work together against the destruction. Hence, people cooperating with each other cannot hurt or steal from each other.

Technical issues

State of Decay 2 on PC and XONE offers a visibly nicer setting than its predecessor, although the graphic style is similar. In the game we see American landscapes, full of vast fields and devastated small towns. It is worth noting that for the second part of the series Undead Labs studio resigned from Unity engine and moved to the more powerful Unreal Engine 4.