How to Survive

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 306 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 144 out of 306
  2. Mixed: 122 out of 306
  3. Negative: 40 out of 306
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  1. ernuk
    Nov 1, 2013
    6
    This game is good, IN THEORY. Survive against zombies while exploring four different islands! Uncover a mystery! Keep track of your physiological needs! How long will you last?

    Well the answer is; forever. Or at least for as long as the campaign lasts, which is to say only a few hours. See, the premise is all fine and good. You shipwreck into a random island somewhere, which happens to    This game is good, IN THEORY. Survive against zombies while exploring four different islands! Uncover a mystery! Keep track of your physiological needs! How long will you last?

    Well the answer is; forever. Or at least for as long as the campaign lasts, which is to say only a few hours. See, the premise is all fine and good. You shipwreck into a random island somewhere, which happens to be full of zombies and there's some creepy dude helping you survive. Only a few minutes into the game you realize the combat system is primitive (although it admittedly works) and the islands themselves are more like tunnels than sandboxes.

    An hour into it you realize the food/drink/sleep system is almost inconsequential, the writing is pretty bad, moving around the islands feels like a grind and that the creepy dude is mainly there to be a funny gimmick you can show off in trailers. Nonetheless, there was something about the game to keep me going. Although, the way I played it was mostly one hour at a time. I'd fire it up, play for an hour, get bored but come back eventually.

    If anyone's planning to get this for the co-op, don't. It's even more pointless than the single player. There's no "surviving together", it's just running through hordes figuring out an overlying puzzle to complete the the challenge. Again, in theory it's great that the different characters have different skill sets to complement each other, but it never comes down to that. If you're having a hard time, just go play single player to gain some better equipment and levels. Oh, and you can only play story mode in local co-op.

    Anyhow, it can be somewhat amusing, but it all comes down to the fact that this game is like 3/4 of a really good game. It's relatively close, but no cigar. Maybe a tobacco. A sequel expanding all of this could be worth it. I don't expect DLCs to amount to anything.    … Expand
  2. Seryin
    Oct 28, 2013
    6
    Quick Review:
    Cons: Lame combat system, effects, and a laughably horrible animation quality. Since you spend 90% of the game hacking a path through crowds of zombies, they could have dramatically increased the quality of the game if they would have given much needed attention to simple things like the melee swing animation.
    Pros: Kovac; He adds much needed personality and humor to the    Quick Review:
    Cons: Lame combat system, effects, and a laughably horrible animation quality. Since you spend 90% of the game hacking a path through crowds of zombies, they could have dramatically increased the quality of the game if they would have given much needed attention to simple things like the melee swing animation.
    Pros: Kovac; He adds much needed personality and humor to the game. The environment is creative and worthy of exploration even if there were not a plethora of lootable items to scavenge as incentive to do so.

    At only 4-5 hours to complete the campaign, this game is overpriced at 15 dollars. Though intuitive in concept, this game fails to deliver anything that is actually new, and does not get in depth enough to really let players feel like they were learning "How to Survive."
    If this game were priced more adequately to its content, I would have given it at least an 8/10.    … Expand
  3. MiBz0r
    Nov 25, 2013
    9
    Whilst not perfect this game is wonderfully entertaining, first play of this game was 2 hours of immersion into the Dev's world of Zombie survival and I only stopped then for something to eat IRL. I am enjoying this game so much I am almost tempted to install it at work and try to snatch a game whilst here.
  4. Mehve
    Nov 4, 2013
    7
    More linear than sandbox, but does a decent job of disguising it. Crafting system is good, but it's interaction with the limited inventory space comes across as 1 part authentic, 3 parts annoying.

    Overall a good game for fans of the zombie or top-down shooter genre, a great game to pick up on sale.
  5. Kommar
    Nov 5, 2013
    9
    It's a simple but very fun game. The story could be better, but the gameplay is great and the graphics are good. Most of all it's very funny and addicting. Recommended!
  6. Liteit
    Nov 17, 2013
    7
    Was really impressed by this game. first i thought that's just new zombie crap, but I was wrong. Nights in the game are awesome. The game's atmosphere of survival is really nice made. Totally worth playing, but with the gamepad, tried with key+mouse and it was much harder, especially shouting,
  7. delta9
    Nov 9, 2013
    5
    It's not a good game, but t's not a bad game either... it's a fun game full of design flaws. The story sucks, your character is nothing you can get to like or feel identified with at any point. The survival elements are crappy and ridiculously easy to ignore, the UI is bad, specially the inventory system.. You can stack 24 truck tires in your inventory but "nop! you cannot grab that oneIt's not a good game, but t's not a bad game either... it's a fun game full of design flaws. The story sucks, your character is nothing you can get to like or feel identified with at any point. The survival elements are crappy and ridiculously easy to ignore, the UI is bad, specially the inventory system.. You can stack 24 truck tires in your inventory but "nop! you cannot grab that one feather!! no room sorry!!"... that sort of game, so don't expect realistic survival elements at all besides the silly hunger/thirst/tiredness meters.

    Sound elements are pretty bad. With some random wannabe-scary piano sounds going on every once in a while... just bad in general. Voices of characters are ok, as are the graphics in general.

    The only really good thing about the game is its game-play, which turns out to be fun enough for you to probably finish the game (in 10 hours max). Coop is an option but the challenges end awkwardly and abruptly, and I can't be bothered to restart one when that happens.

    It's a solid 5.5 in my book.    … Expand
  8. roxanna
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    I love Z Games. And this is so fantastic. Hack n Slash...Chainsaw, Bow, Self Made Weapons! Skill Trees! And bis Islands to explore. Thats what i need. How to Survive....10 Points!
  9. samuelmason900
    Dec 25, 2013
    9
    i don't know why peoples rating this game bad.this game is different experience with good survival tactics and great crafting system though map is little bit of small and some animation may wanna be worked
  10. Othrandur
    Oct 25, 2013
    7
    "How to Survive" is basically "Dead Island" packaged as an isometric perspective twin-stick shooter, but it doesn't take itself as seriously. The gameplay is good and responsive and the fighting feels right: you're tough and fast, but by no means invincible. There's no camera control and no way to rotate the view, which is primitive by today's standards and leads to parts of the map that"How to Survive" is basically "Dead Island" packaged as an isometric perspective twin-stick shooter, but it doesn't take itself as seriously. The gameplay is good and responsive and the fighting feels right: you're tough and fast, but by no means invincible. There's no camera control and no way to rotate the view, which is primitive by today's standards and leads to parts of the map that are permanently hidden. The crafting adds nice variety without overly complicating the game like in "Far Cry 3". The skills aren't very exciting, but they don't hurt the game either. The humor is cutesy, but forced and unoriginal. Kovac, the author of the survival manual, is a blatant rip-off of Marcus in Borderlands. I have two complaints. The first is that you can't remap the controller buttons. Only laziness can explain this in a game that's released in 2013. The second is that it uses checkpoints instead of actual saves. Again, that's just pure laziness. But what's worse is that it's not clear where and when the checkpoints occur, so you don't know when it's safe to exit the game. But overall, while this game isn't stellar, looks and plays like a game from 10 years ago, and won't win any GOTY awards, it's still well made enough that someone who likes the zombie genre (and isn't fed up with it) will enjoy it.… Expand
  11. Skelworath
    Oct 26, 2013
    6
    This game is fun in coop and a bore in solo campaign. Graphics are decent but not great, the crafting system is quite fun. It has no random generated content unfortunately which gives no replay value. A down-flaw is that you can't play the campaign in coop online (only local with an additional gamepad).
  12. Cytokinesis
    Oct 23, 2013
    5
    Disclaimer: I've played this for 2 hours as of writing this. I will continue to play it and will adjust the review/score accordingly if something major changes. This games premise is pretty good. The execution leaves something to be desired, however. The controls on PC are just weird at the start; although aiming is easy the movement feels more like you are controlling and old nes gameDisclaimer: I've played this for 2 hours as of writing this. I will continue to play it and will adjust the review/score accordingly if something major changes. This games premise is pretty good. The execution leaves something to be desired, however. The controls on PC are just weird at the start; although aiming is easy the movement feels more like you are controlling and old nes game with a dpad. Movement is much more fluid with a controller as you don't "steer" with the mouse unless you are aiming so it gets some getting used to. It's quite linear so far with a bit of sandbox. You move from island to island (as of writing this I'm on the 3rd island) and do (sort of) what you want on each island. The downside is you really don't have much time with the respawning enemies and how obnoxious it is to explore at night. I applaud the premise of this but the execution just makes exploration very menial and more high risk low reward. Resources seem to respawn every once in a while meaning it's basically impossible to run out of ammo. Fatigue is particularly annoying because you can only rest in designated areas and sometimes that means going back from where you came and the enemies respawn and now it's night so you have more annoying enemies after you too. They needed to either implement more rest areas or allow you to construct your own rest areas. The crafting system is decent but it only allows you to combine when there is something to combine so there isn't any experimentation. If it says combine when you select something then you can combine. I have been playing on ironman and the difficulty is lacking but the tediousness is quite high, so maybe if you play on a lower difficulty it would be more enjoyable. Overall it's an extremely mediocre title so far with nothing exceptional. It's repetitive and tedious at times and the best it has to offer is the feeling of getting some parts and making a cool new weapon. I'm glad I bought the game at a heavy discount with store credit rather than paying money. Could be worth a few hours romp but lower your expectations coming in and you might enjoy it more.… Expand
  13. biffeh
    Oct 31, 2013
    7
    "Oh god not another zombie game"- I said to myself. But i was clearly mistaken. Although pretty obvious from it's indie developer origins, How to Survive provides the player with simple, but yet complex crafting system, addicting battles, a variety of zombies to fight and collectibles to get. Also COOP and different difficulty levels and characters provide some value of replayablity. This"Oh god not another zombie game"- I said to myself. But i was clearly mistaken. Although pretty obvious from it's indie developer origins, How to Survive provides the player with simple, but yet complex crafting system, addicting battles, a variety of zombies to fight and collectibles to get. Also COOP and different difficulty levels and characters provide some value of replayablity. This game may not be the prettiest, and have a couple of annoying features( as in a locked in camera, which alters your FOV making you fall off a bridge and etc A still kinda broken Coop system, sometimes unclosable "tip screens"). Overall, it is an interesting perspective on a drained out topic, that provides the player they haven't really seen before. With some kinks here and there "How to survive" provides many hours of entertainment.

    TL;DR BUY IT

    If you're not convinced to pay the full price, get it at a sale it is really worth your money.    … Expand
  14. AgreedSA
    Oct 25, 2013
    7
    I can understand the criticisms of the game, but to me it represents less a "missed opportunity" than a fun, well-realized game on its own merits. It's got more freedom than the PSN's "Dead Nation" or the lacking "Zombies Must Die," and while it definitely borrows elements from other games (crafting is basically Dead Island style, as is weapon durability, etc.) it nonetheless presents aI can understand the criticisms of the game, but to me it represents less a "missed opportunity" than a fun, well-realized game on its own merits. It's got more freedom than the PSN's "Dead Nation" or the lacking "Zombies Must Die," and while it definitely borrows elements from other games (crafting is basically Dead Island style, as is weapon durability, etc.) it nonetheless presents a fun, if somewhat casual, survival game in a zombie setting. Yes, it is easy and gets easier to survive; yes, playing to min/max means you'll probably end up just using some super-weapon that kills everything easily instead of experimenting with the broad variety of craftable weapons. The difficulty curve is much less steep than the rate at which you learn the mechanics of the game. It isn't hard, but it is, and this is why I believe it deserves a rating "in the green," quite fun. It's clearly an independently developed title, there's no mistaking that, and perhaps it's moderately overpriced for the level of content it will offer most players, but it's still a fun experience in that sort of smashing-bubble-wrap kind of way (to borrow a term from IGN's review). It won't change your life or ask much of you; and some will be put off by the very idea of a casual survival game. But if you have half an hour to kill, you can spend it killing zombies in a sandboxy world with a lot of variety in ways to inflict final death onto those temporarily only mostly dead; and that's enough to make it worth the price of entry for me.… Expand
  15. PoWn3d_0704
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    Top down Zombie shooter with a craft system. I prefer this to Dead Island, and the 2 player Co-Op is hilarious because friendly fire cannot be turned off. Crafting doesn't pause the game in Co-Op, and really I wouldn't even bother with the game if there wasn't Co-Op. First map (out of 8 I believe?) took me 44 minutes with a friend.

    Seriously fun with a friend. Grab it while it's on sale.
  16. ryanschwarz
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    I'm big on zombies movies and games and How to Survive really impressed me. It immerses you in a zombie infested world and goes beyond simply killing zombies to stay alive. Although there is a lot of zombie killing action (and it's done very well), you also have to take care of your character by eating, drinking, and sleeping, as well as upgrading your character's skills and buildingI'm big on zombies movies and games and How to Survive really impressed me. It immerses you in a zombie infested world and goes beyond simply killing zombies to stay alive. Although there is a lot of zombie killing action (and it's done very well), you also have to take care of your character by eating, drinking, and sleeping, as well as upgrading your character's skills and building weapons and other things out of items you find. The game goes from day to night, and it's important to keep in mind what time it is. Go out when it's dark and there are other monsters besides the zombies that will hunt you. Shine a light in their face and they will retreat.

    I like that there are tons of zombies and that they are slow moving, but there are other enemies as well. This is good and bad. It adds variety to the game, and adds greater challenge, but I like the idea of fighting zombies and zombies alone. In zombie movies there generally are no other creatures. They're about surviving the zombie apocalypse, not the zombie other monsters apocalypse. Maybe this is unimportant but it's a thought I have whenever I see any baddies beyond zombies in a zombie shooter.

    Still, if you want to slay zombies this game still delivers. You have to wait a few moments for your gun to auto-aim at the zombies. If your shot is accurate you will hit them in the head and usually kill them with one shot. If you're firing arrows you can go and collect the arrows after killing a zombie with them. This helps make sure that you always have ammo. There are also a variety of hand to hand weapons, like machetes and axes. If you craft them you'll always be making new weapons from the materials you find.

    The graphics are excellent and the sound is too. The quests are fun and exploring the maps and finding shelter (safe rooms with electronically operated doors), food (hunting deer and fishing), and water (from wells) is satisfying and realistic. The game has been well thought out and for the price it is more than worthwhile. If you want to live in a zombie filled world with tons of action and lots to do I recommend checking this out.    … Expand
  17. dunkace
    Oct 24, 2013
    7
    A fun zombie survival shooter/slasher. Pros: Fairly easy to pick up and play, good story, a creative crafting system and good survival mechanics with hunger/thirst/tiredness. Cons: Single player can be a bit dull at times and co-op online is limited to only 2 players.
  18. bat2com
    Oct 26, 2013
    4
    This is a solid game, dont expect a triple A game because it is not, but it is fun while you play it, the leveling up system and crafting makes the game interesting sadly the save system is atrocious, really it is the worst I've seen in quite some time (matching the silent hill downpour) the games only saves when you complete a quest or travel to another island, this is not a big problemThis is a solid game, dont expect a triple A game because it is not, but it is fun while you play it, the leveling up system and crafting makes the game interesting sadly the save system is atrocious, really it is the worst I've seen in quite some time (matching the silent hill downpour) the games only saves when you complete a quest or travel to another island, this is not a big problem when you begin the game(the island is rather small) but after a while you will need to play at least 40 min for a quest for example so you cant quit or anything or you will start all over again!! Dont let me save all the time well fine, but let me save when I sleep or when I put up a fire...
    A good game ruined by the save system..    … Expand
  19. Yddraiggoch
    Nov 1, 2013
    8
    Plus points -

    Tutorials are amusing!
    Easy, casual fun
    Crafting system is decent

    Negatives

    Linear
    Smallish play area
    Short

    But... I see a lot of potential for a sequel. I will be keeping an eye out for sequels, or other titles from this developer!
  20. dsj556
    Nov 2, 2013
    2
    just buy Dead Island instead. The "crafting" is tedious and the inventory is insanely small for a survival type game. I would suggest the developers make the inventory something like 50-60 slots instead of the 16 you get. It really gets old dropping items you may or may not need later. Overall it just wasn't fun and seemed more tedious than anything. I really wanted to like this gamejust buy Dead Island instead. The "crafting" is tedious and the inventory is insanely small for a survival type game. I would suggest the developers make the inventory something like 50-60 slots instead of the 16 you get. It really gets old dropping items you may or may not need later. Overall it just wasn't fun and seemed more tedious than anything. I really wanted to like this game but sadly it didn't happen.… Expand
  21. sean_vikoren
    Oct 30, 2013
    0
    This game was advertised as multiplayer co-op and it's not. May all liars burst into flame; they stole my money.

    The idea of surviving by making cool things from items found in the environment is great, but the execution on this idea is abysmal. It really has the feel of a High School project. The gameplay is dull and repetitive, the spawns are infinite giving everything you do a    This game was advertised as multiplayer co-op and it's not. May all liars burst into flame; they stole my money.

    The idea of surviving by making cool things from items found in the environment is great, but the execution on this idea is abysmal. It really has the feel of a High School project.

    The gameplay is dull and repetitive, the spawns are infinite giving everything you do a pointless feel.
    Building things might be interesting, except they managed to take all mystery out of that process.    … Expand
  22. blackbird1
    Oct 27, 2013
    7
    Ist one of the best entertaining Indi Games i bought the last time.
    Its a 7+ not lower .
    Maybe its technical not the best but you can easly get 10 hours of fun of the solo Story mode,
  23. Vixi
    Oct 23, 2013
    8
    Great game. There is some space to make it better,but is very good,fun.
    Playing for some time now and everything works just fine.
    If you like it,buy it!

    Recommmended!
  24. MaxPay
    Mar 29, 2014
    6
    It's a twin-stick shooter that could've been much better if it didn't have auto-aim and such a silly story to tell. Maps are kinda average and they give this game a very linear overall feeling. Crafting system is the best thing I could point out. Fun in co-op, decent in solo.
  25. Startrance
    Oct 28, 2013
    10
    i dont understand why this game have gotten such a bad score, sure it's nothing revolutionary but for the low price and overall good gameplay i find this worth it's money, you can get it for 9€ at Steam, totally worth it
  26. Jericho663
    Oct 24, 2013
    9
    I have played this game for 6 hours straight and i love it, its a classic zombie top-view shooter and at a good price too. If your not into this kinda of play style then you shouldn't pick it up. I never encountered any bugs or glitches that could ruin my experience playing this game. The game's characters are likable, voice acting is sub par, the animations are rugged, but the game playI have played this game for 6 hours straight and i love it, its a classic zombie top-view shooter and at a good price too. If your not into this kinda of play style then you shouldn't pick it up. I never encountered any bugs or glitches that could ruin my experience playing this game. The game's characters are likable, voice acting is sub par, the animations are rugged, but the game play is really nice and smooth, the aiming function is very well done, however; some bad things are that the CUSTOMIZATION is not really there... it feels more like upgrades and small crafting bonuses, and the game is fairly linear. If you are looking for a game that can last you a good few days then this game is your man. Now the most amazing part of the game that amazed me was the variety of zombies and zombie spawns. Zombies feel easy and laughable at the start but near the middle of the game it gets INTENSE and you feel very accomplished when you destroy a hoard of zombies. I never felt safe in one place in this game and i wish they had more zombies they can fit in this game. love it!… Expand
  27. xinsanex81
    Oct 23, 2013
    10
    Disclaimer: after 4 hours of playing! Amazing survival game with a lot of amusing moments and more than a decent crafting system!! Some animations could use a bit of a work, but everything else is just there! I haven't had such fun for quite a while!!
  28. SouljaSteve
    Oct 23, 2013
    9
    I didn't know about this game until I saw it pop up on steam, I'm glad I bought it because it's a blast. The controls are nice, visuals are great and runs smooth. The game play itself is pretty unique, I like the fact that you can think outside of the box in some situations. Example, one of your early quests you receive a flashlight you're supposed to use to scare off special zombies atI didn't know about this game until I saw it pop up on steam, I'm glad I bought it because it's a blast. The controls are nice, visuals are great and runs smooth. The game play itself is pretty unique, I like the fact that you can think outside of the box in some situations. Example, one of your early quests you receive a flashlight you're supposed to use to scare off special zombies at night. I ended up creating a torch, that way I could scare of the specials and attack the normal zombies and set them on fire. Some areas it tells you to hack away with your machete to clear the brush, I just set it on fire with one hit and let it burn.
    I really like the way you can upgrade each weapon and constantly be on the look out for new items to create new ones. The story is what you'd expect for a zombie survival game but the humor in the survival guides is what I find enjoyable. I'm used to your FPS/TPS games (170+ games on steam alone) so I might not be the best person to base your decision on but I do know I liked Torchlight II a lot and I'm enjoying this one too. I can't really say anything negative about this game because come on, it was 12 dollars on Steam. I've paid a lot more than that for a total piece of garbage.
    It was cheap, I haven't ran into any bugs, the game play is smooth, looks great, fun and it has COOP. That's a win for me.    … Expand
  29. Diablo92
    Oct 27, 2013
    10
    505 Games at their best.. I'm having a very good experience just like i had with one of the first Fallout games by bethesda. In how to survive its not like rolling dice and then move a little closer each time to your enemies but its got the looks. You can do wild animal hunting, explode the big enemies, search places for goods. Eating, sleeping and drinking is required to stay alive and505 Games at their best.. I'm having a very good experience just like i had with one of the first Fallout games by bethesda. In how to survive its not like rolling dice and then move a little closer each time to your enemies but its got the looks. You can do wild animal hunting, explode the big enemies, search places for goods. Eating, sleeping and drinking is required to stay alive and stay alert, also finding your own weapons and armor is required to stay alive. I can't seem to break my weapons or armor as i would in any of the diablo's so i guess they toke that out (awesome)

    The game doesn't seem very difficult. I got past the first act without dieing once so i gaurentee you wont have a rough/difficult time with difficulty.

    Happy gaming and have fun    … Expand
  30. PVG
    Oct 30, 2013
    3
    This game fell short. For a game that markets itself as a survival game feels much more like a poorly crafted RPG on some serious rails. There is no replay value and the combat system feels extremely repetitive after you cut through your first couple of mobs of zombies. The crafting and talent tree system seem like they were thrown in to just try to add depth to a very shallow game.This game fell short. For a game that markets itself as a survival game feels much more like a poorly crafted RPG on some serious rails. There is no replay value and the combat system feels extremely repetitive after you cut through your first couple of mobs of zombies. The crafting and talent tree system seem like they were thrown in to just try to add depth to a very shallow game. The amount of positive user reviews is quite suspicious. Your money is honestly better spent elsewhere.… Expand
  31. Trance
    Oct 24, 2013
    8
    2 hours into the game, it's been a real blast. The content in terms of price is overwhelming. If you like Don't Starve, with a bit of zombie shooter gameplay be sure to try it out.
  32. NorthEndNinja
    Oct 28, 2013
    1
    The only point this game gets is for what they tried to achieve. The game is terribly linear, has horrible animations, and bad sounds and voice overs. The graphics are sub par. Now I know people are going to use the "but it's only $10" argument, but it's not really an excuse for a bad game. I have many games that are cheaper in price, but are far superior in quality.

    Plus the developers    The only point this game gets is for what they tried to achieve. The game is terribly linear, has horrible animations, and bad sounds and voice overs. The graphics are sub par. Now I know people are going to use the "but it's only $10" argument, but it's not really an excuse for a bad game. I have many games that are cheaper in price, but are far superior in quality.

    Plus the developers and their forum cheerleaders are not very nice when you cordially express in your own opinion that the game is lackluster. They banned me from the Steam forums for "Flaming" when in fact I was the one being flamed and harassed and just defending my point of view. I never even resorted to name calling, like the assailants did to me.

    I would not suggest this game to anyone but my worst enemy. It's comparable the whole WarZ debacle. A complete NO GO    … Expand
  33. AsmodeusAzarak
    Oct 28, 2013
    8
    I feel like some of the more critical reviews are treating this game like it is a $60 game when it retails brand new for $15 (I got it on steam for $10). You have to adjust your expectations accordingly.

    That said I definitely felt like I got my money's worth. There was enough variety in zombies and day and night that I felt like I was often on my toes, particularly at night time.    I feel like some of the more critical reviews are treating this game like it is a $60 game when it retails brand new for $15 (I got it on steam for $10). You have to adjust your expectations accordingly.

    That said I definitely felt like I got my money's worth. There was enough variety in zombies and day and night that I felt like I was often on my toes, particularly at night time. Scavenging goods and figuring out how to make things out of them is a lot of fun. You will ruin this game for yourself if you go online and look up the recepies, figuring them out on your own or finding them around the island is a lot of fun. The story could be a little better, and longer, the characters could be a little better, but if the idea of scavenging compressors and tires and wooden sticks to build weapons and armor to fend off zombie hordes appeals to you, you will have fun with this.    … Expand
  34. Fuby
    Oct 28, 2013
    8
    A different twist on Zombie games and the overhead view gives it a place among the overcrowded genre.. fairly good graphics and some nice animated kill moves on Zombies. With the wit of Kovac you will have a good time crafting your way to freedom. use a 360 controller for best effect..
  35. footysurfrat
    Oct 28, 2013
    8
    Great zombie game with some interesting elements, and for the price it's a bargain, way better value then some of the top price games out there. Yeah they could improve some elements but it is what it is....fun!
  36. jbonez21
    Oct 28, 2013
    8
    Great Game, as others have said, it's like a top down Dead Island. Very fun and lots of gameplay hours for only $10-$15 price range. The only thing I can fault it on is the lack of inventory space and the save system (although anytime you go to a boat it saves your progress so you can basically save it whenever you want as boats are usually nearby)
  37. Kanimachine
    Oct 28, 2013
    7
    It has its moments. It is very linear though. You will have to be a big fan of the zombie genre to really enjoy this game. Still, not bad for a 10 dollar game.
  38. tiagocoelho7
    Apr 23, 2014
    7
    How to Survive is an action/"kind of" horror survival game. You will play as one of three playable characters that have different proficiency, Although the game tries to bring an "scary" element together with fun and jokes, he fails in the first thing. The scenario is indeed a bit scary and you feel a little lonely some times, but something makes it wrong, probably the filter used, is tooHow to Survive is an action/"kind of" horror survival game. You will play as one of three playable characters that have different proficiency, Although the game tries to bring an "scary" element together with fun and jokes, he fails in the first thing. The scenario is indeed a bit scary and you feel a little lonely some times, but something makes it wrong, probably the filter used, is too colorful and saturated (if you have difficult imagining it, just change your gamma correction to 0,2 or 0,4). The gameplay in the xbox360 controller is very good, with instinctive controls, on the other hand, if you use your keyboard and mouse you will cry for the first hour before you get the pace of playing the game (and yet it will not be so good to play, so i recommend an controller). Other thing i want to talk is the skill tree, the later is not a bad thing, i think it should have an skill tree, but the abilities you gain are or too much specific or too overpowered (in the end of the game i almost doesn't need to drink and eat thanks to the skills, and that doesn't make sense in a game that focus in the survival aspect). The wide variations of the blueprints and the huge amount of combinations between weapons is a good point to the game, the producers have done it great (but i think it could have more types of items anyway). For my final verdict i gave 7/10, a very good game in my opinion, and everybody that likes that kind of game should buy it.… Expand
  39. Cyliann
    Jun 15, 2014
    5
    Its.... Meh. Gameplay is very linear for the style the game is going for (Sandbox-ish Survival) due to everything being scripted, much like Dead Island and knowing that every plant or item you pick up in the wild has been specifically put there by the developers kills the organic potential of this game. Alot. Along with that there's some other gaping issues like how the movement feelsIts.... Meh. Gameplay is very linear for the style the game is going for (Sandbox-ish Survival) due to everything being scripted, much like Dead Island and knowing that every plant or item you pick up in the wild has been specifically put there by the developers kills the organic potential of this game. Alot. Along with that there's some other gaping issues like how the movement feels incredibly clumsy with the inability to cancel/interrupt your melee power charges or how sprinting feels like strapping jetboots on as the in-game guides are horribly unfitting cartoonish while they also show control information with joysticks A/X/Y buttons on the PC. The entire thing feels incredibly plasticy and don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort made to make this game along with the cheap price but looking at it from an overall perspective, It gives me the appeal of a console port cash-out.… Expand
  40. fuori_tenebre
    Sep 16, 2014
    0
    Do not buy this game on Steam... Crashes after 5-10 minutes of game play. Check Steam reviews and you will see this is widespread. If the Steam version gets fixed I will update this review.
  41. PrincessRose
    Sep 29, 2015
    6
    In this game crafting is important, you don't find weapons anywhere and have to make weapons from objects you find, such as you make a bow with a flexible branch and reel.
    And as you progress you can make better weapons, armour and gold versions of weapons.
    As well as various other things like water flavoured with fruit and bubbles etc. So it makes it feel more like survival. I like    In this game crafting is important, you don't find weapons anywhere and have to make weapons from objects you find, such as you make a bow with a flexible branch and reel.
    And as you progress you can make better weapons, armour and gold versions of weapons.
    As well as various other things like water flavoured with fruit and bubbles etc.
    So it makes it feel more like survival.

    I like how you can find books which have Kovacs rules which are rather amusing and give you sometimes useless or helpful tips on how to survive. Kovac is a rather interesting helpful character that is on the island to make the tutorial more interesting.
    And can find recipes around to help with crafting or you can try and figure it out yourself.

    You can play several characters each with different skill trees and exclusive weapons, so you can play different ways.
    Can save at the rest spots when you want once they are cleared. Which is handy.

    There doesn't seem to be very many quests and the islands you can explore are rather small and even though it's quite linear you can return to any islands you've previously been to as much as you want.

    Besides the story mode there are other game modes such as

    Dislike that when people die all these gravestones with the persons name gets left everywhere like 50+ of them covering the islands even when it's someone not even on your friends list or someone you've never played the game with, I find it ugly and obtrusive and sometimes makes it hard to see things.
    I'd prefer if the game did not put them in or at least give the option to turn them off.

    The game causes a complete screen freeze lockup at least once a play sessions.
    When you open the map you can't interact with it in any way, and it does not list which island you are on with the map.

    And even when the pilot was no longer at his camp you could still hear a gulping sound like he was there drinking, it's the same with doctor miller, when she is no longer in the game you still hear her voice yelling out to watch out for zombies at the previous spots she was at.

    I find the game mostly fun and enjoyable, and rate it 6/10 better than average but not a game I'd class as good as it has annoying flaws. Still worth playing for a while.    … Expand
  42. ave
    Feb 7, 2015
    7
    I came to How to Survive by curiosity, noticing a trend in recent games mixing zombies and survival. Since I enjoyed Resident Evil, F.E.A.R. and Left 4 Dead, I gave it a shot.

    Played with bird-view camera, H2S offers you to select one survivor among three, with different stats and a specific skill tree. Once you land on the shores of the first island, you are taken by the hand by a    I came to How to Survive by curiosity, noticing a trend in recent games mixing zombies and survival. Since I enjoyed Resident Evil, F.E.A.R. and Left 4 Dead, I gave it a shot.

    Played with bird-view camera, H2S offers you to select one survivor among three, with different stats and a specific skill tree. Once you land on the shores of the first island, you are taken by the hand by a bunch of NPC that sends you on several missions mostly revolving around survival techniques or ways to get the hell out here. Luckily for you, every mechanical components of the several means of transportation are scattered among the four islands!

    All this setup throws you into a game that combines collecting stuff (wood, plants, water, spare parts), combining them into usable and eventually potent weapons, armors, potions and such. So it's kinda fun to see your character move from "hopeless" to "badass".

    As a complete survival game, you'll have to sleep, eat, drink and cure your wounds. Healing yourself is critical, sleeping can be tricking since you have to clear up some places from zombie hordes; but drinking and eating are no longer a problem after a while.

    After you've played the story mode you end up with a character with maxed-up stats and a complete skill tree. Then the real fun begins : challenges! These missions give you a single objective, and you'll have to carefully plan your exploration to scavenge things in the limited time you have until dusk, manage your scarce ressources and plan your defenses against the horde.

    Overall, HS2 is a nice survival game, with alot of tension, even if you lose some of the horror aspect due to the bird view.    … Expand
  43. GolovA
    Sep 11, 2017
    7
    Unfortunately, not many Zombie-Survival games exist. More than that - it's really hard to make such a game.

    How to Survive quickly becomes a chore, bringing all the seemingly minor minuses of the game to prominence. At the end, the game simply lacks the basic requirement which keeps the player playing. Better Alternatives: Don't Starve, Kingdom: New Lands En Resumen: Almost    Unfortunately, not many Zombie-Survival games exist. More than that - it's really hard to make such a game.

    How to Survive quickly becomes a chore, bringing all the seemingly minor minuses of the game to prominence.
    At the end, the game simply lacks the basic requirement which keeps the player playing.

    Better Alternatives:
    Don't Starve, Kingdom: New Lands

    En Resumen:
    Almost There but Not Quite - Does Not Have the Spark of Exploration.    … Expand
  44. CaKeS
    Jun 19, 2015
    7
    While How to Survive is just straight-up fun most of the time, it definitely has multiple shortcomings. Right off the bat How to Survive feels very fresh and polished, the controls are solid and the gameplay even more so. Though balancing is lacking, as the difficulty fluctuates all over the place, and sometimes just depends on luck. But the presentation of the entire game is veryWhile How to Survive is just straight-up fun most of the time, it definitely has multiple shortcomings. Right off the bat How to Survive feels very fresh and polished, the controls are solid and the gameplay even more so. Though balancing is lacking, as the difficulty fluctuates all over the place, and sometimes just depends on luck. But the presentation of the entire game is very professional feeling and fleshed out. Basing the game around a survival guide (of which you get to meet the author of in-game) is a neat idea and it was well done.

    The graphics are also a plus, they are polished and precise, and contribute to an immersive atmosphere, which really helps you feel like you're actually surviving a zombie apocalypse. The balancing takes away from this feeling, however. Early in the game it feels like you're surviving by the skin of your teeth, which is how a game like this should feel, but by early mid-game your weapons are just too powerful and it's nearly impossible to loose. Especially if you complete a side-mission or two for the monkeys that are scattered around the islands, as they will give you objects that upgrade your weapons even farther.

    The balancing problem can also be seen in the fact that you don't need any boosting potions or really even many different weapons to successfully survive. There are about 15 weapons, but you find yourself making one over-powered one and then all the others are inferior, so why bother craft them? It takes away from the core of the game because it feels like there really is only a couple weapons, but in reality they're just so broken that you can skip everything in between them. And having unique potions that boost certain stats is a cool idea, though I found myself NEVER making a potion, because I didn't need the help.

    Aside from over-powered weapons being available too early, the rest of How to Survive's construction seems pretty solid. A minor complaint I have is that the inventory isn't the right size. It should either be smaller so you only carry the bare essentials, or it should be bigger so you can carry everything. It's that awkward size in between that allows you to carry the essentials but with a mixture of a few trash items, with a bunch of food items and ammo, and it just doesn't feel realistic and sometimes it can be very restricting, and stressful when deciding what to carry with you. Though the entire world has object-permanence, so you can-say, stockpile crafting items in one spot on an island and just go back there whenever you find a new recipe, so that's a plus.

    The enemies are somewhat unimaginative, the idea of having different types of zombies exclusive to night time (and having perks that help defeat this specifically), is a neat little nuance, but nothing new. But the general pool of enemies is pretty stagnate, consisting of only a handful of them, most differences resulting from some zombies wearing helmets or body armor, and of course there's the "Bloater" enemy that explodes when killed. Speaking of perks, the perk tree is the worst part of How to Survive. First off, half of the upgrades regard making the boosting potions which you never need to use, so those are all just dead-weight in between more useful perks. But even the useful perks aren't that useful, and they feel very unrewarding. Especially since about three of them have to do with making different types of arrows for your bow, but once you get a handmade gun you never use the bow, so that's just another set of perks that are dead-weight. Some pertain to only fighting at night, which is a cool concept but still is a waste of a perk to some, and the rest of the perks are basically useless since they provide the ability to craft things like "attractive explosives" (which taunt nearby zombies to attack it then it explodes), but once again, I find myself just gunning all the zombies down with ease.

    So all in all, How to Survive mostly lacks an adequate difficulty level, as the balancing is thrown off all over the place in almost every field of the game's mechanics because of early access to overpowered weapons, and the lack of need for strategy. It takes a lot away from the game and doesn't make you feel like your getting by by the skin of your teeth, as games like this should feel: like you're actually surviving. But the game itself is really fun, gunning down the zombies--however stagnate--is enjoyable and has a nice polished feel to it. The story is pretty unique, and the idea behind the survival guide dictating your strategies is a cool idea, especially since you get to meet the author of it in-game. But the ending of the game is rather disappointing, it finished with a "hold-out" mission where you just have to survive for a certain amount of time, fighting off enemies. It's uncreative and offers little resolution, as there are multiple ends not tied up after you finish the game. I recommend this game, it's a good time if you look past it's imperfections.    … Expand
  45. drSpockwa
    Sep 1, 2014
    5
    I really like this game, but it crashes frequently which ruins it. I finished it in about 15 hours. It's got zombies which I'm heavily biased towards. Interesting crafting. Descent story. Descent graphics. As I summarized, this would probably be an 8/10 for me if it weren't for the rampant stability issue. I give it a 5/10 because of the frequent crashes. Save points are in the sheltersI really like this game, but it crashes frequently which ruins it. I finished it in about 15 hours. It's got zombies which I'm heavily biased towards. Interesting crafting. Descent story. Descent graphics. As I summarized, this would probably be an 8/10 for me if it weren't for the rampant stability issue. I give it a 5/10 because of the frequent crashes. Save points are in the shelters which I found myself having to visit intentionally so I wouldn't loose progress in the game from a crash. The crashes are most likely video card/driver related I seem to have lessened them by dropping the resolution of the game below my native monitor's resolution. I'm sure the console versions were just fine, and this is just a poor port to PC. The build I played and finished was from May 2014. I doubt the dev studio is going to sink much more effort into support. So don't spend any real money on this.… Expand
  46. Klewer
    Oct 21, 2016
    6
    The game has some pretty good mechanics and action, but it gets a bit repetitive after a little while. Worth a look if you can get it at a cheap price, it's solid game but doesn't really set itself a part from similar titles.
  47. Rum72
    May 15, 2014
    8
    diablo/survival horror game. crafting, upgrading and level up skill tree. decent gameplay and very addicting. local co-op and online co-op up to 4 players. it is very unique. you have to eat and drink to survive. big places to explore. $7.50 to pick it up right now and I suggest you get it especially if you have a friend or family member to play it with.
  48. Boras
    Dec 5, 2013
    8
    Great fun for Local COOP playing. What is more interesting of this game is the survival spirit. You have to take it as a nice surviving journey on a tropical island, instead of seeing is as a massive zombie slash game.
    -
    With a friend is really funny to stop killing zombies for a while, fish a little, set up a camp fire, cook and enjoy the evening... with zombies :D
  49. MrRusty
    Mar 27, 2014
    8
    Fun to play, simple menus and crafting. The game flows well too. i thought it was a lot of fun and it is a nice change to the fast paced FPS games i usually play.
  50. thedirtyrussian
    Apr 29, 2014
    5
    Wow, this game is terrible. The first hour or so is enjoyable, until you realize that the game just keeps repeating over and over again. Most people enjoy Kovak's cut scene appearances, but I found myself skipping them all the time, they were boring and obnoxious. With only a few characters to pick from that are equally dull, this game can get no more than a five.
  51. meathelmet2001
    Jul 10, 2014
    6
    Fun game to start out with, but then it seems to "run out of gas" half way through. Running around the islands sometimes just turns into work and can be dull at times.

    I do like the idea of collecting different materials and then making weapons and items from them, that was definitely a plus. A steady stream of new weapons to try out is what kept the combat system from getting too    Fun game to start out with, but then it seems to "run out of gas" half way through. Running around the islands sometimes just turns into work and can be dull at times.

    I do like the idea of collecting different materials and then making weapons and items from them, that was definitely a plus. A steady stream of new weapons to try out is what kept the combat system from getting too boring.

    It was a fun game, but in short I think with just a little more work this could have shined a little brighter.    … Expand
  52. cylian3
    Jul 7, 2014
    4
    Its.... Meh. Gameplay is very linear for the style the game is going for (Sandbox-ish Survival) due to everything being scripted, much like Dead Island and knowing that every plant or item you pick up in the wild has been specifically put there by the developers kills the organic potential of this game. Alot. Along with that there's some other gaping issues like how the movement feelsIts.... Meh. Gameplay is very linear for the style the game is going for (Sandbox-ish Survival) due to everything being scripted, much like Dead Island and knowing that every plant or item you pick up in the wild has been specifically put there by the developers kills the organic potential of this game. Alot. Along with that there's some other gaping issues like how the movement feels incredibly clumsy with the inability to cancel/interrupt your melee power charges or how sprinting feels like strapping jetboots on as the in-game guides are horribly unfitting cartoonish while they also show control information with joysticks A/X/Y buttons on the PC. The entire thing feels incredibly plasticy and don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort made to make this game along with the cheap price but looking at it from an overall perspective, It gives me the appeal of a console port cash-out.… Expand
  53. jimbobslimbob
    Dec 10, 2014
    6
    Not a bad little game. Isometric (Diablo-like) view, decent enough to look at and with a good sense of humor. Gameplay is a hybrid Action-RPG/Survival/Crafting type of game.

    There are 4 main islands in the game, which you can hop between when you fix boats etc. and explore. It has a hunger, thirst and fatigue system that works all together with the crafting. Crafting in this is actually    Not a bad little game. Isometric (Diablo-like) view, decent enough to look at and with a good sense of humor. Gameplay is a hybrid Action-RPG/Survival/Crafting type of game.

    There are 4 main islands in the game, which you can hop between when you fix boats etc. and explore. It has a hunger, thirst and fatigue system that works all together with the crafting. Crafting in this is actually quite good. I have made myself a handmade gun that shoots scrap metal (think Flak-Cannon) out of various materials I found. I also crafted a bow and arrows, and even some "fish and chips". Ehem. Like I said, this is a humorous game. As soon as you hear one of the fellow survivor "Kovac" reciting his "Survival Manual", you will know what you are in for.

    Similarly to 7 Days to Die, night time is a difficult time to be out and about wondering without sufficient supplies, since you get a new type of fast zombie at night, that can rip you to shreds in an instant. Campfires, torches and flashlights work quite well against these guys though, so as long as you have one, you are okay. So, it's nothing special, but I bought it mainly for local co-op anyway, for which it's fun.

    Jimbo Rating: 6/10    … Expand
  54. alti
    Jun 5, 2015
    10
    One of my favorites...I really enjoyed that one..Used to play for days...Especially fun for local co-op...Would like to see more DLCs coming or maybe how to survive 2!
  55. dragosbuzz
    Jun 19, 2015
    5
    Good game, though poorly made, there are so many ways it could develop, such as voice, sounds, items/weapon , physical combat skill tree (like a swordsman, smash through zombies instead of fleeing a swing that sh*t nonsense) and much more.
  56. Melgacius
    Mar 22, 2017
    7
    1 – GENERAL

    How to Survive is a Zombie Survival with crafting elements. When I've bought the game I thought it was more like a RPG, but now I think that is more like an hack and slash action game. That's immediate fun in my book. Graphics are interesting for a top down game. We can clearly identify different classes of zombies. They are not the best I've seen, but they are quite    1 – GENERAL

    How to Survive is a Zombie Survival with crafting elements. When I've bought the game I thought it was more like a RPG, but now I think that is more like an hack and slash action game. That's immediate fun in my book.

    Graphics are interesting for a top down game. We can clearly identify different classes of zombies. They are not the best I've seen, but they are quite good. All other elements are just ok, and I have some issues with some of the landscape that sometimes doesn't allow me to see my player.

    Sounds are the worst thing of the game IMO, zombies sound like Muttley, Dick Dastardly's dog in Wacky Races. Monkeys are simply annoying and parrots are just bad.

    But we forget about that when we meet Kovac. The best character in the game. Badass as hell. Great voice acting from him.

    2 – GAMEPLAY

    I have some issues with mouse and keyboard controls, but they are completely ok when you get used to them, and after that I admit is not a bad PC port.

    The game is a simple go there, and do that. Freedom of choice is not big, you have to follow the rules here.

    Crafting is quite easy. Blueprints can give you a hand, but most of the time you can just press "combine" in your inventory and you will craft something useful. I could use more spots to collect since is hard to understand what is useful or not.

    I've never felt that feeling of toughness in the game. You have to eat, drink and sleep, but every island provides you enough stuff for you to survive with small effort. Ofc I've only reached half way in the game, so this can be worse with progression.

    It seems to me that the game has some replay value. It has different characters, different modes, different options to follow with skill tree.

    3 – CONCLUSION

    It was hard for me to get in the game. First 2 hours where a mess, but now I just want to keep going. The game is very interesting and fun. OFC it's not a AAA game, but is very common to be on sale, so is very cheap. Go for it!    … Expand
  57. dmitriy_savenok
    Dec 17, 2022
    6
    Игра только на любителя подобного жанра, кем я собственно и являюсь.
    Почему же только ? У игры есть парочка неприятных особенностей:
    1) слабый сюжет, даже вторичный, ладно он г08н0. По ходу прохождения вы на пальцах одной руки инвалида сможете сосчитать те запомнившийся, относительно, интересные квесты. 2) Игра порезана на DLC. Приобретайте только полное издание. 3) Немного кривоватый    Игра только на любителя подобного жанра, кем я собственно и являюсь.
    Почему же только ? У игры есть парочка неприятных особенностей:
    1) слабый сюжет, даже вторичный, ладно он г08н0.
    По ходу прохождения вы на пальцах одной руки инвалида сможете сосчитать те запомнившийся, относительно, интересные квесты.
    2) Игра порезана на DLC. Приобретайте только полное издание.
    3) Немного кривоватый баланс ресурсов в мире игры и прочие технические слабости.
    Поэтому игра только на любителя. Если вы хотите пройти какое либо приключение в сеттинге зомби апокалипсиса, то можете взять (повторюсь, только полное издание). Кооператив тоже есть, но его опробовать еще не успел. Думаю проходить различные испытания, кампанию будет куда веселее и интереснее с другом. Пытался я в соло ступить на дорогу испытаний, но скука смертная.
    6/10    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 19
  3. Negative: 2 out of 19
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 11, 2014
    80
    Surprisingly entertaining to play, it it just too easy. [Dec 2013]
  2. GameFront
    Dec 30, 2013
    62
    Other rickety spots aside, How To Survive’s biggest issue is that it doesn’t do enough to keep you engaged across its short, repetitive campaign.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Dec 28, 2013
    60
    Solid action RPG with some survival aspects that might help you make it through a boring day – but not any longer. [Issue#237]
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