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. 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.
  2. 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!
  3. 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!
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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!
  8. 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!
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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!!
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. 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..
  17. 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!
  18. 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)
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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!

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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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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