A Diablo-esque RPG with an emphasis on survival elements and crafting. In a sense it's kind of like a top-down Dead Island. On top of dealing with the hoards of the undead, you'll need to manage your characters basic needs. Things like sleep, thirst, and hunger need to be satisfied if you really want to survive.
It's a pretty pleasant change from the typical zombie gore fest.A Diablo-esque RPG with an emphasis on survival elements and crafting. In a sense it's kind of like a top-down Dead Island. On top of dealing with the hoards of the undead, you'll need to manage your characters basic needs. Things like sleep, thirst, and hunger need to be satisfied if you really want to survive.
It's a pretty pleasant change from the typical zombie gore fest. Unfortunately actually managing these needs can be tedious. At least until you level up and craft better gear. Tracking down the needed food, water, and shelter can be a pain early on. Especially given how many zombies are standing in your way.
The combat is the game works, but the way your character wildly flails his melee weapons around his head can make things feel more loose then one could want in the middle of a hoard of undead. The better the weapons you build, the better you'll be at defending yourself. The twin-stick shooting mechanics are solid, but can be a bit difficult to select the right target when a group of enemies are onscreen.
Crafting in this game is a breeze. Provided you can find the right items that is. Blueprints are seemingly scattered everywhere. It's just up to you to scavenge for the parts and manage the inventory space.
Once you finish up the story mode there are a handful of challenges and a couple of multiplayer oriented modes. Just like the campaign, a buddy can join you for the ride, locally or online. When playing by yourself the game is a fun, fairly difficult, and occasionally frustrating experience. A second player can make a world of difference. Not only does the game's challenge become more manageable, but something about his game is just a whole lot more fun with a partner. The game was built for co-op. Each of the playable characters have their own strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that you and your partner have some variety to set each other apart and play the way you want to.
This souped-up "Storm Warning Edition" is the way to experience the game. You get all of the DLC content, ensuring extra hours of fun. It's already a pretty big game. One that you can sink a lot of time into. The extra content helps things stay fresh longer.
While ultimately flawed, there are quite a few unique flourishes that help How to Survive stand out from the mass of zombie games out there. The emphasis on survival is appreciated even if all of the elements aren't handled completely well. It's a nice co-op experience with a bit of personality to help make up for it's weak story and familiar elements. It's not likely to blow you away and can frustrate at times, but the game can still entertain the hardcore zombie fan. Especially the one's who like to bring a friend to help them battle against the undead. It also helps that it doubles as a decent single-player experience as well.
7.5/10… Expand