State of Decay 2: Zombies, permadeath, and resource management

State of Decay 2, exclusively for Xbox One and PC. Image via StateofDecay.com

Graphics

The graphics of the game are good, but not stunning like God of War or Horizon Zero Dawn. Perhaps this is due to the multiplayer aspect of the game, or to keep loading times non-existent. Still, the game doesn’t seem to take advantage of the Xbox One’s superior processing power.

During the night, the game nearly gets impossible to play, even if brightness is maxed out. This was likely intended to create a more horror-like atmosphere, but the end result is frustration at not being able to see anything. Flashlights and headlights can help, but it still feels like you’re wandering through a black screen.

Daytime provides a dramatically increased visibility range, but more than a few times zombies have appeared out of nowhere due to loading issues.