Complaining about the fact that there are too many things with zombies in them is becoming nearly as tiresome as the reviled nightwalkers themselves, so let’s get right to the point: State of Decay sounds quite enticing – at least, on paper. A fully reactive open world in which all is permitted – including tonally inconsistent body slams? Why yes, I could go for that. But, despite the fact that it’s all that separates us from the ravenous beasts who hunt our young by night, talk is cheap. And so, slowly but surely, Undead Labs is revealing how the systems that bind its game together actually function. Today? Stealth. (And also building, because we missed that a while back.)



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So stealth looks functional, if not particularly spectacular. It’ll be interesting to see how necessary the path of least resistance actually is, given that previous reels of footage have been pretty fighty.

As for construction, there seems to be quite a few options – probably pertaining to the care and upkeep of people you’ve rescued – but this isn’t Minecraft or anything. Pre-selected structures look to be your main means of survival here, with medical tents, training facilities, storage areas, and gardens rounding out the roster, among others. The mix of zombie-smashing, survival, and management strikes me as a pretty interesting dynamic, though. Well, assuming all the puzzle pieces actually fit together, anyway. And this FAQ seems to suggest Undead Labs is taking things in some interesting directions, so I’m hopeful.