Rebuild a ruined city in this post-apocalyptic mix of strategy and simulation. Manage survivors, scavenge for food and supplies, deal with rival gangs, illness, interpersonal strife and zombie attacks.
As a survivor of a zombie apocalypse, you must gather a group of survivors and rebuild a ruined city, one building at a time. At the core of the gameplay is effective resource management - you must balance the needs of your survivors, such as food, housing, and security, while also gathering materials to expand your territory and upgrade your buildings.
Each survivor in your group has unique skills, perks, and backstories, which you can learn about through dialogue and random events. Managing the morale, health, and skill development of your survivors is essential, as their individual strengths and weaknesses will impact your success.
The game features a variety of rival factions, each with their own agendas and behaviors. You can choose to ally with, trade with, or fight against these factions as you vie for control of the city. Navigating these faction relationships and understanding their strengths and weaknesses is a critical part of the strategic gameplay.
Defending your settlement from zombie hordes is a central challenge. You must build and upgrade defensive structures, strategically position your survivors, and time your attacks to fend off waves of undead. The difficulty of these zombie attacks increases as you progress, requiring you to continuously adapt your defensive strategies.
As you progress, you can unlock new buildings, research upgrades, and customize your survivors through a skill tree and tech tree system. This allows for strategic planning, as you must prioritize which improvements to focus on.
The game features randomized city layouts and events, ensuring that each playthrough offers a unique experience. You can also transfer a small group of your most valuable survivors between cities, adding to the game's replayability.