Having played State of Decay 2 since May 18th, 2018 and witnessed the improvements and changes that have been made to the game over the past nearly 4 years, I can safely say that State of Decay 2 is unlike any other game in the genre out there, and has cemented itself as not only an original and unique experience that has yet to be replicated, but also as a masterpiece.

From the humble beginnings of the original State of Decay as an Xbox Arcade title crafted by a small team in 2013, State of Decay 2 is not only an upgrade to the original, but a completely superior experience in almost every department. The game's initial launch in 2018 that was riddled with small yet noticeable bugs may have left a sour taste in most people's mouths, but in the past few years, Undead Labs have shown how dedicated they are to the game by improving and adding onto the current systems, to the point where the difference between the 2018 and current versions of the game are night and day.

The co-operative aspect, though limiting with the tethering of around 200 - 400 meters, does make the game much more enjoyable, and the implementation of the looting system with each player having their own loot ensures that everyone is rewarded for scavenging. Although many people have seen this as a negative for some reason, there's certainly no problem with allowing every player loot in every building that hasn't already been completely looted, as not only is it fair, but also rewards players for playing in cooperative games. This is extended further by cooperative players being rewarded better items the longer they stay in games when they return to their own communities. The one thing everyone had wished for in the original State of Decay was multiplayer, and Undead Labs have added it in a way that is incredibly rewarding in almost every aspect, but could still use a bit more improvement, like with the removal of the tethering.

On top of all the game has to offer- from an open-world where you can survive as long as your heart can take, a cooperative experience to share with friends, varying difficulty levels to challenge yourself, and multiple different communities who's stories you get to shape- you also get two other game modes that come in the form of Daybreak, a wave-based survival cooperative experience that allows you to accumulate rewards to use in future games of Daybreak and in your own communities, and Heartland, a story-based experience that takes you back to the original State of Decay's map of Trumbull Valley, where you deal with even more threats, and experience what happened to Trumbull following the events of the original State of Decay!

You're also given not one, not two, but Five unique and large maps to explore, all coming with their own layouts, scenery, unique bases, and points of interest; these maps being Drucker County, Meagher Valley, Cascade Hills, Providence Ridge, and returning once again, Trumbull Valley, where you'll be able to experience special missions that conclude the stories of many prominent characters from the original State of Decay, and be apart of the events that unfold after the conclusion of the Heartland DLC!

You get all of this for only $30 at a time when many full-priced games don't come with this much content, so for anyone who enjoys zombie games or post-apocalyptic scenarios, this game is a must-buy! Compared to the original State of Decay and many other open-world zombie survival games, State of Decay 2 is not only one of the best experiences the genre has to offer, but up there with the greatest the genre has to offer.


To end this long, gushing review that probably sounds like a sales pitch; I fully believe that State of Decay 2 has everything that is required to meet masterpiece status. Although State of Decay 2 isn't perfect, no gaming masterpiece truly is, but it's what State of Decay 2 brings to the table and how its evolved over the years that makes the game truly a masterpiece. There is no other game out right now that tries to do what State of Decay as a franchise has done and continues to do, and State of Decay 2 is the pinnacle. The dedicated developers at Undead Labs continue to work on the game with love and attention, which has allowed them to foster one of the most dedicated communities I have ever seen, and have had the pleasure to be a part of.

There is truly no other game that can offer the same experience that State of Decay 2 offers- not even the original, and for that alone, I do believe that State of Decay 2 is truly a work of art, and will be a timeless masterpiece.


TL;DR:
Game is good game is very good great game good yes game gaming oh yeah game!
Seriously though, for only $30, Undead Labs are practically underselling themselves. I purchased the Ultimate Edition on Microsoft Store and the Steam version and I still feel like they gave me way more content than what I paid for. The game is still actively being developed too, even almost 4 years later. If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic games or zombie games in general, you are doing yourself a disservice by not having picked this game up. State of Decay is practically iconic.

Having played State of Decay 2 since May 18th, 2018 and witnessed the improvements and changes that have been made to the game over the past nearly 4 years, I can safely say that State of Decay 2 is unlike any other game in the genre out there, and has cemented itself as not only an original and unique experience that has yet to be replicated, but also as a masterpiece. From the humble beginnings of the original State of Decay as an Xbox Arcade title crafted by a small team in 2013, State of Decay 2 is not only an upgrade to the original, but a completely superior experience in almost every department. The game's initial launch in 2018 that was riddled with small yet noticeable bugs may have left a sour taste in most people's mouths, but in the past few years, Undead Labs have shown how dedicated they are to the game by improving and adding onto the current systems, to the point where the difference between the 2018 and current versions of the game are night and day. The co-operative aspect, though limiting with the tethering of around 200 - 400 meters, does make the game much more enjoyable, and the implementation of the looting system with each player having their own loot ensures that everyone is rewarded for scavenging. Although many people have seen this as a negative for some reason, there's certainly no problem with allowing every player loot in every building that hasn't already been completely looted, as not only is it fair, but also rewards players for playing in cooperative games. This is extended further by cooperative players being rewarded better items the longer they stay in games when they return to their own communities. The one thing everyone had wished for in the original State of Decay was multiplayer, and Undead Labs have added it in a way that is incredibly rewarding in almost every aspect, but could still use a bit more improvement, like with the removal of the tethering. [b]On top of all the game has to offer[/b]- from an open-world where you can survive as long as your heart can take, a cooperative experience to share with friends, varying difficulty levels to challenge yourself, and multiple different communities who's stories you get to shape- you also get two other game modes that come in the form of [b]Daybreak[/b], a wave-based survival cooperative experience that allows you to accumulate rewards to use in future games of Daybreak and in your own communities, and [b]Heartland[/b], a story-based experience that takes you back to the original State of Decay's map of Trumbull Valley, where you deal with even more threats, and experience what happened to Trumbull following the events of the original State of Decay! You're also given not one, not two, but [b]Five[/b] unique and large maps to explore, all coming with their own layouts, scenery, unique bases, and points of interest; these maps being Drucker County, Meagher Valley, Cascade Hills, Providence Ridge, and returning once again, [b]Trumbull Valley[/b], where you'll be able to experience special missions that conclude the stories of many prominent characters from the original State of Decay, and be apart of the events that unfold after the conclusion of the [b]Heartland[/b] DLC! You get all of this for only $30 at a time when many full-priced games don't come with this much content, so for anyone who enjoys zombie games or post-apocalyptic scenarios, this game is a must-buy! Compared to the original State of Decay and many other open-world zombie survival games, State of Decay 2 is not only one of the best experiences the genre has to offer, but up there with the [b]greatest[/b] the genre has to offer. To end this long, gushing review that probably sounds like a sales pitch; I fully believe that State of Decay 2 has everything that is required to meet masterpiece status. Although State of Decay 2 isn't perfect, no gaming masterpiece truly is, but it's what State of Decay 2 brings to the table and how its evolved over the years that makes the game truly a masterpiece. There is no other game out right now that tries to do what State of Decay as a franchise has done and continues to do, and State of Decay 2 is the pinnacle. The dedicated developers at Undead Labs continue to work on the game with love and attention, which has allowed them to foster one of the most dedicated communities I have ever seen, and have had the pleasure to be a part of. There is truly no other game that can offer the same experience that State of Decay 2 offers- not even the original, and for that alone, I do believe that State of Decay 2 is truly a work of art, and will be a [b]timeless masterpiece.[/b] [b]TL;DR:[/b] Game is good game is very good great game good yes game gaming oh yeah game! Seriously though, for only $30, Undead Labs are practically underselling themselves. I purchased the Ultimate Edition on Microsoft Store [b]and[/b] the Steam version and I still feel like they gave me way more content than what I paid for. The game is still actively being developed too, even almost 4 years later. If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic games or zombie games in general, you are doing yourself a disservice by not having picked this game up. State of Decay is practically iconic.