This is one of those games where you will need to give it some time. Honestly, while the game has gotten better over its many patches and alpha updates it still will look horrible on most computers. The normal human will look and think "err, my eyes! What ... errr". But don't be put off. Overall, this game is 7-8/10.

Before going into anymore detail, I've played this game for around ... 800 hours as of writing and have played since alpha 5 or something (old ... very old). I've played mostly PvP but I've also played a healthy amount of PvE and CoOp.

My computer specs: i7 3.7ghz 8core CPU, 980 Nvida graphics, 16MB (good speed which I cannot remember) RAM, installed on a SSD. (5 months old)

So, the good:

1. You can spend hours ... and I mean hours loving this game. From when you get in and start raiding your first NPC town while mumbling "♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥ its nearly night! (when they run) to the trantilising moment when you finish off a gigantic base. This game is close to a MMO but its fast past not horribly grindy (though it has bits)

2. The PvE. Its good! Yer sure the zombies are a little dumb, but they are getting clever and they are zombies! I expect them to run into walls. You are gunna die, you are gunna run and you may even scream if you're like me and the bees (Why are bees in this game!!!). Assuming you don't join a overpopulated server the zombies are all over the place and they can creap up on you without too much trouble. At night its worse, if you're like me and you don't sit in a base dropping axes (you don't wanna know) then you will be out at night a lot and the zombies can outrun you (until higher levels) they hurt like hell and they are tanky as bricks sometimes.

3. The skill system. Its skill system is second to none ... well kk that isn't true but its good. You gain exp from most activities (hint: killing zombies is the best now) The exp you make will become levels as any normal system at which time you get 5 skill points to spend. There are hundreds of skills and this is where most of what makes you a "stronger player" will happen. Do you level up a skill that makes you be able to run for longer, get better loot from scavenging or hit harder with a club? One makes you less likely to die while trying to escape, one makes you more likely to find something to shoot with and the last means you can kill your attacker as if this were season 7 of the walking dead!

4. The PvP. Where the game shines and dimes the most! PvP is what this game was built for in manys eyes. Tactically stalking, scouting and then raiding somones base is fun, scary and rage worthy if it goes wrong! Defending is also fun and can often be mind games with the enemy.

Now the bad:

1. The lag. Sigh ... sigh ... sigh, yes ... this game has all the above and A LOT more good stuff, but damn does it lag. This can be solved moslty by good server admins and a 3rd party system (which most servers used) called CBSM which can be used to limit and kick players with high ping (high being 150+ ish). You get use to it after awhile, but don't expect this game to be smooth. What to expect: Generally lagging gameplay, skips here and there, "that didn't hit me game", "Goodbye bike", "That zombies just teleported"

2. The glitches. The general theme of the "bad" is bugs and glitches. Mostly the same as the above ... This game can be one hell of a gltich fest. "I just died from nothing", "Where did my gun go?" , "Where did I go?", "What is this fps lag?", "Why can I not build here?", "What is that ... omg , thattts not right ... zombie ... err". ... You get the picture. This game has many a bug.

3. The cheaters. This one isn't too bad, but there is a bit of cheating in this game. Mostly glitch releated. Duping of items is beyond easy and many do it. Sometimes its hard to blame people but most of the time its plain cheating. "kk well my bike just zoomed off into the nothingless bit .... I'm gunna cheat it back" VS "This server looks fun! Lets zoom around it like superman and kill everyone in 1 shot before blowing up their bases"

4. The developers. Yerp, while they are making a good game I would be lying if I said they don't have some issues. Most of the playerbase plays this game on servers of 15+ people and enjoy doing so. However, the developers have openly stated they want the game to be played on a max of 12 people and seem to care little about lag and fps issues in regards to higher population.
To their credit though, the updates are not all too spread out and often come with many new/improved items and mechanics of the game. They seem very detached from the game they're making but ultimatly seem (somehow) still good at doing it.


TL;DR
Great game that you can sink many worthwhile hours into with good first-time scares which you as a player learn to adapt to. Good PvP, PvE and CoOp but can sufer from horrible lag and gliches.