Waiting for State of Decay 3? This Brutal New Zombie Game Might Fill the Void

While We Wait for State of Decay 3, This Punishing New Zombie Game Hits All the Right Notes

I’ve always loved State of Decay for striking that sweet spot between accessible zombie action (Days Gone, Dead Rising) and punishing survival sims (DayZ, Project Zomboid). It’s a balance few games get right. But as I anxiously await more news on State of Decay 3 from Undead Labs and Xbox, another game has crept into view — Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days. And honestly? It might be the perfect placeholder, with enough unique twists to stand on its own.

From Mobile Runner to Hardcore Survival

If you’ve heard of Into The Dead, you might be thinking of the mobile auto-runner series — simple, bite-sized horror for quick sessions. But Our Darkest Days flips the script. It trades the arcade feel for a gritty, side-scrolling survival experience more in line with what PC and console players expect.

Rendered in a haunting 2.5D style, Our Darkest Days feels like a side-scrolling State of Decay infused with the emotional weight of This War of Mine. I dove into the pre-alpha demo, and what I found was an unforgiving, immersive survival experience that hooked me so hard, I deliberately stopped playing just to save the thrill for launch day.

Survivors, Sacrifices, and Hard Choices

Every new game starts with selecting a duo of survivors, each with unique strengths, weaknesses, and personal stories. A grizzled high school coach and his student searching for family. An unlikely couple — an animal rights activist and a rodeo star — with a baby on the way. Or a therapist travelling with her patient, balancing care with survival.

Like the State of Decay, survivors have stats, passive buffs, and permanent debuffs. Permadeath is always lurking. And survival is about more than killing zombies — it’s about juggling resources, managing fatigue, and deciding whether the stranger you just met is worth the extra mouth to feed.

In one run, I played as Darrel (the coach) and Leo (the student). After a rough scavenging mission, Leo was exhausted, and Darrel had to cook — badly. When Darrel went scavenging at less than full strength, he never made it back. The new survivor he rescued did, but the camp was left mourning Darrel, suffering debuffs from grief.

This emotional layer adds a heavy weight to every decision. Do you risk one survivor’s life for supplies? Or do you hunker down, hoping to survive just one more day?

Survival, Exploration, and Constant Danger

Exploration is a gamble. You can cautiously grab a few essentials and retreat, or push your luck, hoping for critical supplies. But weapons degrade quickly, stealth kills are risky, and noise attracts hordes fast. Even a single zombie can be a death sentence for an injured, starving, or sleep-deprived character.

Adding to the tension, levels seem to have procedural elements, with random loot spawns and fluctuating zombie densities. No two runs feel the same, which adds to the game’s replayability and sense of danger.

A Fresh Take While We Wait for State of Decay 3

I’ll admit, I usually prefer open-world 3D survival games, but Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days surprised me. The 2.5D perspective, combined with deep survival mechanics and emergent storytelling, scratches that survival itch in a fresh way.

The game captures what makes great zombie games so compelling — the ability to create your own narratives of despair, hope, and sacrifice. Whether you’re a fan of State of Decay, DayZ, or Left 4 Dead, this game feels like a must-play.

Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days is slated for release later this year, with a PC launch confirmed (and console ports likely). If you can’t wait for State of Decay 3, this might be the perfect brutal distraction to hold you over.

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