Does the world feel alive?

[Picuu]

Thinking of buying it but would like to know if there's an actual feeling of things happening in the world. Had a bit of that feeling with the first SoD, but the repetitiveness of the quests and gameplay got boring eventually.
From what I've seen, it looks like same as SoD1, just a bit of a graphical upgrade. Does it have plenty plenty more to do? Idk, cool base building? wiping of zombies from an area for them to NOT be back after 5 mins? The feeling a real change in the map?

[Protectron]

There are more things to do, more in-depth, but the NPCs aren't really feeling "alive" so this is still a weakness. It's still repetitive, and still has a spawn mechanic at its centre. I don't mind the repetitiveness, since the gameplay is also still good.

[Lamoi]

I loved SOD1. Put 100+ Hours into that game.

But agree — started to get repetitive eventually. The base building mechanic ultimately lacked depth. But nonetheless was an ambitious game. But very buggy, unpolished indie game.

I played SOD2 on launch on XBOX. And was quite disappointed. Despite slightly better graphics and slightly more streamlined UI, the game was still really buggy, poorly optimised and the core gameplay had not evolved much at all. It might as well have been a ‘remaster’.

I have since bought it on Steam in the last few days and it certainly seems like some more content and things have been added, new maps, modes, character customisation etc. Whether that will ultimately add up to a markedly different experience I can’t say as yet....

But if I were to guess, probably not.

I think if you’re looking for an evolution of the first game I don’t honestly think you’re going to find it with SOD2.

[Xengre]

It is the same as State of Decay 1. The game does help monotony a bit by giving you like 4 new maps (the old one as well I believe, but haven't bothered with that one tbh), and an additional game mode. You also get multiplayer. However, at its core the game is largely the same but with a core quest piece being destroying these hives around the map which cause special plague zombies which can infect party members. Also, you get four leader types, aka classes, which have unique benefits as well as NG+ bonuses they unlock like trader (gives trading structure to build at base which lets you call a trader on demand which is very useful, and a NG+ perk of 4000 influence aka the currency, to start with in a NG+). You can use up to two leader perks in a NG+ or none if you want and you can always build what you need from one leader and then demote and bring another leader for their mid-run benefits (trading outpost was a mid run benefit where the 4000 influence is a ng+ unlock perK). Base building offers a lot more due to the sheer number of bases and map layouts and some newer customization compared to SOD1 but I also wont hype it up as being significantly more, either. You get additional customization but it is still more limited then it should be.

Some things that are major boons over SOD1:
- No need to baby a character every 5 minutes to boost their morale as long as you manage community morale properly (super easy).
- Game does not progress while offline so you wont login every time to 20 different F ups that need resolved.
- Honestly, infestations can be outright ignored. The morale penalty to the community is minor compared to what you can get from building a proper base and avoiding too many very negative character traits (not hard, I almost never get negative traits that matter on my chars in my experience and you can always exile and find a new one if need be).

Imo, with the three above issues alleviated in SOD2 basically the game loses a lot of the negative repetitiveness from SOD1. Of course, at its core it is still very much the same game soooo keep that in mind in your buy, skip, or buy on low enough sale question.

[Bowmark]

Never played SOD 1 so cannot help you there but DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. Seriously. Try it out on Microsoft game pass for 5.99 for a month. Dont give these lazy, incredibly dumb developers one red cent. Incredibly buggy game for being out 2.5 years. Lethal mode was a TERRIBLE idea from these idiots. It just points out how bad they are at this. 216 zeds, 11 ferals, and 2 juggernauts for one plague heart. Let me repeat that ONE PLAGUE HEART. Every time i hit it with a swing, a bullet or a bomb it spawns a feral pack and 3 hordes. EVERY time. This game is an effort in futility. The 69 Metacritic gave it was VERY generous..i would put it around 40 because it does have some base ideas that are good just the game is poorly implemented. And dont get me started about the USELESS NPC AI and how my 12 year old niece could program better. Really poor game. Save your money.

[Otomon]

Its the same as SOD1 but upgrades to every system...wouldnt call it "alive" tho, its a game about undead. What I like about SOD2 is that it gives you a main goal you can work towards right from the start, rather than SOD1 that story progression seemed to rely on waiting around for an unknown amount of time...once SOD1 grew stale, I just wanted to beat it asap and never look back, but it kept giving me those time roadblocks, in SOD2 I feel like im always working towards something.

[Burp Reynolds]

It just feels like another generic gopher game but with zombies; go get us a rucksack because we're not programmed to do anything but give you a mission. Enclaves should be able to fend for themselves and come to you with trade options or something.

Like someone commented elsewhere: "You cannot search your own base for the item I just found that you were looking for?"

I miss the outpost traps but not survivors getting lost. If you're not at home, you're on your own.

[Xengre]

Originally posted by Super Nintendo Chalmers:

It just feels like another generic gopher game but with zombies; go get us a rucksack because we're not programmed to do anything but give you a mission. Enclaves should be able to fend for themselves and come to you with trade options or something.

Like someone commented elsewhere: "You cannot search your own base for the item I just found that you were looking for?"

I miss the outpost traps but not survivors getting lost. If you're not at home, you're on your own.

I was a bit bummed about the lack of traps but honestly put up a sniper tower and/or just equip everyone with snipers that are easy enough to come by and you can nearly afk in base unless maybe on Lethal difficulty and snipers are pretty easy to come by. If you can fit them with the timberwolf sniper or BFG (whatever machine gun name) the base pretty much becomes unbreachable. Also equipping that BFG on a teammate can result in them raining death down on large hordes or specials (when they shoot, which can be iffy but is reliable enough it isn't much of an issue). Other guns can work but it definitely depends what gun you give the AI and if you set it to a faster firing mode as they adopt the set firing mode and aren't as ideal with single. I can usually just ignore fighting while scavenging and AI keeps them off me unless its a horde, then it may require me to fire a bullet at one to get the AI to start shooting at which point everything dies.

Not sure what you mean about not finding stuff in your own base. Haven't had issues there.

It is definitely mostly fetch the runsack type generic play so you would definitely have to be a fan of this/assassin creed/similar playstyle where certain core gameplay loops are repetitive if they fit your play taste.

[Burp Reynolds]

Not me not finding stuff. AI Enclaves that want a fuel rucksack for example and they occupy a gas station. They call you up to find them fuel instead of doing it themselves [lack of programming or ideas, Idk].

I don't mind assisting others live but once the hey-could-you becomes demand, that's when I say Not Gonna Do It. Those that demand get bombed with Zombait even if they are Allies. Or I Dev Menu the mission completed.

[Xengre]

Originally posted by Super Nintendo Chalmers:

Not me not finding stuff. AI Enclaves that want a fuel rucksack for example and they occupy a gas station. They call you up to find them fuel instead of doing it themselves [lack of programming or ideas, Idk].

I don't mind assisting others live but once the hey-could-you becomes demand, that's when I say Not Gonna Do It. Those that demand get bombed with Zombait even if they are Allies. Or I Dev Menu the mission completed.

lol yeah its not a big deal but it is very minor immersion breaking and just a bit odd they didn't bother making it simply not spawn AI enclaves in areas related to their quest topics.

Actually, those "demand" cases are intended to be sour cases where you are basically stuck in a situation with greedy/incompetent/demanding people who try to leech off others. In those quests the intent is to push the player as the real solution is to typically kill them, otherwise they will keep asking forever or they will do so several times but eventually turn hostile or vanish. The ultimate goal is to repetitively ask the player until it results in hostility. Some of those quests actually turn out the other way and rewarding but most devolve eventually into confrontations, which would be an actual situation. It is just the way it is handled is kind of bland and could have been a bit more creative. If you want to save yourself some trouble you can find some lists of which ones are intentionally going to result in confrontations and have no good end, or just kill any that seem excessively demanding.

[Burp Reynolds]

I have had some fun honking zeds to their location or bombing them with Zombait. Makes me think a bit of The Saviors from TWD. Give us your stuff or we'll kill you and then take it.
I do remember one of my people being mad because an enclave was using us.
I use the Dev Menu to give my community resources but it doesn't work to give to AI.

[Protectron]

Actually, even friendly enclaves may sound like they are demanding stuff. Especially when they remind you that the mission timer is running out, they say things like "hey do you remember the task you promised to do for me, you know, the top priority, really important one?" and I go "no, I didn't, and no it isn't, you slimebag" every time.

[Xengre]

Originally posted by Protectron:

Actually, even friendly enclaves may sound like they are demanding stuff. Especially when they remind you that the mission timer is running out, they say things like "hey do you remember the task you promised to do for me, you know, the top priority, really important one?" and I go "no, I didn't, and no it isn't, you slimebag" every time.

Yes they do but did you read what I posted because that is unrelated to what was mentioned and the tone is very different, though if you haven't seen what we were talking about in the game yet I can understand why it sounds similar. These downer enclaves that have no positive end are much more blatant and you will notice the discrepancy.

[Lipi]

Does this game still have that "if you don't play for several days, events in game will still progress on their own, possibly killing a few people without giving you any chance do to anything about it" feature?

I don't want the game to be THAT much alive. :(

[Protectron]

Originally posted by Xengre:

Originally posted by Protectron:

Actually, even friendly enclaves may sound like they are demanding stuff. Especially when they remind you that the mission timer is running out, they say things like "hey do you remember the task you promised to do for me, you know, the top priority, really important one?" and I go "no, I didn't, and no it isn't, you slimebag" every time.

Yes they do but did you read what I posted because that is unrelated to what was mentioned and the tone is very different, though if you haven't seen what we were talking about in the game yet I can understand why it sounds similar. These downer enclaves that have no positive end are much more blatant and you will notice the discrepancy.

Hmm no I might not have read your post, I replied to the same post you did... but I wasn't talking about that special enclave that goes hostile against you if you refuse their demands twice.

That post doesn't imply that it's that enclave, is what I mean to say.

[Burp Reynolds]

Originally posted by Lipi:

Does this game still have that "if you don't play for several days, events in game will still progress on their own, possibly killing a few people without giving you any chance do to anything about it" feature?

I don't want the game to be THAT much alive. :(

This does not have that. Imagine coming back from vacation to find your 99 day Community wiped out.