- 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - 25/Jul 02:51

Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days – Preview

Often, zombie games take place in the near future, making us fear that an apocalypse could be just around the corner. But Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days takes a bit of a different approach. This Early Access game by indie developer PikPok is a side-scrolling shelter management game set in the 1980s, specifically in Texas. PikPok has some experience, previously making several mobile and Switch games that take a first-person action approach geared towards VR. Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days is something fresh, though. Put on that cowboy hat and barricade those windows, and try to survive. You can pick from five different starting pairs, each duo of characters having its own backstory and relationship. While the characters’ personalities give them different perks or drawbacks that alter how they fare in the apocalypse, we didn’t notice that the relationships between survivors really mattered, and the plot felt a little lackluster. As you attempt to survive, both scripted and randomized events can alter your story, but there is little direct influence you can have during these events as they’re basically just boxes of text. New survivors can be met and added to the team, and some events can even lead you to clues that will help you come up with an escape plan. The escape plan will let you flee the city and is essentially the endgame you want to aim for. Currently, there are two escape plans to explore, though more will be added according to the devs, as well as other types of scenarios and more complex relationships between the characters. A standout feature of this game is certainly the graphics. The art for the characters and events is magnificent, and we were really impressed by it. The main bulk of the game is presented in a simpler 2D side-scrolling style that still allows for plenty of detail. While the entire game takes place in one city, there are many locations for you to visit, and they’re all visually distinct. Combined with the clear UI, we overall thought the graphics were top-notch. The sound design was similarly impressive to us. The soundtrack of the game is good, but the sound effects stood out to us. Creepy noises seem to come from every direction, and sound can be a good indicator for tracking down zombies when your sight is limited. The game does not have any voice acting currently. Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days is still in development, with a handy dandy roadmap showing us the content that is yet to be added. That is to say, all the things we discuss here only represent what is currently in the game. This is a strategic management game, where you need to balance the needs of your survivors with your limited supplies. Every day is divided into two phases, daytime and nighttime, and each is divided again into five chunks that represent time passing. You can freely assign your survivors to do tasks or go out, but keep in mind that every task takes an equivalent amount of time. Every member in your group also has to eat, sleep, and keep their mood up by performing relaxing activities. You need to try and weigh downtime against maintaining your supplies by sending people out to scavenge or doing chores. Scavenging is always a tense situation. While the game does have combat, zombies are strong, and guns are very rare. Most other weapons in the game are only good against one zombie at a time and won’t save you from the horde. Sneaking around is the wiser choice. Moreover, your backpack only has a limited amount of space for supplies. There is no limit to how often you can return to a place, and the map is kind enough to show you what supplies can be found where. Sometimes, returning to a spot you have already visited with a lockpick or boltcutter can gain you access to new rooms. Scavenging is also how you find clues for your escape plan or other survivors to join your group. But beware, the game is difficult, and if one of your survivors dies, they’re gone forever, except if you go looking for their corpse (or if you’re unlucky, their zombie self). Another important factor is your base’s barricade, which will randomly deteriorate because of zombie attacks and will need to be repaired. Crafting, cooking, and upgrading the base are all important too, but all consume supplies, so you’ll have to be selective with how you manage your items. This, combined with the randomized events that influence the world around you and the status effects such as sickness and mental health issues that can affect your survivors, makes Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days a challenge that requires you to adapt constantly. Conclusion We can happily say this is one of those games where you won’t be disappointed if you buy it even in its unfinished state. The in-depth management and scavenging gameplay, impressive graphics, and overall apocalypse vibes all work in tandem to create one of the most satisfying zombie games we’ve experienced in a while. If the game continues to expand from here, we predict that this will become a classic for Apocalypse enjoyers.