Focusing on zombie survival the free to play multiplayer game known as Unturned spent 3 years in Early Access before its final release on the Steam platform in July 2017. Since release the game has not only proved popular in its core gameplay but also the Arena mode which is similar to battle royale titles such as PUBG. In November 2020 the game was expanded to consoles with releases on PS4 and Xbox One as a paid experience.
Regardless of the game mode players opt for the same basic premise remains which sees players spawning into the game map with the need to scavenge the area for supplies in order to counteract the zombies (or players) that lie in wait. Be it weapons or other items you’ll need them all to survive against the hungry zombies that fill the towns, farmlands and industrial areas of the game map. With five distinct game maps to further alter your adventure and their own broad themes you’ll find maps like Russia, Germany, Hawaii and Washington available.
While in the survival mode you’ll be able to team up with your friends and start with a few basic items while the Arena game mode is pure multiplayer where players start with nothing with the objective to be the last player remaining. Arena mode is fantastic for shorter game experiences and the solo player but the depth and variety of choices shines more in the survival component of the game which was the original intention of Unturned where you’ll find a PvE and PvP blend depending on the servers you join. Solo offline gameplay is also a possibility with quests and NPCs to assist although multiplayer is where the game of Unturned shines.
Said survival and core gameplay of Unturned feels aligned with the likes of Minecraft as players are able to forage for food, hunt animals for consumables, plant crops and even create vital shelters that will serve as your base of operations. Unlike Minecraft though Unturned supports two different playstyles with the ability for players to gear up and go in guns blazing or alternatively opt for a sneaking around towns to obtain the resources they need while avoiding the zombies in those areas with some having special abilities to counter.
Your primary source of loot will be the floor based spawns which have some relationship to the zombie difficulty and occasionally lie behind a locked door requiring the necessary keycard. Defeating other players that have done the looting for you is also highly profitable and one of the potential avenues to acquire the rarer weapons or craftable loot of the Unturned universe. With literal hundreds of pieces of equipment and weapons with their own physics to acquire there is always just one more piece of loot players will be seeking to acquire or craft for their character.
With expansive maps at the foundation of your adventure Unturned also offers some stronghold building mechanics for players who want to settle down on a hilltop or within a small town. Options like barricades or traps can make this an effective option alongside the visually pleasing furniture options to make a home in the zombie apocalypse. For players that would rather be a nomad of the environment you can travel with vehicles, helicopters or boats between locations instead.
Summary:
- Free to play zombie survival game for solo and multiplayer challenges.
- Battle Royale inspired Arena mode for pure PvP, offline solo PvE content and mixed PvP/PvE modes available.
- Sandbox environment with loot, weapons and vehicles as you follow your own goals and objectives.
- Huge number of weapons with their own mechanics and customisation options to dispatch zombies and players.
- Play across Windows, Mac and Linux with later console releases on Xbox One and PS4.
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Review Platform: PC