Play it if
You want a long survival project with friends, ending in a siege every week.
Skip it if
You want a quick, polished action game.
Exhibit label
- Players
- 1–8 players
- Online co-op
- Yes
- Cross-play
- Yes
- Solo
- Hard but rewarding alone
- Voice chat
- Helpful
- Threat level
- Frightening
- Survival time
- ~150 hours
1The outbreak
The world is already lost when you arrive. Towns are full of loot and danger, and every structure can be broken down for materials or dug under by the infected.
2How you survive
Days are for scavenging, mining and crafting; nights are for staying inside. Every seventh night a much larger horde attacks, so your base design really matters. Skills, books and a long crafting tree keep progress steady.
3Alone or together
Multiplayer servers support up to eight players by default, and hosts can raise the limit on dedicated servers. Cross-play with consoles is supported. LAN play works too.
4Look & sound
It looks dated next to bigger games, but the voxel world you can reshape gives it a unique feel. The sound of the horde at your walls is excellent.
5Setup & value
It lists at $44.99, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and Steam reports it as Verified on Steam Deck. Expect to spend hundreds of hours if it clicks.
Best bits
- Blood moon nights create real stories
- Everything is buildable and destructible
- Huge long-term value
Watch out
- Steep learning curve
- Visuals and animation are dated
Score sheet
- Survival feel 25%
- 92
- Gameplay 25%
- 88
- Easy to start 15%
- 74
- Replay 20%
- 94
- Value 15%
- 86
92 × 25% + 88 × 25% + 74 × 15% + 94 × 20% + 86 × 15% = 87.80 → 88
Curator's verdict
Verdict
“7 Days to Die is rough around the edges, but no other game captures the build-and-defend loop this well. With a crew it can last for months.”
By the Zombie Game Guide editorial desk · Updated 8 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
