Play it if
You want to manage a group of survivors and feel every loss.
Skip it if
You want polished action or a strong story.
Exhibit label
- Players
- 1–4 players
- Online co-op
- Yes
- Cross-play
- Yes
- Solo
- Designed around a solo community
- Voice chat
- Optional
- Threat level
- Frightening
- Survival time
- ~80 hours
1The outbreak
The outbreak has scattered survivors across small rural maps, and plague hearts spread a sickness called blood plague. Your community is all you have.
2How you survive
You switch between survivors, each with skills and traits, scavenge with cars, build facilities and decide who to trust. Permadeath makes every trip outside matter. Destroying plague hearts slowly makes a map safer.
3Alone or together
Up to four players can play together online, with guests joining the host's world. Cross-play with Xbox is supported. The solo game is the core experience.
4Look & sound
The visuals are modest, but quiet evenings at a lit base contrast well with tense supply runs. Music and ambient sound are strong.
5Setup & value
The Juggernaut Edition lists at $29.99 and includes earlier expansions. It runs on Windows only and is Playable on Steam Deck.
Best bits
- Community management is unique
- Permadeath creates real tension
- Great value with expansions included
Watch out
- Technical roughness
- Co-op guests have limited impact
Score sheet
- Survival feel 25%
- 91
- Gameplay 25%
- 85
- Easy to start 15%
- 82
- Replay 20%
- 90
- Value 15%
- 89
91 × 25% + 85 × 25% + 82 × 15% + 90 × 20% + 89 × 15% = 87.65 → 88
Curator's verdict
Verdict
“State of Decay 2 is the closest thing to living through an outbreak as a leader. It is rough, but the stories it creates are unforgettable.”
By the Zombie Game Guide editorial desk · Updated 8 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
