GamesSurvivalThe dark horse of Steam Next Fest is this open-world zombie survival game that feels like an homage to the best game in the genre, but you’ll have to be patient with itWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesSurvivalThe dark horse of Steam Next Fest is this open-world zombie survival game that feels like an homage to the best game in the genre, but you’ll have to be patient with itWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Kioop)
You might not have heard of it, but Project Zomboid is quietly thebest zombie gameout there, a hugely-detailed simulation that puts you in the midst of the apocalypse and tasks you with working out how you’re going to survive in a crumbling world. So when I spottedDread Dawnslipping intoSteam Next Fest’s top ten, I had to take a closer look.
This particular zombie apocalypse kicks off during protagonist Jack’s time at university, offering a slice-of-life element akin to Shaun of the Dead or All of Us Are Dead, and there’s an effort to tell a bit more of a story than most survival games go in for. Truth be told, I think Dread Dawn invests a little too heavily in its narrative at the start of the game, but as a big fan of apocalypse fiction, I’m not complaining too much.
Once the outbreak has begun in earnest, it’s up to Jack and the other survivors to use their surroundings to survive. Having missed the evacuation deadline, you’re trapped in the city, so you’ll initially have to scavenge to survive, but trailers show that you’ll eventually be cutting down trees to build defenses, and growing crops and rearing chickens to keep your food supplies up. Eventually, you’ll be taking the fight to impressively large hordes of zombies, attempting to corral them through the structures that you’ve built to keep yourself safe.
Interestingly, Dread Dawn seems to be garnering some attention from a quiet start. I didn’t notice it at all on the first day of Steam Next Fest, but today it’s high up on the charts, sitting at #2 on the trending chart behind thefestival-leading Dungeonborneand embedded firmly in the top ten for daily active players.
There’s no word on a release date for Dread Dawn beyond a ‘coming soon’ message on its Steam page. The demo seems relatively robust, but as Project Zomboid’s 13-year development should illustrate, detailed survival games like these can take a very long time to come out, so if you want a taste of this one, you might want to hop on this demo while it’s around.
For a peek at what comes after Next Fest, here’s our list ofupcoming indie games.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”