It would be an understatement to say that there’s no shortage of early access zombie shooter games because there’s almost an overwhelming number of them. Rarely, however, does an early access zombie shooter game leave early access—let alone one designed for virtual reality.
SURV1V has recently achieved the impossible: the release of version 1.0. The game originally arrived as Steam Early Access title in 2018, and its developers, Candymakers, have been tirelessly improving it since.
Despite the significant version number, the 1.0 release focuses mainly on performance improvements and bug fixing. “We dedicated a lot of effort to enhance many game logics, rewriting many routines and optimizing all maps,” write the game’s developers. “The overall result will depend on user hardware but both CPU and GPU performance should increase by a 10-20%.”
Unlike many other zombie shooter games, SURV1V has a strong focus on realism and immersion. To start with, there’s no HUD at all, and all options are managed through a realistic military tablet. The game simulates bullet physics for each ranged weapon, and it has a bunch of clever gameplay mechanics that encourage players to think outside the box, such as the ability to disguise as a zombie. SURV1V supports full locomotion as well as teleportation, so players can choose their preferred way of exploring the game’s large, intricate levels.
Up to 4 players can enjoy SURV1V together, and they can choose from three distinct gameplay modes: story, trials, and survival. The story mode alone promises over 18 hours of gameplay, which more than justifies the $24.99 price tag. Supported headsets include Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality, and you can play seated, standing, or using room-scale VR.
