The zombie video game genre has always had a dedicated fanbase, but it seems to be experiencing a renaissance, with recent titles like Dead Island 2, Dying Light 2, The Last of Us, and Resident Evil setting fresh benchmarks. Any newcomer hoping to make a mark amid this thriving competition must offer something truly unique—especially if it’s an indie game without the hefty budgets or reach of AAA titles. Fortunately, Zeverland seems poised to deliver.
Crafted by the budding indie team Quantum Quirks, Zeverland is a survival game set to join the ranks of zombie apocalypse adventures next year. The game was recently introduced with a tantalizing six-minute gameplay trailer, providing potential players a glimpse into its standout features.
### What Players Should Expect From Zeverland
#### Zeverland Combines Dead Rising’s Crafting with DayZ’s Multiplayer
The Dead Rising series is renowned for its exceptional crafting mechanics. It captivated players by allowing them to merge ordinary items into creative weapons—think homemade lightsabers or machine gun-equipped teddy bears. Zeverland takes a page out of this playbook, granting players the ability to mix various objects into quirky weapons. In the trailer, you can spot a rubber chicken spear, an improvised tranquilizer arrow made from a pen and chloroform, and more. Yet, crafting is only a small slice of what Zeverland offers.
According to the press release, Zeverland will feature a massively multiplayer experience. Players can team up with friends or strangers to explore and survive in a post-apocalyptic world, choosing between banding together to establish safe havens or wandering as lone wolves.
#### Zeverland Has Some Promising Vehicle Customization
Navigating Zeverland’s sprawling 24km² open-world map would be a daunting task without some means of swift travel. Luckily, the game includes an intriguing vehicle customization system. The trailer reveals that players can personalize their vehicles with paint jobs, weapon upgrades, and defensive modifications. Larger vehicles even offer the chance to add structural blocks and planters, turning vehicles into mobile bases.
#### Zeverland’s PvP Twist
A significant twist was unveiled at the end of Zeverland’s announcement trailer: death is far from the game’s final chapter. After becoming infected by a zombie, players can continue playing as a zombie themselves. Although unable to use weapons or vehicles, players in this mode enter a distinctly different gameplay style.
As a zombie, players must keep an eye on a hunger meter. Filling it involves hunting down living players or other zombies, and consuming them. Survive long enough, and you’ll unlock special abilities, such as leading a zombie horde.
In essence, Zeverland seems to be offering a rich blend of crafting innovation, expansive customization, and a fresh spin on the PvP mechanic, ensuring its spot in the resurgence of the zombie video game genre.
