Everyone loves a bit of zombie apocalypse action, and the most ambitious vision of the zombie apocalypse we’ve encountered over the last few months is a mobile game called LifeAfter. This genre-straddling title from Chinese studio NetEase sees you attempting …
Everyone loves a bit of zombie apocalypse action, and the most ambitious vision of the zombie apocalypse we’ve encountered over the last few months is a mobile game called LifeAfter.
This genre-straddling title from Chinese studio NetEase sees you attempting to survive in a world laid to ruin by a virus that turns its victims into bloodthirsty, glowing zombie maniacs.
Initially this means exploring with your trusty dog in tow, collecting materials to make weapons, tools, medicines, and food. You’ll need to take care of the basics of human survival, while also stopping intermittently to shoot, hack, and stab waves of zombies to death.
All this takes place in a gorgeous, atmospheric 3D game world governed by a day/night cycle and the prevailing weather conditions of whichever location you happen to be in, whether that be the woods, an abandoned mine, or a ruined city.
The level of detail is incredible. Not only are you affected by cold and hunger, but you have a stamina bar during combat. NetEase has thought of everything in this realistic, story-driven journey through hell.
However, the standout feature of the game has to be the collaborative multiplayer.
You see, LifeAfter lets you nominate a special friend and unlock extra game content. You and your friend can share access to the dog house, harvest crops for each other, and share buildings and resources generally.
Better still, you can build (or join) a private camp, which becomes your base of operations. Up to 79 other players can then join your camp, kicking in for shelter and protection and receiving perks like free meals, a weapon store, and so on. There are tasks, too, which you can collect at the Camp Bulletin Board and complete in exchange for supplies.
Individuals have to work their way up in a camp, earning promotion from newcomer to Honorary Citizen. There’s even a Mayor.
As a community you’ll need to protect yourself against zombie attacks and even deadlier human attacks, while mounting attacks of your own against rival human players when called upon to do so.
It’s difficult to conceive of a more thorough simulation of life after a zombie apocalypse. Having already launched on iOS, LifeAfter is now available on Android too.
