Game News Turn-based zombie survival RPG Urban Strife aims to be a better Dead State

[Infinitron]

Tags: Urban Strife; White Pond Games

Urban Strife seems to have begun development back in 2016 as a simple turn-based squad tactics game with zombies. We've been following the game for years, but it really began grabbing our attention when Bucharest-based developer White Pond Games started calling it an RPG last June. Even before the release of the underwhelming Dead State, there were many Codexers who couldn't stand zombie games anymore, but Urban Strife looks good, really good. I was originally planning to wait until White Pond launched the game's Steam page with a proper trailer before posting about it, but it looks like they're taking their time on that. The truth is that any one of the many gameplay snippets they've uploaded to YouTube over the past ten months will do. For example:

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White Pond began taking signups for Urban Strife's private alpha on the game's official website a week and a half ago. Yesterday we learned that they plan to launch the alpha on May 14th, to be followed by a public "crowdfunded" early access build on June 4th. So if you like what you see, head on over there and check it out.

 

[Plane Escapee]

Infinitron would you consider adding the game to the List of Incline - 2020 Edition poll? I think the game has more than enough weight to qualify by now...

 

[Kem0sabe]

Looks too much like Dead State, in fact, almost looks like a rip off, from the art style to UI.

 

[toro]

Looks too much like Dead State, in fact, almost looks like a rip off, from the art style to UI.

Theft is an old Romanian tradition

 

[razvedchiki]

Dead state reanimated is a good game.

 

[Burning Bridges]

Such games are being announced for 20 years and always shit. Without real budget and a highly professional team this is gonna be another dime a dozen attempt to make a Jagged Alliance clone in a 3D engine.

 

[Infinitron]

Even before the release of the underwhelming Dead State, there were many Codexers who couldn't stand zombie games anymore, but Urban Strife looks good, really good

So, dead state is underwhelming but its clone with better gfx is suddenly incline?

How is urban strife better than dead state?

Not just graphics. For example, read this post about some of the game's combat system innovations: https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...w-in-private-alpha.114111/page-8#post-6542345

 

[zool]

Looks too much like Dead State, in fact, almost looks like a rip off, from the art style to UI.

It does look like they ripped off were heavily inspired by Dead State UI indeed. The fact that this game started development as a squad tactics game and not as an RPG actually gives me hope that it could be better than Dead State.

Squad-tactics games with RPG elements (a la Jagged Alliance 2) actually often turn out to be much better games than RPGs trying (and failing) to have a deep combat system.

 

[Drowed]

So... Dead State, but good? Sounds like a winner to me.

If indeed this is the case, that is.

 

[*-*/\--/\~]

Interesting. But why zombies, there is nothing more bland, generic and boring than zombies.

 

[JDR13]

aims to be a better Dead State

Such a high bar to clear...

 

[Dr Schultz]

Looks too much like Dead State, in fact, almost looks like a rip off, from the art style to UI.

Squad-tactics games with RPG elements (a la Jagged Alliance 2) actually often turn out to be much better games than RPGs trying (and failing) to have a deep combat system.

I'd say almost always. At least compared to combat focused RPGs...

 

[Gruia]

bruh, for me to get into a ZOMBIE game.. would require disco elysium mastery and be fucking yond.
meaning , a total spin of what a zombie is , turn alan moore on that shit.

 

[Nerevar]

I liked dead state. Going through the apartment building to get to the chopper was pretty epic.

Will get this.

 

[AlsGaming]

Looks like it'll run a lot smoother than Dead State which was the main issue I had. But seems like there isn't much footage of what you do at your base yet. Half the fun of Dead State was trying to run that efficiently and putting up with fellow survivor's incessant whining. If it has a lot less of that, I can see the game being more popular in general but maybe not as interesting as Dead State despite all its flaws.

 

[Tweed]

Looks decent, but will the wife of the developer have a huge metldown over a negative Steam review and start bitching on Twitter about it?

 

[Fenix]

At first I was

a simple turn-based squad tactics game with zombies

White Pond Games started calling it an RPG

A-ha...

But then I was video - sounds are very good, 5 out of 5 on realistic scale, and I glad there is no zombi in video - make it like that inentire game please?
I like that shotgun has such pellets dispersion, a little bit more narrow and it will be almost JA2.

Well, I liked what I saw, and as zool said I have more hope in games that were at first tactical turn-based and then became RPG then just RPG.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Yeah that UI needs to go

 

[Fenix]

What's I really, really like is real ballistic. It's SO cool and stuff.

 

[xuerebx]

Looks too much like Dead State, in fact, almost looks like a rip off, from the art style to UI.

Exactly like what I was going to write. Although as long as it's a good game I don't really mind. The "rip off" is an issue for the DS developers - which I understand have abandoned the game - so I don't think anyone will really care.

 

[Andhaira]

Even before the release of the underwhelming Dead State, there were many Codexers who couldn't stand zombie games anymore, but Urban Strife looks good, really good

So, dead state is underwhelming but its clone with better gfx is suddenly incline?

How is urban strife better than dead state?

Sup Annie

 

[Feyd Rautha]

Looks too much like Dead State, in fact, almost looks like a rip off, from the art style to UI.

Theft is an old Romanian tradition

you're talking about gypsies from Romania?

 

[DarkArcher]

I dig it.

 

[Grotesque]

Dead state reanimated is a good game.

I finished Dead State two weeks ago.

A game bogged down in minutia, shit combat, mediocre writing level, annoying characters, UI functionality that gives me nightmares to this day, kindergarten level 3D assets, way too fuckin long...

If I would have to choose one word to describe it, it would be a drag.


The base uprades part was interesting, until it god old, with no gameplay implications, just fluff.


Did I mention the fuckin UI?
It was designed by a cretin


I would not even touch another zombie game even with a 10 foot pole.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Project Zomboid is already better than Dead State, but it has real-time combat. The number of systems they implemented in the game is mind-blowing, and some of the stuff in it is brutal.



The game is still in early access and has no NPCs, but it is already fun.