The infection has gone global, and the need to survive is greater than ever…
Some key points that this game offers:
- Massive Multiplayer capabilities.
- Local Co-op.
- Randomized environments.
- Base Building and Base Defence mechanics.
- Much larger open world environment.
- Indie Gem 2/5.
Gameplay & Controls:
The game offers full controller support to the gamer. Whether you choose the keyboard and mouse or the controller, the outcome will be the same, the game can be enjoyed on either of the two, it is merely a matter of preference.
We do have the means to change and re-bind the keys to our liking so we have that as an added bonus.
The gameplay received a major update from the original How to Survive, we have a much larger game world, numerous side quests and the option to set up camps that you can build and defend solo or with loads of other friends in a local or online game.
There are many new crafting recipes’ in every category making this a grand sequel. The gameplay itself has received a lot of tweaks and improvements as well.
Kovac is back…. And he has a whole bag of goodies for you, there is a new very enjoyable campaign and story line waiting for you, with that you will also come across many locals that will offer their own backstories and quests for you.
The levelling system has been massively upgraded as well. Not only can your character level up but so can your camp… A unique new feature to enjoy.
Unfortunately, that is where the fun ends, How to Survive 2 is not without its bugs. The largest and most damaging being that sometimes when you start a level it doesn’t load properly. The door that you need to access cannot be opened, the pop up to open it just never pops and you are forced to go back to camp and retry the mission.
I can add to the above that some users did not experience this bug, and others experiences issues only on some levels. I personally experienced this issue on a few levels and it was truly dreadful to restart a mission until it loaded correctly.
Another terrible bug that the game has are the two broken achievements, as a completionist and achievement hunter myself, this is the biggest issue a game can have; and makes it a no go immediately since it can never achieve the 100% completion now.
The fact that there is minimal response from the developers regarding these issues and updates as to when it will be addressed is also not a good sign and this while they are working on other titles adds to the frustration that a gamer experience.
Graphics:
The visuals have received some improvements as well. The world is populated by numerous environmental obstacles for you to visually experience and interact with this time.
As I briefly stated, this time around we have a much larger world to explore and discover and that is not all, this world is full of beauty, each level gets randomly generated giving us new and unique experiences whenever we go out on missions.
Character design is better than before, we have loads of customizable options to make use of, giving us the opportunity to create our own unique survivor. Zombie visuals also received some improvements and expansions to give us more visual variants of the foul creatures that are out to eat us.
The day and night cycle works really well, its implementation was done very well to offer us a unique atmosphere that changes as the time of day does, and incorporating weather effects just adds to and enhances the overall visual quality of the game.
Sounds:
Another step up from the original, everything that the game offers is brought to life by the unique sounds, whether it is Zombies moaning in the distance, out of sight but close enough to be heard or the thunder storms and rain that comes crashing down around you. The sounds are there to ensure your experience is unique and entertaining.
The background music was implemented very well to add to the game quality, whether you are out on missions or simply exploring the bayou, there is always a tune to accompany you, making survival less lonely.
Replayability:
The game has multiplayer where you and your friends can play together to build the ultimate survival camps among other fun to dos that the game offers.
The game has a fair amount of side quests that will keep you busy and then there are the achievements that require a bit of work to achieve.
The bugs that are in the game do make the choice of wanting to replay it a lot less attractive since you are forced to redo certain missions until they spawn in playable conditions.
MGR Gaming’s Conclusions:
Spoilers Ahead:
How to Survive 2 should have been the fantastic sequel to How to Survive.
How to Survive may have had its limitations in terms of exploration, crafting and RPG elements, but the game was fun, enjoyable and working properly.
How to Survive 2 received numerous improvements as I mentioned, we have a new unique levelling system, we have plenty recipes from different categories to craft, numerous weapon options, traps and so much more. The game could have been an amazing work of art if it was not for the bugs that shed so much negativity on it.
How to Survive 2 has a boring grind attached to it, which would be a lot less boring if the game worked properly. I did mention that I started playing this title well into its release so the fact that these issues still persist and have not been patched out only makes things worse for this game franchise.
If this is how Eko Software plans to leave How to Survive 2, a game that has plenty potential to be an amazing sequel full of so many new aspects and mechanics that really sets the game apart from other survival games than that would be disappointing.
It can pave the way to an even greater experience but unless this one can be fixed I do not see why a third one should be made, the current standing of this game needs to be taken into consideration by the developers and they need to acknowledge the broken mechanics and then address them so that the games reputation can be cleared and enjoyed the way it was meant to be.
Additional Info:
Platforms: PC: Xbox One: PlayStation 4
Genre: Survival: Zombies: Open World: Multiplayer
Censor Rating: 16
Age Rating: Mature: Gore
Developer: Eko Software
Publisher: 505 Games
Release Date: 8 September 2016
MGR Gaming Steam Curator:
https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32364038/
