Zombie Survival Games have taken me to so many unexpected places in my time. I spilled undead blood in Nazi Germany, idyllic tropical resorts, Wild West and more. But medieval England is new to me. There are few games I wanted to try God saves Birminghammainly because it was due to the unusual combination of genre and setting, but also because it looked like a proper hardcore experience. My chances have finally arrived as Gamescom dealt with Ocean Drive Studio’s upcoming games in about 30 minutes of hands-on time. It was certainly in the early stages and not without the specific narrative pull or goals to follow, but I have little complaints about its stunning scenery and challenging survival.
I appeared in a typical medieval home – it is basic, lacking a lot of natural light, but dimmed with candles and very cozy. I open the door, bright daylight washes me off, and a medieval town square with charming muddy scrumptiousness. Market stalls, water wells, churches on a hill in the distance – it’s picturesque, but given the condition of the inhabitants, it’s probably best to grab my pitchfork. Groans, withered pedestrians shuffle around the street. Your presence will attract their attention, but God is not a high octane all-action zombie game, except for Birmingham. Your enemies will not fire their limbs and sprint towards you. There are no “mini-boss” style enemies that will spit toxic mucus on you. I didn’t see the usual cliché “berserker” or “Shirieker” archetypes. They’re just… people. A zombie that you can trust. That doesn’t mean they can’t cause your problems.
At first I actually felt a bit disappointed by how easy it was to travel around God, except for Birmingham. I was able to pass them, climb over the fence and avoid them if I got too close. I drilled some holes in my pitchfork and I got some chunks, but I didn’t really worry about it. Amputating your legs, hitting the ground, or entering for a devastating and extremely satisfying top spot seemed rather risk-free. Even when I finally grabbed me, all I had to do was turn my eyes in that direction, click my mouse quickly and shrugged. But what makes this game really work is to calm you down to false confidence, even at this early stage. Self-satisfaction is not punished.
While searching for food and bandages I came across a very dark house and soon didn’t notice some of the zombies in the corner surrounding me. After passing them and squeezing them I head to the door, only to be greeted by three or four who went down the street and chased me. At the front door of this house, I’m surrounded now and as multiple zombies latch onto me it becomes almost impossible to push them all out. I will meet the end of the Grizzly.
On the second run, I’m equipped with x now, so I’m far more wary of my undead enemies and I’m still living for so long. This allows you to explore some truly amazing places presented in exquisite detail for such an early build. First, the church on the hill is surrounded by priests who happen to be zombified. Then a gorgeous manners house with a main hall set up for a huge banquet – apparently a big party was planned before Birmingham changed. This is also great news. It’s one of the core survival parameters I need to manage as all foods help me replenish my hunger level. According to Creative Director Hyeonsong Cha, who was with me in this preview, there is also hunger, fatigue, physical fatigue and injuries, and a “panic/fear” meter.
The exploration, survival and atmosphere were all suited, but I desperately felt a story to make some purpose or reveal for myself to work. From an overall plot point of view, Cha explains that there is no solid solution to zombie outbreaks. You’re not here to stop it or find all the answers. “From a premise perspective, we believe it is impossible for anyone in this world to know exactly what happened,” he says. “But we want to show how these different people handled it, understood it, and tried to understand it.”
What I learned from my time with God is that, except for Birmingham, all decisions must be measured and calculated decisions. As soon as you get into a chaotic or fast-moving situation, it’s hard to get away with life due to the stamina, periods of action, such as opening a door, and the fact that you have to head to inventory every time you pull out a weapon or item. Stabilizing things, knowing your limits, and avoiding reckless risks is paramount to your survival. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that Cha has made it clear that Cha is heavily influenced by Project Zomboid. He also praises the way it portrays “an overwhelming horde that slowly closes to you.” Of course, stylistically, God saves Birmingham and the Project Zomboids are very different, but I can definitely feel the shared elements between them. Cha also praises Kingdom, a television series about the 17th century Korean zombie plague, as a major inspiration for the game’s overall concept.
Early in this, I have great hope for God to save Birmingham. There is definitely an audience for a more hardcore, measured and realistic approach to zombie survival. Thanks to the gorgeous views, detailed interiors and, of course, the ongoing need to find more gear, food and items, you’ll be exploring. It can also create moments of panic when you are least expecting them. The next step is to provide a compelling reason why I want to survive in this world with some purpose, a sense of progress, and light storytelling.
