State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition

Developer: Undead Labs
Release: Mar 13th 2020
Platforms:
Action
RPG
Simulation
Addictive
Immersive
Strategic
Buggy
Cumbersome
State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition Poster

" Engaging action RPG with immersive survival and base-building but frustrating multiplayer design "

State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition Review

State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition delivers a compelling zombie survival experience that blends strategic base management, resource scavenging, and permadeath-driven storytelling. Players manage a dynamic community of survivors, each with unique traits, in a sprawling open world filled with randomized loot, plague hearts, and emergent events. The game shines in its tense atmosphere, immersive audio design, and the emotional weight of losing characters permanently. The Juggernaut Edition brings graphical improvements and quality-of-life updates, enhancing the overall aesthetic and gameplay flow.

However, the game is marred by technical issues such as bugs, clunky animations, and frustrating multiplayer mechanics. The mandatory Xbox Live account requirement and convoluted co-op system frustrate many players, limiting multiplayer enjoyment. While the core gameplay loop is addictive and praised for its depth, the endgame legacy missions and special infected can feel repetitive or unbalanced. Despite flaws, continuous developer support and modding options have refined the experience, making it a recommended title for fans of survival management who tolerate some jank and privacy concerns.

Highlights

Gameplay mechanics are praised for their blend of action and strategy, with a satisfying loop of exploration, scavenging, base-building, and combat. The permadeath system adds meaningful tension to player decisions.

Graphics have improved significantly in the Juggernaut Edition, with enhanced lighting and textures creating atmospheric maps, though character animations remain stiff.

Storyline is emergent and player-driven rather than scripted, allowing unique narratives through gameplay and community management.

The audio design and musical score effectively build immersion and dread in a post-apocalyptic world.

Multiplayer co-op, while flawed, offers chaotic and memorable moments when playing with friends.

Criticisms

Technical issues persist, including bugs, pathfinding glitches, freezes, and broken achievements, detracting from the experience.

The multiplayer implementation is host-centric and restrictive, with non-host players unable to access loot or progress, frustrating co-op play.

Mandatory Xbox Live account login and privacy concerns deter some players, especially those wanting offline or solo play without external accounts.

The endgame legacy missions and special infected encounters can feel repetitive, unbalanced, or tedious.

Inventory and vehicle storage limitations require mods for optimal enjoyment, highlighting design flaws.

Some players find survivor dialogue and radio chatter annoying or lacking personality.

Pros

  • Engaging survival and base management gameplay loop with meaningful permadeath tension.
  • Randomized loot and events keep each playthrough unique and replayable.
  • Improved graphics and atmospheric environments in the Juggernaut Edition.
  • Immersive audio design and a fitting melancholic soundtrack.
  • Robust character progression and diverse playstyle combinations.
  • Satisfying combat mechanics blending stealth, melee, and firearms.
  • Customizable difficulty zones and curveballs for tailored challenge.

Cons

  • Mandatory Xbox Live account login frustrates privacy-conscious and offline players.
  • Poor multiplayer co-op design limits non-host player interaction and progression.
  • Technical bugs and glitches persist despite patches, affecting stability.
  • Repetitive and limited endgame legacy missions reduce replay value.
  • Inventory and vehicle storage space is overly restrictive without mods.
  • Clunky character animations and frequent environmental clipping issues.
  • Annoying survivor dialogue and excessive radio chatter.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price
Capsule image

The dead have risen and civilization has fallen. Now it's up to you to gather survivors, scavenge for resources and build a community in a post-apocalyptic world – a world where you define what it means to survive in this ultimate zombie survival simulation.

Release Date Mar 13th 2020
Publisher Xbox Game Studios
Developer Undead Labs
Platforms

User Reviews

Very Positive (19,809)
87% Positive 13% Negative

Online Reviews

Metacritic logo
Metacritic
69