Probably one of the most successful early access games on Steam, Just Survive is a still-in-development survival sandbox massively multiplayer online game from Daybreak Game Company for the Windows PC. Released on early access on Steam back in January 2015, the game sold two million copies within the first two months of its debut.
How to Download Just Survive
To begin downloading Just Survive click on the download button at the end of this review. The game is available on Steam. Unfortunately, you can enjoy the game on Xbox One or PS4. This is a PC-only title.
The Game Review
Just Survive is not the title’s original name, however, as it was originally known as H1Z1 then later H1Z1: Just Survive. (You should know that the original H1Z1 game branched off into H1Z1: Just Survive and H1Z1: King of the Hill. The latter then was renamed to H1Z1). Arriving at the height of the zombie apocalypse survival game trend, Just Survive in many ways is the spiritual forebear of today’s battle royale craze.
The objectives of a zombie apocalyptic survival game are quite simple. You survive as long as possible against endless waves of zombies. This game, set in a rural part of the United States, is no different in this regard and tasks players with scrounging up material with which to resist the undead hordes.
This will remind gamers of Microsoft’s State of Decay series although without the base building and crew management mechanics.
Another fun aspect of Just Survive is that you won’t only find yourself pitted against zombies, but also all kinds of wildlife. Given the rural setting of the game, this should come as no surprise, still, it’s interesting to see wolves and bears make an appearance in what is ostensibly a zombie survival game.
Instead of managing everything yourself, as you would in State of Decay, Just Survive emphasizes multiplayer and team elements. This means that cooperative gameplay will be key to surviving and thriving in the game, an interesting aspect given how difficult this can often be among online players in even the best of moods.
Scavenging for supplies and crafting items takes up almost as much time as trying to outrun and outlast the zombies. Unlike some games, there is no player-versus-player element in Just Survive, so players need not worry about betrayal from their own side.
This is in contrast to other games in the series that often feature PvP with zombies complicating matters. This is part of the reason the game dropped the H1Z1 branding and simply went with Just Survive. In addition, with the increasing competition from battle royale games, dropping the PvP element of Just Survive helps distinguish the gameplay from other alternatives. As any longtime gamer can attest, online games tend to be tough places to break into for newcomers, and Just Survive avoids this by dropping the matter entirely.
Graphics are basic if not a bit dark. This is probably to heighten the suspense that goes along with running away from zombies and wildlife.
Never a slouch in the challenge department, Just Survive truly emphasizes cooperative play in ways that few games do. Mastery of its various systems should only increase the tension, and fun, players experience as they get better at working together in the game.
For those gamers who enjoy titles like State of Decay but don’t want to micromanage crews and build bases as well as who enjoy playing online with their friends, Just Survive is one of the stronger entries in a still-growing niche of video games.
