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Dead State is Doublebear's new zombie roleplaying game photo

The Zombie Apocalypse is the new World War II, and has been for a while now when it comes to games. But most, if not all zombie games to date have mostly focused on just killing them in droves. Few have actually thought about surviving in a world full of shambling undead. Until Dead State, that is.

Developed by DoubleBear, among whose members were once of Obsidian Entertainment and Troika Games (the Arcanum people), Dead State takes survival beyond just getting to the chopper/boat/car and concentrates on the big picture. Set in the fictional Texas town of Splendid, the player manages a local shelter while going out to find food and supplies, gather townsfolk, and even make allies (or enemies) out of other groups of survivors.

In fact, with all those other concerns in mind, the slow-moving "traditional" zombies are probably the least of your worries...unless you ignore them, making loud noises and accidentally attracting a horde.

So far it sounds like an incredibly exciting game, the stuff of short stories you might find in books like Max Brook's World War Z. Check out some more details at DoubleBear's site, and some screens in the gallery. Its release date is still unknown, beyond the statement that it is currently for the PC, and will not be out in 2010.

A Blood Red State: Dead State Revealed [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

LAUNCH GALLERY (5 IMAGES)
Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo









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Josh Tolentino is Destructoid's associate editor, specializing in Japanese video games. He is also a contributing editor to Japanator.com Meet the rest of the team



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58 comments | showing # 1 to 50
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ralphster's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:34
ralphster
i have a feeling this will be crap
Extra Crispy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:35
Extra Crispy
Finally, a REAL zombie survival concept. I look forward to it.

My only wish is that they made it look grittier. I understand that these are in-development screens, but it looks a bit too clean for my tastes.
StingingVelvet's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:40
StingingVelvet
I know a lot of people on here won't get this, but other than possibly New Vegas this is my number one anticipated game right now. The talent behind it wrote some of my favorite games like Bloodlines, and it's been too long since we had an isometric turn-based RPG of this caliber released.

I literally quiver when it's mentioned.
Paroxysm's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:44
Paroxysm
Sounds great. I can play out my Walking Dead fantasies.
Drakengard's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:44
Drakengard
Sounds awesome. Now if only my PC didn't suck ass...*sigh*
Manic Maverick's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:48
Manic Maverick
YES YES YES YES YEEEEEEEESSSSS AAAAUUUUUUGHHHHHHHH FUCKING GOD YES.

Now that that's out of my system, I am definitely looking forward to this. Not many games put an emphasis on surviving outside of getting eaten alive, and I've been hoping they'd make one. And here it is! Fucking excite.
Pixel Kaiser's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:50
Pixel Kaiser
I've been following this game for awhile now, glad it's finally coming out into the spotlight.
Mr Andy Dixon's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:52
Mr Andy Dixon
This looks fucking awesome.
Bluj162's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:54
Bluj162
Turn based, no thanks.
pedrovay2003's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:54
pedrovay2003
Please release this on a console...
Stevil's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 18:55
Stevil
Apparently, it's a sort of turn-based game too. So hopefully, it'll be like old school X-Com meets The Last Stand II. Should be a decent game whatever happens.
RedQueensAce's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:00
RedQueensAce
Finally a return to top down RPGs with turn based mechanics. Thank you Double Bear!
king kong five's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:09
king kong five
Wow. This sounds absolutely fantastic, let's pray it doesn't get cancelled in a year.
ninjikiran's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:09
ninjikiran
I am normally not a fan of these kind of turn based experiences but the idea of actually surviving in a zombie apocalypse is just too awesome to contain. Especially if zombie combat is taking a back seat to the human drama.
Naim Master's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:17
Naim Master
YES! DELICIOUS DELICIOUS ISOMETRIC, GIVE IT TO ME.
Max-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:17
Max-
Loving the Street Fighter reference in this pic!

garethxxgod's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:18
garethxxgod
Bring it to consoles!
DevinKills's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:19
DevinKills
Looks cool
TheDreadHawk's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:19
TheDreadHawk
This looks amazing.
D-roy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:34
D-roy
I really hope they deliver with this game.
Daynger777's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:35
Daynger777
Ahem...... DO WANT
bluemeep's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:47
bluemeep
I've been hoping a serious developer would take a stab at this aspect of Z-day. A body can only rock 'n' roll so much before wanting to hole up for the night in his safehouse.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 19:59
Cowboy TTop
Very cool. This goes up my 'game to buy' list too. At last, a thinking mans zombie game. I really hope it turns out well and I will have a hawkeye on its progress.
RolaRogers's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 20:23
RolaRogers
I remember there was a free online game thas based in survive, like sell food you find in the city, or sell weapons or service as a medic etc...
mellotron's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 20:44
mellotron
I played the shit out of Arcanum... I am looking forward to this.
brownpig's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 21:04
brownpig
This is exactly what I have been asking for. (I just want it in first person, for the immersion factor.)
SlyKill's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 21:08
SlyKill
What a damn good idea. I wish my Mac would run shit like this. Hopefully one of the counsels releases something similar.
HandsomeDan's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 21:25
HandsomeDan
This is exactly what I wanted out of a zombie game since I played the first Resident Evil. I'm a huge Romero fan, and I've recently been reading through the Walking Dead. I've always felt that zombies, like natural disasters, made for an excellent backdrop for human drama. This looks like it could be the first chance we see that translate into a game, which would make it the first zombie game in a long time that I can really find satisfying and not just in the oh did you see how I killed that zombie way. I'm looking at you Dead Rising.
StickFlick's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 21:44
StickFlick
I was excited until I saw the words "Turn-based".

Fuck. That.
runtheplacered's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 21:49
runtheplacered
@ StickFlick ,

"I was excited until I saw the words "Turn-based".

Fuck. That."

Right, because Fallout and Arcanum were shitty games? Seriously, what a closed-minded fool. This game looks fantastic from what I see. This is now on my radar. From the looks of the comments section here I'm not alone.
falinter's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 22:09
falinter
I remember hearing they were making this last year. I'm glad to know Doublebear is still working on it. Hopefully comes out before the end of 2012.
no roots's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 22:17
no roots
If this turns out to be anything like Arcanum, I'll buy it day one.
bluemeep's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 22:27
bluemeep
@runtheplacered: Seriously, what's with all the turn-based hating going on 'round here? This makes me sad for the future.
Derek Gillies's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 23:13
Derek Gillies
I hope every hater of Turn-based games gets cancer. Yah you heard me.

Also the probability of this hitting consoles is very very low, don't get hopes up - it's being developed on a PC engine by a dozen or so people with no studio backing and in fact no studio AFAIK, just a bunch of passionate (though also experienced) people working from their homes. We'll be lucky enough if it gets finished.
SourGr8pes's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 23:21
SourGr8pes
Did you say Arcanum?

Bought.
Davedude's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/30/2010 23:46
Davedude
WANT. SO. BAD. It's a shame that Bloodlines didn't sell better, I was too young to buy it at the time so I've only recently gotten it and I am amazed at the wonderful writing and gameplay. To see that this game will feature people from both Troika AND Obsidian... Developers that know the field better than most, I just can't wait ^_^
Lazyman's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 00:12
Lazyman
It the same hate for turn based games that is ruining jrpgs.To many people want there games to be action based.Sigh I will miss the old days.
Romo Metaxxas's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 00:20
Romo Metaxxas
Wow. This seems good. I do hope they bring it to the PS3. Then more people would appreciate this game.
laggerific's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 00:40
laggerific
@Romo: If they provide keyboard and mouse support, for sure. But, sadly, consoles are anathema to these kinds of games...I'd prefer they leave it on the PC and focus on making a solid RPG of classic vintage yet taking advantage of new hardware. We need!!!!! more CRPGs that don't fall down the path of streamlining to the point of blandness in order to appeal to the masses.

This is my biggest frustration...companies do not need to make their games accessible to everyone and their grandmother...please, make a CRPG with depth and strategy, a world RICH with detail and life....and undead.

But, even if this is a buggy mess when it comes out, I'm glad to see the fruits of these great studios still kicking. And currently my buddy and I are playing some Temple of Elemental Evil (me for the first time) and it's a really great game thanks to all the TLC its got from its community...as much as they've been able to do for that game. I just hope the Dead State inspires the community to do so much for it, regardless of the state of its release.
Romo Metaxxas's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 00:47
Romo Metaxxas
@laggerific
There's keyboard and mouse support on the PS3 unlike other consoles. Added with a more broader audience on it, i don't think its impossible to be done
Sebastian Baba's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 00:52
Sebastian Baba
Looks like The Sims fucked X-COM and then that bastard child fucked Left 4 Dead... Popping out this later on.
Ebola8MyFace's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 01:19
Ebola8MyFace
I've wanted a game like this for at least 15 years now. There has been a lot of games in development promising this sort of thing and they've all degenerated into action games or never saw release. The ones that come the closest online just haven't been that fun to play, but the potential was always been there screaming for the right opportunity to create tension and human drama. I'm still bummed out about the cancellation of Dead Rush. GTA meets Resident Evil??? Sounded delicious to me. Anyhow, I will stay cautiously excited. I'm positive it'll be amazing if it's released...but will it be released? If so, I hope there's a gang of bikers to fuck things up like in the original Dawn of the Dead. I think my head would explode.
Badpenny's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 01:24
Badpenny
this is the zombie game I have been waiting for.
Ayrton's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 01:39
Ayrton
I'd prefer some kind of Source Forts/Fallout 3 mashup, IE building a defensive position, rationing supplies, and then cracking skulls first person... but this is enough. Will keep an eye on it.
Grimspoon's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 02:02
Grimspoon
Screen look terrible but I was sold as soon as you referenced Troika / Arcanum.
HombreGato's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 02:09
HombreGato
Veteran game devs are working on this, but it's also the first outing from their startup company. Spread the word guys! Indie gems need your support.
HombreGato's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 02:17
HombreGato
Oh and this is a zombie game but I've gotta add this...

Nobody in the last decade has produced finer Vampire fiction than Troika did with Vampire: Bloodlines (PC).

I'm not saying True Blood or Let the Right One In aren't worth watching, but actually play a Vampire in this game and you'll feel more connected to the experience than with any film or television show.

Just make sure to get the "fan patch." Troika dissolved before they could release more than one patch and the game was very buggy, but fans have taken the game under there wing and released many updates over the years.
Sexualchocolate's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 04:02
Sexualchocolate
This is the game I've always wanted! Whenever anyone asks "what game would you make if you could?" This is pretty much my answer.

Please be good, and please bring to consoles!
DefiantBadger's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 04:45
DefiantBadger
You guy's should check out the interview with Rock Paper Shotgun. It's very interesting, and it seems that this will be the true zombie game I have always wanted.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/08/25/a-blood-red-state-dead-state-revealed/
Zhanli's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/31/2010 05:04
Zhanli
I'm sorry, that kitchen screen shot just has me thinking "The Sims + Zombies"... I hope that doesn't turn out to be the case.
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