Released on April 24, 2025, Darkest Days, a new zombie RPG, has rapidly captured the attention of the gaming community despite facing a backlash in terms of Steam reviews. The game immerses players in a typical survival experience, featuring scavenging, crafting, and exploration within an expansive open world. Surprisingly, it has gained a significant player base with peak concurrent users reaching over 4,000.
The reception on Steam, however, tells a contrasting tale. With merely 17% of reviews rated positively, the game has come under fire primarily due to concerns about in-game purchases and comparisons to the anticipated The Day Before. Despite these critiques, Darkest Days has carved its niche in the gaming arena, even being compared to the established franchise State of Decay.
Game Mechanics and Community Reaction
Players and critics alike have described the game mechanics as standard for the survival genre. The allure of scavenging and crafting, coupled with the intrigue of navigating an open-world environment teeming with zombies, seems to strike a familiar yet engaging chord among enthusiasts. However, these elements have not been enough to shield the game from a storm of criticism regarding its monetization strategy.
Complaints have arisen over the in-game economy, with many players feeling that the purchases do not enhance the gaming experience in meaningful ways. The comparison to The Day Before seems unremitting, adding to the scrutiny. Yet, this seems not to have deterred curiosity, as Darkest Days currently sits as the 296th most popular game on Steam, holding its ground against other known titles like The Division 2 and World War Z.
The developers behind Darkest Days have yet to formally respond to the feedback. Whether future updates or patches will address these community concerns, thereby turning more critics into advocates, remains to be seen. For now, the game continues to see a flux of players eager to delve into its apocalyptic offerings.
