For years, Rust has remained relevant as a go-to game for streamers and friend groups alike, with players able to create their own stories via the game’s various servers. Some players may just seek to build their ideal setup and protect it, others could focus entirely on raiding, and a third group tends to fill the role of a sneaky betrayer that throws alliances out the window. The potential for memorable reactions and pure chaos to kick off at a moment’s notice has not only made Rust special, but has led to indie developers taking their own crack at a Rust-inspired release. Not only is there a promising underwater game like Rust coming soon, but another Steam page just appeared depicting an upcoming Rust-like.
This particular Steam game goes by the name Zeverland, and it throws out both Rust’s first-person perspective and its immersive, realistic art style. Instead, it adopts both a third-person camera and graphics more reminiscent of Palworld, with cartoony characters, plenty of color, and a generally more lighthearted vibe. Additionally, instead of battling wildife or military entities, Zeverland players will have to contend with hordes of (similarly charming) undead enemies. An emphasis on friendly co-op being paired with these adversaries should make the game appealing to fans of other games, like Project Zomboid. However, survival players shouldn’t be fooled by the game’s cutesy look, as mechanically, it shares a lot in common with Rust.
Developed by Quantum Quirks, this indie game currently lacks a release date on its Steam page.
Zeverland Features at a Glance
- SURVIVE using bows, melee weapons, and guns while managing thirst and hunger.
- EXPLORE a massive open-world that’s over 5000km^2, featuring abandoned farms, lakes, mountains, and towns.
- BUILD your own base camp up piece by piece while encountering other player-made structures in the world.
- RECRUIT NPCs to make survival easier, from chefs and tailors to security and construction workers.
- BECOME INFECTED when bitten, choosing to restart as a human or continue to progress as a strong, creepy monster.
Common sense keeps you alive: find water, hunt, build shelter. Everything is interactive—dismantle toilets, strap zombie heads to bats, or weld a bed to your RV. Go solo or team up: repair bridges, make vaccines, and relight this dead world!
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Balance the critic averages
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Zeverland is All About Immersion and Rebuilding
Zeverland players essentially have the mission statement that the dwellers of Vault 76 from Fallout did: go out and rebuild the world, dealing with threats as they come. Said world will be truly massive and full of all kinds of different terrain, presenting different opportunities and challenges. To survive, players won’t just need to raid shelves, cabinets, and vending machines, but use their smarts to craft killing tools effective enough to wipe out the tough zeds roaming the map. Examples given include combining a clothes iron and tennis rack, a metal bat and electric camera, or using a zombie’s head as a weapon.
When not managing one’s health and thirst bars or creating weapons that would feel right at home in a Dead Island game, players will be rebuilding the base of their dreams, or creating structures to make the world easier to traverse. And outside the build process, which is plenty of fun in its own right, players will be able to find and recruit survivors to their base, with each taking on tasks to benefit their fellow survivors. Some can serve as security guards to ward off hostiles and protect the player’s chosen home, while others can become chefs and outfit makers to help the player character prepare for each step they take in the world outside their gates.
However, it’d be impossible to capture the Rust vibe without the presence of other players, and fortunately, gamers won’t be alone in the massive worlds of Zeverland. Perhaps players will spot a player-made bridge over an annoying river, benefiting from someone’s creation just as they would in something like Death Stranding. From there, they could leave a gift for that player that they’ll see next time they cross the bridge, rewarding them for their efforts. Alternatively, players can use their radio to track down another player’s signal, teaming up with like-minded survivors.
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Zeverland’s Roadmap Promises a Bright Future
While Zeverland has had two pre-Alpha tests, it’s likely still a fair bit away from its proper launch. However, that hasn’t stopped developer Quantum Quirks from outlining its plans for the future. In addition to abandoning MMO aspirations to fully embrace co-op survival, the player’s vehicle is being expanded with more options to make it a proper mobile home. Additional improvements in the works include, but aren’t limited to:
- Expanded faction storyline
- Power System
- Farming
- Fishing
- Ziplines
- Detailed weapon assembly
- NPC polish and detail
- More interesting map POIs
While Zeverland could remain in development for quite some time, there’s a clear vision in place for this title, which is very promising. With clear potential for another testing phase in the future, not to mention more updates, this game is certainly deserving of a spot on the Steam wishlist of any survival genre fan.
