In most zombie games the logical thing to do would be to head for higher ground. In Escape From Z however, you need to do the exact opposite.
DoubleShot Games’ action roguelike has entered Early Access, waking you up on the top floor of a ruined building with 15 levels of zombies, loot, and bad decisions standing between you and the exit. There’s no helicopter waiting on the roof and no handy fire escape. If you want out, you’re going down.
Fifteen Floors Between You and Freedom
Each run begins at the top of the building and sends you deeper, one floor at a time. The layouts are procedurally generated, so you won’t simply learn where everything is and follow the same route on the next attempt. Every floor brings another mix of enemies, loot, and choices over how much danger you’re willing to take on before moving closer to the exit.
You can poke around looking for better equipment and useful resources, but staying longer also means giving the zombies more opportunities to ruin your day. Sometimes that extra room could contain exactly what you need, while other times it contains teeth.
Shooting Helps, but It Isn’t the Whole Strategy
Escape From Z leans into its combat, with firearms and melee weapons available for dealing with the infected. Accurate shots matter, and DoubleShot Games describes the combat as being built around precise hits with plenty of impact. However, simply shooting everything that moves isn’t the only thing deciding whether you make it downstairs.
There’s a skill system for shaping your character as the run develops, while limited resources force you to think about what you use and when. Your decisions can also affect how a run plays out, with the developer putting some emphasis on your character and the choices you make rather than treating the building as nothing more than 15 rooms full of targets.
Dying Doesn’t Empty Your Pockets Completely
This is still a roguelike, so reaching the ground floor on your first attempt would be suspiciously generous. Death sends you back to try again, but permanent progression means you don’t lose absolutely everything. A portion of the loot collected during failed attempts can be protected and carried into future runs, giving you something to show for the time you spent getting mauled several floors above freedom.
The idea is to slowly improve your chances while learning how to handle the building itself. Explore too much and you might lose a promising run, rush downstairs without preparing and you could arrive at the next floor horribly under-equipped.
Early Access Is Just the First Descent
The current Early Access version includes the main gameplay loop, combat, progression systems, and the initial selection of floors and enemies.
DoubleShot Games expects Early Access to last around three to five months, with plans to add more floors, enemies, and general variety while improving balance, progression, and performance based on player feedback. There’s also a free demo available for anyone who wants to see how far they can make it before committing to the full descent.
Escape From Z already has a wonderfully clear objective. Start at the top, reach the bottom, and try not to become part of the building’s rapidly growing zombie population on the way down.