Undead Labs ambitious title, Class 3, may be a long way from hitting consoles but we’re already getting some small glimpses at what the game has in store for us. The latest post from the studio’s website gives us some cryptic hints about what to expect in their vision of a post-apocalyptic world filled with zeds. All of which are cleverly hidden in a supposed diary from a post Z-day survivor.
Desperation seems to be the name of the game, setting up bases where possible and trying your best to stay alive:
Rough day today. We’re running out of ammo, so we’re having to look for supplies farther and farther from base. Everyone know that we’ll eventually have to leave, but we’ve put so much work into building this thing up. Having to leave “home” is almost more painful to think about then all the crew we’ve lost over the last few months.
The world that Undead Labs are envisioning seems to be a one where living by the skin of your teeth would be a luxury. Scavenging parts and supplies from the local area looks to be the top priority, as it would be in such a situation. This could mean that a large chunk of your time is spent on suicide runs for ammo and food, as such the location of your new found ‘home’ could be an important decision. Second to keeping yourself well fed is , as always, keeping yourself well defended
Almost screwed the pooch today. Was engrossed in a game of Dungeon Siege and a handful of zoms got past my watch. Luckily, McMillan and Dunniway managed to catch them before they got their mouths around anyone at camp.
This gives us an intriguing look at another game play aspect, namely NPC’s. Class 3 will be, for all intensive purposes, a single player game. Co-operative play is set to be a feature, but when it comes to survival more is always better. As such it seems you could be working with your AI buddies to keep the horde at bay.
Speaking of the horde, there are a couple interesting mentions that may be highlighting a key mechanic. Sadly only one is talked about, but it’s definitely the most important. It’s all about sound baby.
Lucky day. Some idiot drove a truck through town, pulling away half the horde. If I was a different kind of guy, I may have popped him and “borrowed” his truck.
As with every zombie flick, the golden rule (after aim for the head, and always double-tap) is to stay silent. Undead Labs look to have this in mind, with vehicles looking to be a risky move that could see a whole town worth of zeds eager to meet you.
The guy with the truck came back today. Don’t know what he was thinking, driving straight into the mob. Gotta give him credit, though — he managed to take out half of them before the truck got stuck. They pulled him out, and that was that.
Carrying on with sound, there’s a brief mention of ‘special’ infected. Every zombie title aims to set itself apart through it’s unique interpretation of the Z-day apocalypse, often conceiving that not all zombies are mutated equal. Undead Labs look to be of the same mind frame, judging by this little nugget;
The power line got pulled loose by one of those damn stiffs. Stupid screamer got wrapped up in it, and shrieked like an animal until I used my last round to put it out of its misery. Now half the damn town is clustered around my tower again, and I’ve got no way to shut them up. If I don’t die of starvation, I’ll probably go crazy from the moaning.
It’s doubtful that the games going to feature a sanity meter, but the dull moaning of a zed horde could well pick at your sanity. So what happens if the impossible happens, the zeds break through and your base is bust? well that looks to have been covered as well.
They thinned out a little last night, so I made my move. Snuck down the ladder, grabbed a big bag of dog food, a case of beer, hooked a lead wire from the batteries and wrapped it around my waist. I even managed to bring the Xbox back to my tower. You do crazy things when you’re desperate, I guess.
Again the tone of desperation seeps through, nothing says desperate like eating dog food. Having to plan your movements, stealing basic supplies, expect difficult times ahead.
Class 3 may be a long way from release, but it’s already clear that this is a game to take note of. The respect and care that Undead Labs are giving the game is more than apparent. They’re approaching the zombie genre with the due care that only the most die-hard zombie aficionado’s can. Subtle touches like, say, updating your news feed with a survivors diary, are clear signs of the level of ambition at work here.
The final piece of uplifting news that comes with this mass of cryptic hints, is the fact that the games environment artist is one of the best in the business. John ” Gronk” Gronquist, environmental artist on such titles as Halo 3:ODST is at the helm. There is so much to be excited about with this title, and so much more to be excited about when considering the future plans of the studio.
If you’ve ever had a conversation with a friend about what you’d do in a zombie apocalypse, this is your game. This is what you’ve been dreaming of for all those years. Games like Left 4 Dead and Dead Island come close to scratching that itch. Class 3 could well be the definitive game in a genre that could be considered over-used. I mean, what else do you expect from a game that takes it’s name from Max Brooks “The Zombie Survival Guide”?
