DREADZONE is an indie survival game developed and published by Eshed, set in a post-apocalyptic quarantine zone ravaged by the Zeno-29 virus. In tihs game you will scavenge, craft, build, and fight to survive against zombies, mutants, animals, and other desperate survivors in a harsh, open-world environment. It’s a first-person action-adventure title with multiplayer and co-op elements, blending base-building, crafting, and exploration in a gritty, atmospheric setting.
Early Access
- DREADZONE is confirmed to launch in Early Access on PC via Steam in April 2025. However, there is a chance the game might be delayed.
- The developers plan for Early Access to last 3 to 6 months, depending on player feedback and content additions. This timeline suggests a full 1.0 release could occur between July and October 2025, though this is flexible based on development progress.
- The Early Access phase aims to refine the game with community input. The Steam page notes that it’s launching in this state to “gather valuable player feedback” to improve mechanics, fix bugs, and expand features. Players are warned it’s incomplete and may evolve significantly, or not, before the final version.
- Eshed has stated there’s no planned price increase post-Early Access, meaning the initial cost (not yet specified but likely in the 20€ – 30€ range for indie survival titles) will hold steady through to the full release.
Features
DREADZONE promises a robust survival experience with a mix of familiar and unique elements. Here’s what we know about its features, split between current Early Access offerings and planned additions:
- The game takes place in 2030, after the Zeno-29 virus has decimated humanity. Players are stranded in a quarantine zone, a sprawling wasteland of abandoned factories, crumbling houses, underground hideouts, and untamed wilderness.
- Core Gameplay:
- Scavenging: Collect scarce resources like food, materials, and weapons.
- Crafting: Build tools, weapons, and shelter from gathered items.
- Base Building: Construct defenses to protect against threats.
- Combat: Fight dangerous animals, zombies, mutants, and rival survivors using a first-person perspective.
- Expect encounters with zombies (virus-infected humans), mutants (grotesque transformations), wild animals, and hostile NPCs or players. The game features “intense violence, gore, and nudity,” with naked mutants and bloodied corpses adding to the grim atmosphere.
- Supports online co-op and competitive play, emphasizing survival in a zone where “desperation drives everyone to do whatever it takes.”
- Realistic physics, atmospheric sound design, and a post-apocalyptic aesthetic enhance the experience.
- Basic systems for character development and resource management are in place, though details are sparse.
Planned Features for Full Release
The developers have outlined an ambitious vision for the 1.0 version, to be fleshed out during Early Access:
- More points of interest (POIs), diverse locations, and larger explorable areas.
- Farming, animal taming, and deeper weapon customization.
- Additional zombie/mutant types, new animals, NPCs, resources, and buildable structures.
- Structured tasks to guide gameplay, beyond pure survival.
- Improved AI behavior, enhanced environmental interactions, and better optimization for a “polished, content-rich experience.”
First Time Announced
- DREADZONE was first announced on February 21, 2025, via an official trailer released on YouTube and covered by outlets like IGN. The trailer debuted at 1:00 CET (other sources list slightly later times due to regional uploads), showcasing gameplay and the quarantine zone setting.
- The announcement positioned it as an upcoming Early Access title for April, giving it a tight two-month hype cycle leading into today’s proximity to launch. This suggests Eshed had a playable build ready by early 2025, with the reveal timed to build momentum.
PC Specs
While exact system requirements haven’t been fully detailed, we can infer baseline specs from the Steam page, genre norms, and partial data:
- Minimum:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5-5600
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: Nvidia RTX-2060 or AMD RX-6600
- Storage: 30 GB available space
- DirectX: Version 12
- Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7-7700X
- RAM: 32 GB RAM
- GPU: Nvidia RTX-3070 or AMD RX-7700
- Storage: 30 GB available space
- DirectX: Version 12
- The Steam page confirms Windows support, but there’s “no confirmed information” on Steam Deck compatibility yet. Visuals appear detailed but not cutting-edge, aligning with optimization.
- Official specs will likely drop closer to April, possibly via a Steam update or FAQ.
Hrvatski 
English (UK)