text:
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Release Date: Jun 5, 2013
- Also On: PC
User Score
Mixed or average reviews- based on 582 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 438 out of 582
Mixed: 36 out of 582
Negative: 108 out of 582
Review this game
Nov 14, 2014Great game. I bought this hoping I'd get a good 10 hours of gaming out of it. I think I've played through the main story line 6 or 7 times now ... probably 100+ hours now.
I think I was hooked the on the first playthru the first time I started getting cocky - moved to my first new homestead, had a community of 9 people, had 2 characters rocking some decent fighting stats - and died horribly. Wow. Stayed out looting too long, ran out of stamina and snacks, flipped my car, got zerg'd, and watched the biters tear me in half and munch on my parts. Yes, my best character was GONE.
PLAY THIS GAME!… Expand
Aug 30, 2014THE BEST ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GAME EVER!!!! From perma death, to scavenging, base building, to survivor recruitment, this game has it all. This game is about stealth and survival and not being a zombie killing badd-ass. Full of tension, thrills and strategy you can put in tons of ours into this game.
Jul 27, 2014This game if very appealing to every survival game fan, yet it lacks what would be great. This game is decent in it's survival aspects, I could clear out entire crowds of zombies just by using melee weapons and walking back about 10 feet. The only time I felt like it was a challenge was when they threw in Left 4 Dead zombies, which doesn't make sense when they advertised it as realistic.
A lot of the survival stuff is very bare-bones. Collect supply, Gather food, Get weapons. It all gets stale because this is very easy to do. No challenge fighting zombies and surviving. It is a breath of fresh air and has a lot of stuff I have been wanting in a game for years, yet it is executed as unpolished and minimal.… Expand
Jul 22, 2014Really awesome game! Very innovative and very satisfying.Combine the survival element with stealth and combat. I really enjoy it,despite having to babysit everybody in the game,but that's what makes it fun! Because it's a zombie survival game,you gotta take care of everybody,including yourself! Great Game!
Hope there will be more games like this in the future!
Jul 22, 2014State of Decay is the only game I have ever played that actually makes me scared of dying, which is very much needed in the video game industry. You can explore the massive world, scavenge, recruit, claim territory and of course, kill zombies. You feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders when managing your base. There is nothing like running back to base with a backpack of supplies with a horde of zombies right behind you, with your friends desperately trying to save you. This is the game all zombie games will be compared to.… Expand
Jul 15, 2014I have wanted to play an extensive zombie survival game for a long time, and the day this came out on the xbox store, i knew it was worth a look. The storyline isnt too extensive but is still not repetitive which means it can be completed in a single sitting. However the storyline isnt the main focus for most players in this game. The survival aspect is amazing. Food and water needs to be collected along with medicine to keep your survivors alive, whom you can recruit from nearby 'enclaves' by earning their trust. You can do this through many short missions which can often take you to undiscovered areas and provide you with the resources you need. Ammunition and fuel can be stored to help the camp's survival and building materials can be found which can upgrade the players home facility or allow them to move to an entirely new one. These systems work smoothly with each other albeit a few minor bugs.… Expand
Jul 6, 2014One of, if not the best game available on the XBLA. This was something fresh amongst all the zombie survival games that were just becoming popular, the base mechanics and having to scavenge for food and supplies makes it feel like there are things you should always be doing. Being able to switch between the characters in your base makes for some interesting variation as many have different stats/traits. It definitely suffers from some problems such as frame rate drops and textures not loading properly, and the story wasn't particularly the best - however the situations i would find myself in more than made up for this and in a sense each player will make their own story depending on what happens to the group of survivors/base they develop… Expand
Jun 30, 2014Fiery, Feral and Ferocious; this game is a clear winner. It's Xbox's answer to The Last of Us, and although it may not have the finesse or attention to detail of Naughty Dog's piece of art, it comes damn close. For those of you who are obsessed with the Walking Dead (guilty!), this game is for you. It encompasses the elements of a real zombie-survival horror story, forcing you to make tough decisions, look after your 'camp' and also rewards you for putting in time and effort. I played a good 18 hours of the game, and I still want to play more. The game is very original (especially with its real-time gameplay), and addictive. Just make sure you take breaks from this game, don't turn into a zombie yourself!
This is an absolute must for zombie fans! Go eat them brains!… Expand
Jun 20, 2014I'm sorry... I want to love this game. It's an amazing idea and has potential to be an amazing game. However as much as I want to love this game.... it won't let me. I don't need incredible graphics to enjoy a game. Matter in fact I would rather take a larger world vs high visuals. The main problem I have with this game is the lack of quality. Late loading causing pop ins, which happens to many open world games, even GTA 5. But I've had too many situation where I was going fast down a road and suddenly a broke down car will magically appear right in front of me causing a head on collision destroying my vehicle (or damaging it pretty bad). The numerous glitches can either just be hilarious, annoying or down right game breaking. But the worst of them are the crashed games. I can't tell you how many times I've crashed, having to do a hard restart on my console. Sometimes I have a continuous crash where I restart, play for 10 seconds and crash, no matter what I do 10 seconds into game time I crash. I had to completely start a new game because I couldn't load a previous save... because there are no previous saves. Just the stupid auto-save. Gaming companies, stop with the reliant autosave! Let us save our own games.
I have a very high patients... hell I played through Two Worlds. But with this? It's just too riddled with bugs and glitches. Starting over is annoying. Crashes aren't good for my console. Framerate is horrid at times. I think it's more annoying when the game is actually good, and I want to play it. I really want to play this game... it just won't let me! No it's not my consoles they are both practically brand new but it crashes on PS3 and Xbox 360 so there isn't a difference between consoles, PC is a different story. Please polish your games before you release them.
(NOTE: This is just my review for consoles. I've heard PC has less problems and if that's true 7/10)… Expand
May 24, 2014best survival / zombie game ever not for 10 min gamers this game wont hold your hand and death is everlasting i dont even think there is cheats for this game ...a game made for gamers
Apr 25, 2014This review is designed to help the undecided decide.. I wrote it designed to point out the key parts for those interested....
78 critic score is TOTAL CRAP! Anyone who has played this game for even 1 hour can feel the potential...
--it's an insanely ADDICTING,REWARDING experience.. Did I mention it's addicting.. I just returned to playing this game when I saw the DLC "Breakdown"..funny how the day after I purchased it, the d@mn DLC goes on "spring-sale" clearance. But I used all my luck years ago...
---sound--superb. Funny sayings are cleverly placed into new characters who show up..
--OPEN WORLD- this is the ultimate prototype for "open World freedom"!! You can travel in a car to the boonies on on the faaar side of no mans land and STILL be able to go inside houses for chance loot able stuff..
--The Game--you find two kinds of loot.. Backpacks which you return to you're base and get you're stockpile of that resource increased. Like medicine,food,ammo,fuel etc,,((you're people slowly dwindle you're resources daily and mainly you use them to build new buildings that unlock newer features..that's a big part of what's addicting....
--There's many different buildings that can be used for you're base of operations and you can relocate you're whole clan easy enough..
----key feature worth noting--""call for runners"" say ya don't wanna carry the backpack all the way home,,,hit a button and for a few pennies runners come and get it..but with 2 small prices/risks..-1- you don't get the morale points and experience of delivering it...and 2nd and more importantly- there's a chance the guy going to get it (ON-FOOT) can be ambushed and if you don't go physically save him - there's a 50/50 chance he will DIE! And you have no control who the runner is..it could be you're favorite hero..every player in game is playable and every single person is unique and different...
--also,,the runners going to get the backpack for you actually leave the home base and jog all the way there,,pick up backpack and jog a lil slower now all the way back.. The further the run is the higher the risk..
--you encounter them here & there if you're really micro managing everything.. Ya get into the flow of this game and will have 20'things all going at same time...
---guys,, play this cheap game before you PERMANENTLY move on to Xbox1..
--it takes the shooting zombies we love from shooters,,and the beating them down and beheadeding and lambing them from dead island type games we love,,,and the base building of. Tower defense games we love...all while we get attached to the survivors..--
--also--HEROES--when you're on a roll doing good and everyone is happy(not always) heroes show up and need and escort,,if you cane sort them= they will join you and they might be a former swat team sniper!!!or a emergency room dr??or a engineer or auto mechanic??these "heroes" become the leaders and most valuable of you're whole village...if you by chance find say a CHEF,,you can access the menu for feast and special meals that pack amazing results and boost.. It's fulfilling when you score an engineer who can build stuff..
----it's obvious the minds behind this designed a game they too wanted to really play..
The scores for this game are reasons why the scoring is broken and one must "READ THE REVIEWS",NOT JUST THE SCORES.. I WOULD REALISTIC SCORE THIS A *** 9 ***… Expand
Apr 15, 2014This game is amazing, original and much better than last of us, because you have more freedom in it. Is worth it to get an xbox just to play this piece of art
Feb 23, 2014There is no shortage of zombies in State of Decay. The game keeps you very busy with missions, building facilities, tending to other survivors, maintaining your home base and, of course, killing tons of (re-spawning) zombies. If you like to go at your own pace, then you'll be disappointed with SOD; Missions expire, infestations grow and materials deplete daily. There is no difficult selector, so if you're not too coordinated with an XBOX controller, or like to buzz through games on easy, you will get frustrated. The music and sounds effects are nice, the graphics have some frame rate issues, driving feels good until it catches on fire from mowing down a few zombie hordes, combat is repetitive but satisfying (however your weapon breaks frequently), voice acting and writing is decent, and night cycles add an extra challenge. You won't get bored playing SOD and might even feel a little overwhelmed, but not always in a fun way. Not for the casual gamer (review the various strategy guides online for help), a solid game for the Zombie sub-genre.… Expand
Jan 17, 2014This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game impressed me! You can pick any survivor and go out of home base, searching for supplies. You have to be very careful. Make sure to always bring weapons [firearms and a side weapon] and medicine when leaving home base if you wish to survive. You have the ability to bring fellow survivors too. If the character you are playing dies, then you cannot play as that character anymore. Therefore, be careful. One part of the game that is annoying is when zombie hordes come frequently. Another annoying thing is when survivors often end up lost. Can't I ever get a break? I like rescuing survivors.… Expand
Jan 13, 2014Very entertaining. I must have spent over 30 hours on this game scavenging alone. The different zombie types are nice, even if not TOO original. Would definitely keep playing and recommend.
Jan 2, 2014This title was exactly what I was looking for when I thought 'Zombie Apocalypse Survival'. I was looking for a game that challenged you to survive and have a realistic element tied in with the fictional element of zombies. Not just beat up zombies, but actually survive. You can gather resources, build up a home base, find survivors that you will help you but occasionally will need your protection as well... it's very well thought out and even though it could go farther, it's already better than any of the other zombie apocalypse games I've tried that are more focused on brain splatter or following some story line. You can draw comparisons to GTA in how the game plays, and switching between characters is a must. I think the only thing that makes it a 9 rather than a 10 for me is that I can't really secure larger areas to prevent the zombies from just spawning and killing my team. At the very least, I'd like to see a short period of time, after securing a house or building, before zombies start showing up out of no where. If I clear a path for my scavengers, I'd like to know they aren't going to randomly be destroyed by a horde that spawned a minute or two after I left the area. That part takes away from the realism a bit, but it does add a challenge, no doubt. Either way, they are on the right track, and I'd like to see more games like this one, that seem to focus on the game-play more-so than the brain splatters.… Expand
Dec 22, 2013State of decay is an awesome zombie simulation with a few reasons to keep on playing past the quest line.
Firt of all SoD is not graphically impressive, textures are constantly popping in and the frame rate is unacceptable at times but these issues have not impacted the fun of the game. The controls are very simple making it very easy to play and all of the survival elements are cool but my biggest issue with the game is difficulty at times it is too easy and Undead Labs really need to pull a hardcore mode together that will run in real-time and leaving the game shouldnt just have negative effects. whats wrong? does everyone forget that they need to collect food for survival?
If you buy this game skip the main game and skip towards the breakdown DLC for a more open and challenging experience… Expand
Dec 17, 2013Welcome to the land of hell. State Of Decay is one of the most remember-able "zombie games" that will stand in the light with Left 4 Dead or Dead Island. Being a Xbox arcade game and becoming the 2nd best selling Xbox live game to date, you could say State Of Decay was praised by the general public. Forget about the dated graphics and crashes and your left with a solid zombie premise that can revival AAA games. For all Zombie and open world gamers you would be missing out if you hadn't already got your fixture on this game. State of Decay is a excellent Game with ground braking machines and a half hearted story that shouldn't be missed no madder the short comings.… Expand
Dec 15, 2013This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In my opinion (i've played this title for 70h+) this game captures the essence of survival in a fictional apocalypse-scenario: resource gathering, enough self-feature to inspire moving forward (or stay in a global "status quo" inside the game), fight without end giving enough desperation to hope for a better outcome. OK, the characters voices are not the best so far (i hope a DLC would correct that, adding sound and bugfix material, also some new features like areas which can be "cleansed" for a longer time /2-3 real-time hours/, or fuel consumption in cars) and the bugs can be hellraiser (a Juggernaut comes trough the door.......), but we got permadeath and mood crisises (effectively almost all the same, but in sense makes different) and a currency system which will generate itself and fluctuate if you are offline.
This means that the open-world constantly moves: survivors get chewd up, others may come and go, resources get depleted or replenished, psych issues can/will make the offline process harder or sometimes a little easier so in one sentence: it is not a bad game. I do not say "awesome" because there is a lot features what aren't explained thoroughly in the game's manual (there is a wikia for that); it is just simply a "give-it-a-go" game: if you play it you will realize that you like it or not. So all in all: it is balanced by the positive features and some bug-related gameplay flaws; it is fun.
And remember: it is not about the zombies. It is about management and survival. Stealth wins the day, gun-hoes will be joining the mindless creep on the street.… Expand
Dec 13, 2013State of Decay is a fun game because there is nothing quite like it. No other game has successfully achieved surviving in an apocalypse as State of Decay. The gameplay is fun, but the story is mediocre.
Nov 30, 2013The game is great... but not as great as everyone makes out to be its not a perfect masterpiece that some say, the game has issues but not to extreme. There was a lot of potential in the characters but was quickly ruined when most character traits such as psychopathic don't change anything, there is no character relationship, if a character dies you feel nothing and if you do its a disappointment because you put a lot of time into him/her and it was suddenly lost, the story and voice acting are dull and show almost no effort into it. However the games combat and survival aspects are great, and great enough to set aside all the disappointments this game had, and with the new Breakdown DLC it has gotten better with heroes you unlock by completing challenges all with there own weapons, traits and attributes, The only bad thing about the DLC is that the map does not change if you choose to move in the RV. There isn't much more to say, it has great survival and RPG elements, good combat except for gun controls being clunky. But overall the game is great.… Expand
Nov 29, 2013Best zombie game ever made. Feels like your in 'The walking Dead'. Micro management, Permanent character deaths (important because you can switch to these people) permanent vehicle loss. You have to maintain everything. Little missions constantly pop up to distract you from the main incentive (pursuing these can save playable characters lives)
Setting up a camp- deciding what buildings to develop (med, ammo, sniper nests etc)
Talking to people that are depressed/have issues helps more than you realise
If you send someone on a mission to collect resources they will physically go across the map and attempt to collect and return. You must kit them out well if you dont want them to die. If they die, any resources they collected will drop at the place of death.
Little details like this make this game special.
LOADS of weapons/ammo types/items. Shooting is perfect, the lighting is beautful. Its a reminder of why we play games and where the medium is going.
The start of this game does not do it justice. Keep on playing… Expand
Nov 23, 2013The game is good over all, it really feels like a survival and the game is built on you creating this safe place, by defending it, gathering supplies, and other things that makes this game both challenging and rewarding, but on a side note, it's too easy to break the cars down and there are some small bugs every now and then but it doesn't mess with the game play so overall it is a good zombie survival game for those with some free time on their hands.… Expand
Nov 21, 2013An incredibly well thought out game for an excellent price from an indie developer constantly in touch with their fan base. Undead Labs vision of an apocalyptic zombie filled open world brings in aspects of several great open world titles and throws in much of their own unique twist.
An absolute must buy.
Nov 19, 2013As close as you can get to an open world zombie game. Talks of a mmo state of decay are on the wind! One can only hope! This game is everything you could want in a zombie game. I have quite literally waited years for someone to make a game like this where scavenging is key in a wide open gaming space with no loading screens to pull you out of the immersion!
There is a bright future for both this game and the developers!… Expand
Nov 15, 2013Fantastic. From the sneaking house to house for supplies, to offing straggler zombies in your way, plowing them over in cars, and managing and economizing your home base, this game is great. Perma-death makes your decisions very important, and intensifies the game play. New survivors are always spawning, but the stats you earn from using characters is where you can grow attached to one moreso than others.
With State of Decay's success, I'm really looking forward to future installments.… Expand
Nov 12, 2013Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version. My mistake sry guys. Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.Whoops I wrote a review for Xbox version.… Expand
Nov 11, 2013This game is an obvious beta. It has tremendous potential, being the first decent open world zombie premise I've ever seen. Unfortunately, the developers haven't put nearly enough polish into it, and you are liable to encounter a game-breaking bug.
Nov 10, 2013I was very hyped for this game. In fact, it was one of my most hyped game of the first half of this year, right up there with Metro: Last Light and Bioshock Infinite. I couldn't wait for State of Decay. Until I played it. Now, don't get me wrong, very little in State of Decay is broken. It just...isn't all that entertaining. The combat felt pretty simplistic, the visuals were ugly, the framerate was choppy, the interface a little clunky, and the glitches numerous and obvious. When State of Decay works right, though, it's still just "kinda fun". It's not a bad game by any means. It just doesn't do enough to keep the player engaged.… Expand
Nov 9, 20130/10. VERY hard. No fan. Only pain.
. Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.Only pain.
Nov 7, 2013Absolute best zombie game I have EVER played.
They got the survival aspect of this game perfected. You have limited space on survivors so before you go out looking for goods you have to think "do I bring guns? more ammo? more food? what about medicine? My car isn't looking so good should I leave it or bring it?" and each survivor can be built differently. Don't like frontal assaults? You can spec for stealth if you want! There are a decent amount of choices.
The game feels like a satisfying mix of Deadrising, Day z, and Red Dead Redemption.
If you're a fan of zombies this game is a must have!!… Expand
Nov 6, 2013Great arcade game. This game has a lot of potential, just needs to be polished and some multiplayer features. I also wouldn't mind the DLC to make the world bigger.
Nov 5, 2013State of Decay is a zombie survival game. There have been many zombie survival games to come out recently, riding off the success of the wildly popular ARMA II mod DayZ. State of Decay's unique twist is that you control a compound of survivors, being able to switch characters with differing stats with some RPG elements. If you like zombie survival games, you're probably going to get this game no matter what. It's a pretty fun game, but it can get repetitive after completing the same side quests over and over. The graphics are nothing special that's perfectly fine and the melee combat is at least VASTLY better than say, Survivor Stories Infestation AKA The WarZ but it's not a top notch and deep melee system. It does the job just fine.
If you like zombie survival games, you should definitely add this game to your collection.… Expand
Nov 1, 2013A very well-executed take on the open-world zombie apocalypse trend. It is, by far, one of the best ones we've gotten yet. The character animations are smooth, the world design is believable and varies every inch, there's a lot to explore and do. The combat is smooth and fun, and you can upgrade your home base to do many things such as allow overtime weapon and vehicle repairs.
That's right, this game has cars, that you can drive in the open world, not many games of this type have done it let-alone done it correctly. There is no main playable character, as you change survivors often in order to prevent over-tiring any of them in particular. You can scavage equipment and save them in your base so other survivors may use them when you begin to play them, you can maintain the mood of of your base crew and upgrade your fortress in order to keep zombies away.… Expand
Oct 28, 2013Its good, its original, there's not that much else that needs to be said, Sandbox RPG Zombie-Apocalypse sums it up. I would definitely recommend it, and I plan to go for a second play through.
Oct 27, 2013Why do game devs think releasing a bug riddled finished product is acceptable? anyhow, still fun to play, some frustrating oversights in game play: I can look through the bag but not take the bag, zombie has axe in head but I can't take the axe, Can't drive the car because doors are locked. I had really hoped that this would be a true go anywhere, do anything, post apoc experience.. but it still adheres to many rules that no longer apply in times like this. I may purchase the sequel, but only when it's on sale for $19.99… Expand
Oct 26, 2013An outstanding game that's high on playability and tension. The game play is so good its easy to live with the few technical problems the game has. Survival is the name of the game and the constant stream of missions keep you on your toes. All the things that make the zombie genre great are crammed into this game; tense moments of quietly searching so as not to attract attention from the undead, satisfying kills with a vast array of weapons, the option to stay and fight or run away screaming when zombies attack. The game mixes strategy and action well and delivers an enjoyable game that keeps you coming back for more. If the world did wake up to a zombie apocalypse you should play this game to learn how to survive..!… Expand
Oct 19, 2013So, I have a solid Reputation as the "Survivor" in my group, because I LOVE survival horror. This is amazing, especially the scavenging. My only issue is that multiplayer would be the best addition. I'm not sure if there is a patch, but there needs to be. Get hyped. A solid 8 out of 10, 9 IF a multiplayer patch is involved.
Oct 10, 2013Anyone who complains about this game not being good because it is too punishing should get their head checked. Permadeath and real time continuation (even with game off) makes for a tense gameplay indeed. Usually in such games, you can leave a mission forever, in SoD, there is a reasonable timeframe (there needs to be or you wouldn't be able to stop playing it or everyone would die). If you do leave a mission too long, thinking main quest lines will always be there, do not be fooled.
The best feature of SoD is the societal mechanics and group formation of your survival pack. You can establish outposts, set up traps in them, scavange supplies. If you're weighed down you can call in a runner, who runs across the map in real time to search and take all the supplies there. Certain characters respond better to others in different quests, and each are affected by fatigue, hunger and sickness. This can be avoided in building a workshop and using materials to construct extra bedding, or a watch-tower etc.
I will talk more about the negative features of the game, solely because there's enough positive already.
The game is at times buggy, and it seems interesting that everyone advises against you using a car, as it can alert zombies, even though in a car you can plow through hordes and hordes before the car becomes unusable.
I won't go into graphics, with the exception of saying they are good. Regardless of what people say, graphics dont really matter that much.
The inclusion of "special" zombies is an irritation, as it seems like they were simply thrown in for some extra difficulty, with little or no regard for the fact that they don't fit in at all. If most zombies can go down in a headshot, why create a fat one who takes 5+headshots? It removes the sense of believability.
The game world itself is wonderful to explore, each house is unique and searchable, and the potential always draws you in. However, with the amount of missions on your screen at any one time, you never really get the chance to do some proper exploration.
The game is also very emotionally distant. If someone (your best friend) dies, nothing happens bar a little notification on your screen. You will not become emotionally attached to characters or situation- it is certainly not trying to be TellTale Games: The Walking Dead.
Lastly, the system to swap between characters is excellent, however you cannot trade weapons between them, so you will have some characters without weapons who can only get them by going into where they would need weapons. If you don't have enough influence to buy weapons from the community, you wont have enough to bring someone with you to help you find a weapon. I do not believe getting a playable member to accompany you should cost influence.
In summary, despite its few flaws, and the potential negative impacts of permadeath and real-time, as well as rediculously punishing auto-saves (dont bother screwing up something and trying to reload to before it happened) SoD is at its heart a fantastic open world infection game, with solid core mechanics… Expand
Oct 8, 2013This is an excellent game for being bound to the confines of 2GB on XBLA. I will say that if you do not like to: 1. Manage resources 2. Play as a community and not as an individual 3. Be careful when to engage, who to send for what 4. Pay attention to morale and deal with relationships Then you will NOT like this game as its more about those things than it is about combat.
The driving is decent, the combat is fun, shooting is a bit funky but serviceable (its loud and loud is BAD), graphics are decent and the voice acting is well done with a good storyline. Also your choices have real impact. Additionally its a living, breathing persistent world that will continue on without you, so if you log off and are away for a while you will see that either things got a bit better or could have gotten a LOT worse.
The game is large and you could blaze through the story in probably 10 to 12 hours or take your time like I am and I am maybe 1/2 way through with 17 hours logged in.
I am anxiously awaiting the future Class 4 game which is said to be coop or MMO version with the same game mechanics, which are well done and very fun to work with.… Expand
Sep 30, 2013The only thing about this game i do not like is that it has only about 20 Hours of Content. Yes, its a sandbox and you can play it as long as you want. But when the story is mostly over the game and the radio-chatter gets very, very silent.
I really don't understand this. The missions are very simple, with a few lines of spoken text and ingame graphics. Why are there not more of this missions or even random missions to stretch it a little bit?
Its a design flaw to limit such a potentially everlasting gameplay experience just because there are not enough random mission types to bring some diversity into the game :(
A construction set would be a blast.
However... since the game was pure fun for 20 hours and only costs 20€ i give this game anyway a 10. I just want more of it. :D… Expand
Sep 24, 2013ZERO mark should be awarded to a game full of bugs or glitches with poor graphics, and with a very punishing auto save feature with intention to destroy players' progress which will save your progress automatically when something bad happens. It also punishes the player when you haven't launched the game for a long time via gradually depleting your collected items in inventory.
A game which ruins player's enjoyment in game play only deserves a zero!… Expand
Sep 23, 2013Hell yeah! ladies and gentlemen the RPG zombie game we want. this game feels so polished and feels like it has alot of potential alot of other rpg zombie games could not achieve, and with the PC release coming soon, forget this on the xbox and you thought that was good! imagine mod support and... increased graphics! XBLA game of the year!!! buy plz.
Sep 21, 2013State of Decay is a very ambitious game.
However, it's not that good. It's very buggy, repetitive and after the first two hours or so, not so fun. Where's the fun in breaking in a gun store, evading 15 zombies on your way if your abilities remain virtually the same?
The concept is amazing. The implementation, not so much. In time, it will get better and polished but for now, it's more a tech demo of what a open world zombie survival game should look like and not a finished product.… Expand
Sep 12, 2013State of Decay is at best a good idea gone wrong, half-baked and ultimately unsatisfying.
There are obvious negatives to state straight away; the engine, the less than ample frame rate, screen tearing, general gameplay irks that feel unresponsive, however, many seem to think these problems are excusable due to the small production team. Okay, that's fine, We'll let them go. But for clarity's sake, they're still there.
The main problem here is not so much the game fails to do anything right, more than it fails to live up to what felt like such a promising idea; that of an 'open world zombie survival game. '
Let's take every word present there 'Open World' Well, the map is hardly small, but it's not exactly on par with its contemporaries. And while the towns are padded with buildings, there's very little else of interest to see, let alone interact with. The three towns are padded out with a central countryside linking them, most of it dense and forgettable. For an open world to feel as such, you need to be able to look around and feel a part of something that's currently living and breathing, yet all you see in SoD is obligatory buildings that need to be raided, and the odd, glitchy horde of undead that can either be run over or avoided.
'Zombie Survival There's no denying that the first 5 hours of the game can lull you into enjoying this aspect of the game. If you don't know what you're doing, and go out at night, desperately seeking supplies, surviving the undead seems fierce and tense. But once you learn the mechanics, the game soon turns into trivial combat, much like Dead Rising, with the added irk of being clunky and unrewarding. The game's micro managing aspects of the zombie survival are perhaps the most interesting inclusion, or, they would be, if the core game outside was anywhere near rewarding. This is frustrating, because there are genuine moments where the game hits a chord, usually when you're back at base, and feeling the fight getting to your group. Having to decide which of your survivors to go after when they get lost, deciding who should rest and who should fight.
Unfortunately, the game just doesn't glue it all together. The combat mechanics are woeful, as is the 'RPG' characterization. Whilst I praise the base micromanaging, some of the game's mechanics in this area are mindboggling at best, especially as the game 'plays' while you're offline. You nearly always come back to a low morale and low medicine cabinet, making your efforts beforehand a little pointless, and your return slightly bitter.
On top of all this, the game's in game tutorials and explanations are almost comical.
In conclusion, Undead Labs started out with a novel idea, but just couldn't commit to realizing it. Instead they filled the shell with arcadey gameplay and half assed attempts to push the survival aspect.
While I would never plug DayZ because it's an awful, buggy mess, SoD clearly misses the edge DayZ had when it came to survival simulation. The game just doesn't immerse you enough.… Expand
Sep 10, 2013A slightly fresh twist on the tired genre that is the typical zombie game, played out in a third person view with elements of survival horror/action/rts. gameplay mechics similar to rts games, with building, scavenging, barricading and defending your hideout etc. the game is set in a sort of national park forest of some kind, and does feature slightly good graphics at times, but in the first 2 hours of this poorly built game, Ive experienced more graphical glitches and bugs than in any other game, ever. I know it's pretty typical of a video game not to be perfect in terms of graphical integrity, but this game is far too poorly executed, there are many major glitches with your characters getting stuck within the game, accessing storage item outside of buildings, people attacking you through doors, so on and so forth. the animations are very goofy and poorly done, the storyline is quite scarce not much to say there really. The controls are awful and the combat is clunky especially in certain interiors, your characters early on in the game are far too combat happy, and just sometimes when you are sneaking up on a enemy they jump the gun and attack in the open. the journal is which you access most of your options, information, status etc, is again poorly done, reminds of the journal in oblivion, not physically just in essence. the game is inconsistent as well, for example I don't have enough influence to recruit people manually, so i am forced to do it solo, and the same storage container i accessed previous in a last file, no longer holds a pistol anymore, but has a ample amount of ammo, then i have 5-6 zombies attacking on the way to my mission, i run out of stamina too easily early on in the game and it a game of take turns to attack me from behind as a stumble away. there are frequent occasions of some entire parts of areas dissappearing undergroud as well, it a true immersion breaker. The combat is very clunky and awkward to boot. the storyline is your typical survive the post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak. The game boasts nothing innovative, fun and engaging. I just no i'll stay clear away from the developers that brought you this broken 2x4, bent steelpipe, glass shard in your foot sort of a game.… Expand
Sep 5, 2013First I really feel the need to respond to some other reviewers. This is an Arcade game. Not a big budget mainstream game.
Now on with the review. The game is a very good zombie survival game which brings in some ideas that rarely are explored in other zombie titles for example a playthrough only has a finite number of survivors and supplies. When these are gone they're gone. This is a clever way to force the player in the direction the developers wanted you to go without explicitely ordering the player too.
The fighting is really a hit and miss with melee combat falling into button bashing. Gunplay is fun with a very large selection of firearms that could rival Battlefield or Call of Duty however there's no insentive to use a firearm. With zombies only dying to headshots and the larger, more exciting guns creating more noise I personally only found myself carrying a Handgun in case it was ever needed above all else.
The world, or countryside in more correct terms, is not the giant sandbox players familiar with DayZ are used to but for this game it works. You have one major towns with smaller villages around. I cannot deny that the game could have done with a larger map possibly including a city but as I mentioned in the beginning this is an arcade game afterall so we shouldn't press too much into this detail.
The story is the biggest fault. To be blunt there is no real story and there is no introduction either. The player is thrust right into the game and a zombie fight and then arrives late the the zombie party in town which although justified ingame, in my opinion wasted a good chance for a tension building introduction that we saw in games like Dead Island.
The other issue is the bad framerates. They may or may not have been resolved now but in my playthrough the framerate drops were offputting especially if you were in life or death moments.… Expand
Aug 29, 2013State of Decay is one of the most ambitious games of 2013 and one of the most flawed. For every thing it does right it, its brought down by being poorly made. The stealth mechanics and home building are fantastic but the combat is poor and the amount of damage done seems random. The missions are entertaining but tedious. The world is large and filled with things to do, but their are glitches everywhere. Its worth playing, just don't have your expectations to high.… Expand
Aug 29, 2013Este jogo muito bom, manter esse horror por trás dele sendo que um jogo de sobrevivência coletar suplementos armas e até mesmo carros que será muito útil, uma vez morto sempre morto não há mais volta, muito bom mas os gráficos e os erros que avilta o jogo, caso contrário o jogo recomendado tai um bom simulador de apocalipse zumbi. ótimo jogo survival
Aug 21, 2013I can't say that any of the features of this game are better or more intense or the next big thing the game is just basically AN AMAZING FREAKING ZOMBIE GAME. And it's open world. So you just can't go wrong.
Aug 21, 2013Great game, exceptionally good! Although The Walking Dead game is really good, this mist just be at the height or even more! An open world game that, besides just getting the zombies brains blown out, makes you think a good strategy to survive. With the option of choosing your own safe house and rescuing people in trouble, this is the best Xbox 360 game.
Aug 20, 2013State of art for "Zombie Survival" game genre. I was looking for a game such as State of Decay from the creation of DayZ mod for Arma II.
It's like a GTA game but with zombie, resource management, companions and base building. The only under tone thing is the story, a bit cheap and not very deep... but it's ok for a game such great, at the cost of only1600 MP.
One of my favorite game of all time.
Thanks Undead Labs
Edit: reduced score to 8/10 for the last campaign mission and the ending... very useless bad ending. I hope better. The game is good but the last 2-3 missions and the ending are something terrible.… Expand
Aug 20, 2013There are too many zombie games and movies, but this is the best survival-zombie game I've played. It is too small and short, and I would have like to see more aggressive zombies in terms of mounting assaults on my base. Hopeful the devs make another, and if they do, I would like more model diversity, especially with the more advanced zombie types. Overall this is well worth the asking price, if you like the idea of a small-scope, GTA-like survival game.… Expand
Aug 18, 2013For $20, SoD is an excellent ARCADE game. Don't go in thinking that you're about to be entertained by a AAA-title. Despite our recent obsessions with zombies, this manages to keep it alive and fresh for as long as the game lasts. It has its flaws, its short-comings, and its bugs, but it's definitely worth a playthrough or two.
Aug 15, 2013For a game with it's fair share of bugs and niggling little issues I really enjoyed my playthrough. It's got a fresh take on the way you explore and I liked the inclusion of being able to switch between characters due to the well implemented fatigue and damage mechanics. The storyline is 'safe' for a zombie survival game and the characters at least tried to have some personality. For an arcade release I couldn't have expected much more.… Expand
Aug 5, 2013My review of State of Decay SINGLE PLAYER: 8/10. good story, holds up pretty well GRAPHICS: 7/10. nothing special. a lot of pop in, and poor draw distance. also, zombies glitch through walls :/ SOUND: 7/10. serviceable, but not outstanding. decent voice acting GAMEPLAY: 7.5/10. fun but simple fighting and navigation, but poor vehicle handling. there is also a whole assortment of glitches
FUN FACTOR: 8/10. it is fun, but needs patches and fixes
TOTAL: 8/10… Expand
Aug 5, 2013This is a very ambitious zombie apocalypse game. You have a large open world (for an XBLA game, at least) to explore. Scavenging for supplies, finding other survivors and upgrading your home base with storage, training areas, etc. are the main draws of this game. Melee combat is made intense with stamina, as attacking or running for too long will develop fatigue, slowing you down and leaving you vulnerable. Using guns is risky too as it not only consumes ammo (which isn't too plentiful) but it makes noise, which attracts zombies.Permanent death also adds intensity to the game, because once a survivor is dead, they're dead. With all of these interesting caveats, there are a few problems, mainly mediocre visuals and some weird glitches. But those don't detract from the point of the game: surviving the zombie apocalypse.… Expand
Aug 2, 2013This game is great. Way too many games nowadays trade million dollar art budgets for actual game depth and complexity. This game is a step in the right direction. The mechanics are relatively fun and addictive, although not really perfect. You get a host of characters who can all grow and get a random selection of several different skills to level up. There is a selection of enemies and hordes but only a couple are really dangerous. There is a large selection of weapons, but many are similar to one another and there aren't really weapons with bonuses or anything. Some downsides of the game: The theme is decay and eventual loss of all resources, but there are idiosyncratic ways to draw out resources like double harvesting caches (scav call then self scav) and not searching the last object in a house (causes house to revert to completely unsearched after a while). The enemies and quests can get redundant (especially the community member morale quests) and the enemies who are dangerous are just obnoxiously so, as in once you get hit you can easily get chain hit to death with little recourse. So fighting mechanics exist but are not especially complex, and gun/bomb use is not that complex or interesting either. So mostly it is a strategy game.… Expand
Jul 25, 2013Without a doubt this game deserves a good rating, its a combination of all the good zombie game elements. It's got the RTS feeling to it where you have to establish safe havens for other survivors, and for people who are looking for action.. there are zombies around just about every corner. The game also has quite a few horror elements. People who are looking for a game with a lot of content are not going to be let down by State of Decay there is a plethora of weapons of all kinds, vehicles, and survivors to mingle with. However this game does come with a few bugs, but if you can see past them this game really does become enjoyable. You can play as just about anybody that you befriend. Speaking of people the game introduces you to life-like people, with their own struggles and emotions, one time I really started to like one of my survivors and while playing as her she was brutally killed in combat- it really hit me like nothing else really has. This just goes to show you how diverse and in-depth the game really goes....
It doesn't stop there new features are going to be introduced to the game including Sandbox Mode, Multiplayer, and a port to PC.… Expand
Jul 24, 2013State of Decay
Average User Score: 7.5
State of Decay ImageThink of this game as a hybrid. It combines elements of Left 4 Dead, Dead Island, Dead Rising, Red Dead Redemption (Undead Nightmare) and so on. Add on the element of building a base, keeping it going, expanding it, resource gathering and all the trappings of an RPG and you have one helluva Arcade game. For $20 I dare you to find me a better game, if so please let me know. Only reason I didn't give it a 10 same thing most are saying lack of co-op. If they add this on it could become one of the best Arcade games and or best zombies games of this (soon to be over) console generation.… Expand
Jul 23, 2013This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is good, the plot is interesting too. But the number of bugs and "curves" moments do not allow to put this game out of 10 points. Open world towards the end of the story, unfortunately, doesn't allow to explore it's area as early in the game. For example, to complete the story line, no need to set up a camp base in the third town. The history of the factory, closed military quarantine, and that apparently caused the apocalypse, generally never emerges in the course of the story. But this game is something exciting, Therefore 8 points.… Expand
Jul 21, 2013In my last review.. I stated that you can't drive in the game. My apologizes. You can drive in the game. I just wish that there was more variety in the vehicles that you can drive. The game is so broken that it is a blast to play through. Anyway... the game is funny and exciting so definitely give this game a shot!
Jul 20, 2013State of decay is a fun game do not get me wrong, but as a person that has watched someone play this game and not getting into the experience it just feels rushed, i do not know if they have patched it yet as i have not played this game in some time.
Jul 20, 2013Now SoD definitely deserves a spot among games like Left 4 Dead and Dead Island. This $20 title is absolutely brilliant. It runs fairly fast, and I had little to no bugs during my playthrough. The graphics are great, the OST fits all situations, and the gameplay...ohhhh that gameplay. You know a zombie game is great when you can even feel the struggle of your character's survival. Can't wait to see a sequel.… Expand
Jul 18, 2013Great all around game. Sure there are some bugs, which is why it gets a 9, but the game play is amazing. As far as I know there is not a zombie game like it. You switch between characters, which may not sound great at first, but actually plays very well once you get into it. You can change homes and build up your base using materials that you find in the world. One downside to the game is that it simulates the time that you don't play, so you will run out of materials and maybe people leave if you do not have enough saved up. Overall this game is great and a steal at $20. Plays like GTA 3, with about the same graphics (I know, somewhat outdated by now but still playable). But it!… Expand
Jul 15, 2013a pretty good game good thing than when you die you re spawn as a new survivor and can get your stuff back and do not have to restrat the story its a perty good game
Jul 14, 2013I got the South African version of the game yesterday after a long wait and it's absolutely worthe every microsoft point in the price. One of the best zombie games yet, competing with the full retail likes of dead rising, dead island and left for dead! Love the game structure, and regular patches fixing all the major and finar flaws which caused bad review scores. Get this game NOW!
Jul 13, 2013To start off i loved the game its fun and addictive, there were a few things that did help lower the rating a bit. Aside from the janky bits (lets be honest if you let some jank ruin the gaming experience, you are nothing more than a spoiled child). The wish list is pretty short for this one ,more storyline, more interaction with the other survivors and maybe a few more add ons, as far as base building goes. The atmosphere leaves a little bit to be desired as there is very little fear involved in scavenging. The "zombies" are fine and i even like the juggernaut as he really instills fear into the game play. over all this is a good game, that will eat a lot of your time and is well worth the money. Lets hope that undead labs can continue to add on and refine this game as it has potential to be a game you could play for a long time.… Expand
Jul 12, 2013The ultimate zombie apocalypse experience. It has everything you want in a zombie survival game scavenging, finding survivors, resource management, open-world, driving, and of course zombie killing. The combat is deep, the RPG system is solid, the stealth system adds a good mix the game is more about simulation than for story (Not a bad story, just you can clearly tell the developers intended this to be about the experience and not the story) but this game gets a 9 instead of a 10 because it is one of the buggiest games I've ever played. (Though it gets a 10 on the fun factor) Most importantly, this is ONLY an Arcade game and not a full retail game. Honestly, I would have dished out a full 60 for this game (especially with so many poor quality 60 dollars games that's been coming out as of late)… Expand
Jul 12, 2013This is the only true Survival Horror game I have ever played. State of Decay would be an easy 10/10 if the few glitches were not present. At the price of $20, the value is incredible.
Jul 11, 2013One of the best downloadable games I've played. It is really realistic, not to DayZ standards, but still great. Wish it had coop though, would make it a lot better
Jul 11, 2013The game was great on the first play through. lots of stuff that makes the game something that you just cant put down. Although, if you cant put the game down and become a master of the game, it can get kinda repetitive and too easy. I they come with a difficulty setting in the future then the game will once again have that fear struck into me like a child watching a horror film when my character gets ripped apart by a horde of zombies. the game has some frame rate issues(nothing game breaking), if your community gets to large(like 30 people) then it can cause a never ending load screen(will probably be fixed in TU3) and sadly, wont have co-op which would have been a great feature. The good parts of the game is its above all things fun, has those tense moments where you have to think fast or lose your greatest asset, it rely's on your decisions (not just a bunch of scripted event(although they do have a scripted story), and the list just keeps on going. Can confidently say it deserves at least a 8/10… Expand
Jul 2, 2013State Of Decay was a great, fun arcade game. Unfortunately it does have its flaws, like its vast amount of bugs, okay graphics and texture bugs. But besides that it really is an enjoyable experience. The MMO aspects are great and the perma-death mechanics are well done.
Jul 1, 2013I've been waiting for an open-world zombie game ever since Activision canceled "Dead Rush" at the beginning of this PS3/360 console generation. This is the game I'd hoped to get.
"State of Decay" does just about everything right. Instead of relying on cinematics to tell the story and impress the player with a sense of drama and urgency, the gameplay itself manages to keep the player engaged and immersed in the world Undead Labs has created. Scavenging, sneaking, and fighting, players must try and keep their ever-depleting stock of supplies from dwindling to nothing.
Most notably, rather than playing a single character, players much change between various members of their community due to fatigue or death, which allows playing different ways with different characters, due to each one's specific abilities.
This game would be a perfect 10 for me, but it has some jarring camera problems, frequent framerate chugging, and a number of bugs which made it difficult to keep my base going. However, it's not enough to dock a point for it, and this is the best XBLA title I've ever played.… Expand
Jul 1, 2013For an Arcade game, this is fantastic. Graphics aren't the greatest and I feel like the pacing is a little slow but other than that it's great. It's addictive, driving cars over zombies is so much fun and it is challenging at times. Recommending this game to all my gaming friends!
Jul 1, 2013The sense of survival is at your every step since making the slightest sound in this game will send a horde of zombies your way. I found though after you meet up at the Church... which happens about 30 min. into the game. The game itself no longer is a go explore this open sand box world of zombies and have fun.
My experience with this game is.. It seriously makes you do chore after chore after chore after chore.
It never stops.. Once you engage in a story progression mission (chore) you quickly become inundated with Lilly on the radio telling you your next chore.
The impossible Tower Deffense mentality of the game making you Protect the ZONE HOME with defense measures which in itself cost you by doing more Chores to get things built.
The game will tell you at some point that an EXPERT of sorts are required to build a certain item.
what the game doesn't help you with is letting you know if a character has gone missing or killed...
that character could be the very EXPERT your needing.
So yeah the thing would be not to let anyone Die but that's where this game fails from being FUN to down right frustrating Despite the odds thrown at you you bound to either lose the characters that your not controlling or your going to lose the character you are controlling because of all the damn MICRO MANAGING you have to keep up with in this game.
Frustration only compiles when you find out that you lose your items that you scavenged the map relentlessly for.
As you place these in the SUPPLY SAFE... The game will CHARGE you reputaion points to remove those very same items.
That's like a BANK charging you a fee to make withdrawl. Not from a ATM but from the Branch you put the money into.
As for RARE items you place into the Supply Locker.. The Non controlled characters have free roam to pillage your hard earned items like your M4 Rifle and you will never see it again.
End Result I do enough chores in my Real World Life. Killing Zombies is FUN.
Doing chores to kill zombies is not.
Also... When the hell did Machete Blades start breaking after 5 swings ?
Gah.. This game sux. Really. I want my 10 hours back... you can keep the money.… Expand
Great game. I'd go so far as to say best zombie game out there. If The Walking Dead franchise is going to have a game they need to take a leaf out of State of Decay's book. Make that TONS of leaves.
Bug-wise, I've only experienced a few very minor ones after hours of play; collision detection is a little wonky sometimes and companions have a nasty habit of blocking doors (and they don't often move when pushed). Aside for those it's been pretty flawless so far and not a single game breaking bug experienced by me. I HIGHLY recommend this game for any zombie/Walking Dead fan.… Collapse
Jun 30, 2013Another zombie game? Really? Yep. This one, from aptly-named dev Undead Labs, promised to be a different kind of zombie game. Yeah, it's going to be chock full of everybody's favorite brain-obsessed creepies, but lots of games have that. Case in point, the perennial winner of zombie memories, Left 4 Dead. So is this Microsoft Arcade-only (and pricey to boot) release anything special? Is it worth 1700 Microsoft points? Yes and yes. Let's look at State of Decay, the new breed of zombie apocalypse. First of all, this is not like the vast majority of zombie games: it is an open world, you-get-one-shot, game that requires you to, brace yourselves here, think about what you're doing. You cannot blunder into situations and expect to reliably get out of it. Everything you do, just like in reality, makes noise. Noise attracts zombies. So you need to plan ahead, recon your intended area of operations, and keep your eyes open for uninvited guests. The world is varied, well-made, and the entire thing is part of your game. It's not a lot of set dressing buildings like in Fallout 3: every building can be entered, every building can be searched. You are in a constant need, and thus constant search for supplies of varying descriptions. From weapons and ammo to building and medical supplies, food, and a whole host of inventory items, you need it all to survive and thrive. Every building has the potential to house something valuable, and most buildings contain several searchable containers. (This feeds back into the previous gameplay mechanic genius: you can search slowly and methodically, which takes time, or search quickly, which makes an incredible racket and draws zombies.) The entire map, which is huge, is built for you to explore. The AI is plenty clever, with a very good predator/prey algorithm implementation; zombies are both solo and pack hunters, and react predictably to given simuli. The AI is also smart enough to be stupid, a mark of the well-built AI: it will fall for decoys and tricks, not see through them and cheat because the game knows everything (hey, Need for Speed...lookin' at you). Missions are randomly created and, although a little limited in the number of types, still keeps the game from getting stale. Combat is neither overly complex nor too simplified, and breaks down into melee and firearm, with melee divided into weight classes and weapon types. And, much like Ubisoft's I Am Alive, you must concern yourself with not only health but stamina; overexert yourself and you may find yourself completely winded, surrounded by zombies, unable to fight or flee. But best of all, it's up to you to fortify and improve your base of operations, decide when and where to move, and set up safe houses. You're not stuck with what the game gives you; it's up to you to choose everything. You're given a menu of options for things to build at your base, all of which require a given amount of various supplies. As long as you can cover the cost, you can have what you want, but it's up to you to choose, and choose wisely. Moreso than any game in easy memory, State of Decay puts you in a world that's unbelievably open and gives you so much freedom that if you can see it, you can get there. With all this glowing praise, are there downsides? Yes, there are. Most seriously, the game's interface is somewhat unpolished. It's based on the common journal-as-user-interface frame (with a pleasant Tropico 4 graphical motif), but the player's understanding of the tools and options is left more to trial and error than anything else. Instructions are available, to a degree, but are not very complete and cannot be recalled at will; miss it the first time, and it's gone. On the heels of that is a lack in firearms controls; aiming is arduous, without any sort of aim assist, and against rapidly bobbing and weaving zombies, lining up a shot is downright frustrating. Controls are fixed, so you cannot customize your controller. Vehicle physics are a little too floaty, and the vehicles themselves are severely lacking in durability (probably to avoid balancing problems). You'll receive warnings that fellow survivors may be in trouble, but no solid indication of where they are, leaving you feeling a little helpless from time to time. You cannot recruit other survivors as backup, which means you're usually on solo. This wouldn't be so bad, except that any time any character dies, that's it; it's character permadeath every time. This is a pain as you can spend hours tuning up your "primary" character only to have him chewed up and lost because of bad luck or some unfortunate timing. (Some gamers may enjoy this, as it does add a major sense of urgency!) Some have complained about graphics quality, but it's really not bad at all. So, all told, State of Decay is an excellent game with a few teething troubles. Despite its high cost on XBLA marketplace, it's well worth it for would be World War Z'ers. A solid 8 to State of Decay. Go and enjoy.… Expand
Jun 29, 2013This is the buggiest game I have ever seen. It has lots of screen freeze too many bugs because of lazy programming and poor testing.
They are basically using you to be a paying beta tester. BUYERS BEWARE!!
Jun 28, 2013Ok this game I could not wait for I was so excited and it came out. I played it a lot it was super fun. Then I started to get overwhelmed with missions and things to do and became too much. This is a good game, and the asking price is not much so if you don't have a ps3 too get The Last Of Us which is way better get this game it is a good zombie game 7.5/10
Jun 27, 2013The survival aspect of the game if unique and a lot of fun, and it kept me on my couch for hours. And you eventually get to know the characters, and if you get i favorite one they could die if you make one mistake.
Jun 27, 2013One of the best zombie horror survival games that I've ever played. However, some flaws make the game less enjoyable, like how; the story is weak, graphics are average, fraps drop regularly and characters feel like a re-skinned male or female. Characters often repeat dialog also. But the game is very fun the first play through, but it is less enjoyable after completion. Also, a big let down, was NO MULTIPLAYER. Also, and this might be just me, but the game was quite easy, as about 3 of my group members died, and 1 was because I got bored of everyone living, so I purposely handicapped her so that she would die. But this is a really good game for zombie fans if you can get past bugs and frame rate drops.This game will be MUCH better after the patches, updates, and general improvements.… Expand
Jun 27, 2013State of decay sounded like an amazing game. It had everything I had ever wanted in a zombie horror game. The sheer survival of you group, you had the task of keeping your group safe, fed and supplied. But the execution of it was not the best. The frame rate is shockingly bad, shockingly. The gameplay itself is pretty good, the zombies are terrifying, although after playing it the 3rd time around I gradually lost the fright of the zombies and the hoards, it seemed a simple job after a while, just get in a car and run them over.
Undead labs must think we are pretty stupid. Don't get me wrong I really like the game, but my first play through I had a survivor called Raul. During my second play through I had another survivor which I thought was Raul, but turned out to be a man named Sawyer. I mean come on! He had the same face and voice. It's just lazy and takes away the experience a lot. And the fact that there's really only 5 safe houses you can have including the church.
The story... The story. Well it's s*it! There was no need for a story in this game, it should of been just about survival, there was no need for it. And the ending?... Jesus.
But overall, the game is great and is probably the best zombie game out now, where you have full control over everything.… Expand
Jun 26, 2013Truly an amazing game. Combining all of the best elements of other zombie games, this is one of the best games I have played this year. I would have no problem paying $60 for this game, and for only $20, this has to be one of the best deals on the Xbox Live Marketplace.
Jun 25, 2013The game is fun to play even though it a little glitchy with the zombies walking through doors and how it may not have good graphics from a far away distance. But it is more cheap then most games and if you like killing zombies with many weapons in an open world game then this is the game for you.
Jun 24, 2013There is in the game and the world of beautiful things open or open map
And but their fault unity it is not present on all devices!
But the price of the Xbox Live good!
Game needs serious part of the best and the best in the movement of the characters and beatings!
The need to modify the beam some thing and modify the nature of fees for the better!
Jun 22, 2013First of I'd like to say this is what a Walking Dead game SHOULD have been! Like a previous reviewer said this is the best sandbox zombie game I've ever played. Its a big like Dead Rising but minus the stupid timer and comedy. I'll tell you right now though it certainly isn't the prettiest game ever made but the depth of the game is insane. Its not just a game filled with boring fetch quests, there is so much you can do even little things like barricading a window with a hammer, board and nails made me smile because stuff like this is so often over looked. You can play as different characters who all have specific skills and you always have to be on guard when a character dies they are dead for good. It really makes your choices impactful. If you have character X all buffed up with killer stats and you get over run by a horde and that character dies it can reallly effect your game. Some might think this is unfair or what not but I feel it makes the game all that more realistic. For being an XBLA game you are getting more content then most triple A $60 games out there these days.. No 4 hour snooze fest like Metal Gear Rising or Halo 4's short campaign. For the price of the game it is seriously worth its weight in GOLD. The game isn't perfect though as it has some minor clipping issues and the voice acting (ie how their mouths move when speaking) isn't the greatest but that aside I would recommend this game to ANYONE who even has a remote interest in zombies. Its refreshing to finally play a DECENT zombie survival title. In closing the last thing I can tell you is if you buy this DO NOT use your credit card information over XBL. I've had my identity stolen 3 times now because of this.… Expand
Jun 21, 2013This game is defiantly not on a big budget as the animations are rather bad and some of the voice acting is awful but the game is self is a hell of alot of fun. The idea of the game is great and it really is the best open world zombie game out at the moment. The game can get a little repetitive tho and that lets it down quite alot but I assure you that the group management system and searching the map will give you a few hours of fun and the developers seem like great people who are only going to add more to game and keep improving it. The driving in this game is really quite bad as I found my car just wanted to flip over at every given chance and my characters would be flung all over the place in a rather buggy rolling animation. The melee combat is really simple, it is pretty much a buttons masher so it gets boring very quickly.
Overall the game is great but it's a little buggy and the animation/voice acting is not great plus the melee combat gets very repetitive. I would say that you should only buy this if you are a big zombie fan.… Expand
Jun 21, 2013First off, State of Decay has problems. There are numerous clipping issues, graphical problems, mechanical issues, etc (some of which has been fixed in the patch). Many people are claiming the game is "hard", I would say State of Decay has a high learning curve. There are so many things the player needs to balance, such as: supplies for the home and character, leveling up characters, morale, missions, and other details. State of Decay is challenging in a fun, but occasionally frustrating way. S.O.D. is a open world survival game that has zombies in it that requires the gamer to do more then then shoot and smash zombies. S.O.D. is a downloadable title and has a lot of value in the price tag, while the main storyline is a bit short, the game in its entirety is quite long.… Expand
Jun 21, 2013Finally a zombie game that focuses on survival. The story is not a highlight at all and there are a lot of bugs but you need to enjoy this game for the little things. From having to go on runs for supplies which don't respawn by the way) to having to debate weather your safe at your home or if going to save someone is worth the risk to even having to put down your infected survivors This game will be overlooked by a lot of people but it truly is a SURVIVAL horror game… Expand
Jun 20, 2013I can say that State of Decay, albeit being built on a terrible engine and being visually ugly, was a pleasant surprise. But there are many catches to this monster of an open world game. There are no frightening moments whatsoever. The open world compelled and begged me to explore it, and was quite fun to actually do this. This game is tricky. It has the potential to immerse you quite a lot but failed to do so to me.… Expand
Jun 20, 2013One of the great XBLA games,gameplay is really good.
Pretty good open world game,but co-op should be there.
Anyway,if score is needed it gets 8/10: MUST HAVE FOR ZOMBIE FANS!
Jun 19, 2013"State of Decay" is certainly worthy of being green, but it's not quite an 8 or 9. My only large gripe is that as the developers tried to blend single-person zombie survival-action with fortress-building and group-management/rpg elements, instead of coming off as a multi-faceted, unified personality, the game seems to often suffer from a split personality disorder and identity crisis. This is a shame as a game more focused on one core mechanic with the others merely feeding it might have made the game 8- or 9-worthy. It's still well worth the purchase.… Expand
Jun 19, 2013A fun zombie game that relies on scavenging for supplies to keep your people alive. Although it suffers from minor bugs that have since been squashed the game retains the most important factor in a zombie apocalypse game; survival and for a twenty dollar price tag this is a definite buy.
8 out of 10
Jun 18, 2013This game is nothing but pure FUN. And thats what games should be ALL ABOUT. This type of game people have been waiting for, for a very long time. And we got it, and its perfect. Sure it has its bugs and not the prettiest game (to some, i think its fine) but nothing that can't be fixed through an already coming patch by undead labs. This game has been going through the charts and UL deserves it. This game is just another acheivment in the gaming industry, that its not all about big budget shooters, but about pure fun. Thats what makes this game, is its actually FUN.… Expand
Jun 18, 2013First thing first: State of Decay is an XBOX Live Arcade game. And when I say it I mean: ARCADE. GAME. It's simple, ugly, low-budget, choppy, with a horrible engine. Now, even after that, State of Decay manages to bring a compelling open-world, with many characters and iterations in the story. One doesn't feel like one's surviving (I blame single player for that) like in other games (DayZ, The War Z, etc). It's more like a smash-n-grab looting simulator placed in a zombie apocalypse. A kind of Grand Theft Auto meets Left 4 Dead, but not quite. It has something more. Something that adds replayability. And that's a very important factor in an XBOX Live Arcade game, specially for one worth 20 bucks. It makes you come back to check on it after a while.
I'd say "grab it while on sale" but XBOX doesn't have any sales unless you're gold, and chances are it won't be on sale any time soon so I'l say "grab it if you're a zombie fan".… Expand
Jun 18, 2013A fascinating game that strikes solid on expectations. It's an interesting blend of more typical zombie games with a sandbox, turf management mechanic as seen in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. You can get very involved in the game very fast, and lose a lot of time to it constantly doing side-quests and exploring without the game ever getting dull. All this from an indie game is fantastic, and with the promise of changes and different successes/mistakes made in every playthru, there is a lot of potential for replay value.… Expand
Jun 18, 2013This game is what I've always wanted for a zombie game. With nice survival elements and good combat. It makes use of a neat system where zombies are attracted by sound (Guns, Cars, Looting, Melee combat etc). Aside from the FPS drops and screen tearing this game is a solid zombie survival game. You are given the choice to be the player who builds up the home area and acquires more survivors to build a colony or you can be the lone wolf all your choice. Cars are good but I find myself to be running or sneaking around. If you enjoy zombie games L4D, DayZ, (It takes certain aspects of these games and very nicely makes this game) Then State of Decay is for you. At a price of 1600 msp its worth it, there is always the free trial if you are unsure.… Expand
Jun 18, 2013Best twenty dollar game ever. Finally a zombie game that's more about survival then talking to people. Very good rpg elements and home base strategy. It has broke arcade download records. Ten million since release is amazing.
Jun 18, 2013A great game with a good story i only wish I wasn't comparing with games like red dead and gtawhich have big open worlds. I enjoyed the combat and the gunplay.
Great game. I'd go so far as to say best zombie game out there. If The Walking Dead franchise is going to have a game they need to take a leaf out of State of Decay's book. Make that TONS of leaves.
Bug-wise, I've only experienced a few very minor ones after hours of play; collision detection is a little wonky sometimes and companions have a nasty habit of blocking doors (and they don't often move when pushed). Aside for those it's been pretty flawless so far and not a single game breaking bug experienced by me. I HIGHLY recommend this game for any zombie/Walking Dead fan.… Collapse
Oct 7, 2013An entertaining zombie apocalypse sandbox. It's a bit rough visually, but makes up for it with a persistent world. [Aug 2013]
Sep 16, 2013It's not the most beautiful and polished game, but the end of the world with all it's small and big problems rarely felt this real.
Sep 4, 2013The Last of Us meets The Sims, mashed, salted and served with a few lumps. [Oct 2013, p.64]


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I've just discovered Greek yogurt!...now what do I do with it?
Where have I been?! I've just discovered it (haha!) and love it's rich, creamy texture.
I usually eat (regular) yogurt on the side in a raita or perhaps with a fruit crumble, as a healthier alternative to ice cream, but what else can I do with Greek yogurt?
How do you eat it?
I've been making my own fruit on the bottom yogurt for breakfast. A big dollop of yogurt goes into a glass dish/jar along with some preserves and some granola for a delicious and filling meal. My co-workers have been jealous, which is a side bonus.
re: jayaymeye
I don't mind just plain *sweetening* it with white sugar, like you'd do with lemons to make lemonade. Simple and effective. I am very familiar with how nice it is with honey too!
Any recipe calling for sour cream can be substituted with Greek yogurt so I've been using it for some time in pancakes, cakes, tea breads, cheesecake, dips, marinades, etc.
Greek yogurt smoothies
Like TampaA enjoyed in all sorts of fruit concotions
I eat Greek yogurt every day in some fashion, love the stuff. Have fun experimenting!
re: jmcarthur8
Agreed, lots of savory preparations for it. I use it to make a lite and egg-free caesar dressing that, if full of lemon and garlic, is pretty darn good. I also mix it with harissa for a nice spicy sauce for grilled meat, or use it as the base of a tartar sauce for fish.
I use it in my chicken salad- just your average chicken salad with maybe cranberries, maybe some chives, then sub 3/4 of the mayo with yogurt. Tangy and really brings all the flavors together in harmony!
It's a great garnish for many many things, like Greek meatballs and rice; or ancient grain salads; or many savory concoctions like stews. Think of it as a dollop of sour cream, only tangier and healthier.
Use it to cut rich dishes. Put it on curries, tagines, or heavily spiced lamb, chicken or pork.
Use it in salad dressings to make them creamy and tart.
Mix in spices or herbs and maybe some olive oil, to make a quick sauce.
blend it with fruit to make a smoothie, or veggies (cucumbers, radishes, etc), stock and spices/herbs to make a light soup
re: luciaannek
Yes, and also to add tang and cut the heaviness of things like deviled eggs, or anything you'd add mayo to, like salmon loaf or various savory fried or baked cakes.
If you combine frozen berries, a bit if sugar and some yogurt in the blender you will end up with something between soft-serve and regular ice cream in texture. Yum
Mix it with sriracha and serve with eggs, on any Mexican dish, as a dip, whatever! I put a dollop in a bowl of butternut squash soup last night.
We used it last night on our baked potatoes. Yummy! I have also added it to cumin, cilantro, and lime zest/juice as a taco "sauce". Still a favorite is just with a spoon and whatever fruit I have.
I use it piled on a baked potato. Mine is non-fat plain and it is better than any sour cream. I can add chives, salt & pepper, garlic, sauteed mushrooms, ANYTHING, but I love the yogurt!!!
honey and granola with berries:)
I have also used it in curry dishes with coconut milk and spices.
I use it as a marinade for chicken or lamb, mix in some garlic, cumin, tumeric, coriander, chilli powder and lemon juice. It really helps to tenderise the meat and is delicious when cooked.
Sweeten it however you like and bake it into phyllo dough for a great dessert. I use it for cannoli sometimes when I don't feel like making ricotta.
I agree that anywhere sour cream is good, Greek yogurt is just as good, if not better. I love it on lentils (especially mudjadara). I also served it on a lamb soup last week, which was fantastic.
My favorite savory dish made with Greek yogurt is tzaziki (and it's authentically Greek to boot!) Mix yogurt with lots of shredded cucumber, some finely minced garlic, a bit of chopped dill and mint, and a splash each of good olive oil and red wine vinegar. All proportions are variable to suit your taste. Mix well and set it in the fridge for an hour or two to let the flavors meld, then serve either as a dip with pita or a side dish with a hearty Greek main course.
I love greek yogurt for dips, cooking and just eating - on its own or with, say, some jam, but the thing I dont get is how many outlets - TJ, Costco etc carry only (or primarily) the nonfat. AARGH.
I dont think its particurly suited to use in raita, however,
I love Greek yogurt but I just also discovered it makes great pancakes! Super light and fluffy. Here is a recipe I adapted. The optional topping of Bourbon Maple Syrup, Mandarin Orange and Bacon Hash is decidedly not diet but was quite delish. More details and photos available on Neurotic Kitchen on post dated September 30 2012 - Breakfast for dinner - but here is the recipe!
Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Bourbon Maple Syrup + Mandarin Orange & Bacon Hash
Pancakes - Adapted from Recording Moments
Serves 3-4
Pancake Ingredients:
1 Cup Vanilla Flavored Greek Yogurt - we used Oikos Brand
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
Pancake Batter, Photo: NK
1.5 teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
3/4 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 teaspoon Real Vanilla Extract
Salted Butter, for cooking the pancakes
*Optional Topping - Recipe Follows Below - Topping should be prepared just after the Pancake Batter has been made and before cooking the Pancakes.
Combine all Dry Ingredients together.
Whisk in Wet Ingredients into Dry Mixture, and mix gently until fully incorporated.
Optionally, prepare the Maple, Bourbon and Mandarin Bacon Hash Topping as below
Heat a skillet over medium heat and grease with an ample amount of Butter.
Pour Pancake Mix into a container with a spout or measuring cup and pour slowly into the skillet, forming uniform circles. Cook for a few minutes on one side until golden brown (these will cook quickly) and flip midway through. Set Pancakes aside in a stack and keep warm.
*NK's Bourbon Maple Syrup + Mandarin Orange & Bacon Hash
1/2 Cup Real Maple Syrup
1 15 Ounce Can of Mandarin Orange Segments, rinsed, drained and patted dry
5 Slices of Thick-Cut Bacon, diced into small pieces
1 Tablespoon Bourbon, plus more to taste if you like
In a small pan, cook Bacon Bits to your desired doneness. Drain Bacon Bits on paper towels and set aside. In another small pan, heat Maple Syrup and Bourbon together until sufficiently warm.
To serve, remove Maple Syrup from the heat and stir in Mandarin Segments. Spoon the mixture over Pancakes and sprinkle all over with Bacon Bits. Enjoy!

subset: commoncrawl


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If you're a regular to my blog, you know about our first family camping experience….funny times! I stated that we would totally camp again before summertime ends….and I've got pictures to prove it!
This time, we went with some friends of ours and we had a blast! It's refreshing to experience camping with lighthearted- go- with the flow- people, who also have a baby in their tribe. Its a lot of work to camp…and its even more work to camp with kids! This was a one-night camping trip…next year the goal is to do a 2 and 3 day camping trip!
To make this easy…we split the meals….Garret & Melissa took care of dinner and Reed & I took care of breakfast [and coffee, of course!]. Although, Melissa pretty much made the breakfast too since Ezra was freezing cold [and momma forgot to bring gloves!]. I remembered to bring most of what I forgot the first time, but due to the colder temps in Glacier Park….I forgot the warmer things like gloves and thick socks. One day…..one day I'll pack all that I need, but until then….I'll laugh and make the most of it!
We sat around the fire late into the night. We laughed hard. We spoke life over each other. A memorable camping trip, indeed!


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A 18-year-old woman was killed today in a single-vehicle crash in Grundy County, Tenn.
Whitney Gipson, 18, of Tracy City, Tenn., was driving a Nissan Maxima north on Tipple Road and lost control of the car when she attempted to negotiate a curve. The car went off the left side of the road and hit a tree, according to the accident report.
Gipson was pronounced dead on arrival at Emerald-Hodgson Hospital, the accident report said.
One 17-year-old passenger was flown to Erlanger hospital, and another 17-year-old passenger was taken to Emerald-Hodgson Hospital, treated and released, Dalya Qualls with the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.
Get breaking news from the Times Free Press on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timesfreepress or by visiting us on Facebook or Twitter at the right:


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Being a guardian, I am sure you're dumbfounded by the absolute level of musical games in the marketplace. Which devices must we get, although we all like the idea of launching our kids to music? Does my 3-year old child really need a $300 guitar? Like dad and a qualified musician of a http://review2sound.com/2014/hear-and-play-by-jermaine-griggs.html kid who's presently coping with this dilemma, I'm planning to attempt to drastically simplify the procedure in a way that will save without reducing your child explorations money for you personally.
My emphasis will be on introducing trendy (lumber, handmade, Fairtrade, Eco-Friendly) solutions to the goofy plastic instruments sold at most of the toy shops. I prefer the thought with stamina of locating instruments — versions that have the potential to be performed for a lifetime accepting which they survive the child years – or at least may be preserved as mementos. That model drum featured with popular cartoon heroes is not going it is meant to get a landfill, and have use after age 5.
The very first thing I'm planning to do is individual audio toys from instruments. For quality, I'm identifying a guitar as any product that's a direct link between a child's action and message. As an example, plucking a line, reaching a drum, striking a vital, or wasting air through it all result in a tone being developed. I'll also move one step more and state that there must be a way to play a genuine track (note for note) to the model you might say that resembles a real drum (excluding drums and percussion tools like shakers). This really is complicated to include terms, as you continue reading but it will become clear.
Performing using Doll Guitars with no strings and plenty of elegant links, many Musical Platforms, and this definition do not qualify as musical instruments. I'm not stating that these gadgets are poor or ineffective (purists will vehemently disagree) – simply that they're not musical instruments.
Most agree that some time for http://www.review2sound.com/2014/hear-and-play-by-jermaine-griggs.html private classes begins after age 5 with respect to the kid. "Lion Mommy" might argue, but I am planning allow my kid's passions and explorations function as the information during these years. Incidentally, I recall planning to consider piano classes round the age of 7 or 8 .


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Story: It's another deadly dull day for Angela and Stu. The couple, who've been married for some 20 years, aren't nearly as passionate as they were when they met in high school, at least not Angela. She's grown weary of their threadbare existence and the livelihood that depends on their moribund convenience store.
Stage stars, music legends and acclaimed artists—oh my! Local arts institutions unveil this fall's slate of creative new exhibitions and show-stopping live performances you won't want to miss.
Story: In a comfortable, old-fashioned home, Frank Gianelli talks about "tengo famiglia." That's Italian for "I support a family," but Frank says it means even more than that, it means that a man "is doing well for my woman and my children. I have a reason for being alive."
While some things at Winslow's Home may be a bit different, one aspect that hasn't changed is the restaurant's commitment to quality ingredients and tasty food.
WIL FERNANDEZ-CRUZ has been tapped to be the new executive chef at Winslow's Home in University City. He replaces chef CARY MCDOWELL, who left recently to take a position with the Euclid Hospitality Group, which includes the Pi Pizzeria restaurants and the recently opened Gringo in the Central West End. Fernandez-Cruz came to St. Louis last year from NYC to be the executive chef at The Restaurant at the Cheshire Inn, and currently he's running the kitchen at Ibby's on Washington University's Danforth campus.
The folks who own the local Potbelly Sandwich Shop franchise have announced they'll be opening a second location at 12 S. Bemiston Ave. in Clayton in late October. The space previously housed the long-running The Fatted Calf, which closed earlier this year.
We have more national recognition for our local culinary scene to report:
After St. Louis native Terry Ross met her future husband, Neal, in San Francisco, the couple moved back to her hometown in 2000. They were looking for the same quality of life they enjoyed in California and found it in University City, where they appreciate the urban setting and walkability of the neighborhood, while still living in a larger home. Their children, Finnegan 9, and Charlotte (better known as ChiChi), 7, are able to walk to school and parks; and Terry, who works in marketing for College Bound, and Neal, who works in merchandising for CCA Global, enjoy the closeness of The Loop for date nights. We spoke with Terry to learn more about her family's love for University City.
Winslow's Home
Although Winslow's Home sits just down the road from the University City Loop, the atmosphere is miles away from the hustle and bustle of the area.
Winslow�s Home, 7213 Delmar Blvd., 725-7559, winslowshome.com
◆ Just in time to honor the 78th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse has introduced a new cocktail program that pays homage to classic concoctions. Look for libations like The Moscow Mule, The Hemingway (thought to be the original version of the daiquiri), and The Manhattan East Side (a combination of the Manhattan and Whiskey Sour), as well as other creations—all with an emphasis on fresh juices and ingredients.
> Today is Chocolate Chip Cookie Day at Mike Shannon's Steaks & Seafood. Various players and staff from the Cardinals will be on hand at the restaurant from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., signing autographs and selling cookies, donated by Schnucks, to raise money for Operation Food Search.
The fried chicken dinner at Winslow's Home
St. Louis' position in the Midwest and its proximity to the bounties of surrounding farmlands provides ample opportunity for us to enjoy fresh, local, seasonal crops.
I can do it by myself! A toy that makes learning to tie their shoes and button their shirt fun! Learn to Dress Kitty, $34 from Imagination Toys.
> The best chefs from St. Louis and the surrounding region will put their skills on the line to honor master chef and charcuterie expert FREDERIC 'FRITZ' SONNENSCHMIDT (dean emeritus of the CIA) and raise funds for Operation Food Search. Operation Charcuterie!, as it's being called, will be held at Sidney Street Cafe in Benton Park Sept. 28. Teams will prepare a six-course charcuterie dinner, and the chef roster features a veritable Who's Who of area culinary talent: GERARD CRAFT of Niche, ANTHONY DEVOTI of Five, JIM FIALA of The Crossing, JOSH GALLIANO of Monarch, STEVE GONTRAM of Harvest, CARY MCDOWELL of Winslow's Home, KEVIN NASHAN of Sidney Street Cafe, LOU ROOK of Annie Gunn's, KEVIN WILLMAN of Farmhaus, JONATHAN JUSTUS of Justus Drugstore Restaurant in Smithville, Mo., and MIKE ODETTE of Sycamore in Columbia, Mo. For reservations, contact Chris Valier at Sidney Street Cafe at 771-5777.
> Moxy Bistro in the Central West End may have closed, but chef-owner ERIC BRENNER is staying busier than ever. Brenner and many of his staffers have moved to Molly's in Soulard, where he continues as executive chef and is currently revising the menu. He'll also carry on with his chef consulting work, which includes some 14 Isle of Capri and Lady Luck casino properties.
Winslow's Home
While the 'multi-use' nature of Winslow's Home on Delmar is hard to wrap your mind around, it's a wonderful place to have a meal. Equal part hardware store, restaurant and neighborhood general store, it grows on you more with every visit.
Winslow's Home
> Congrats to a trio of Missouri cheese makers…Baetje Farms won two Third-Place ribbons, one for its fresh Cranberry and Orange Coeur de la Crème and the other for its aged Bloomsdale, at the American Cheese Society's annual conference and competition last week. Green Dirt Farm in Weston, near Kansas City, also did well, pulling in Third-Place ribbons for its sheep's milk cheeses in the open and flavor-added categories. And at the first North American Jersey Cheese Awards, held last month, Homestead Creamery of Jamesport won a gold medal for its Country Classic hard cheese and a silver for its Golden Glow semi-hard.
We live in an era of corporate mega-chains and Internet shopping. With little effort, we can buy mass-produced merchandise from all over the world. But for the small retailer, no amount of money will ever replace the satisfaction that comes from greeting a lifelong customer; and for consumers, no degree of convenience is better than the warm feeling of walking into a place where everybody knows your name—and exactly the kind of earrings that suit you. Here, local shoppers and shopkeepers sing the praises of neighborhood businesses.
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|Single-piece compression molded fiberglass reinforced polyester composite, factory pressure tested to ensure water will not wick or leak through. Trim ring is a compression molded polyester. Trim ring is a die-cast stainless steel. Trim ring is natural cast bronze. Rock guard used for directional glare control made of compression molded polyester.
|Composite is textured, pressure formed, molded-in-color.
|Optical Assembly:
|Lamps have 15° articulation either side of vertical and 358° rotation without interruption of beam pattern. Clear convex, tempered soda-lime glass for high impact resistance. 2,200-pound live-load rated, standard walk-over lens.
|75W maximum PAR 36/AR11 screw terminal lamp. 75W maximum MR16 bi-pin lamp. Lamp is not included. Lower wattage lamps are acceptable. (Note: PAR20/R20 and PAR30/R30 are not aimable.).
|Electrical Assembly:
|Bi-pin socket type (GU5.3) with 250° C high temperature teflon coated wire leads. Double screw terminal socket. Step-down transformer reduces line voltage to 12 volts.
|Ten-year limited warranty.
|ETL listed to U.S. safety standards for wet locations. cETL listed to Canadian safety standards for wet locations. Manufactured to ISO 9001:2008 Standards. ADA Compliant when flush mounted with CP2 or CPS2.
|8 13/16" (224mm)
|6 5/8" (169mm)
|Max. Weight:
|3.45 lb.


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HOT TOPICS: Alcoholism Addiction AA Cocaine Heroin
Is "Tanning Mom" an Addict?
A child endangerment case in New Jersey sheds light on "tanorexia."
Is New Jersey "tanning mom" addicted to UV rays? And is her alleged "tanorexia" evidence towards allegations that she dangerously subjected her child to a tanning bed? Child services visited Patricia Krentcil after her five-year-old daughter told the school nurse that the rash on her body was from visiting a tanning booth with her mom. Photos of the "tanning mom" have surfaced in the media—showing skin the color and texture of fruit leather—and causing concern that she may be suffering from a tanning addiction. "When you look at this, this is somebody who has a problem who most likely has a condition called 'tanorexia,' where they just don't realize just how much color they have," says New York dermatologist Doris Day. "She's at higher risk for skin cancer, and it also doesn't send the right message to her child." The owner of the New Jersey tanning salon City Tropics says Krentcil tans about 20 times per month, five days per week, and does the maximum time of 12 minutes in the standup booth—which is the most intense bed. Krentcil, who was charged with child endangerment, claims she is innocent, and that her daughter never entered the booth with her. "Obviously, she tans," says her attorney John Caruso, but "to call her an addict, I think is a real leap. It feels like it's being exaggerated, to be like, 'Well look at her, she must have done this.'" If convicted, she faces up to ten years in prison.