One more horde, but with a squad#
Yet Another Zombie Survivors enters one of the most crowded corners of modern gaming: the survivors-like, or bullet-heaven game, where a character fights off ever-growing waves of enemies while the screen fills with projectiles, pickups and numbers. The title is a joke about exactly that crowding. The surprise is that the joke is backed by a game with a clear idea of its own. Developer Awesome Games Studio, known for the earlier Yet Another Zombie Defense, builds the whole game around a squad rather than a single hero.
The short version of this review is that the game is a polished, generous and easy-to-start survivors-like that does one thing differently and does it well. Critics are largely positive. Most praise the party system, the amount of content and the satisfying moment-to-moment play, while a few point out that the loop will feel familiar to anyone who has played a dozen similar games. That mix is why it lands at 8 out of 10: a strong example of its type, not a new type.
What makes Yet Another Zombie Survivors different#
The central idea is simple. You start a run with one character, and during that run you recruit two more, so you end up with a trio that fights together. Each survivor brings their own weapons and perks, which means that the interesting decisions are not only which upgrade to pick but which characters belong together. A tough front-liner covers for a fragile specialist, an engineer with electric attacks fills a different role than a gun-focused soldier, and the combinations are what make one run feel different from the next.
This is the feature that reviewers return to most often, and it is the reason the game is not simply another reskin. In most survivors-likes, the build is a stack of weapons on one body. Here the build is also a team, which brings in a layer of planning that is closer to a small tactics game than to a pure reflex test. It also makes the zombie setting feel more purposeful, since a squad of specialists against an undead horde is a natural fit.
The squad and the classes#
The roster is the heart of the game. You begin with a SWAT soldier and unlock more survivors over time, including a Tank, an Engineer, a Huntress, a Ghost and a Pyro, with the 1.0 update adding a Ranger. The classes are distinct enough that swapping one changes how a run plays, rather than only changing a stat sheet. The Tank soaks damage, the Engineer leans on electricity, and the ranged classes want space to work.
Because a run begins with a team of three, you are always balancing offence, durability and range. This is the part that rewards experimenting. A combination that looks odd on paper can turn out to be strong once the weapon upgrades start to line up, and a combination that looks safe can run out of steam against late bosses. The game does not demand perfect optimisation, but it does reward players who pay attention to how their characters complement each other.
The one limit is that the choices inside a run are not especially branching. Critics have noted that the skill and upgrade options are less varied than the very best of the genre, and some would have liked more depth. The squad layer compensates for much of this, but it is a fair point for anyone who loves deep, build-breaking systems.
Weapons, upgrades and the feel of a run#
The weapons are more grounded than in many rivals. Instead of spells and magical orbits, you get firearms, flamethrowers, swords and crossbows, which suits the zombie theme and makes the screen readable at a glance. Combat is built around auto-fire and auto-aim, which several reviewers say is the best way to play, and it lets you focus on positioning, movement and choosing upgrades rather than on precise shooting. That is also why the game works well on a controller.
During a run, you level up, pick from a set of options and slowly assemble a build. Between runs, a permanent upgrade system strengthens your roster. A detail that critics like is that even an early death still awards points, so a failed attempt is never wasted. This keeps the loop friendly and makes it easy to say "one more run". The downside is the one every roguelite shares: the sense of progress comes partly from repetition, and some reviewers describe the progression as grindy.
Maps, run structure and endless modes#
A typical level runs for around 20 minutes, according to one critic, after which you can move on to endless modes and challenges. New maps unlock over time and each comes with its own enemy types, which keeps the environments from blurring together. The pace follows the genre pattern: a quiet start, a growing flood, and larger boss-like creatures that test the build you have put together.
Runs are short enough to fit into an evening, and long enough that a good build has time to snowball. That balance is one of the genre's great strengths, and this game handles it well. The challenge settings and multiple difficulty levels add a way to push harder once the first maps feel comfortable, so players who want a tougher test can find one.
What the 1.0 release adds#
The full release is not a simple label change. The 1.0 update is described as the biggest in the game's history, and it adds main story and side missions, a hub area, a new survivor, a new map, a new game mode and arena bosses, along with new achievements and challenges. Named additions include the Ranger, a Bio Lab map and a Boss Rush mode.
The story and hub are the most notable change in structure. They give the runs a frame, a place to return to and a sense of progression beyond a menu of unlocks. Nobody will play this game for its narrative, and the story should be taken as light context rather than as a reason to buy. Still, the hub and missions make the experience feel more like a complete game and less like a collection of arenas, which helps the game stand out in a field where many titles are bare-bones.
Difficulty and accessibility#
The game is easy to start and hard to master, in the way this genre usually is. Auto-fire and auto-aim take the pressure off the controls, the permanent upgrades smooth out early failures, and the rules are quickly understood. Difficulty settings let you scale the challenge, and the squad layer introduces depth gradually rather than all at once.
This makes it one of the more approachable survivors-likes for newcomers. Players who have never touched the genre can begin with the starting soldier and learn how upgrades and recruits fit together. Experienced players will find more to chew on in the harder settings, in the Boss Rush and in the challenges. As with many games of this type, there is no co-op or multiplayer mode, so the experience is entirely solo.
Presentation and technical state#
The look is a stylised, comic-inspired take on a dark zombie world, viewed from an isometric angle. Critics describe the characters as memorable and the style as charming, and the grounded weapons keep the action legible even when the screen is full. The game's tone is lighthearted rather than grim, in keeping with the casual-yet-heart-pumping description from the developer's own summary.
Technically, the game came through a long Early Access period and has been patched regularly, including balance changes to bosses after launch. The reviews so far do not report serious technical problems on the full release, but older user-review summaries mention performance issues from earlier builds, which may no longer apply. As always with a game full of enemies on screen, results will vary by machine, so check recent player feedback on your platform.
Compared with Vampire Survivors and Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor#
The inevitable comparison is Vampire Survivors, the game that defined the genre. It has more content, a bigger variety of weapons and a stranger, more experimental design. Yet Another Zombie Survivors is more grounded, more structured and, thanks to the squad, more tactical. It does not match the sheer volume of the genre's original, a point at least one critic makes, but it is easier to understand at a glance and gives you a team to manage.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, another well-liked entry, is the second reference. One early reviewer placed this game alongside it as one of the genre's strongest. The two take different approaches: one is a 3D shooter in a co-op franchise universe, while this is a squad-based zombie game with an isometric view. Both share the pleasure of building up from nothing into an overwhelming force.
| Yet Another Zombie Survivors | Vampire Survivors | |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | A squad of three survivors | One hero with a growing arsenal |
| Setting | Grounded zombie apocalypse | Gothic fantasy |
| Content size | Large, with story, hub and Boss Rush | Larger and more experimental |
| Controls | Auto-fire and auto-aim | Automatic attacks |
| Multiplayer | No | Check the store page |
New to survivors-likes? Start here#
This is a good first game in the genre, and a few habits help. Start with the SWAT soldier and learn what the upgrades do before you chase exotic combinations. Recruit survivors who cover your weak spots rather than copying your strengths. Let auto-fire do the shooting and spend your attention on movement. And do not worry about early deaths, because they still award upgrade points.
- Play a few runs with the starting soldier to learn the pace of a level.
- Recruit survivors that complement each other, such as a durable front-liner and a ranged damage dealer.
- Spend permanent upgrade points between runs, since even short attempts earn them.
- Move on to harder difficulties, new maps and Boss Rush once the first map feels comfortable.
Worth the money?#
The game is a single-player experience with dozens of hours of content, according to critics, which is a good return for a game of this kind. A price is not confirmed in the sources this review relies on, so check the current price on your store of choice. It has been available since 20 August 2026 on PC through Steam and GOG, on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, with a Nintendo Switch version announced for later. Supported languages have not been verified for this review, so check the store page for English, Swedish and German options.
The honest value case is replay. Because runs are short and the squad creates many combinations, the game is built for repeat play, and the permanent upgrades give a reason to return. If you already own several survivors-likes and feel tired of the loop, this will not change your mind. If you are looking for the next one to sink time into, it is among the stronger options and is likely to be even easier to justify during a sale.
Play this instead if…#
Shorter: Vampire Survivors is the genre's original and offers a more experimental, compact take, a natural pick for anyone who wants the core loop without a story or hub.
Easier: Brotato is a lighter arena roguelite with simple rules and quick rounds, and it is a gentler way into the genre for newcomers.
Cheaper or co-op: Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a well-regarded alternative from the same genre. Yet Another Zombie Survivors itself has no co-op, so anyone who specifically wants to play with friends should look at cooperative games such as Left 4 Dead 2 instead.
Frequently asked questions#
How long is Yet Another Zombie Survivors? A single level takes around 20 minutes according to one critic, and the game offers dozens of hours of replay through unlocks, endless mode and challenges.
Does it have co-op or multiplayer? No. It is a single-player game.
Which platforms is it on? PC (Steam and GOG), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S since 20 August 2026. A Nintendo Switch version has been announced for later.
Is it still in Early Access? No. The 1.0 version launched on 20 August 2026 after a long Early Access period.
Do I need to know the genre? No. Auto-fire and permanent upgrades make it easy for newcomers, though veterans will find the harder modes more rewarding.
Is there a story? Yes, the 1.0 update adds main story and side missions and a hub area, though the story is light context rather than the main attraction.
The Game Avant verdict#
Yet Another Zombie Survivors is not the game that will convince a sceptic that the survivors-like genre has more to say. It is, however, one of the better-built examples of the form. The squad of three survivors gives it its own identity, the roster and weapons are varied and readable, the permanent upgrades keep runs friendly, and the 1.0 content turns an Early Access favourite into a complete package.
The caveats are the ones the genre carries with it: some repetition, a progression system that can feel like a grind, and the lack of any co-op. For players who enjoy short runs, synergy building and a steady stream of unlocks, it is an easy recommendation, and for newcomers it is one of the friendliest ways in.
8 out of 10 – a polished, content-rich survivors-like whose squad system gives it a real identity.