Dead Age 2

Really fun game, and big improvement over the first one.

Graphics improved a lot, the characters, the zombies, the animals, very detailed and polished. Now you can see the equipment on your survivors, when you change their gear. Also, the UI is cleaner and more understandable while maintaining that cool "notebook look". The new base is great, with the fallout shelter style. And the different environments while exploring are gorgeous and very detailed. The new animated portraits are also really cool. It's a bit sad that there are no mini-cutscenes like in the first one.

Sound effects improved a lot, music is great and doesn't feel that repetitive like in the previous game. This one also doesn't have voice acting, which is a bit disappointing.

Gameplay improved in a lot of ways. The map movement is really cool idea, letting you explore and conquer the different zones. The base building and crafting now let you do more than one action per day, which is great to upgrade your base and gear up your survivors quickly. The crafting and character progression remains interesting, and also it's possible to craft more deterministic stats on gear. The resource management it's a bit better. The combat has a lot of new options, like summoning animals, and new interesting skill, and also character positioning. I'm still not a fan of the Final Fantasy combat style, but I enjoyed this iteration a lot more than the previous game. The medal system solved the problems that the previous game had, now you can re-spec your points and also change them if you make mistakes. Another great change is the time limit removal (it still has one, but you can continue playing after that if you complete the objective), this allows you to better gear and level your survivors and have fun with your maxed-out gear.

The story improved too, it's more complex than the first one, with a lot of twists. If you enjoyed the characters from the first game, you will enjoy this one. Some of the side stories are a bit underwhelming, but in general, the story is good. The romance options continue to be non-existent, just a mission with a female character and nothing more. The factions are interesting, and the choices you make are not really impactful, just reputation changes between factions and some characters changing the way they see you, but the story in general, remains mostly the same no matter what you do.

In short, it's a big improvement over the previous game, very fun. If you enjoyed the first one, definitely try this one. 

Easily recommended for fans of turn-based and survival/management games as well as a solid zombie apocalypse. An improvement over the first game, but they are both good and you could really start with either. Some more game options and quality of life features would make it really stand out, but it is fun and worth the time.

+Visuals
+Variety of upgrades
+Difficulty options
+Choice of starting talents
+Choices on level up
+Variety of attacks, skills
+Music
+Variety of quests, events
+Exploration, map

-Barebones options
-No rebinding
-Faction restrictions
-No voice, text heavy
-Zombies can spit as far as a rifle shot
-Preview damage is hard to read
-Autosave only
-Repetitive/ frequent backtracking
-Battle rows not always clear
-Can only set 1/3 party to front row
-Can't see ammo remaining in battle
-Enemies never run out of ammo
-Enemies often drop little/none of their equipment
-UI info can be unclear/lacking
-Tutorial text info dump
-Short timers on many side quests
-Party limit of 3
-Grind increased due to resource restrictions

I've always enjoyed the Dead Age games. Dead Age 2 is no exception. Combat is incredibly addictive, the leveling system, the challenge progression, and the basebuilding are all great attributes. In Dead Age 2 I'd say the story can be a bit rough at times, it has good ideas but I don't think the author has quite perfected dialogue yet. Still the developers are small and dedicated and I'm excited to see what Dead Age Survivors brings down the line.

Great game, got right into it, love the first one as well. High replay value, lots of challenges, meta progression, nice story with plot twists, great turn based fights + the classical rpg aspects. If you like all this, you should take a look.

Dead Age 2, developed by Silent Dreams and published by Headup, is an ambitious sequel that takes the ideas of its predecessor and expands them into a deeper, more complex hybrid of turn-based combat, survival management, and narrative decision-making. Set in a bleak world overrun by the undead, it places the player in charge of a small band of survivors struggling to endure amid collapsing factions, dwindling resources, and moral uncertainty. The game attempts to blend the permadeath tension of roguelikes with the long-term strategy of base management and the storytelling of a branching RPG, offering a multifaceted approach to post-apocalyptic survival that rewards careful planning as much as adaptability. Where many zombie games focus on fast-paced action, Dead Age 2 moves in the opposite direction, creating a slower, more methodical experience centered around choices and consequences rather than reflexes.
The story unfolds in a world that has only partially stabilized after the first outbreak. Humanity is splintered into various factions—each vying for power, survival, or moral justification—and the player must navigate this fragile ecosystem while leading a camp of survivors. The narrative structure gives players the freedom to align with different groups, pursue diplomacy, or take a more ruthless route to dominance. These decisions ripple through the story, altering not just dialogue but available resources, quests, and long-term alliances. The writing doesn’t attempt grand cinematic drama; instead, it captures the moral grayness and constant tension of people forced into impossible choices. The result is an atmosphere that feels heavy with consequence, where every interaction and resource decision carries the potential to strengthen or doom your settlement.
Gameplay lies at the heart of Dead Age 2’s identity, weaving together elements from multiple genres. At its core, it’s a turn-based tactical RPG, where encounters with zombies or hostile survivors play out in strategic battles reminiscent of classic role-playing systems. Combat relies on managing stamina and skill cooldowns while balancing offensive and defensive tactics. Because characters are fragile and resources scarce, every encounter demands consideration—reckless aggression is often punished by permanent injury or death. Outside of battle, players engage in scavenging expeditions across a map filled with random events, ambushes, and narrative vignettes. Exploration is structured around risk and reward: each new zone promises valuable supplies but could also mean losing vital team members to an unlucky encounter. This tension drives the game’s pacing, as players must decide when to push forward and when to regroup.
The management layer adds another dimension, transforming Dead Age 2 into a survival simulator as much as a tactical RPG. Between missions, players must maintain their camp, assign survivors to tasks like crafting, medical work, or guard duty, and ensure that everyone has enough food, ammunition, and morale to continue. Resources are always scarce, forcing hard decisions about who gets medical treatment, which facilities to upgrade, and when to ration supplies. The base upgrades themselves bring a tangible sense of progress, yet the feeling of constant scarcity never fades. Each day in the camp feels like a reprieve earned through effort and risk, reinforcing the game’s central theme that survival is a balancing act between sacrifice and persistence. While some of these systems can feel repetitive over long sessions, the combination of scavenging, management, and combat maintains a satisfying rhythm that makes each run distinct.
Dead Age 2’s roguelike structure ensures that failure is not the end but part of the experience. Characters can die permanently, storylines can abruptly end, and poor faction choices can close off entire narrative branches. These setbacks feed into the replayability, encouraging players to experiment with different choices and strategies in subsequent runs. Randomized events and shifting faction relationships add unpredictability, preventing any single playthrough from feeling identical. However, this same unpredictability can also breed frustration—some events or battles feel unfairly tuned, punishing the player through bad luck rather than poor planning. Despite this, the unpredictability serves the game’s world well, conveying the volatility of a crumbling society where control is fleeting and fortune fickle.
Technically, Dead Age 2 is a modest production, and while it doesn’t boast cutting-edge visuals, its art direction and atmosphere are consistent with its tone. The interface is clean and functional, presenting information clearly without clutter, though the aesthetic leans more toward utility than immersion. Character models and animations are basic but serviceable, allowing the focus to remain on mechanics and decision-making rather than spectacle. The soundtrack reinforces the desolation of the setting, using subdued melodies and ambient effects that emphasize the emptiness of the post-apocalyptic world. There were notable issues in early versions—bugs, balance problems, and occasional instability—but updates and patches have improved performance and gameplay flow over time. Even so, Dead Age 2 retains a slightly rough edge that reminds players it comes from a smaller studio focused more on depth than polish.
What sets Dead Age 2 apart from other zombie-themed games is its dedication to systemic storytelling. Instead of relying solely on scripted scenes, it lets stories emerge organically from the player’s decisions, alliances, and losses. The relationships between survivors evolve based on choices, sometimes leading to betrayal, romance, or loyalty, and these emotional threads make each playthrough feel personal. Faction politics also play a major role, with different groups offering distinct philosophies and benefits that shape the overall direction of the narrative. The sense of moral ambiguity—where no choice is purely good or evil—enhances immersion, reminding players that in a world stripped of order, every act of kindness or cruelty has a price.
Ultimately, Dead Age 2 is not a game for those seeking instant gratification or slick action, but rather for players who enjoy strategic depth, long-term decision-making, and a sense of tension that arises from uncertainty. Its blend of turn-based combat, survival management, and branching narrative makes it a distinctive entry in the zombie genre, one that values persistence and planning over reflexes. While some of its systems can feel unrefined and the repetition may test patience, the overall experience is compelling for those who appreciate games that challenge both strategic and moral judgment. It captures the essence of survival not as a triumphant conquest, but as a fragile struggle to endure, where every day survived feels like a small victory against inevitable collapse.
Rating: 7/10

This is an excellent turn-based RPG! I played the first one, and I find this sequel slightly better—mainly thanks to the new map-based travel system. Aside from that, the differences between the two games aren't major. If you enjoy strategic, turn-based gameplay, this title is definitely worth your time. Don't expect flashy visuals—the graphics are intentionally minimalistic. The hardcore mode suited me perfectly, especially as someone with experience in turn-based RPGs. I appreciated the challenge it offered without ever feeling unfair or overwhelming. The crafting system is thoughtfully designed. Every decision matters, and a single misstep can lead to your entire team being wiped out, so planning ahead is crucial.
Overall, I’d give this game a solid 9 out of 10.

I wanted to give a negative review while playing, but as the dev did indeed did adress many issues players had with the game I reluctantly changed my mind.
Nonetheless I have to mention what I didn't like:
- The quests are really convoluted. Many quests don't update on talking with the someone, but instead a new quests appears that you have to finish first. The old quest marker stays on the map and you need to remember that you need to do the new quest first before returning there.
- Many dialogues don't make much sense or sound really strange.
- Combat is rather repetitive. The better skills or hardly better at all or downright worse as they need more action points for the same amount of damage and in addition you first need to spend lots of skill points to get them in the first place. Most of the time you will be using the basic attack.
- Rather late in the game you get new people for your camp, but you don't need them and only have to feed them. Don't make much impact and feel unneccessary.
- Very late in the game your companions start explaining their skills and abilities to you. Why? By them you know what they can do for 40 hours or more.
- In combat you see the order in which your own people act, but not when it's the enemies turn or the next round starts, which is far more important.
- In your camp 90% of the time you will assign the same 3 jobs. I like base building, but it feels lacking to me.
- The game is NOT rogue-like. I finished the entire game in the first playthrough and see no reason to do so again with the meta-progression (mini-)bonus on the one higher difficulty. Also it takes 50 hours or so, thats not a rogue-like run.
- Many many quests go like this: someone radios you to go and talk to 1-3 other people all over the map. Either remove the radio, so I have reason to actually need to walk there, or I could radio to these people and don't have to walk over there. It makes no sense.
Thats a lot of criticism, but the game is not all bad. I encountered no bugs and the enemies have different abilities, also there is reason to switch between blunt or blade damage due to armor. You can craft and upgrade your stuff.