Dead Age 2

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'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.

Dead Age 2 is an okay zombie survival game with turn based RPG combat and some base building aspects. It's story based, but it's also set up for you to lose and replay with bonuses and the two don't make for a great combination as repeating story content is generally a drag. Still, it has the bones of some solid systems and looks pretty nice for an indie project.

Im sure its good for this type of experience, but unfortunately not my cup of tea. Game seems really linear and scripted. All the action takes place on side scrolling maps. Open World games just blow this genre out of the water.

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

I feel like I'm repeating other comments, but that's fine. This reinforces other commenters' positive reviews.

I played the first one, and waited until this was on sale to buy it because the first one was a 7 or 8 out of 10. I think I got a really good deal this way, because this game is a 9/10 in my book, and I got it for 1/2 price, I think.

The turn-based combat and character development works just as well, if not better, than in the last game. You still have to manage making your survivors more combat ready or more skilled in survivalist skills like hunting and farming and making ammo.

The factions are done well. They're not that complicated / deep into plot mechanics, but you are getting some fun plots. Nothing fancy, but consistent with the world.