Deadside – Review

So we all know DayZ-style survival games pretty much died out once battle royales and, more recently, looter shooters took over. That’s why when I say it’s hard to find a good survival game, I mean it. It’s really hard.

Deadside, though, is one of the few games still trying to stick to that classic survival formula.

Story
Deadside is a hardcore—or at least sort of hardcore—multiplayer shooter with a huge open world and plenty of ways to play. You’ll be looting NPCs that shoot on sight, running into other players, and hopping between safe zones. Overall, it’s a solid, old-school survival experience, and the devs have clearly put a lot of work into it. Here are some of the standout features.

Gameplay

Just like any traditional survival game, you start out with almost nothing. You explore, loot whatever you can, avoid players if you have to, and survive.

There are missions scattered around the map and safe zones that are great for newcomers. My advice? Loot everything early on, head to a safe zone, and sell it all. The in-game currency sticks with you even if you die, so money is something you can build up safely. Different servers may change how this feels, but generally, stack cash early.

The missions are varied and offer solid loot, and certain tunnels around the map let you fast-travel—if you’ve got the money. If you’re playing with friends, base-building becomes important. Safe zones also have a trader rank-up system: buy items like watches to level up specific traders and unlock better gear.

There’s a mini-storage system that’s super helpful for solo players. And yes, just like DayZ, expect plenty of firefights with both players and NPC bots that will shoot on sight.

The map is huge, and the devs keep expanding it. That’s great, but it also means that vehicles—while technically in the game—are extremely rare. If you manage to find one, you’re lucky.

Audio Visual

Honestly, the music is kind of goofy and not needed. Turning it off makes the world feel better, letting the natural sounds come through. The visuals are pretty basic, but since the game is still a work in progress, it’s forgivable. I’ve had moments where I was just jogging along and suddenly a gunshot cracked so loud it scared the life out of me.

My Complaints

Here’s where things fall apart a bit. Deadside could be amazing—but it’s not Rust. The fact that you can rent servers means there ends up being too many of them, which spreads players thin. If they paused server rentals for a bit and kept a smaller server list, the population would feel way better and the game would shine as a classic survival experience. Following Rust’s server model might hurt Deadside long-term.

Vehicle spawns are another issue. They’re so rare that you’ll find yourself running through fields for what feels like half an hour at a time. And with such a massive map, I expected more towns or actual cities—not just a couple of houses here and there. The world often feels plain and empty.

Combat itself is solid, but NPCs landing shotgun shots at 300 meters is just ridiculous. Between that and the amount of open space, it can feel like there’s not enough meaningful exploration.

Overall

Deadside is genuinely fun when you’re on a busy server, and it’s great to see that the devs haven’t abandoned it. Opening up the Steam Workshop was a big step, and it shows they’re committed to improving the game. I really hope they keep at it, because I miss classic survival games—and Deadside delivers that vibe. It’s great for chilling out, looting, and soaking in that old-school survival feeling.

Disclaimer: The YouTube video below contains severe swearing. Viewer discretion is advised.

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