Announced for Xbox a few years ago, indie title "Undying" is finally available, and it's a must-play for fans of movies like The Road, 28 Days Later, or I Am Legend.
Zombie apocalypses are a dime a dozen, but every now and then, a true gem rises to the fore and offers a unique twist on a very tried formula. As a fan of the genre, I found myself immediately intrigued to grab Undying, which launched on Xbox just yesterday, after a solid initial outing on Steam for Windows PC.
Undying isn't your typical zombie flick. Described as brutal and stressful by some Steam reviewers, the game revolves around a mother and her son surviving in a bleak post-apocalypse that fans of the genre will find familiar. Where Undying changes things up is with its emphasis on storytelling and choice and consequence, which takes its survival/crafting slant into a more intimate territory. Indeed, mother Anling has already been bitten, and it's only a matter of time before she will perish under the weight of the zombie plague, and potentially become a threat to her own son, Cody.
In the game, you're tasked with not only keeping yourself and Cody alive, but also helping guide Cody growth as a person. Your moral choices, your teachings, and the skills you share with your son will shape his future.
"Undying" also shares some strong developer pedigree, designed by David Brevik of Diablo and Blizzard North fame. Brevik pioneered many isometric RPG features many of us take for granted in 2025, and that expertise and vision is clearly prevalent in Undying, even if it wears its "indie" stylings proudly on its sleeve. Brevik only recently made waves with commentary on modern action RPGs, which have traded fear and immersion for damage numbers and rapidity. It certainly seems like Undying is attempting to claw back some of the stakes many of these types of games now often lack.
Undying is up now on Xbox and Steam alike for $19.99, and features a sizeable campaign complete with 14 major locations, a variety of dungeons, old school itemization, crafting mechanics, and of course, a strong visual narrative that may just stick with you. For sure, don't let its "simplistic" visuals fool you into thinking you're going to get an easy ride here, both mechanically and emotionally.
