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There's something especially exciting about the later stages of a zombie apocalypse. It's like you've just won your first foothold in this new world; and now there's an opportunity to think long-term. Though a few zombie games have tackled these moments in the past, we see the same rags-to-riches story in survival games. It's the premise of CrisisX – an open-world post-apocalypse set in a '90s frontier – but if you zoom out, peers like Rust, Valheim, and even Minecraft all drop you into a savage land and ask you to tame it.
But there's something especially exciting about CrisisX, which brings all of that to the fore with a scale we've rarely seen before. We'll have to carve out our own space in a sprawling 1,200 km² map, shared by another 5,000 players who can be fought or allied with, all while battling hordes of Infected and special boss-like mutants. With crafting and more freeform base-building on offer, we'll be able to construct bases in riskier PvP areas or stick close to friendlier survivors in more built-up PvE settlements.
It's the sort of post-apocalyptic fantasy I've always wanted more games to try. Sprinkle in CrisisX looking gorgeous (seriously – look at the screenshots on Steam), and it's become one of the most exciting upcoming games I've got to look forward to. A large part of that is thanks to CrisisX's approach to survival, which acknowledges that survival needs to be fulfilling in order for the fight to feel worth it.
Players won't be "constantly on edge or stressed," says the game's producer, Chao Tong, who instead points to the importance of striking "a clever balance between tension and comfort."
"In PvP, CrisisX is similar to other survival or shooting games where players will experience the thrill of life and death battles, having their resources looted, bases raided, or guilds attacked," says Tong. "But beyond that, we emphasize the immersive open world. We want players to feel relaxed and enjoy sandbox gameplay – like farming, animal husbandry, horseback riding, and sightseeing – as much as the intense moments."
As Tong alludes to, CrisisX packs serious depth. Besides the main story, there are a "vast" amount of side quests to complete – featuring everything from treasure hunts to puzzles – alongside a main story, which gives the sense that CrisisX is borrowing from the MMO and RPG handbook to make the survival genre more accommodating to casual players. It's an interesting approach – I've always preferred more goal-oriented survival games over those that devolve into constant shootouts within 15 minutes – and Tong feels the same.
"Hardcore players can engage in combat and competition to get better resources," they say. "Casual players still have plenty of survival space and can focus on exploring side quests and gathering resources. For example, we have airdrop systems where resources are delivered to both big cities and small towns. Players can choose to compete for better loot in intense northern areas or find decent rewards in quieter towns."
That last point – CrisisX's spread of settlements – speaks to the most exciting thing about the game, though. There are both PvE and PvP-enabled areas, and territories can be carved out and claimed in either area by Guilds (a feature CrisisX plans to build upon even further in the long run). It creates an apocalypse in flux, where groups and entire societies could rise and fall, and it's with that storytelling potential that CrisisX can thrive. Sure, I'll probably spend most of my time eking out a living in the PvE zones with the occasional forage into PvP, but what if there's the chance to build something bigger?
I've never seen a survival game of CrisisX's side make a compelling case for cooperation before, but right now it seems like banding together is genuinely beneficial – though whether you team up to create a peaceful society or bandit's utopia is up to you. Even now, I can't help thinking of what stories could come of CrisisX. If developer HK Hero Entertainment leans into that social sandbox approach, I think it could have a real winner on its hands.
That long-term mindset even carries into CrisisX's more traditional survival elements. Yes, we'll need to eat, drink, and gather resources, but taking good care of our character will directly turn them into a better survivor. Eating too much food means they'll gain weight, but pretty much any physical activity – think mining, cutting down trees, fighting (or running from) infected – will build muscle which in turn makes your character stronger. On top of that, we'll have to account for dynamic weather and waves of zombies – lending even more purpose to the game's base-building elements.
All of this is to say: I'm already mapping out the farming commune of my future, and I'm very excited to see whether CrisisX can pull off something so ambitious. Luckily, we won't have to wait very long to find out. CrisisX is set to launch in the second quarter of 2026 across PC, iOS, and Android, and given it's already spent the last two years working to evolve with community feedback, it feels like good things are on the way. If you're already sold, I'd suggest wishlisting CrisisX on Steam – or do one better, and register to play here.
