H1Z1 Preview

Eurogamer has published a preview of H1Z1 based on some hands-on time spent with an Early Access build of Sony Online Entertainment’s survival-focused MMO. The article doesn’t exactly paint the rosiest of pictures, and describes the game as a poor DayZ imitation:

At a very basic level H1Z1 achieves what it sets out to do as a zombie survival game. But if you were to ask me “Why should I play this instead of DayZ?” I would respond by emitting a low buzzing noise and then smashing through the nearest window to escape the question.

Currently H1Z1 makes minimal effort to differentiate itself. PvP is optional, so if you only want to worry about the undead and basic survival, you can choose to play on a PvE server. Vehicles are available from the off, although you’ll be lucky to find all the component parts to get one running. The main difference, however, is airdrops. Essentially, players can pay a fee to purchase crates of randomly generated supplies that are dropped into the game, usually close to their location. This has caused consternation among the community, since earlier in development John Smedley stated explicitly that H1Z1 would not let players purchase important items in game.

The angry claims of H1Z1 being a “pay to win” game, are premature, although I think it’s a daft feature to include in a survival game regardless. In PvP mode, players can compete for airdropped resources, which in principle makes the concept more workable as it adds a risk factor. But if you’ve paid for those items with your own money, having them stolen from you by some chancing bandit is merely rubbing salt into your wallet’s wound.

Sadly, reneged promises are the least of H1Z1’s problems. Every aspect of H1Z1 is currently less well conceived, designed, and implemented than Dean Hall’s dark brainchild, to the point where I’m struggling to understand why SOE has released the game at such a prototypical stage.