State of Decay: Lifeline Preview and Gameplay Footage

I somehow completely missed it earlier, but not only Undead Labs announced a military-themed expansion to State of Decay back in February, but they also brought it down to PAX East in Boston. What this actually means is that we get not only some new gameplay footage from IGN, but also an all-new write-up from the folks at GameInformer:

Time is a factor in Lifeline, and players will need to get survivors back to base and defend the walls against a zombie surge when helicopters come to airlift people out. The choppers are a source of minor supply drops too, so you won’t be left too depleted after fending off the undead.

In order to fortify your location, you’ll be able to create minefields and craft distraction canisters. These compressed oxygen canisters have fireworks attached that can be set off by firing at them. After a while (or by another well-placed shot), they’ll detonate and take any nearby zombies with them. You don’t have to hang out at base when the helicopter comes, but making that choice means you’ll likely be sentencing some of your party to death.

You’ll also have a variety of military bombardments available to you. Air strikes, mortar shelling, and other abilities are all at your disposal from the start of the game. Unfortunately, things are deteriorating at headquarters, and you’ll slowly lose these perks as the game continues. You can get them back by scavenging for military gear at abandoned outposts or private military company offices.