Zombies. The word alone conjures images from dozens of films, books, and games. After being heavily exploited by the media for more than a decade, zombies have infested every subgenre. How to Survive, arriving relatively late in this pop culture fad, falls well within the action comedy survivalist category and thematically channels Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead. Much like its inspirations, How to Survive is a mishmash of tried-and-tested ideas. It’s a peppering of gripping challenges and mechanics that come together into a cohesive whole that elevates the otherwise milquetoast experience to a level that satisfies an itch you may not even know you had.

You can play as one of three young, able-bodied people, lost within a small archipelago packed with way more zombies than there are people in New York. Your goal, of course, is survival against all odds. You need to craft items, and manage hunger, thirst, and exhaustion, all while fending off the limitless hordes…