Review: Terminus: Zombie Survivors

Terminus: Zombie Survivors is a unique entry in the zombie survival genre, blending turn-based strategy and roguelike mechanics. Developed by Longplay Studios, the game emphasizes tactical decision-making, resource management, and exploration across procedurally generated environments. With a clear endgame goal—reaching the titular Terminus a hub for survivors—players are challenged to balance short-term survival with long-term strategy, all while navigating through hordes of the undead.

In this review, we’ll break down the game’s core mechanics, strengths, and areas for improvement.

Combat and Weaponry

Combat in Terminus is straightforward but effective, relying on a turn-based system that allows players to choose between melee and ranged attacks. The game avoids overly complicated mechanics, giving players a sense of urgency in every decision. One drawback, however, is the weapon durability system. As with many survival games, weapons degrade quickly, forcing players to carry multiple spares—a system that often feels more like an unnecessary burden than a strategic element. Carrying numerous melee weapons like baseball bats can detract from immersion. You’ll have to balance AP points to make any move, including reading books, crafting supplies, drinking or eating, and moving around the map, among other moves. This can be strategic but can also become cumbersome rather quickly and repetitive.

On the other hand, firearm mechanics are more thoughtfully implemented. Ammunition is scarce, and the further away you are from an enemy, the more likely you are to miss—especially in dark conditions. Guns make noise, drawing more zombies to your location and encouraging players to be selective when using firearms. It includes a weapon upgrade system with mods like scopes and stocks, which adds depth to ranged combat. You can also choose a character type with bonuses like ranged precision. As time passes and you learn, you can also choose to unlock perks.

Exploration and Looting

Exploration is the heart of Terminus. The game does an excellent job of making different locations feel meaningful. Grocery stores contain food, gun shops are stocked with weapons, and you can scavenge electronics from tech stores. The deterministic looting system reduces reliance on pure RNG, allowing players to form more predictable strategies based on the types of buildings they encounter.

However, nighttime introduces new challenges. When the sun sets, navigating becomes more dangerous, with limited visibility and more aggressive zombies. Hunkering down for the night, hoping for a few quiet hours to rest, adds another layer of tension to the game. This system is reminiscent of Project Zomboid but executed with Terminus’ flavor, making nighttime survival immersive. You really have to balance your health, thirst, satiety, and various ailments you can get along the way. For example, you can choose to eat a rotten piece of fish to gain some HP, but it will also cause disease, which can drain your health over time until you take antibiotics or sleep to cure it.

There are some meaningful strategies to take to survive, the layers here are deep for players that want a challenge. Balancing your action points (AP) with every decision can be life or death. When you die, the game resets you in a checkpoint-like spot so you can try to figure out a way to survive during your turn; this was my favorite part of the experience, trying to eke out a single HP point to survive. Disease, starvation, zombie hordes, and injury all can end your life, and balancing this while trying to get to the Terminus is the ultimate point of the game.

Crafting and Survival Mechanics

While combat and exploration work well, the crafting system in Terminus feels like a mixed bag. Crafting is essential for long-term survival, allowing players to cook better meals, repair weapons, and make bandages. However, the process is time-consuming, and the inventory management required often feels clunky. Items degrade, and crafting from storage isn’t possible, which means players must remember recipes and gather items manually. This aspect can detract from the experience, particularly when the goal is to keep moving towards Terminus rather than setting up a long-term base.

The game’s balance between fast-paced action and slower, survival-oriented gameplay sometimes feels disjointed. On the one hand, Terminus pushes you to move quickly toward your goal, but its detailed crafting systems almost encourage you to settle down and focus on long-term survival—two opposing play styles. This really slows gameplay down and can become too repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.

Endgame and Replayability

One of Terminus‘ strengths is its clear endgame goal: getting to Terminus. Unlike many other zombie survival games where long-term survival is the primary objective, Terminus offers a more directed experience, making it feel more focused and achievable. Players can unlock new scenarios, classes, and even optional objectives, such as developing a cure for the infection or rescuing survivors, which adds replayability and depth.

However, while there are in-depth mechanics to explore, the game seems to punish players for not rushing towards the end. As food becomes scarce and temperatures drop, long-term survival becomes increasingly difficult, which limits the effectiveness of its survival systems. Despite this, the roguelike progression, character unlocks, and achievements provide enough incentive to keep players coming back.

Conclusion

Terminus: Zombie Survivors is a well-polished, unique twist on the zombie survival genre. It succeeds in offering tactical turn-based gameplay, resource management, and a compelling endgame goal. However, its weapon durability, crafting system, and the disjointed balance between fast-paced and survival gameplay can sometimes feel cumbersome. For fans of the genre, Terminus provides enough unique elements to stand out while still being familiar enough for veterans of games like Project Zomboid.

At its current price point, the amount of content offered may feel a bit steep, but the potential for future updates and improvements is significant. With the addition of more survival-focused mechanics, Terminus could become a standout title in the genre.

Rating: 7/10

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Pros:

• Engaging turn-based combat with firearm upgrades
• Meaningful exploration and deterministic looting
• Clear endgame objective adds focus and replayability

Cons:

• Frustrating weapon durability system
• Crafting and inventory management feel clunky
• Long-term survival mechanics clash with fast-paced gameplay

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product from https://www.keymailer.co