World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls Online, and Final Fantasy 14 are the biggest hitters nowadays, but don’t forget about Tibia. Originally created all the way back in 1997, it’s often regarded as the first true MMORPG, and even now nearly thirty years later, it’s still running, and still getting updates. But developer CipSoft has its sights on something fresh. While Dying Light, State of Decay 2, and DayZ have the online zombie survival experience more or less sewn up, Persist, CipSoft’s new game, might just be able to steal some of the spotlight – and you can try it for yourself soon.
I’m a Project Zomboid person myself – even after 100 hours, I’m still impressed by the size and scale of The Indie Stone’s map. But that’s exactly why Persist has caught my attention. Just like Zomboid, you can enter every single building, creating a world that’s not just wide, but deep. But unlike Zomboid, Persist is an MMO. As well as the undead, you and your co-op compadres will have to deal with other, potentially rival players. Do you team up, or try to kill them and take their stuff? It’s the endless conundrum of the zombie apocalypse.
There’s also a smart feature in terms of difficulty. The center of your Persist world is your safehouse, and if you check the map, around your safehouse are several different circles, each one further away from the middle. If you play inside the nearmost circle, you should find that the challenges are easier and the gear and guns more basic.
But with each successive circle, battles get harder and the items you find become rarer. It creates a simple but effective staggering system that also complements how you explore the world. In the early hours, you’ll stay close to home. By the time you’re a veteran, you’ll be comfortable venturing into the furthest reaches.
There are no character classes, so you can create whatever build you want, and, naturally, you’re free to craft weapons, armor, and other vital gear. Combine all of that with CipSoft’s own MMO experience, and Persist definitely has potential. The good news is you can soon try it for yourself, as the developer is about to launch a series of closed betas.
All the core mechanics of Persist are now fully implemented and CipSoft is preparing for an early-access launch. In the meantime, the developer wants players to test various, specific aspects of the survival game across a series of time-limited betas. If you want to put your name down, just head here. After that, if you get accepted, CipSoft should contact you directly.
Alternatively, try some of the other best zombie games, or maybe the best multiplayer games on PC.
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