Of the genres that I tend to struggle with the most, I’ll admit that in general survival games aren’t typically my cup of tea. I’ve thankfully run into examples of titles over the last generation that have proven to me that the genre can absolutely work, and be quite compelling, but I’ve also played a fair number that have reinforced my biases as well. 

Amidst that varied competition I’ll admit that Above Snakes is a bit of an odd outlier, with a generally unusual setting, the inclusion of zombies out of left field, and then some of its mechanics where you’ll essentially build the world you’re playing within to a degree. I’m usually a fan of novelty, for sure, but if that doesn’t serve the greater game experience to help it be more memorable, weird ideas can only do so much. There’s absolutely a bit of an odd loop to the gameplay though, as you’ll need to collect resources, kill an occasional animal or shambling member of the undead, craft new equipment, and then choose different biome pieces to add to your map. To its credit, initially this is a pretty cool idea, and unlocking new zones and adding them on helps you feel a little more in control of your fate as you expand that area you have to work in, meet new people, and discover new elements of adventure.

The problem though, is that before long what initially felt like some freedom to play the way I wanted started to feel like it was losing its focus. Without a little more grounding in what I should be doing, I actually hit the wall where too much freedom can begin to feel dull, and you begin wondering what it is specifically you’re coming back to play more for. I guess the promise of more new biomes and the potential for discovery could be interesting to some, but since much of the time areas you’d add tended to start feeling pretty similar and lacking in compelling details, the promise of that system began to fall apart.

If you happen to want to simply keep adding to your world, coming back to your camp, and then engage in some old-school farming, fishing, and building though, perhaps this could be your jam. What feels like a lack of direction to some, could feel like an excuse to relax and enjoy the experience at your own pace to others. I do see room for there being people who appreciate what the game offers, but given the sheer number of life sims and survival titles out there which have a bit more personality and direction, this feels lackluster by comparison.