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I saw a let's player begin this game and was instantly intrigued by it, so I got it and played when I had a few days off work.

The things I enjoyed:
-The crafting and bartering systems are fantastic. It encourages exploration (especially through the unsafe zones once you've explored the story locations). I liked that some locations have specific machinery to use fewer resources to make certain things, for the trade off of some time and gas. It does sometimes feel like some of the late game items are hard/impossible to find, while you could have stack upon stack of useless early game leftovers, so barter appropriately.

-Choosing your own symptoms is a fun way to get some perks, and if you use med items, they are fairly manageable. I like how this allows for some player strategy.

-The characters, even minor ones, are interesting, with very few "mustache twirling villains" and mostly believable actions/reactions to the world around them. A huge reason why I kept playing even when I got a bit frustrated with the game was that I wanted to know what was going to happen, even if many of the characters are fairly stereotypical of the zombie apocalypse genre.

-The relationship between the protagonist and her son is endearing, even during the times where I got frustrated at Cody (like, I get that you're 8 years old, but come on, buddy, get a grip!). It is a very nice story about the sacrifices of parenthood, made all the more noticeable by the apocalyptic scenario of a zombie outbreak.

-The art style is lovely. I like that you can tell exactly what they're feeling, even if they technically don't have faces. It manages to convey a lot of emotion with not a lot of detail, which is nice (especially if you're running the game on an older computer).

-Having a time limit really amps up the tension, especially as the game gets more complex and you have to choose whether or not you can really afford the 2 hours it takes to get to the farm for some food. I'm a huge fan of "doomed by the narrative" stories, and this one feels like a great tragedy of normal folks just trying their best in a doomed world.

The things I think need improvement:
-(Disclaimer: The developers are Chinese and I have only played the English version so far). The translation needed another pass from a proofreader, as there are many moments where the inconsistencies (example: one character being referred to as "Willie", "Willy", and "Wily") and weird grammar took me out of an otherwise enjoyable story. It also took me a moment to get a few of the untranslated cultural nuances, such as a neighbor character calling the protagonist "Aunt" (it's meant in a "respect towards your elders" way, but not really well conveyed in the translation, so for a second I really thought they were related).

-The difficulty curve is steep, even at the lowest "tranquil" setting, which is supposed to be a level at which you can "enjoy as if you're reading a book" but can definitely be too much, especially for a new player. It took me three tries to get to one ending, because my save file got soft locked the first time (the mom kept dying due to a symptom before I could get to my storage locker where I had medicine), and I ran out of time the second time, even if, in my opinion, I was playing efficiently. You also need to play at least four times to get all the endings, and it is a fairly long game at about 20-25 hours per pass, depending on how fast you play. If you intended your game to be a rogue-like, it would also be useful to have an option to skip the initial cinematic and tutorials at the house.

-Some elements of the story are not as fully fleshed out as others. The main story line I followed is obvious from the beginning of the game itself (survive until the evacuation day), but as other avenues come up in the game, there were times where I didn't quite know what I was supposed to do or what thread I was supposed to follow.

-The game will tell you that you have 60 days to evacuate, but you must make a choice around Day 40 that can really cut your game very, very short. I haven't found a way to avoid this yet, and the game doesn't offer the option to save before big decisions, so you could accidentally ruin hours upon hours on a save file because of a single click.

Undying : By Triple F

"Undying" by Vanimals is a heart-wrenching survival game that combines resource management and emotional storytelling, set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. Rather than focusing on typical survival mechanics alone, "Undying" takes a unique approach by centering its story around Anling, a mother who has been infected with the zombie virus, and her young son, Cody. As Anling slowly succumbs to her infection, the game’s primary goal shifts from mere survival to teaching Cody the skills he’ll need to survive on his own. This combination of time-sensitive gameplay and deeply personal stakes makes "Undying" a powerful and memorable experience.

The narrative of "Undying" is what truly sets it apart from other survival games. Anling’s infection is irreversible, and players are faced with the knowledge that her time is limited. This looming inevitability brings an emotional intensity to the game, where every day counts, and each task must be chosen with care. As Anling’s condition deteriorates, her focus shifts to preparing Cody for life after her, making the gameplay inherently bittersweet. The dialogue and interactions between Anling and Cody are genuine and touching, portraying the bond between a mother and son in a way that feels realistic and deeply moving.

In terms of gameplay, "Undying" offers a mix of resource gathering, crafting, and skill teaching. Players must balance their time between scavenging for food, water, and medical supplies, while also teaching Cody essential survival skills like cooking, crafting, and even combat. Each day presents new challenges, as supplies dwindle and Anling’s infection progresses, impacting her strength and stamina. This sense of urgency forces players to prioritize tasks and make tough choices about where to spend their limited resources and energy. The game’s mechanics are straightforward yet effective, adding depth without overwhelming the player with overly complex systems.

The world of "Undying" is bleak yet detailed, capturing the desolation of a post-apocalyptic world. Environments range from abandoned towns to overgrown parks and makeshift shelters, each telling its own story of survival and loss. The muted color palette reflects the gravity of the setting, while small touches like scattered toys, overturned furniture, and half-empty shelves reinforce the desperation of this world. The visual design does an excellent job of creating a world that feels both oppressive and somber, immersing players in a setting that mirrors the gravity of Anling’s journey.

The game’s sound design and music further enhance its emotional atmosphere. The soundtrack is subtle, with melancholic piano and strings that underscore the tension and sadness of Anling and Cody’s situation. Ambient sounds like distant zombie groans, creaking wood, and the wind add to the sense of isolation and impending danger. Anling and Cody’s voice acting is well-done, with tones that reflect their fear, exhaustion, and moments of tenderness. The sound design overall works in harmony with the visual elements, creating an immersive experience that captures the dread and poignancy of the game’s premise.

One of the unique aspects of "Undying" is the gradual shift in gameplay as Anling’s infection progresses. Over time, her abilities weaken, and players must rely more on Cody as he learns the skills necessary to survive. This progression is both heartbreaking and satisfying, as players witness Cody’s growth while feeling the weight of Anling’s deteriorating health. It’s a clever narrative mechanic that reinforces the story’s theme, as Anling becomes less capable of protecting Cody, emphasizing the urgency of her mission to prepare him. This shift keeps the gameplay engaging while deepening the emotional impact of the story.

Ultimately, "Undying" offers a deeply affecting take on the survival genre, combining resource management with a touching narrative about love, sacrifice, and resilience. The game’s focus on the relationship between mother and son, combined with its unique mechanics, makes it stand out in a genre that often lacks emotional weight. For players seeking a survival game with genuine narrative depth and emotional stakes, "Undying" is an unforgettable experience that explores the human side of survival in a world where time is running out.

i would recommend this game but only to certain people with a lot of warnings beforehand.
i would like to preface this by saying that i love this game a lot! if i didn't i wouldn't have bought this for myself and a friend. this game has a lot of potential and what it does get right it does really well, and i can tell that a lot of thought and care was put into most of the game. like Cody, i know that this might be a unpopular opinion but i don't think they could've pulled off the escorting Cody part of the game play any better then they did. show me another game that pulled this off just as well or better then undying (please, i need to play more games like this). you really get this sense of not having enough time right at the jump when you see just HOW much of the basics you have to teach Cody, and it gives you a really good sense of how young he is too (i actually guessed his age right before i got any information on how old he is by basing off of what you have to teach him). and i feel like a lot of the more frustrating things about Cody's game play was done on purpose for the story. Cody doesn't run fast because hes got little legs and its supposed to make you use the hand holding mechanic, and i don't know if this is a actually thing but i feel like Cody is less likely to be too stressed out when you hold his hand(?)
without going into details right now ('cause spoilers) the game has a really big issue with not giving the player enough information to know what to do next. especially when the characters seem to know what to do. i actually got a bad/probably one of the least satisfying endings because of this. I've played games that don't hold your hand on what to do next, but a lot of the quest summaries are so vague on where to go next and the lack of information sometimes can even feel misleading. on my first play through i wasted too much time upgrading the truck 'cause i thought it would give me a bigger area to drive the tuck without wasting gas (from what I've seen it upgrading only gives you more storage).
and this is where in going to talk about spoilers so if you want to go into the game blind scroll away now

still starting with positives something i really liked seeing is the progression of Cody's skills and how he really feels like hes growing up with how he can eventually be taught well enough to take care of himself by the time day 45 rolls around. something i wish that didn't happen though is that when you choose the option that lets you play as Cody the game gives you all the base skills that Anling didn't have the time to teach him. it doesn't make sense for a game to be really forgiving about this when its really punishing with everything else even on easy mode. it would've been cool to really feel how much you failed Cody as a parent. and its one of the main driving factors in trying to go out of your way to teach him things, i was actually looking forward to seeing if Cody had enough knowledge to survive. but honestly this is less of a gripe and more confused by given the marketing.
but something i really hope that they fix eventually is some of the writing is really weird or sometimes just feels plain bad. Undying is able to immerse the player in the story in a way that a lot of games fail to achieve. so when it drops the ball its really apparent. Like later on in the game you come across a cat, the game cant seem to figure out if they want the cats name to be Hiiro or pink. or sometimes Cody is spelled as Codi. and there are times where turned Anling will speak normally if you interact with somethings as Cody. these are really small things that honestly doesn't bother me too much but i know its something that could be a make or break thing for someone else.
but sometimes the writing in some cut scenes near the end can be hard to watch 'cause they either feel too frustrating or are weirdly goofy for the situation. i get that some of the characters are supposed to be unlikable, but there's a few of characters where it just feels like a poor writing decision. like Joan and bard for instance, it feels like a chore to interact with them, and the game makes you interact with them the most if you do the cooking side quests. which sucks 'cause the game i think wants us as the players to like or at least sympathize with them, but the game shoots itself in the foot a bit by giving you such a short deadline and then throwing characters at you that need more time at the end of the game. and a lot of the characters are so extreme with their actions that they seem too cartoon-ish and goofy compared to the otherwise realistically written characters.
As much as the game markets itself as a your choices matter type game but honestly i didnt feel like i really had a choice other then the big one on day 45. it feels like theres a few side quest that dont go anywhere and just feel like time wasters. helping or hurting others survivors doesn't seem to have a whole lot of consequences others then potential information loss depending on the NPC. and in the grand scheme of things all of this is not that big of a deal but when you spend over 40 hours struggling over things that don't feel like your fault, almost constantly having to look up anything that could help you figure out where to go next and getting spoiled and the wonky controls (this might just be me, but having to constantly pause the game to get Cody to shoot anything is a bit taxing on patience). eventually all of it just kind of accumulates into being a really frustrating experience. even with all the things i enjoyed from this game
i'm excited to see what the Cody's kingdom update has in store, and hopefully fixes some of the things like the 1.0 update did. i'm hoping that it expands on Cody's game play as the main character, they have a cool thing going there but feels a little under developed. but the devs seem to care about improving Undying so im holding out hope that some of these things will be smoothed out in the future.