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Dave the Diver dev unveils The Day Before rival, playable test soon

Dave the Diver developer Mintrocket shows off extended gameplay from its new zombie survival game Nakwon Last Paradise, ahead of pre-alpha.

Nakwon: Last Paradise - A zombie in a striped shirt shambles past a bus.

Nakwon: Last Paradise isn’t perhaps the game you’d expect to see next from Dave the Diver studio Mintrocket, but this upcoming zombie survival game promises to blend the likes of DayZ, Escape from Tarkov, and The Division to offer a rival to the likes of hotly anticipated Steam release The Day Before. If you’re looking for the unique tension of PvPvE in a dark, apocalyptic world, then you can sign up now to join the Nakwon: Last Paradise pre-alpha playable test starting soon.

In a 22-minute gameplay reveal, Mintrocket shows off an extended look at how Nakwon: Last Paradise will play. Described as a “third-person zombie apocalypse stealth survival game” and set in Seoul, Korea, you’ll have to keep your wits about you to stay safe from both AI-controlled zombies and other real players. As with other games of its type (and, funnily enough, Dave the Diver), death will cause you to lose your possessions, so you’ll want to keep your wits about you.

Progression in Nakwon is determined by your ‘citizen class’ – climbing the class ladder gives you access to additional features, such as new shops and events, as well as the ability to craft more advanced makeshift armor. Mintrocket says, “We will add more things to be unlocked in the future, such as housing or skills,” but notes that a higher class rank won’t allow you to influence lower-ranked players.

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As you might expect, zombies in Nakwon are drawn easily by sound, so while guns are available in limited supply they should typically be a last resort. However, you can also make smart use of sound to lure zombies away from positions you wish to approach. Alternatively, sneaking up on zombies allows you to deliver a stealth finisher.

Instant takedowns from behind won’t be available on other players, however; Mintrocket explains, “The possibility of dying so easily at the hands of others, coupled with the nature of the game where death results in losing possessions, can be quite unpleasant. Therefore, if a player intends to kill another player the current direction is to allow for prior awareness or preparation and to make the process lengthy and precarious.”

If that’s got you interested and you’re already eager to get hands-on, you’re in luck. A Nakwon: Last Paradise pre-alpha test is set to run Wednesday November 29 to Sunday December 3. Mintrocket confirms that revolvers will be available alongside the melee weapons, so you’ll be able to get a feel for the combat and shooting as well as how development is proceeding, and offer feedback to the team.

Nakwon: Last Paradise - A survivor looks out over the city at night.

Once the playtest begins, you can sign up to join via the game’s Steam page, where you can also add it to your wishlist to keep up to date with future updates.

In the meantime, have a look through more of the best zombie games on PC for all your shuffler-smashing needs. We’ve also rounded up the biggest and best upcoming games for the rest of 2023 and beyond.

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