We may earn a commission when you buy through links in our articles. Learn more.

Urban Strife looks to channel the spirit of Jagged Alliance 2, with zombies

MicroProse returns with a new project they've signed. 2021 could prove to be a banner year for the resurgent publisher...

a car waits at a fortified gate

There’s a new tactical RPG slated for release next year. Urban Strife is what happens if you throw zombies at something like the iconic turn-based strategy game Jagged Alliance 2. It’s the debut title of White Pond Games and is being published by MicroProse, the legendary strategy and simulation publisher that’s in the middle of a comeback.

Urban Strife has strong survival game themes and throws you into backwater America, where you’re trying to build up a haven amidst a world that was destroyed by some kind of zombie apocalypse. Apparently it’s due to happen all over again, so you need to build up your base and your community in order to survive. To do this you’ve got to venture out, treat with gangs and rival factions, and collect what resources you can.

While the game is described as an “old school” tactical RPG, it is making some concessions to modern design that players might find interesting. Dealing with ‘horde’ type enemies in turn-based strategy games can be especially laborious, and the devs have mentioned they’ve created a special ‘Zombie AI’ to allow simultaneous movement and independent actions. Similar to how The Lost work in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen.

Other top-line features cited include:

  • A dynamic campaign
  • Realistic bullet physics
  • Advanced vision and sound systems for stealth
  • Modding SDK
  • You can build your own zombie wagon

That last one may or may not be paraphrasing. This sounds like a cool project, but the downside is that Urban Strife isn’t planned for release until next Autumn, if that. Despite making a large song-and-dance about their resurgence earlier in the year, few MicroProse projects have actually been released so far, with the majority likely slated for the first half of 2021.

Related: The best zombie games on PC

At any rate, this is another interesting strategy project to add to the watch list for next year.