7 Days to Die launched its big 2.0 update, and it hasn’t been a hit. If you look at the complaints that players have regarding the Storm’s Brewing update, the disappointment is understandable. The changes made resulted in the game feeling fundamentally different, but not in ways that make it better. I’ve had the chance to watch this game evolve from the time that it was first released into early access in 2013, and I’ve enjoyed playing it for hours over the years, but I agree that some changes being made take away from the survival element that should be a core feature when you’re playing a survival crafting game.
The big changes brought to 7 Days to Die with the 2.0 update include a new storm system, biome progression, DLC skins, and smaller changes like item updates and new enemies. As far as the DLCs go, if you want to spend your money on skins, that’s your choice. Beyond that, I’m not going to talk about the cosmetics and all that despite there being some players upset with them being added. Instead, I care much more about the gameplay and changes that have made it less satisfying or left it broken in the process of implementing 2.0.
The Storm System Isn’t Worth Including in the Game
The dynamic storms are more frustrating than anything, and after 1.0 increased the game’s price, changes like this make that increased price point feel less worth it. Instead of adding complexity to the game, the storms essentially make you seek shelter and just wait them out, which tends to not be the most exciting way to deal with a mechanic. I usually use that kind of situation to craft items, but if you don’t have your supplies or crafting stations, then you might just end up playing with your phone or something else as you wait.
Taking the Crafting Out of Survival Crafting
This is the other big issue that players are having with 2.0. Specifically, it’s about the biome badges that were added, but I feel like it’s a feature that’s better looked at in terms of how it impacts the crafting aspect of 7 Days to Die. Badges basically act as protection against a biome’s weather conditions, like you use a certain badge to be able to enter the cold biome so you can withstand the cold.
Part of the game prior to badges involved crafting the items you needed for survival. You could get warmer clothes to survive the cold areas or build a fire. I would say that those are features you expect in a survival game, particularly a survival crafting game. Instead, you now have to do quests to get a badge so you can withstand being in various biomes, and that means that exploration is much more limited when you start a new game. While it’s an option to turn off biome progression when creating a world, that also removes the biome hazards. Badges that protect from the hazards just aren’t as satisfying as relying on your crafting to survive.
Of course, there have been a lot of bugs that came with the 2.0 update, but the real issues are the changes that make 7 Days to Die feel like it’s not the same game anymore. I’ve loved this game from the start, and it’s been fun to watch it evolve. However, this latest update feels like a step in the wrong direction. I’m sure a lot of work went into building 2.0, but it could be worth taking another look at the main complaints that players have and adjust the storms and badges from there.
The post 7 Days to Die’s 2.0 Update Disappoints Players (Myself Included) appeared first on ComicBook.com.
