Zafehouse Diaries 2
Please stop replacing esses with zeds, thank you
Developer Screwfly StudioS publisher Screwfly StudioS price $ 6.99 AvAilAble At Steam zafehouse2.com
Anthony, Juan, Lisa, Joshua and Karen made it to Lumpkin Springs. The fragile group consists of a police officer, a nurse, a priest, a salesperson and a carpenter. Karen isn’t adjusting well to the group. Hopefully, Joshua can hold things together.”
This is my introduction to Zafehouse Diaries 2, a mostly text-based zombie survival sim set in generic suburbia where Lavender St meets Cinnamon St and there’s still a bank in the middle of town. There are five sandbox missions of increasing difficulty and when you start each it procedurally generates the layout of the town, the items and enemies you’ll find in each house, and the five survivors who compose your group.
Joshua is the salesperson, it turns out. He’s also “uncomfortable around women,” apparently. I’ve already picked him as the weak link in the group. He is one of two characters who doesn’t start the game equipped with a weapon so I task him with searching the (s)afehouse.
Karen is the carpenter, of course, and she has nothing but red lines to the rest of the group on the relationship chart. We’ve only just begun the mission and already she thinks she’s a superstar. I click on her stats and note she’s got five stars for the barricade skill. I put her to work dismantling microwaves and kettles, the initial step of constructing a sturdy fortress, as any five-star carpenter would know.
Anthony and Lisa get along, possibly because they’re the oldest in the group. And possibly because they both own pistols. Neither of them like Karen, for reasons that aren’t immediately apparent, though they seem sad at the lack of kettles in the house. Anthony
I put her to work dismantling microwaves, the initial step of constructing a sturdy fortress
doesn’t like Juan either, but Juan has a shotgun so he’s not going to voice his disapproval too loudly.
From the town map I instruct Anthony, Lisa and Juan to investigate the houses along Cinnamon St. They report back each time, informing me of the number of zombies they spotted inside each abode and whether it contained any useful salvage. 49 Cinnamon St looks the best bet. According to Anthony’s “very confident” report, there’s food and medical supplies inside and only a handful of zombies.
With the place now scouted, the three of them breach the house. Anthony entered via the bedroom window while Lisa and Juan took the bathroom. I hear some scuffling noises and blood spatters across the pages of the diary as a prelude to the full report.
“The fighting took place throughout the house. They killed eight zombies. Lisa and Juan were injured in the fight.”
Lisa’s injuries were worse. Lacerations to her chest, stomach and legs. Juan’s okay to search the house and I get Anthony to patrol in case any more zombies turn up. They grab the food, some painkillers, bandages, some rifles rounds and a machete, rest for a few hours and then head back.
Anthony, Lisa and Juan returned to the (s)afehouse. Joshua quietly waited for the right moment and let them inside. He’s still holding things together. DAVID WILDGOOSE