The Walking Dead Onslaught (2020) launched onto PSVR and PC headsets late last month to less than glowing reviews. Developers Survios aren’t giving up on the single player zombie shooter though, as the studio has released a new patch that aims to rebalance zombies, weapons, and the game’s combat system.
There’s a long list of changes (seen below) that are now live on all versions of the game. Survios says the patch was created to
“help players achieve our goal of walker-slaying fun.”
Since its September 29th launch, user reviews haven’t been super consistent across the board. At the time of this writing, The Walking Dead Onslaught is sitting [3/5] stars on the Oculus Store, a more positive [4/5] stars on the PlayStation Store, and undoubtedly the worst over on Steam at ‘Mostly Negative’ user reviews.
In our own review we gave it a [4/10] for being too grindy, and not presenting enough of a challenge when it comes to zombie-killing action. In short, the shambolic goons felt more like generic bullet sponges than identifiably different classes of zombies, and the one-way run and gun levels, although beautiful, felt like distractions to the game’s overall story, narrated by Daryl Dixon (reprised by Norman Reedus).
With the rebalance, Survios seems to be trying to reframe zombie encounters to be more deadly, and therefore more important obstacles to the main task of running and scrounging. Anyway, check out the full update list below, provided by Survios via Steam.
The Walking Dead Onslaught Combat Rebalance Patch
1) Significant Ranged Weapon Combat Overhaul
- All ranged weapons have been tuned to allow for one-hit kills to the brain at close range; less damage is dealt to the jaw and significantly less damage is dealt to the neck and below.
- Ranged weapons now have custom fall-off damage over distance, which can be improved via weapon upgrades (“Refined Powder”). This excludes the Lever Action Rifle, Revolver, and Crossbow.
- Simulated weight on heavier / longer ranged weapons has been adjusted for better usability; this weight can be neutralized by stabilizing (two-handing) a weapon.
- Ammo Pickups now grant less ammunition per weapon, increasing ammo scarcity.
- All ranged weapons have had their maximum ammunition and upgraded ammunition capacities re-balanced to the new weapon damage values.
- Ranged weapons brought into a Scavenger run as part of the player loadout now start with a single magazine’s worth of ammunition rather than the maximum for the weapon.
- The ammo bonuses granted by The Forge have been increased from +40% at max level to +125% (+25% per upgrade).
- Increased blunt melee damage on all ranged weapons (pistol whipping).
- The “Copper Tips” upgrades for the Heavy Pistol, Lever Action Rifle, and Crossbow are now more effective; penetration values have been increased.
- The Basic Pistol is now less accurate at range to compensate for its new one-hit kill capability.
2) Significant Melee Weapon Combat Overhaul
- All melee weapons have had their damage values tweaked; less damage is dealt to the jaw and significantly less damage is dealt to the neck and below.
- Sharp melee weapons (blades and axes) now stick inside of a Walker’s skull on kill and will resist easy removal; higher quality sharp melee weapons such as the Katana and Battle Axe have the least resistance of removal.
- Dead Walkers no longer automatically detach from sharp melee weapons when impaled.
- While impaling a Walker with a sharp melee weapon, player movement is restricted for as long as the weapon remains stuck in the Walker.
- Additional simulated weight has been added to heavier / longer melee weapons; this weight can be neutralized by stabilizing (two-handing) a weapon.
- Reduced blunt melee damage for sharp melee weapons when striking with the hilt or other non-sharp surfaces; the Crowbar, Battle Axe, and Shovel have retained higher damage for these blunt attacks.
- The Knuckle Knife has been completely re-tuned to better emphasize blunt damage (two-hit punch to the head, one-hit when upgraded); the knife end is no longer an instant kill head strike but also does not stick in skulls on kill.
- The “Impact” upgrades for the Hammer, Bat, and Battle Axe are now more effective; explosive damage values have been increased.
3) Walker Aggression and Difficulty Increased
- Walker perception and aggression has been increased.
- Walkers now deal significantly more damage when biting.
- On Survivor and Veteran difficulty, Walkers now also deal initial grapple damage before biting starts.
- Increased number of Walkers in Campaign Chapter 1.
- Armored Walkers and Spiked Walkers are now more difficult to kill.
- Spiked Walkers are now noticeably more deadly than other walkers.
4) Progression Has Been Eased
- There is more Food in the early game to allow for smoother level progression.
- Changed the first time user Scavenger site mission from Main Street Supply Run to Military Checkpoint Supply Evac.
- Reduced the speed of the Scavenger Herd Wall when playing on Novice or Survivor difficulty.
5) Additional Changes
- Added an option for Left-hand Dominant players who use Smooth Locomotion to swap the Movement and Turning inputs with each other.
- Reversing grip on a bladed weapon will no longer cause a choked Walker to detach.
- Choked or impaled Walker corpses have increased simulated weight, but no longer automatically fall to the floor.
- Increased velocity when throwing Walker corpses..
- Choked Walkers can now be brought closer to the player’s face.
