Zombie game CrisisX is giving me a stitch just from looking at its massive map

Some of the best zombie-filled experiences out there aren't necessarily about the necrotic legions directly. Rather, they focus on the camaraderie between survivors, and the conflict that inevitably ensues as soon as the supply of Twinkies begins to run dry. It's a subgenre of horror that lends itself beautifully to big open-world survival sandboxes, naturally inspiring a sense of community and some kick-ass skirmishes. While the likes of DayZ and 7 Days to Die have, for the most part, gotten this niche locked down, Hong Kong-based developer-publisher Hero Games reckons it's got something important to add to the conversation, revealing CrisisX ahead of Gamescom.

Boasting a massive 1,200 km² map that's capable of supporting up to 5,000 players on a single server, CrisisX is boldly marking itself as a contender for a spot on our best open-world games list. To put just how big this is into perspective, DayZ's upcoming Badlands expansion is set to introduce its biggest map yet, which clocks in at just 267 km². It's especially impressive, considering Hong Kong itself is only 1,115 km².

The upcoming PC game's map promises everything "from western-style towns to hidden laboratories where mysteries unfold, from snowy mountaintops to rushing rivers." Of course, quality will always trump quantity, but if CrisisX packs enough diversity into its 12 biome types to retain visual interest, then you can color me impressed.

The reveal trailer doesn't quite show off all it has to offer, but why spoil the spirit of adventure? Hero Games says we're in for "unlimited exploration," and while that's a particularly bold statement to make, I can imagine it'll take a hot minute to completely canvas the depth and breadth of a landmass larger than the studio's homeland.

As for what you'll actually be able to get up to, CrisisX seems to have the basics expected from any of the best survival games locked in. Mining, hunting, building, scavenging. All the classic systems are there. We can also see multiple methods of traversal, ranging from horseback riding, to driving, to piloting a chinook. Oh, and you can blast each other to bits with tanks, just in case the Battlefield 6 beta's given you a taste for heavy, death-dealing machinery.

Sadly, there aren't any sandworms à la Dune Awakening to run for your life from, but there are plenty of zombies - I mean mutants - that would love to get to know you more intimately. There are the usual grunt-like humanoids that you'll blitz through like you're playing Left 4 Dead, alongside the more imperious titan mutants that will require a little more firepower to dispatch. Fortunately, there looks to be a veritable feast in the weapons department, offering up a real-world arsenal ranging from revolvers to RPGs; we'd recommend the latter when fighting the titans…

CrisisX is currently slated for a 2026 launch. You can wishlist the game now over on Steam.

In the meantime, check out more of the best zombie games and best horror games you can run around screaming at the top of your lungs in right now.

If you reckon CrisisX has the X-factor to topple the genre giants, or will fade into obscurity as so many other contenders have in the past, head over to our community Discord server and let us know why.