If you’re tired of waiting for zombie survival game DayZ to get a proper release, try playing this cute mini version in your browser instead.
Despite selling through Steam’s Early Access program since last December, the standalone DayZ — heading to the PlayStation 4 and PC — doesn’t look like it’s actually getting finished any time soon. Luckily, some Russian DayZ fans have stepped in to help made the wait a little more bearable. They’ve created a self-contained single-player version of DayZ called MiniDayZ, and you can play it for free in your browser right now.
DayZ developer Bohemia Interactive is hosting MiniDayZ on its online store and describes it as a 2D top-down single-player game, in which you fight for survival in a harsh postapocalyptic landscape. MiniDayZ has you searching for food and supplies, staying clear of zombies, and watching out for other survivors. If the main game is anything to go by, these survivors will sooner strip you and force you to eat rotten bananas than help you out, so keeping to yourself is probably the best tactic.
Dean Hall, the creator of the original DayZ mod for first-person shooter ARMA III, took to Reddit last night to express his appreciation of MiniDayZ.
“I have to say, I absolutely love MiniDayZ,” he said. “I think it’s awesome, amazing, addictive, and brings something really new to the experience.”
MiniDayZ has no multiplayer, and it doesn’t always runs smoothly. Responding to complaints about the browser game’s stability, Hall said, “Ignore the haters. The vast majority of people think it’s fantastic, and I am one of those people.”
One of MiniDayZ’s creators, going by the name CannedBits, also responded to complaints: “It’s really sad that people get mad from free stuff. Yes, we have a looping problem in store now, but its on the way to fix. I hope after [the] fix some of you really enjoy the game.
“And haters … gonna hate.”