Hi everyone, today we’re showing off an epic game made using Synty assets – SurrounDead! Developed and self-published by Zurvivor, this game was released on Steam in Early Access in June 2022.
SurrounDead is an open world survival game, taking place in a world ravaged by an apocalyptic catastrophe. The dead reign free and will stop at nothing to kill you. Years have passed since civilization fought against the virus, but nothing has changed. The world lays in pieces, with no one to lead a brighter future fighting back against the zombies, people have fallen back to a dark lifestyle. With few remnants of civilization left, you are left to your own devices to survive in an unforgiving landscape.
As one Steam reviewer said, “you can tell a lot of love has been put into this game.” A lot of love, and a lot of work by its solo developer – Zurvivor.
Gain Early Development Momentum by Leveraging Assets
Zurvivor began working on SurrounDead in late 2020. “Synty assets were one of the first things I used in the creation of SurrounDead when I was just starting development,” he says, “I started off small, and then added a large variety of custom assets into the game over time, too.”
Utilising assets as a backbone right at the beginning, Zurvivor took advantage of Synty’s expansive and cohesive library. “I was able to quickly find the correct asset I needed and be able to use that straight away in game, giving me something visually pleasing to look at instead of a grey box.” Leveraging assets to prototype and build quickly can give a great motivational boost, especially during those early stages of game development!
It didn’t take long for the world of SurrounDead to begin to take shape. Check out these screenshots from the game’s early development, just one month into the process:
According to Zurvivor, it was a match made in heaven. “Synty’s style fit the type of game I wanted to create. I’m still using both Synty and a variety of custom assets today. It’s been a pleasure to be able to create something both the players and myself love.”
Mix and Match
The two main Synty packs used in SurrounDead are POLYGON - Apocalypse and POLYGON - Military Pack. “These packs suit the needs of the game extremely well,” explains Zurvivor. “First and foremost, it's a game set in the apocalypse and the world has to represent that with how it looks. Second of all, I wanted to add a military aspect to the game. From vehicles, to military outposts and the weapons themselves.”
For the zombies in the game, Zurvivor has utilised POLYGON - City Zombies and POLYGON - Boss Zombies to create a nice variety of enemies. You can also find zombie dogs from the POLYGON - Dog Pack, as well as a variety of assets from POLYGON - Battle Royale and the POLYGON - Nature Pack which helps to make the world feel alive and full of nature.
Mixing and matching POLYGON asset packs is a great way to bring your unique vision to life, and this can be done with confidence knowing that Synty offers a large library of packs specifically designed to work cohesively together.
Put Fun First
Zurivor’s tip for aspiring game devs is simple: enjoy yourself. “Create something you want to play, and you enjoy developing along the way. From small to big, it's progress that you should be happy with.” Games are meant to be fun, after all! If you can find enjoyment in the development process, it’s likely to shine through in your work and be felt by your players. It helps to keep you motivated, too!
If you enjoyed this look at SurrounDead and hearing some of Zurvivor’s story and tips, you’d enjoy being part of our community of experienced and aspiring developers on Discord, Instagram, X or Facebook! Stay tuned for more ‘Made with Synty’ features on the blog soon.
