No More Room in Hell 2 Seems to Embrace the Mundane, and That’s a Good Thing

No More Room in Hell 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to its 2013 predecessor. Despite the sequel arriving over a decade after the first was released, early looks at the game tease a title that appears to be well worth the wait. The zombie genre has become quite saturated through the years, but No More Room in Hell 2 embracing a more grounded approach will likely be the key to its success.

There have been various major zombie-based releases in the past few years. The biggest of these titles at the moment have been Dying Light 2 and Dead Island 2. Games focused on zombies can be incredibly fun, but the genre has been running the risk of going stale for some time now, especially in terms of gameplay. With Dying Light 2 and Dead Island 2, there is a huge emphasis on over-the-top combat, especially with the latter. Dead Island 2 has an outright comedic tone that is a lot of fun, but No More Room in Hell 2 bringing the genre back to reality can really make things feel fresh again.

No More Room in Hell 2 Emphasizes Horror Over Action

This game is clearly going to feature combat — any good zombie survivor has to at least know their way around a weapon a little bit — but No More Room in Hell 2 makes it clear that combat and crazy kills won’t be the sole focus of the game. The first trailer for No More Room in Hell 2 shows a refreshingly realistic take on fighting zombie hordes.

No More Room in Hell 2 is Raising the Stakes

One of the most intriguing features coming to No More Room in Hell 2 is the permadeath system. Where Dead Island 2 encourages players to jump into the action and begin hacking and slashing, No More Room in Hell 2 emphasizes the importance of watching one’s back and avoiding getting too close to the undead. The real life consequences being implemented in No More Room in Hell 2 is a feature that can finally bring some much-needed horror back into the zombie genre.

The concept of a zombie apocalypse is terrifying. Since the film Night of the Living Dead, zombies have evolved into increasingly more horrifying creatures. Although interpretations like Dying Light 2 and Dead Island 2 are incredibly fun, it can be easy to forget that they are part of the horror genre. Both games sometimes feel like a power fantasy, as it can become easy at times to hack through the infected. No More Room in Hell 2 sets out to remind audiences that a zombie hoard is a force to be reckoned with, and that’s what makes the game such an exciting prospect.

No More Room in Hell 2
launches in Early Access on October 31, 2024.

Leaning Into Realism

Of course, No More Room in Hell 2 isn’t the first zombie game to embrace a more realistic world. Although the franchise has an unorthodox approach to what constitutes a zombie, The Last of Us pulls off a grounded world and gameplay. The main difference is that No More Room in Hell 2 has the goal of taking this even further. From the first-person point-of-view to the permanent consequences of making the wrong move, No More Room in Hell 2 is a promising immersive experience.

Due to the genre being so popular, it’s hard for a zombie game to stand on its own. Despite the uphill battle, it seems like No More Room in Hell 2 has a lot of potential to finally bring some fresh meat into the mix. There are some compelling takes on the zombie genre on the way. Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days is another promising addition to the genre that also sets out to make zombies scary again. With these long-awaited innovations in the genre coming to life, it will be thrilling to see how No More Room in Hell 2 pulls it off.