The Infected is an open-world survival crafting game that gives players a large wilderness to explore while building a base, gathering resources and trying to stay alive against hostile creatures known as Vambies.
Developed by DigX Studios, the game has been available through Steam Early Access since 2020 and continues to receive updates while the developer works towards a full release.
The core of The Infected revolves around traditional survival mechanics. Players need to gather wood, stone, ores and other resources before using them to construct shelters, craft tools and gradually build a much larger and more advanced base.
Base building can become fairly detailed as players progress. Settlements can be expanded with storage, crafting stations and more advanced infrastructure, including power and water systems.
Survival needs also need to be managed. Hunger, thirst, health and body temperature can all become important depending on the situation, while changing weather, seasons and the day and night cycle add another layer to staying prepared.
Food can be gathered in several different ways.
Players can hunt wildlife, grow crops, raise animals and preserve food for later use. Farming becomes increasingly useful as your base becomes more established and you start working towards a more self-sufficient setup.
Mining and resource processing are also important for progression. Ores can be collected and refined into materials needed for better equipment, tools and advanced construction.
The main threat comes from the Vambies, infected creatures that combine elements of zombies and vampires.
They can attack while players are exploring and also create another threat around established bases, meaning weapons, defenses and preparation become increasingly important as the game progresses.
However, The Infected does not force players to fight them.
Vambies can be disabled through the game’s settings, allowing players to turn the experience into a much more peaceful wilderness survival game focused almost entirely on exploration, building, farming and crafting.
Vehicles are also available, making it easier to travel around the open world and transport larger quantities of resources back to your base.
The game is currently designed as a single-player experience, with no multiplayer or co-op support listed on its Steam page.
That makes The Infected a more traditional solo survival sandbox, with progression largely focused around improving your character, equipment and settlement over time.
The developer plans to continue expanding the game before its full release, including additional content, balancing, polish and more story and lore.
There is currently no confirmed date for when The Infected will leave Early Access.
For players who enjoy survival games built around gathering resources, constructing increasingly complicated bases and slowly becoming self-sufficient, The Infected offers a familiar formula with enough depth to keep expanding over dozens of hours.