Highlights

• Destructible environments in 7 Days to Die provide endless hours of sandbox fun in PvE and PvP scenarios.
• Bases built by players can be destroyed in PvP using rocket launchers, making for an unforgettable heist experience.
• Destroying environmental structures in PvE not only contributes to stealth gameplay, but also allows players to evade overwhelming zombie hordes.

7 days to die is a zombie survival game with base-building mechanics developed by indie studio The Fun Pimps. After over a decade in Early Access, 7 days to die finally reached its full release at the end of June 2024.

Although it is an indie game, 7 days to die offers something that every zombie game, whether AAA or indie, should learn from, namely its destructible environments. Mixed with 7 days to dieThe destructible environments are one of the game’s greatest strengths, leading to countless hours of PvE and PvP sandbox fun. Consequently, more zombie games should experiment with their own version of destructible environments, whether paired with complementary base-building mechanics or not.

The destructible environments of 7 Days to Die fit perfectly into a zombie apocalypse

Destructible environments are arguably at home in any survival game, as are proper base-building mechanics. However, especially in games set in a zombie apocalypse, nothing is more a fitting sign of the times than desperately breaking into a restricted area by any means necessary or destroying every piece of furniture in sight to get building materials. Explicit zombie combat aside, destructible environments are a landmark convention of games set in a zombie apocalypse, and it’s surprising that this feature isn’t a universal standard among games that share this general setting.

Destroying player bases is a highlight for PvP in 7 Days to Die

Once players reach the loot level in 7 days to die to gain easy access to rocket launchers and explosive throwable weapons, this opens up many new possibilities for combat in both PvE and PvP. Breaking into a player’s fortified bunker with a rocket launcher and looting its loot is something every player should experience at least once if possible. Even if it takes place in Creative mode, such a heist is a pretty memorable moment.

It is often an unwritten rule in
7 days to die

on PvP servers so that players can avoid destroying other player structures. However, if everyone agrees to this rule, it can lead to some memorable moments.

Destroying environments is extremely useful for PvE in 7 Days to Die

Aside from destructible environments being a guilty pleasure for PvP fans, this feature has its uses in PvE as well. In POIs, destroying the environment and paving a new path can be a satisfying way to defeat some of the most overwhelming zombie hordes lurking for players to trigger invisible traps. This is due to the stealth combat triggers in 7 days to diewhere regardless of whether the player is effectively sneaking or not, there are certain parts of POIs where zombies are scripted to become aware of the player. However, by straying off the beaten path, players can sometimes avoid these combat triggers to take out enemies one-on-one and stealthily.

Players can not only create every structure and landscape in 7 days to die aside from bedrock, but zombies can do it too. Consequently, building a well-fortified structure will only get players so far unless players pay attention to repairing their defenses regularly. This is especially true during the night of the Blood Moon Horde in 7 days to diewhere zombies won’t hesitate to destroy an entire base just to make their way to the next player.

Ultimately, destructible environments go a long way in making games set in a zombie apocalypse feel much more immersive and dynamic. In retrospect, 7 days to die is probably the only proof that future zombie games need to bite the bullet and embrace the fun of destructible environments.