Alright, you beautiful people, let’s talk about promises. We all heard the whispers from the Fun Pimps’ Town Hall—a return to grittier mechanics, a more meaningful world, and a biome progression system that actually matters. So, naturally, I decided the best way to test these promises was to throw myself headfirst into the fire. Or, in this case, the Burnt Forest of the Project Z overhaul mod.
My mission was simple: survive the new biome challenges without running back to the comfort of my main base. No backup, no easy supplies, just me, my wits, and a shocking lack of foresight.
What followed was a three-hour descent into a glorious, bug-riddled, and utterly captivating mess that reminded me exactly why we love games like 7 Days to Die. Want to see the full, unedited chaos? Grab a drink and watch the entire ordeal unfold below.
The Challenge: Conquering the Burnt Forest
The new biome progression system in Project Z is no joke. The moment I stepped into the Burnt Forest, a timer for “Thick Smoke” popped up, and the game presented me with a laundry list of chores [14:10]. I had to harvest mushrooms, craft special serums, kill biome-specific zombies, and find or build shelter—all while the very air was trying to kill me.
My genius self-imposed rule? I couldn’t leave the biome until the progression was complete. This immediately led to the first, most predictable problem: I forgot to bring water. And a cooking pot. Of course. [28:00]
What was supposed to be a straightforward test quickly devolved into a desperate, hilarious scramble for a cooking pot. Every looted house, every ransacked kitchen—a total bust. It got to the point where I was genuinely considering if building a forge from scratch just to smelt one pot was a viable life choice. After what felt like an eternity, I finally found one in a random kitchen, and the hallelujah moment was real, folks. [01:18:25]
Project Z’s Quirks: When the Bugs Bite Back
Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be a proper modded experience without a few… let’s call them “unintended features.” And this playthrough had them in spades.
- The Phantom Suffocation: The mod is supposed to protect you from the biome’s hazardous air when you’re indoors. Sometimes, it worked perfectly. Other times, I’d be standing in a sealed room, miles from any broken window, and my character would start suffocating for no reason. [52:32] It’s a special kind of panic, let me tell you.
- The Teleporting Zombie Horde: At one point, a zombie I was fighting just… fell through the map. Poof. Gone. [01:02:52] In another instance, a pack of dogs that was chasing me just vanished into thin air. A gift from the glitch gods, perhaps?
- Contradictory Gear: I dutifully crafted the special armor mods designed to protect me from the desert and snow biomes. Did they work? Absolutely not. I stepped into the desert with my fancy new boots and was immediately hit with the “Slowing Down” debuff. The mods were just laughing at me. [02:32:58]
But here’s the thing: none of it was truly game-breaking. It was just the right amount of jank to be hilarious. It’s the kind of chaos that keeps you on your toes and makes for a great story.
The Verdict: A Step in the Right Direction
Despite the bugs and the self-inflicted suffering, this test was a massive success. The new biome progression, at its core, is fantastic. It forces you to engage with each environment in a meaningful way, pushing you to adapt and overcome specific challenges rather than just plowing through. It makes the world feel more alive and far more dangerous.
Project Z continues to be one of the most ambitious and enjoyable overhaul mods out there. It’s a testament to what a dedicated modding community can bring to a game we already love. It’s tough, it’s complex, and yes, it’s a little bit broken. And honestly? We wouldn’t have it any other way.
