Ocean Drive Studios Polishes Medieval Zombie Horror 'God Save Birmingham'

Ocean Drive Studios, Inc. is refining its vision for 'God Save Birmingham,' an open-world survival horror game that transports the zombie apocalypse to 14th-century Birmingham, England. A recent preview build showcased at PAX West 2026 reveals a title moving toward a more polished experience with substantial upgrades to its core systems.

The latest build demonstrates significant improvements in combat animations, physics, and narrative onboarding compared to previous iterations. Players are tasked with surviving a plague-ridden landscape using a progression system that begins with basic farm implements and evolves into high-tier knightly gear. According to the developers, the full version of the game will also include co-op play, allowing players to face the undead together.

A Grounded Approach to Horror

Unlike many survival titles that rely on scripted plotlines, 'God Save Birmingham' utilizes environmental storytelling to build its world. Players uncover the history of the outbreak through scattered journals written by priests and townsfolk, who describe the apocalypse as a religious reckoning of Hell breaking out on earth. This specific framing makes the experience feel more grounded and unnerving than typical entries in the genre.

To survive, players must manage a complex suite of biological and psychological needs, including hunger, thirst, sleep, exhaustion, and anxiety. The game also features a physics-based interaction system, enabling players to move objects such as crates and ladders to create defensive fortifications or navigate the environment.

Shifting the Apocalypse Trope

By moving the zombie trope away from modern urban centers and into the Middle Ages, Ocean Drive Studios introduces unique constraints on how players fight and craft. The shift from what was previously described as 'clunky' realism to more natural combat animations suggests the studio is successfully bridging the gap between hardcore simulation and playable action.

What to Watch

As the game moves toward its full release, the industry will be watching to see how the developers balance the punishing survival mechanics with the newly improved onboarding process. While the core loop of scavenging and crafting is established, the integration of co-op play remains a key milestone for the final version of the title. The studio's ability to maintain this atmospheric tension while expanding the scope of the world will determine if the title can redefine the survival horror genre.