A first-person inspection sim with teeth (and bite marks).
After months of anticipation and 500,000 wishlists on Steam, Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is finally letting the public step into the boots of the last line of defense. The game’s demo, previously available only to media and streamers, officially opens to the public on May 22, and if our early time with it is anything to go by, it’s something special.
Imagine Papers, Please reimagined during a zombie apocalypse, then given a bleakly comedic edge, and you’re halfway there.
🧟♂️ What Is Quarantine Zone: The Last Check?
Developed by a passionate indie team who seem thrilled with every development milestone (and rightfully so), Quarantine Zone casts you as the commander of a survival checkpoint during a full-scale outbreak. Your job? Screen survivors, detect infection, manage base logistics, and—when necessary—liquidate threats with a pistol.
Each day brings a new wave of desperate civilians. Some are infected. Some are smuggling contraband. Others are just tired and confused. It’s up to you to decide who lives, who gets quarantined, and who gets gunned down.
🔬 Demo First Impressions: Addictive, Tense, and Surprisingly Funny
The moment-to-moment gameplay is both deeply engaging and nerve-wracking. You examine people’s skin for necrosis, use UV lights and thermometers to check for infection, and listen to their breathing with a stethoscope. Spotting a hidden symptom—like a low pulse or a suspicious rash—feels like solving a puzzle under pressure. And sometimes… they cough. And then you panic.
The demo makes a strong first impression. Within minutes, we were juggling medical tests, luggage inspections, and moral dilemmas. One wrong move, and you doom your base. Too cautious, and you burn through resources quarantining innocent people.
There’s also something darkly hilarious about confiscating a ketchup bottle like it’s a weapon of mass destruction, or shooting an infected grandma while the game plays an upbeat trumpet sting.
🛠️ Gameplay Breakdown
👀 Survivor Inspection
- Use scanners, flashlights, and medical tools to detect visible and hidden symptoms.
- Search luggage for banned items, weapons, or infected materials.
- Assign civilians to safe housing, medical quarantine, or immediate execution.
🏕️ Base & Resource Management
- Feed and house survivors in your growing base.
- Deliver supplies using a janky cart system (which, in our opinion, could use automation).
- Upgrade buildings, power the camp, and keep morale up—or face collapse.
💥 Zombie Defense Missions
- Occasionally, the action shifts into defense mode as infected hordes rush your base.
- Deploy drones, drop bombs, and protect evacuation convoys in brief FPS-style sequences.
✅ What’s Working So Far
- Engaging Core Loop: The inspection gameplay is simple to grasp but deeply rewarding. You’ll get a real thrill from catching a hidden infection just in time.
- Strong Atmosphere: The game hits that grim, low-tech vibe perfectly. The visuals are grounded and gritty, adding to the tension.
- Gallows Humor: Whether it’s the absurdity of banning someone for carrying syrup or yelling “Not today, zombie grandma!” the tone balances horror with bleak laughs.
- Meaningful Decisions: Every choice has a ripple effect—infected people you let in may come back to haunt you, literally and figuratively.
❌ What Needs Work
- Clunky UI & Tool Switching: Swapping between thermometers, flashlights, and scanners feels awkward in high-stress moments. Tooltips also need more clarity.
- No Save Option (Yet): The demo doesn’t save progress, which can be frustrating for longer sessions or crash-related setbacks.
- Visual Feedback: It’s not always easy to tell if someone has necrosis, bruising, or just bad skin. Better symptom guides would help avoid unfair penalties.
- Repetitive Resource Delivery: Moving supplies manually with a cart feels like filler. Some automation options would keep the focus on inspection and strategy.
📅 Coming This September
While the demo is just a slice of what’s to come, it’s clear the devs are building something with real potential. The full release is expected in September 2025, and if it expands meaningfully on what the demo delivers—especially in streamlining resource tasks and improving clarity—this could be one of the standout indie releases of the year.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (Demo): Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is an imaginative and grimly compelling blend of strategy, horror, and moral dilemmas. It’s Papers, Please meets The Walking Dead, with enough dark humor and high-stakes decision-making to make it uniquely its own. It’s tense. It’s weird. It’s surprisingly deep. And it’s worth keeping an eye on. Borderline brilliant. Literally. – Obsidian