The Walking Dead Meets Valheim In Huge New Sandbox RPG You Can Try Free

Published Jul 28, 2026, 10:07 AM EDT Bruno Yonezawa is a Gaming Senior Writer for Screen Rant. He's been practicing professional journalism for over 10 years, and is also a communications specialist. He's played games all his life and turned that passionate hobby into a passionate career, in an industry where he's worked as a writer, editor, analyst, and more. A new sandbox RPG that seems to mix elements seen in The Walking Dead and gameplay features from Valheim can be tried out for free right now, and it may be just what you’ve been looking for. The two franchises have been a source of inspiration for several new releases over the past few years. In fact, the two IPs are still getting relevant content. For example, a brand-new The Walking Dead adventure is set to arrive soon, allowing players to control some of their favorite characters. Meanwhile, the survival game continues to lay out a foundation for several other titles of the same genre. A new game called Wild Wild Eden is arriving in 2027, and it’s going to be a mix of Valheim and Monster Hunter. It will feature survival mechanics, including base building and resource management, with control over monsters. There will be a touch of Pokémon to this game, but overall, it already feels a lot like Ark. However, it doesn’t stop there. Ardem Has Real Walking Dead Vibes The new game that blends elements from Valheim and The Walking Dead is called Ardem, and it’s expected to arrive at some point this year. This new survival sandbox RPG is heavily inspired by The Walking Dead and other zombie-based IPs, as the undead, infected by a deadly virus, will be your main opponent. The new open-world RPG Ardem is developed and published by Techtive Games. The game seems to carry some real The Walking Dead vibes, as you (and your friends, should you choose to play with them) will be set in a post-apocalyptic world and will have to find new ways of settling and surviving, both the living and the undead. This includes building a base, scavenging for resources, and trying to find joy in the little human activities, like playing music, fishing, and more. You Can Sign Up For Playtests Now Ardem, this zombie-fueled RPG that feels like Valheim, is not yet fully available to play, but if you’re interested in the genre and the themes, you can potentially try it out entirely for free. On Steam, Ardem features playtests. If you want to check it out, you can log in with your account and sign up, requesting access to these playtests – and should the developers clear your access, you can download and play the portion that they have available for testing. Doing so will give you a better understanding of what the game has to offer and what you can do as you explore its open world. For those who enjoy the genre, Ardem already feels like an adequate RPG that brings vibes you’d feel by watching The Walking Dead, so be sure to check it out. Systems Released 2026 Developer(s) Techtive Games Publisher(s) Techtive Games Genre(s) Open-World, Survival, RPG