May I say that not only the art and the ideas for this year's strains were gorgeous, but the way each strain progressed was clever and interesting. My favorite part of Survival is speculating what each strain is going to end up like, and the fact the artists made each stage so dynamic really adds to the experience. So yay, new zombies!

I agree. The strands evolved in an interesting way and the end phase looks awesome on all four. :D

I thought they were fun to watch as well (although I'm currently trying to avoid looking at the end result of mine until my ticket finally gets assigned and someone unlocks it for me). Also interesting that they were based on different lands (but did you actually have specific companies in mind like the Survival announcement said or was that just a general thing?), I think I sugested that as one of the themes in the suggestion thread, I don't know if you went with that because you saw it, or if you'd already decided and my idea was a coincidence.

Really though, Metalmorphosis was unrepdictable, and I realised that the reason there was no idea of what the end result would look like might have something to do with Masquerade and hiding appearances, but that might just be a coincidence as well.

Agreed! I actually want all the strains this year. Progressing through Metal was super fun. I don't know if someone saw my idea for a cyborg strain this year or if it was just a coincidence (probably coincidence) but I'm thrilled with it! Putting Subeta's unique Steamwork spin on it was brilliant.

This is probably the first year that I don't dislike any of the strains. They're all detailed and creative and, above all, usable. There have been some strains in the past that I've been put off getting because they're oddly-shaped and the art extends too far beyond the base outline so I know I'll have trouble making outfits with them, but this year's batch are all pretty wearable-friendly. I don't know whether that was deliberate or not, but either way, I really appreciate it.

Now all I have to do is work out which one I'm getting first, because I can't pick a favourite.

Oooh, great point! I missed that association. I hope they were inspired by different lands. The zombies are spreading across Subeta.

I didn't even notice the 'hiding'/'unknown' connotations, just the steamwork vibes, that's legit brilliant!

also the intermediate stages of metal and ice especially were friggin BRILLIANT and i wish we could choose between them for skins or as special items. the tiny robots were especially precious, their little reactions where the one didn't know what was happening while the other just whipped out a miniature mop for the blood? 1000/10, bless the artist for them and i am a hair's width away from begging for 500 variations of them as wearables x")

I really love the details on Metalmorphosis and how they relate to its stages. For example, there's a scar across the chest which was most likely from stage 3, and the stuff on the head is from stage 4, and someone pointed out in stage 5 that the skeleton is missing its lower jaw, and the final skin shows that it was removed and replaced, and that thing on the left arm is probably what was making those holes and poking through one of them in stage 6.

My only complaint is the pipe that sticks out, but I've found a way around it, by layering over the the clothes. I've already made a HA that I'll use during Masquerade, in fact, I think I'll use that HA (but probably with some different outfits) for it every year. And if the storytelling contest is used for Masquerade, I think I'll use this skin as inspiration for my entry.

I really am impressed by all the strains this year! Very big thanks to the artists! I'm not sure which one I will aim for once my metal is finished... D:

Yes, thank you! They're all great. Hopefully there will be enough time to get them all :D.

Yeah they were great! I liked the diversity and the 'teaser' stages right before the big reveal. Plus I actually got infected immediately when I chose random! Last year I think there was still hours to wait in the queue.

I think it's neat they are based on different regions of Subeta. I know they'll probably do something else for next year, but I'd like to see this theme again!

I think that we should stop referring to them as "zombie" strains and more as "Unliving" strains, because we have moved on from things that are not really zombies, but are absolutely unliving. (that ice creature is terrifying omg)

It's also...more culturally sensitive in lore to use "Unliving" ;)

But yeah, they're all very great :D

I really loved the creativity this year. We have moved on from the more 'gore' genre and explored something else based on Subeta's land. Quite frankly, it was a very nice idea and I would love if this line could come back eventually (based on other lands). Also, the fact that we have gotten different style this year is making the whole 'evolving' part super interesting. Cryomorph reminded me of Fevermore (which is an all time favourite to me) and I loved that! Metalmorphosis was exciting to discover as well.

Kudos for this year. It was worth the wait.

i like the metal one, the little robot guys are so cute. Cryomorph is awesome too, hits that sci-fi itch for me.

Cryomorph's use of fur to conceal the base so that the limbs can be bony is ingenious.

I love the kelp pile in Death Roe.

Makes sense, thanks for the heads up :D

This year's strains really, really impressed me. I haven't picked a random strain since my first Survival in 2010 but this year there was nothing desperately on my list. I let my boyfriend pick one of the prompts at random and ended up with Cryomorph and I'm so thrilled I decided to do that! I'm excited to see even more variety with not just the Zapper skins, but the Unliving skins as well. I really hope that this trend continues going forward! Expanding the traditional "zombie" even more is so much fun,

I'd like to see the land theme return at some point as well. It would be interesting to see skins based on other places like Saherimos, Shengui Guo, the Omen Islands, and since Metalmorphosis was specifically based on Ziara, maybe there could be one based on Pina Park (perhaps that one could be an Ikumoradeekanox lookalike [did I spell that right?]).

this is my first Survival and because I'm blind, I still don't know what I have since I signed up for random.

as for the future, I'd love to see virus strains that actually give us skins that make us look like monstrous hybrids between humans and some of the pets.

bookrage needs more than books this survival.