From what I saw in the State of Decay 3 preview at Gamescom this week, the long-awaited game might just have hit that perfect sweet spot–sating long-time fans’ need for novelty and innovation while giving newcomers something immediately approachable to sink their teeth into.

I haven’t played State of Decay 1 or 2, and so new am I to the genre that I can’t think of a single zombie survival-horror game I have played. Heading into the preview, I was nervous. Multiplayer, combat-focused games can be pretty scary unless you’re already a fan–they often punish casual players or make you feel like you’re letting your teammates down because you’re not all able to do the same thing. Especially in a game like State of Decay 3, where the very fate of humanity seems to rest on you and your pals’ shoulders, I didn’t really want that kind of pressure.