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The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival is out now on Switch and Switch 2, and it swaps slow-burn survival dread for old-school brawling. The headline feature is that you can play as Negan, the villain himself.
What’s actually new in Streets of Survival
This is a beat-em-up, not a walker-dodging stealth game or a story-heavy adventure. You get four iconic survivors to choose from, and Negan is one of them. There are twelve levels of action, and the whole thing is built around punching, swinging and grinding through hordes.
It’s on both Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, so you don’t need the newer hardware to jump in. That matters. Plenty of smaller releases quietly skip the older console, and this one doesn’t.
Why Negan as a playable character is a big deal
Letting players control a fan-favorite bad guy is a smart hook. Negan has always been the most quotable, most intimidating presence in the franchise, and putting him in a genre that rewards aggression suits him. A beat-em-up is all about momentum and attitude, and he brings plenty of both.
It also says something about how the game sees itself. It isn’t trying to be a somber survival sim. It leans into the arcade side of The Walking Dead, where the cast becomes a roster of brawlers and the walkers become the crowd you’re clearing out. Some longtime fans will find that odd. Others will be glad to see the franchise doing something different.
What to expect from the brawler
Twelve levels is a healthy amount for the genre. Beat-em-ups tend to work best in short, punchy runs, and that length fits a couple of evenings on the couch or a few handheld sessions on the bus. With four characters, you also have a reason to go back and try someone else.
The Switch family is a natural home for this kind of game. Quick pick-up-and-play sessions and easy couch co-op are what the console does best, and beat-em-ups have always thrived on that. I can’t tell you yet how deep the combat is or how much the characters differ from one another. I’d wait for hands-on impressions before calling it a must-buy.
My take: if you love the license and miss classic side-scrolling brawlers, this looks like an easy one to pick up. If you’re after a serious survival experience, look elsewhere. The pitch is simple, and Negan is the draw.
FAQ
What platforms is The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival on? It’s available on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
Can you play as Negan in Streets of Survival? Yes. Negan is one of the four playable survivors, alongside other iconic characters from the franchise.
How many levels does The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival have? The game has twelve levels of beat-em-up action. Check the Nintendo eShop page for the current price and any extra details.
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