I like it for what it is. Apparently there are some issues with the PC version of the game with every patch messing something up, but I haven't noticed it. Then again, I'm not playing the... official version.
The things I don't like are how fast weapons break and how you're essentially sh*t out of luck if you don't have any weapons. Stomping something to death is apparently not as easy as Dead Space makes it look. Also, some animations are a bit messy, with arms and hands going through solid objects, and some of the character models are meh.
The things I do like are the combat system, where every swing actually feels like a swing, and you do more damage depending on where you hit someone. Breaking down doors requires minor activity from the player's part (for PC users, moving your mouse determines how hard you shoulder the door), and opening doors, climbing ladders and picking up items produces an animation, which all adds to the "realism."
The damage system is brutal. If you're wielding a knife/cleaver/sharp thing, you can cut off heads, arms, hands, legs, feet, stab them to death or throw the pointy ones at them and watch them run around with a cleaver in the face. If you're wielding blunt objects, you can break their legs, arms, necks or simply bash their faces in to produce a fountain of blood. The nasty part is when you get one of the suckers to lie down (break their legs) and then proceed to cut off their limbs with a broken weapon. It won't sever the limb in one cut, but the model will change with flesh and bones being chipped away at. I spent ten swings trying to separate a dead zombie from its left leg, but I gave up when I was down to the tendons and bone.
I also like how you can pick up random household stuff and later on use them to make weapons out of. I picked up some nails, some deodorant cans, some ducts tape and an oar. Used the nails and oar to make a "nail'd bat" and the cans and tape to make "deo bombs."
I think the game will lose a lot of my interest once the bashing of skulls becomes boring, but so far it hasn't.
Edit:
This trailer shows some gameplay action.
Edited, Sep 8th 2011 9:05pm by Mazra