I haven't played it since it's PC release went final.  I did however play 15 or 20 hours during the PC beta and there were no glaring bugs even then. 

It's strengths are that it does a fantastic job capturing that "scavenger based life" you would expect in a post-apocalyptic world.  It has a great balance of allowing you to work towards big goals (upgrading your home, building up enough supply to take over a new, bigger and better home, etc) while also throwing random crap your way to remind you that it's the Zombie's world now and your first, second and third goals have to be survival.  Goals 4 and 5, maybe, are about getting ahead. 

The side missions add to this, although they can get repetitive.  They do a good job of making you pick side missions, as many expire after a period of time.  It makes your choices feel like they have real meaning.  Do you go answer that call for help from a friendly group of survivors holed-up across town or do you try to fix the drama within your own camp before it boils over and someone leaves (or shoots someone else in camp!)?  There are lots of little trade-offs like this and the game does a good job of dynamically keeping you bouncing between them.  It helps to maintain a real sense of tension.  You hardly ever feel like you're getting ahead (which I think is the game's goal). 

The story moves along nicely without demanding your attention.  It fits itself within the construct of the game well, in that you get to it when you can and whenever you do go after a story mission you're likely forgoing some other mission.  

The only cons to the game are:

1. The controls can be a bit clunky at times.  It's not horrible, but every once in a while it was enough to be noticeable.  
2. The "time always moves thing" is annoying.  I hated the feeling like I was ruining my save game by not playing often enough.  If I wanted that feeling I'd still be playing WoW.  On the plus side, the effects of time always moving are both positive and negative (your people might gather new resources, for example, while you're not around).  Still, on net the effect is usually negative and your group of survivors are usually worse off than when you left them if you're gone for more than a few days.  I never came back to a ruined, unplayable save game though (meaning things had gotten so bad it wasn't worth continuing)

Overall I liked it quite a bit and will get back to it once my various jobs calm down some (sometime in 2019 I think).  

Yes is that what you meant? So if you're not literally at the computer all the time you'll miss some things? That time is always moving, so zombies could come, other people could steal your food/scavenge things before you can? So while you're away from your comp in your real life you're missing out on things in a pretend one? Sounds a bit dodgy to me.

So I was curious.  I haven't played in about 6 weeks.  Just opened the game to check on my group.  Everyone was still mostly-happy and friendly with one another.  One of my characters was sick (which I don't remember from before I quit playing).  That means I'll have to find a doctor and get him healed pretty quickly.  Food stores are low, but not gone.  Apparently my team was out gathering gasoline like fiends because I have twice as much as I did when I left (roughly).  If my other supplies (materials, ammo, etc) have changed, it isn't significant. 

I also had a new priority mission (not story related).  One of my characters was out scavenging on her own and is trapped by a zombie horde.  I will have some unspecified amount of time (it's usually pretty generous) to go help save her before she's overwhelmed.  I could do other missions first and it'll probably be fine. 

Quick glance at the map looks the same except for one thing.  The game has other sets of survivors around the map.  Some join you, others form their own strongholds and you can have some relations with them (trade with them, resupply, protection, joint missions, etc).  I think one of those communities from the last time I played is gone.  

So that's the change over six weeks. 

There's been a lot of discussion about it (because it's so different/weird) and it's probably the least popular feature of the game.  I guess they are trying to add to the unsettled feeling of everything in the game in an effort to capture that "unpredictability and survival dictate the world now" zombie post-apocalyse feeling.  Like I said, it's never game ruining, but it will sometimes change what you do when you log in.  Gone two days and thinking that when you get home you're going to fire up SoD and do that next story mission?  Maybe you are, but the game might also throw a curveball at you too (food shortage, character in need of rescue, another settlement needs help, etc). 

I wish they would make the 'time moves along' an option, that can be turned on or off by the user/player.  However, as you suggested kantok, it does not change your situation in any significant way - merely adds flavor and variety.  Cool.  I just investigated both the walking dead and left for dead.  Watched some vids of all three.  Left for/walking dead are not my cup of tea.  State of Decay looks interesting.  If I do a zombie game - It will be State of Decay. 

I'm looking into the modding aspect next. EDIT PC not out yet... so modding is NA.  patience grasshopper!

Seconded. Looking forward too it a lot.

On sale on steam, 33% off.