It's 2011.

The world's population fell just short of 7 billion in 2009. Roughly half of that is now dead, or undead. Electricity is still up and running thanks to the adventurous souls who defend their power sources. Global communication is extremely limited, cellular phones and major telephone lines are in quite a state of disrepair.

Governments are no longer intact. Small communities, sometimes larger, up to a few hundred thousand, are established in the place of a national government. They are ruled as they see fit.

Most major cities are somewhat safe, with portions being barricaded and defended heavily. Hong Kong and the surrounding area is a warzone, human soldiers are almost constantly fighting to reclaim the area closest to the Gate, and to possibly shut it down.

Rural areas attract less attention from the Gate-spawn, but aren't nearly as safe as the military-protected areas.

The creatures themselves spawned from the imagination of the deceased Walden Brightling. They continue to pour out of the Gate as they die at the hands of each other, humans, or Mother Nature herself. Even the most shocking of beasts can be seen emerging from the Gate, as if every nightmare in humanity has come true.