Should I buy 7 days to die?

I like survival crafting games— a lot. I have played most of the big ones and enjoyed nearly every one I have played except for Return to Moria (bad exploration, incredibly boring progression, awful combat).

I like games with good progression, replayability, good building, good exploration, and good combat. I can live with only 4 out of 5 of those stipulations if I’m being honest with myself.

I have four main questions though:

1.) The game is $45 on Steam. That seems comically overpriced and is well over twice the price of other games in the genre. Is it worth $45 or is this one of those games that gets heavy discounts?

2.) How does it play solo?

3.) How is the replayability, building, exploration, progression and combat?

4.) Is this a perpetually early access game that seems like it will never actually release? If so, are updates still frequent and substantial and does the game in its current state justify the price?

For reference, off the top of my head, I’ve played/enjoyed: -Vintage Story -Valheim -Ark Survival Evolved -Palworld -Abiotic Factor -V-Rising -The Forrest -Grounded -The Long Dark -Pacific Drive -Raft -Medieval Dynasty -Subnautica

*Not planning on playing Enshrouded until it’s finished.