The Top Down Left 4 Dead?
Zombie Apocalypose it's a good game. To start this off, I want to point out that I think this game launched with a perfect timing. Why? First, Left 4 Dead fans are waiting for it's DLC and sequel, so something related to it -very similar characters- seems a good buy to ease the urges. Second, Zombieland is out in theaters, and honestly the carnival level is very, very similiar to the last scenes of the movie, so the movie fans looking for some zombie massacre can get their fix here. And third, Halloween is here, this is a good game to play wtih friends during the nights of this month, it involves zombies, creepy settings and pure fun.
The game is a top-view dual-stick shooter ala Robotron/Smash TV -and many more games-. The only difference is that you have 3 extra bottons to use, one for a standard chainsaw attack for close combat, one for an execution type chainsaw finish -that ramps up your multiplier- and a third button to throw a teddy bear bomb bait where zombies gather around it and then explode in pieces.
The game reminds -besides the obvious similarity of Left 4 Dead- the 16-bit classic, Zombies ate my Neighbors but in a more simplfied -level design wise- yet realistic gory way. Which is good, pick up and play game where you can play with any of your friends that maybe love Left 4 dead but suck at FPS.
Since the game was so similar to Left 4 Dead I thought that the goal of the game was the same, walk around town from point A to point B until you get to the safe house. I was wrong, your level is restricted, yet well detailed with hazards on some corners where you can lure the zombies to them for extra points in the kill. Your fight area eventhou constrained -arcade style- it is scrollable until the corners. The level ends when you clear the wave of zombies. The type of zombies vary as you progress to other levels. This game is designed for quick bursts of fun, instant gratification, survive the next level and either make the best score without using continues, or continue for more zombie fun.
The characters -sorry to bring this up again- look like a rip-off of the L4D characters, we have a Louis here, a Zoey, a geek version of Francis, and a bum version of Bill. They could've done better in this department. Yet they have their background and a personality after each level's ending. They all play the same, no special attributes.
The zombies types vary from some that vomit on the floor to slow you down, evading ones, big ones that area hard to kill and impossible to shake off, grannies with instant kill knives and many more. With makes you change your killing tactic depending on the level. Also each level gets more difficult with the zombie types being mixed with other zombie types but in big numbers, almost playing a sadistic game at some point through the game.
As you play more the game and make higher score you unlock other game types as Turbo, a fast paced version of the game and Blackout a restricved radius visibility of the game which makes you more cautious when playing.
Overall, for 800 points, this game is a good buy and lots of fun, and if you are a L4D fan this is a good break -zombie related- game in between the L4D sessions, where you can say the hell with walking around killing zombies, let them come to our perimiter and survive -I think survival in L4D seems unfair somtimes-. And look at the bright side, you have a chainsaw by default.
I would've made this game a Zombieland game with the movie characters. And probably that way, it would've been more marketable. But still, it's good as it is.
Play the demo, and if you like it, it gets better with the full version. Tell your friends, its time we needed more horror-arcade games for this Halloween season.
Happy Halloween.
