GamesRelay

Name: Zombie Apocalypse  

Zombies, everyone likes zombies, they're fun to shoot at and chop up with chainsaws! Nevermind that they used to be close family and loved ones, let's just see how many bits we can get them into.

Yes, another zombie videogame hits the Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, this time courtesy of Nihilistic Software and Konami. More fun and dismemberment for all the family, providing of course they are old enough. Zombie Apocalypse once again see's the world become infected by zombies, and as one of four survivors you must make sure you kill as many of them as possible using a variety of handily cast aside weapons while saving the lives of anyone who might also have managed not to be infected but won't pick up a gun to save their own lives. You can play the game on your own, with friends sat next to you, on or behind the couch, or you can take the game online and play with other people. Up to four players can play at one time and you can arrange a game with just your friends by creating the game with private slots and inviting them in or you can just join others.

The game design is a multi-directional shooting game; one stick controls the direction you run with, the other deciding which direction you are going to shoot in. Wave after wave of zombies will attack you from all directions, coming out of the ground or bursting through one of the buildings which form the walls of the current level. Although you start the game with a gun there is a selection of other weapons that can be picked up and used, these include the classic zombie killing tools like a Shotgun, Flame Thrower, Rocket Launcher, Hunting Rifle, Machine Gun and Pipe Bombs, each adding their own pro's and con's in the way that they can be used; the Shotgun whilst powerful and shoots a wide spread of bullets is slow to reload for example, likewise, the Flame Thrower will take out most zombies first time but only has limited range. You're also equipped with the absolute essential zombie killing tool, the classic chainsaw. The chainsaw can be used to mow down the zombie hoard with a continuous running motion, or, if you're feeling particularly aggrieved by one of the zombies then you can execute him or her with it. The weapons aren't the only means of dispatching the undead at your disposal either, no sir, you can also use the environment to send them on there merry way to the afterlife. Each of the games areas has scenery available that will chop up the zombies, these include car crushers, airplane engines, and the good old woodchip cutter. The games action takes place over the course of seven arena's including a spooky graveyard (is there any other kind of graveyard), a car scrap yard, a fairground, and a shopping area, all are loaded with shootable objects to help keep the undead at bay.

There are several different types of zombies that will attack you as make your way though each of the arenas; there's the standard just risen from the grave undead, which you'll see most commonly, and then there are other kinds which have mutated beyond the normal and are harder to kill. Some of these enhanced zombies have the power to overcome you quickly, pinning you to the ground and feasting on your fresh meat, or others come equipped with a shotgun and turn the tables on you by taking pot shots should you get to close. Another variation is a kamikaze zombie who'll run at you with a bomb and explode on impact, all to often you won't see these foes and you'll be dead on impact. Occasionally, a survivor will make there way into the arena, screaming for help and you must defend them until a helicopter can pick them up, should they survive then they'll drop another present for you, a pink teddy bear armed with explosives that when thrown will draw the hoard to them, give it a couple of seconds and the teddy bear will explode taking all the surrounding zombies out with it, useful for getting out of a rough corner or for attracting them to one of the environmental death zones. Though, be warned, if you don't manage to rescue them then they will be transformed into a super fast zombie who'll be hell bent on seeking revenge on you.

The game starts off quite easy and each level see's the action take place for one day, so one day becomes one level of which there are 55 days. Each day sees more zombie waves attacking you and by Day 7 you're being introduced to different zombie types and more and more zombies start to attack, pretty soon the game is awash with more zombies than you know what to do with and you'll be constantly watching your back for the sneaky little blighters as you shoot forwards taking out the last bunch that appeared. As you progress through the days you'll also unlock other modes of play such as the Hardcore mode which see's you with just one life to take on the undead with, other modes include one which will the make area dark apart from your immediate surroundings, these levels can be extra spooky as you can't see where the zombies are or how many there are, just their shadows as you approach them. Once you've survived the 55 day campaign mode you'll unlock the games shining glory, the "7 Days of Hell" mode, this is zombie heaven and an all out massacre of a game shown to you through a grainy black and white film filter, we at GamesRelay can't help but think the whole game should have been like this, but at least it's something to shoot for (literally). Once you've completed a day you can start from this day anytime you want, the only real loss is your score but that's no big thing really unless you're trying to get your name on the games leader board which will only count scores accrued from Day One.

The graphics in the game are good and perfectly functional, the backgrounds are well drawn and all the characters are well animated, there's a little lack in variation when it comes to the zombies asides from the different types, but, they don't really remain on screen long enough for you to really notice (or they shouldn't), the only time it becomes really apparent is when lots of the enhanced zombies attack at once, but, again, it isn't really a problem and you don't tend to give it much thought as you're frantically blasting away at them. There's plenty of blood to be had and although the zombies are fairly small on screen due to the top-down nature of the game, you can still make out their limbs being thrown aside as you blast them to bits. The sound is perfectly adequate as well, with unhealthy groans coming out of your speakers and blasts from each weapon signaling yet another zombie death.

This is a fun game, and not to expensive; don't expect too much depth from it and accept it for what it is, a fun title designed to kill a few hours and a few zombies, and you'll be fine. By its very nature it's a repetitive game and you'll spend the 55 days doing exactly the same thing over and over, albeit more frantically and with more blood, while that might not appeal to everyone for fans of this kind of game, you're not going to go far wrong picking this up.