Zombies = success? For this indie developer, it’s the truth [Review]
October 6, 2009 | Arsen Nazaryan
When put into perspective, it is true that—especially for giants Valve or Activision—the inclusion of zombies will magically increase sales and boost hype over a game. But when that same inclusion is applied to an indie format, the results are actually even more staggering. The key, however, is that there be some form of originality and/or creativity within the game.
Microsoft launched XBOX Live Community Games—now renamed XBOX Live Indie Games—for small-time developers to get their shot through a big-time medium. The main up-sell of the medium is that the games are all either $1 (80 points*), $3 (240 points), or $5 (400 points) each. Much like the iPhone, there are an excellent couple of buys for just a dollar, but I MAED A GAM3 W1TH ZOMBIES 1N IT!!!1 takes the cake!
Now believe me when I say that there is NOTHING (other than RPGs) that I enjoy more than killing zombies; James Silva, the creator, has honed in on what makes my gaming experience so out-of-this-world. I bought the game for a portion of the points I had left over from purchasing those overpriced Call of Duty map packs, and for just a dollar I received this tasty treat of a game. I turned the game on twice and had a blast, then told a friend about it. Shortly thereafter, we were sitting down in the living room playing the game for a full on two hours, finishing it numerous times and still enjoying its gameplay mechanics.
ZOMBIES—I’ll call the game from now on in this article—has no real story or plot. Instead, the gameplay speaks for itself. You and up to three friends team up on one XBOX and blast away using just both sticks of the 360 controller. As you blast away, you earn different power-ups, such as a laser gun or shotgun or star gun. In this case, the game shines through at every level an indie game, and to a greater extent every game, should shine through at. ZOMBIES is simple, cost-efficient, enjoyable, and cooperative fun. Its only real downfalls are the lack of an XBOX Live co-op option, length, and lack of plot. But for whatever the game lacks, there is no question that the price tag is more than worth it. Rest assured, the indie hit should be popular with casual and hardcore gamers alike.
The element that packs the biggest punch, however, is the game’s soundtrack. Silva lovingly croons under a 90s alternative tune (which, impressively, he wrote himself), singing “They come (?) out of the sky, so you better shoot them or you’re gonna die!” Silva then affirms the awesomeness of the theme song by reiterating that he made a game with zombies in it and reminding us that it only cost a dollar. All in all, the tune is as original as it gets and provided for quite a few chuckles from my friends as we breezed through the twin-stick shooter.
◊In summation, while the gameplay may not be the freshest of indie games, the dollar price tag truly sizes up this purchase to be extraordinary. In addition to the fun you’ll be having either by yourself or with friends, the theme song will make you feel right at home the first few times you play it. Heck, you might never even give it another try after the initial excitement wears off, but still the purchase is worth those extra points you have lying around on your XBL account!◊
*Microsoft points on XBOX Live, otherwise termed as “rip-off,” just kind of kidding.
