Short And Sweet Review: All Zombies Must Die

Well this holiday season has just been packed with XBLA and PSN titles, if you've read my last few reviews, you know what I mean.  We've had Oddworld, and Trine 2 for the past couple reviews.  All Zombies Must Die had me interested from the first video and screenshots I saw from the game.  If a game has any kind of Zombie in it, I'm all for it.

Presentation/Story:

The game has a unique look to it, the visuals have a cartoony look to it that brings the game to life.  Its has an overall simple feel and look to the game but it works.  I didn't come into the game expecting the game look like a Batman of Gears, but it gets the job done.  The audio is ok in the game, it definitely is the weakest part in the game.  The soundtrack gets too repetitive way too early in the game.  The game does have a strong narrative component in the game and it keeps driving the game at a good forward pace, it never really slows down.  Jack, Rachel, Luxo, and Brian each have their own unique personalities and intricacies.  At times, the interaction between the characters is really cool and very humorous.  All Zombies Must Die! takes place in Deadhill, a cliché small town thats perfect for an undead takeover.

Core Gameplay/Multiplayer:

At its core, this game is your classic twin stick shooter like Everyday Shooter and Super Stardust HD.  Each character has a main weapon and power in the game, like your standard shotgun and some special ability.  Jack, the character I played, could set Zombies on fire.  Also, all characters can equip a secondary weapon, ranging from Uzis to swords. The ability to customise guns adds another welcomed addition to the game.  This adds a RPG layer to the classically styled game.  Weapon status effects can be applied to any weapon, meaning you don't have to stay with one gun at all times.  Weapon crafting is in the game, its not a big part, but its there if you like that sort of thing.  Personally I never care for weapon crafting and potion making in RPGs.  The game's multiplayer is good but lacking online, which would have been great for this kind of game.  All that said, the local play does hold up with friends.  It supports a total of four players, you can instantly tell that the game was developed with multiplayer in mind.

Final Thoughts:

All Zombies Must Die! is a good game for the holidays, but its definitely the weakest game in the herd.  I don't like the price of $9.99 too much considering what you are getting for your money.  Its tough to say to you guys to just go buy it, try the demo and see for yourself if you like it for yourself.

Final Score = 7.5/10