Some? Most? No, All! All Zombies Must Die review

All Zombies Must Die review

Developer: Doublesix
Publisher: Doublesix
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
Release date: January 4, 2011

When the inevitable zombie apocalypse hits, what will you do? Will you run and cry like the doomed souls in the movies we watch? Or will you nut up, grab a weapon and lay down some righteous fury? These are the options before All Zombies Must Die (AZMD) and its hero, Jack.

Story
Welcome to Deadhill, a small sleepy suburbia that is suddenly overrun by the shambling dead. Jack is a gamer and slowly begins to wonder if he is in a video game himself. This fact is fine by him as he puts his skills against the endless horde of undead. Along the way, Jack runs into his ex-girlfriend who would just as soon spend time with the zombies. Jack must deal with his ex while running missions to gain weapons, supplies, etc. Along the way, Jack will meet fellow corpse-fighters in his adventure. Using the appropriate bathroom, you’ll be able to switch characters.

Graphics
The cartoony look and feel of AZMD works well with the setting and tone. While cartoonish, there is a sense of creepiness to the lonesome streets, creeping and running zombies and you’re scavenging for weapons. The different types of undead do look good as everything from SWAT zombies to Workout zombies hunt you down. Spraying your enemies with gunfire, torches and sonic weapons looks fitting but the backgrounds, over time, start to look the same.

Sound
Hearing AZMD is okay. Your characters don’t talk except for word bubbles when interacting. The zombies do moan as they should and your weapons have the appropriate crack of a shotgun and roar of fire. However, beyond some funky background music, the sound in All Zombies is nothing special.

Controls
AZMD is a dual stick controlled game. Anyone remember Robotron? Well if you do, you will adapt to All Zombies Must Die quickly. You can also use the regular buttons to cycle through weapons, items and supplies. The controls offer a standard configuration to load ammunition, locate map items and check your location. There were times when it was difficult to aim, shoot and not walk into a mob of monsters.

Zombie factor?
All Zombies Must Die has an off-the-wall, off-the –chart zombie factor. It is literally full of the undead and an endless amount of them will track you all over. While you search boxes, garbage containers and busted furniture for ammo and items, you’re racing against the creeping cadaver behind you. When you’re trying to leave an area and the little robot guardian won’t let you through, you get a slight sense of survival horror.

Conclusion
Is it the best type of zombie game crawling around out there? No. AZMD eventually feels repetitive in its layout, controls and mission. Even with the inclusion of new characters and new zombie types, AZMD doesn’t stand out in one’s memory. However, is All Zombies Must Die worth playing? Yes. It’s fun. It’s simple and it offers some challenges here and there. Several in-game jokes will gain a chuckle to gamers (the Left 4 Dead reference was pretty quick-witted.) So grab your controller, load your shotgun and fill your bug-out bag. You have one mission: All Zombies Must Die.

The Walking Dead Introduces a New Board Game

Matt Boiselle

With internet and platform consoles dominating the gaming industry today, some purists long for the days of the good old time-consuming board games to occupy our family bonding moments. Well look no further, because the developers of the wildly popular World of Warcraft trading card game have just released The Walking Dead board game which is based on the hit TV series airing on the AMC channel.

The game is designed for anywhere from 1- 4 players, ages 15 and up, and lets you jump into the story as either Sheriff Rick Grimes, his best friend and partner Shane Walsh, Andrea, or a number of other survivors in a race against time to gather weapons and supplies while dodging zombies in an attempt to reach the holy grail that is the CDC. In addition to the possibility that players may need to turn on each other in the event that supplies run low, a twist has been thrown into the gameplay.

If your character starts to lag behind and becomes head course at the zombie feast, you can turn around as a newly inducted member of the undead and chase after the remaining survivors ! This can be done by springing surprise attacks and contaminating supplies, or even putting the bite on a former teammate and having them join you in pursuit of the living. This game forces you to strap on your thinking caps and rely on your most primitive survival skills, so for at least one night, shut off the computer and give the consoles a well- needed break, then crack open this game and prepare to see if you can survive The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead Board Game is available now at most hobby stores and online at either Cryptozoic Entertainments or AMC's online shop.

THE WALKING DEAD Board Game?

Todd Jepperson


With the upcoming debut of season two of THE WALKING DEAD, we thought now would be a good time to let everyone know about an email we received not all that long ago. It seems that Cryptozoic entertainment, famous for their World of Warcraft trading card game, has announced a partnership with AMC to create “The Walking Dead Board Game.” You may remember them from our April post announcing their line of TWD trading cards. It seems they’ve taken interest in the series and will be continuing to snatch up rights to produce all kinds of goods.

From the press release:
“Do you have what it takes to fight off killer zombies? Will you leave your friends behind and save yourself? Or will you try to save the remnants of the human race from a world that has gone completely mad? “The Walking Dead Board Game” gives players the opportunity to take on the role of their favorite characters from the show, battling walkers in a struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world. Fear mounts as time and resources run out and players face the possibility of becoming plagued with the infectious disease and turning against their own kind! You are kept on the edge of your seat as you try to escape your doom. Don't miss your chance to crack the skulls of flesh-eating zombies and defend the world from the forces working towards its demise!”

This game is scheduled for release in September and will carry a price tag of $39.99. Take a ride on this link and check out the page on their website. It’s looking to be a very good year. Happy Hunting!

©2011 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Warcraft, World of Warcraft, and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Strike it Rich and Dead? Z&T Interview - Zombie Tycoon

Chad Hunter



When we hear the word "tycoon" we tend to think of oil barons and corner offices. Now, imagine striking it rich...and dead. Z & T go together with Annie Begin, Communications Director for Frima Studio, the makers behind the game Zombie Tycoon.

Zombies & Toys (ZT:) Hi Annie and welcome. Can you give us a basic description of Zombie Tycoon?

Annie Begin (Begin:) While usually, players have to face and stop an undead menace, as human, Zombie Tycoon lets you maneuver your very own ravenous zombie horde through towns and buildings. This unique tale of intrigue and betrayal spans over 10 challenging levels, animated cut-scenes and in-game dialogues, and lots of humorous references. The combat system allows players to burn cities to the ground as they attack humans and the places they call home. As players alternate fast-paced action and strategic execution, they can choose from over 100 quirky items to arm their zombies and attempt to spread the undead across the globe!

(ZT): Sounds very interesting. What was the inspiration for Zombie Tycoon

(Begin:) The idea of the brand was originally hatched in 2007. The popularity of both Tycoon and Zombie genre games gave us the idea to merge them into one title. With some ideas to develop a mobile game, our team started sketching an impressive collection of 2D zombies. Like most of Frima’s games, we made the visual style of Zombie Tycoon strongly satirical and cartoony.

(ZT:) What is the future of Zombie Tycoon? Will there be multiple console releases, sequels, etc?

(Begin:) Our team is planning a sequel of Zombie Tycoon scheduled to launch in late 2012. We are also using the Zombie Tycoon artwork and style to develop an animated 3D series on TV that will hopefully be further in development soon.

(ZT:) Can you tell us details on Frima Studio?

(Begin): Frima Studio is among Canada’s top game developers. Since 2003, the studio has provided clients around the world its multiplatform expertise by producing games on the web (MMO, Facebook, Flash), smartphones (iOS, Android), handheld consoles and next-gen consoles. Frima’s focus to continuously be at the leading edge of technology has helped the studio build strong partnerships with major players like Adobe, and be one of the few companies eligible to participate in the pre-release program of Molehill, Adobe’s new 3D Flash technology. Thanks to its talented team of 265 artists and programmers, Frima has emerged as a leader in the gaming industry. This was made possible by the groundbreaking visuals and technological achievements showcased in every one of the 300+ games that Frima produced. Frima has earned the trust of an impressive list of clients, including Sony, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros., Build-A-Bear Workshop and Nickelodeon.

(ZT:) Thank you Annie and Frima Studio for your time. Everyone make sure to check out Zombie Tycoon, unearthing itself near you! Check out the trailer for Zombie Tycoon here!

Zombie Ninja Pirates

Zombie Ninja Pirates is a card game published by Gozer Games. In the game you are trying to become zombies, ninjas, pirates, and mad scientist while collecting objects that will award you points. The game is looking to be for 2 to 6 players of ages 13 and up. It is reported to take around 20-30 minutes to play and is retailing at $17.95. Wired.com has recently written a full article on the game, but here is the basic gameplay:

The game is fairly simple: shuffle all the cards (Types, Objects and Actions) into one deck, deal out five to each player and then shuffle the “End Game” card into the bottom third of the deck. On each turn, you do the following:

1. Play an Action or Object from your hand (required)

2. Use an Object from the table in front of you (optional)

3. Discard up to 2 cards (optional)

4. Draw back up to five cards
If you can’t or don’t want to play an Action or Object from your hand in Step 1, then you discard your entire hand and draw five new cards.

To become a Type (such as a Zombie) you need to have either an Action or Object card which allows you to become one. For example, a Bite card can turn you into a Zombie—as long as you also have the Zombie card in your hand. Objects are played on the table in front of you and their worth is dependent on what Types you currently are. Some objects can be played (and discarded) for additional effects—the Sword can be used to steal an object if you’re a ninja.

Of course, it wouldn’t be any fun if you couldn’t mess with other players, right? There are various cards which allow you to steal or discard objects, and there are Actions that will let you remove somebody’s Type. Monologuing, for instance, removes the Mad Scientist Type. There are also Internal Conflict cards which force somebody to choose between, say, a Ninja and a Pirate.

When the “End Game” card turns up, then each player gets one more turn, and then you add up the points in front of you. Type cards are worth five points each (you can only have one of each type) and Objects are worth their face value (generally, between -3 and +3 points).

This looks like it could be a fun diversion for teens and adults alike. To view the whole article and learn more about the game, you can view the wired.com article by clicking here. With that being said, I want your opinions below on some of your favorite card games, or games that include zombies.

Twilight Creations' Zombie!!!

In a world full of electronic games such as Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising, and Resident Evil, it's easy to forget about the days of rolling dice and moving miniatures across a board. Well, Twilight Creations is bringing us back to the good times of sitting around a table playing a game with friends. Even better? These games contain zombies!

In fact, the game is called Zombies!!!

"Zombies!!! puts you in the middle of the action as you try to escape the ever advancing zombie horde. Players must use a combination of wits and brawn to be the first to the heliport and certain escape. The only problem is, the zombies are everywhere, they appear to be very hungry and your opponents would really prefer if you didn't escape."

Gameplay is simple, straight-forward, and fun. Twilight's games come with 100 zombies, hero characters, map tiles, and other gameplay necessities. In a nutshell, you move your character through a constantly changing town while killing zombies and sabotaging your friends. The map tiles are laid out during the course of the game making for a new experience each time you play.

Twilight Creations has been generous enough to sponsor January's contest offering an extremely unique prize. This month's winner will receive an out-of-print first edition of "Zombies!!!" autographed by the games creator, Todd Breitenstein!

For you chance to win, email your name and address to game@zombiesandtoys.com.

Dawn of the Dead - Free Download of Classic Board Game

This may not be new news, but it was just brought to my attention. Homepage Of The Dead has available for free download the original Dawn of the Dead board game. Available by clicking here. I'm probably late to the game, but homepage looks like an informative site that would be easy to kill some time on.