Zombi: PS4 Review

Zombi: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released by Ubisoft

The shuffling continues again with the return of the zombies in Zombi, a title that was previously on the Wii U.

Armed with but a cricket bat, and a torch, it's up to you to survive the hordes and escape to the safe house. From then on, it's nothing safe at all as you're given a heap of tasks to do and all while facing various perils from the undead masses. Get cornered on any of those tasks and it's all over, rover for you.

Except when it is over, it's a clever way of respawning. You die but you come back as someone else; it's re-incarnation game style in a way that's inventive and unusual - and certainly each time you head back, you get a different set of skills as well. (In theory, though it's just the usual kicking, stomping and smashing and bashing to get your persona home and safe).

Zombi is incredibly dark - a lot of time is spent clambering around in the murk of the world, in dark tunnels and awaiting the next attack. Graphically, the PS4 brings a sharper feel to it, which is welcome given how black most of the game actually is. It doesn't stop the jump scares or the moments when you lose your lunch as a chomper appears behind you.

Strategy is essential too - and avoiding being cornered is also a necessity if you're to survive. You stand little to no chance if you're trapped and the hordes are advancing. Much like many zombie games on show, there's little here that's original or new, but a lower price point and simple execution means that Zombi is as disposable and enjoyable as the likes of Dead Rising and many others that we've seen before.

The developers have gone for atmosphere and a large dose of pulpy sensibilities meaning that it's fairly easy to pick up and get into it, but long term, spending hours wiling away the game is not particularly a real possibility. But Zombi is to be commended for its execution and its relative ease of playability. It's just a shame that it has nothing outside of the genre to really give it a USP.

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