Tuesday 21 Apr 2009

Downloadable game services such as the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Arcade and WiiWare are among the most exciting additions of the current console generation. With the game arcade scene having been in decline for several years now – especially locally – one can depend on these services to provide a steady stream of arcade gaming to satiate our cravings.

Developer doublesix’s Burn Zombie Burn!, one of the latest additions to the PlayStation Store, has all the hallmarks of a classic arcade game. The gameplay is accessible and easy to get into, yet has a surprising degree of complexity that makes for excellent long-term value. The game is also remarkably difficult, with the challenge escalating to brutal levels within five minutes of starting a session. Like other modern arcade classics such as Super Stardust HD or Geometry Wars, the game manages to provide old-school fun without ever coming across as “retro,” with enough unique elements and polish to be undeniably modern and current. All of these strengths add up to make Burn Zombie Burn! a highly recommended purchase for gamers looking for something immediately enjoyable that can provide hours of fun-packed play per session.

Burn Zombie Burn! is a top-down shooter with a rather simple premise. Gamers take the role of Bruce, a protagonist with a bit of a “redneck” edge and more than a passing resemblance to Johnny Bravo. Bruce loves nothing more than killing Zombies, which is what players will spend the game doing. There’s virtually no story or writing here, other than a few funny one-liners from Bruce at the start of a game, but story isn’t something that’s at all required in this genre.

Each level comprises Bruce running around killing zombies, using a variety of weapons. Basic weapons that are available by default include a baseball bat, a submachine gun, a shotgun and a chainsaw, all of which have specific advantages and disadvantages. As players manage to survive for extended periods of time, more weapons become available. Explosives such as dynamite also become present and can take out larger groups of zombies in one blast, and other bonus items such as ammunition or health packs are dropped by killed zombies.

The game throws ever-increasing quantities of undead at Bruce. Any zombie that spawns will immediately go after Bruce, and before long there are truly massive numbers of enemies on the screen at any given time, all of them relentlessly pursuing the player. The basic gameplay very quickly turns into a frantic fight for survival, whilst also requiring players to effectively keep the zombie hordes in check. Different types of zombies spawn, each with unique strengths and weaknesses, lending quite a bit of variety to each gaming session.

The gameplay does not only revolve around killing zombies, though. At all times, Bruce carries with him a flaming torch that can be used to set zombies on fire. Once zombies burn they become faster, stronger and more aggressive, but also provide score multipliers. Burning zombies drop better items when killed than regular zombies do, but killing them also decreases the score multiplier.

This dynamic is what lies at the core of the gameplay: players need to constantly balance burning zombies with killing zombies, trying to attain the highest possible score while also getting sufficient bonus items from zombies. It’s an inspired game mechanic that elevates Burn Zombie Burn! above most of the hordes of top-down shooters released in recent years, and lends the game a remarkable degree of depth and complexity. Add to this the various weapon types, zombie types and item types, and the resultant gameplay amounts to an ever-changing challenge where players need to make split-second decisions and formulate strategies and tactics on-the-fly in order to survive.

Burn Zombie Burn! is packed with a generous helping of content. Three different game modes are available from the outset, each offering a uniquely satisfying take on the base gameplay. An additional challenge mode is also present, providing players with ten different challenges. Each challenge is built around one specific aspect of the gameplay, and as the name implies they are quite challenging indeed.

As players rack up high scores and reach score targets, more content is unlocked in the form of new levels, weapons and various bonus rewards. Tied to the game’s general level of difficulty, the variety of content will provide players with dozens of hours of first-grade zombie-killing fun, so gamers can expect to receive excellent value for their purchase. Like the best arcade games, Burn Zombie Burn! is compelling and addictive, causing that “just one more game” craving as each game ends. It’s also a refreshingly light-hearted take on zombie slaughter, with a colourful and funky visual presentation and excellent use of sound effects. If there’s one drawback to the game, though, it’s that the difficulty might just be too steep for more casual gamers, who might find the game more frustrating than rewarding after just a few hours of play.

Burn Zombie Burn! is a great little game and a welcome addition to the PlayStation Store. Like any really good arcade title, it’s immediately enjoyable, addictive and challenging, and delivers enough content to keep players busily playing for weeks. Gamers who crave an engaging and challenging arcade excursion that’s both old-school and innovative can’t go wrong with Burn Zombie Burn!

Pros: Interesting and unique central gameplay mechanic; rich offering of content.

Cons: Difficulty might be too harsh for more casual players.

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Contributor:	Mark

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