Weekend at Preppers: ZombiU Review

Being dissatisfied and disgruntled at the sub-par yet highly praised and completely overrated  Dishonored I decided a foray back to the Wii U was in order. I decided on ZombiU created by Ubisoft who has put out some of my favorite games, which normally get pretty decent reviews. ZombiU isn't one of those games. I was completely surprised by this as I had been following the game since E3 last year and even with a market saturated in zombie games (zombies are the new WWII of gaming) I was really stoked to play it. This was the fact so much so that I had decided that ZombiU would be a day one purchase along with the Wii U. However I started reading up on the game, as I try to do before purchasing any game, because while the responsibilities don't last as long I akin games to puppies and study a game as I would any breed before I give it a forever home I my collection,  and was amazed to see the game being blackballed by quite a few publications, e or otherwise, and was getting low scores.

ZombiU opens in a world already changed and ravaged by a virus that has infected a majority of the population and you play as a survivor against the odds. In the opening we are given an FMV that shows some of the disease's effetcson humanity both physically and psychologically. Your survivor is contacted by a voice that is coming thru speakers on a street and you see you are being watched by cameras as well. You're tasked with running to survive, this shows you some of the basics of movement and action buttons. Also, if you are slow to catch on, this shows another game mechanic, permanent death. Yes, in this survival horror game it is possible to not survive.

Assuming you live you're led, over intercom, to a safe house setup by the a man identifying himself as "Prepper." Prepper spent his past days prepping for the apocalypse following advise of a man named John Dee, who was an advisor to the queen who accurately predicted the zombie apocalypse. Prepper sets you up with a device he made called the "Prepper Pad." The Prepper Pad is a virtual stand in for the Wii U game pad. The pad shows you a map of your area, has a radar that you ping living/undead creatures to avoid zombie ass nibbles, and a scanner that you hold up to scan your area for item and infected as well. Also later the scanner is your scope for any weapons with a zoom.  The pad is essential to the game and survival, it solves riddles,  reveals hidden codes and gets updated throughout the story.

From here you become Prepper's lackey, but for the greater good of surviving. He send you to areas to gather supplies, ammo, weapons and food, and ultimately get saved. You're first mission is very basic and leads you to getting essentials for the game. You are tasked with finding the last guy Prepper tried to help who is stuck in a security window and has been zombified.  He had a handgun and a cricket bat as well as a backpack they have dubbed a B.O.B. or bug out bag that stores all the things you find to survive. This also serves to teach you how to defend yourself against zombies, which is to savagely beat them to death with a cricket bat, which comes with feelings of satisfaction as their heads pop in a bloody mess. Unfortunately, as you soon learn this is the only defenseless zombie that cannot hurt you.

The graphics do seem a bit dated, while still THIS generation,  there is some blocky textures. The colors are dulled hues, browns and grays, all but blood and explosions anyway, but who fucking cares?! It's a survival horror game the dull colors mask zombies, makes them harder to see,which serves the game well. There is tons of darkness and you have a sole rechargeable flash light that stands in the way of complete and utter blackness. You are alone, there is the voice that comes across the pad now and again of Prepper but the color and the environment really do help to help that feeling of desolation.

This game is a definite buy. It's been out just long enough that you shouldn't have to  pay the $60 price tag anymore. This game is for anyone who likes their games difficult, misses Resident Evil 1 or 2's feeling of horror, and fans of zombies. This game is completely and utterly,first and foremost, survival horror, it never forgets that so neither should you. 

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Disclosure: This is a non-sponsored review. All product was purchased by me and the purpose of this review is based solely on my own interests. No product or monetary compensation was given to me by said company.