Rebellion Studios is one of the most unique studios in the industry today. In addition to last years Strange Brigade, the Zombie Army games, and the Sniper Elite series, the independent studio owns the rights to Judge Dredd and comic book series 2000 AD, are producing a Rogue Trooper movie directed by Duncan Jones, are getting into the board game industry with a Sniper Elite tabletop game, and more. The studio has quite an extensive, eclectic list of projects on the horizon and under its belt, and its all possible because theyre a truly independent studio.
Were into games and sci-fi and fantasy and all things good and geeky, says Rebellion Head of Creative Tim Jones. Were trying to be custodians of all these key parts of our culture. We dont run like big game companies. We dont have shareholders, and we dont have anyone pulling the strings or worrying about how the stock market is going. Were driven by what were into. We get to make what we want.
The studios latest contribution to horror/geek culture is Zombie Army 4, which Den of Geek was invited to play at a preview event this past fall. The series started as a spinoff of the Sniper Elite games, but now has a trilogy under its belt and a large fan following of its own.
To put it simply, what I played of Zombie Army 4 was a lot of freaking fun. Taking out waves of Nazi zombies alongside my teammates felt great, and strategizing on the fly was a breeze thanks to the games streamlined mechanics. I dont know that the game brings anything revolutionary to the table gameplay-wise. But the game is so enjoyable to play that I believe adding any radical, innovative features or mechanics would probably just spoil the pure, unadorned, arcade-style fun.
Read More: The Games You Need to Play in 2020
At the games preview event in San Francisco, I played through sections of both the campaign and horde mode, both of which can be played with up to four players. There are a handful of characters to choose from (with several additional characters waiting to be unlocked), and before setting out on a mission, you can customize your loadout and abilities. At your disposal are a handful of shotguns, pistols, rifles, and machine guns, and each character has abilities that are essentially powerful melee attacks. After filling a gauge, you can use takedowns, which dispatch of enemies in spectacularly gory fashion and grant you a health boost.
Theres a progression system at work here, and its all incredibly simple and easy to navigate. You can improve your guns, stats, and abilities as you progress through the game, but its all upgrades, with no downgrades to consider when equipping abilities or perks. Balancing your character out isnt the concern herethe concern is creating a loadout that fits your play style and allows you to maximize your zombie-killing potential.
The campaign demo saw me and my two teammates (we were short a player, but it didnt negatively affect our playthrough in the slightest) blast our way through a jungled train yard, where we felled wave after wave of zombies as we siphoned gas from abandoned vehicles into canisters, which we would eventually used to open a big metal door.
The area was chaotic. My team initially became separated as we scrambled to find our bearings and survive the veritable flood of undead that was bearing down on us. Shooting indiscriminately in every direction was working for us for awhile, but then a hulking new enemy type that proceeded to swing a gatling gun at us forced us to adopt a new strategy and focus our fire on his bulbous gut. After defeating this mini-boss, we were able to pick up his ridiculously gigantic gun, and beautiful, bloody chaos ensued.
Read More: How Xbox Series X Could Win E3 2020
Horde mode was just as fun, with me and my mates blowing up zombies in increasingly difficult waves. Standard stuff. But whats notable about horde mode is how the environments gradually open up as you progress through the waves of enemies. In one stage, set in Venice, my partners and I began by chopping up zombies in narrow pathways and a claustrophobic, three-story building with uncomfortably tight stairwells. But after we survived a few waves, a boat came down the channel, allowing us to cross into a new area that was more open and outfitted with conveniently placed traps we could trigger to take out multiple baddies at once. The flow of horde mode feels really good, as it constantly forces you to adapt your strategies to the ever-changing environment.
One of the games coolest features by far is the inclusion of the x-ray sniper cam from the Sniper Elite series. When you or one of your teammates nails a perfect shot, everyone is treated to a slow-mo, organ busting spectacle that never fails to elicit a gleeful, audible response from at least one teammate. I cant tell you how many times my team felt like we were drowning in battle and on the brink of defeat, when one players glorious x-ray kill suddenly brought us back to life again.
Like Strange Brigade, Zombie Army 4 is meant to be very accessibleits fun for new players to hop into a game because the gameplay is straightforward, cooperative, and easy to pick up and play. And while the game isnt exactly the best looking shooter on the market, and its overall design isnt all that original, I just didnt really care about any of that while I was playing because I was having such a good time. That's the sign of a worthwhile game, when its so fun to play that its weaknesses feel irrelevant to the experience.
Read More: What PlayStation's Absence Means for E3 2020
The games approachable nature is aided by its overall tone and art style. I find the tone of the game is believable and authentic, but its a bit tongue-in-cheek, says lead level designer Jordan Woodward. Chewing up zombies with a chainsaw and shooting at a zombie shark is over-the-top silly and adds to the entertainment value of the multiplayer experience, but make no mistakethe game gets incredibly intense as well.
Solo play may not be the first thing you think of when picking up a squad-based shooter, but for Rebellion, it was important to make the experience fun whether youre playing with three partners or by yourself.
Despite all of the talk about everyone being online and multiplayer being the be-all-end-all, the fact is single-player experiences are important to a huge portion of the audience, says Jones. I love playing Zombie Army 4 by myself as much as I do playing with other people.
Im not sure that theres anything about Zombie Army 4 thats going to set the gaming world on fire. Youve probably played co-op shooter like it before. But what Rebellion has done is taken a tried-and-true formula and given it to us in its purest form. I had a blast with the game, and when talking to my fellow journalists in between sessions, no one had anything bad to say about the experience. From the looks of it, Zombie Army 4 is going to be a solid, wildly entertaining co-op shooter that wont disappoint, particularly if youre a fan of the series already.
Zombie Army 4 releases on February 4 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Bernard Boo is a freelance contributor. Read more of his workhere.
Read and download theDen of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazineright here!
Original post:
Zombie Army 4: Hands-on with the Co-op Shooter - Den of Geek US
- The Cranberries' Zombie - the story behind the incendiary song - Louder - April 22nd, 2024
- Chris Riddell on the zombie Tory government falling apart at the seams cartoon - The Guardian - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie grave dating back 4,200 years discovered in Germany, photos show - Miami Herald - April 22nd, 2024
- Steam zombie survival game leaves early access 11 years on, and you've got one week to get it cheap - PCGamesN - April 22nd, 2024
- "Zombie" cicadas with STDs are coming to Virginia - Axios - April 22nd, 2024
- Deathtroopers is the Star Wars zombie horror game I never knew I needed - PC Gamer - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie Army VR Reveals The Story In Latest Trailer - Bleeding Cool News - April 22nd, 2024
- Where Infected "Zombie Cicadas" In The US Will Emerge In 2024 - TheTravel - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie anti-abortion laws are menacing American women - The Hill - April 22nd, 2024
- Joe Manganiello to Zombie It Up in Mountain Man Adaptation - Reactor - Reactor - April 22nd, 2024
- Frozen Soul Covered White Zombie and It Rules - MetalSucks - April 22nd, 2024
- Arizona's abortion ban could bring zombie laws back to life in other states - Fast Company - April 22nd, 2024
- Arizona abortion ban shows the dangers of reviving zombie laws - MSNBC - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie fires smoldering near Canadian oil and gas wells threaten production following 2023 wildfires - WorldOil - April 22nd, 2024
- You'll Never Guess Who Doesn't Want to Repeal a Zombie Abortion Ban - The New Republic - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie Army VR: New trailer gives a glimpse of the gruesome campaign - MIXED Reality News - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie Tests: Is the SAT Back From the Dead? - Fair Observer - April 22nd, 2024
- How likely are you to survive a zombie apocalypse in Connecticut? You may want to travel north - Hartford Courant - April 22nd, 2024
- Missouri Reports 162 New Cases Of Deer 'Zombie' Disease In 2023 - Lake Expo - April 22nd, 2024
- Zombie Fires Pose Looming Threat to Canada's Oil and Gas Infrastructure - OilPrice.com - April 22nd, 2024
- Rob Zombie Presenting House on Haunted Hill Soundtrack on Vinyl - ComicBook.com - April 22nd, 2024
- Take on Zombie Stormtroopers In This Star Wars Fan Game - IGN - April 22nd, 2024
- The Best Zombie Game of 2023 Has a New Expansion Out Now - Esports.net News - April 22nd, 2024
- Frozen Soul Debuts Frosty Rendition of White Zombie's 'Creature of the - Knotfest - April 22nd, 2024
- 'Dawn of the Dead' at 45: A Zombie Love Affair That Never Died - The New York Times - April 12th, 2024
- Hyper-sexual 'zombie cicadas' infected with bizarre STD fungus will emerge in US - New York Post - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie malls and other retail centers getting extreme makeovers to keep up with the times - Chicago Tribune - April 12th, 2024
- 'Zombie' drug xylazine found in cannabis THC vapes in UK - BBC.com - April 12th, 2024
- Taxing health insurance: The Republican zombie that refuses to die - Roll Call - April 12th, 2024
- Fungus-infected Zombie Cicadas with hypersexuality to emerge in the US this year: Expert - Hindustan Times - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie Classic Dawn Of The Dead Coming Back to Theaters for 45th Anniversary - MetalSucks - April 12th, 2024
- E-News | 'Zombie cicadas' infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year in parts of US - WVU ENews - April 12th, 2024
- Deadly Zombie Sedative Penetrating The U.K.s Illicit Drugs Market - Forbes - April 12th, 2024
- Seattle Police warn that base ingredient in 'zombie drug' tranq is being sold as standalone pill - FOX 13 Seattle - April 12th, 2024
- Opinion | Today's Opinions: Haunted by zombie law and thrown into abortion time-travel - The Washington Post - The Washington Post - April 12th, 2024
- Rob Zombie Teases 'House of 1000 Corpses' Book With Rare Photos, Original Script and More! - Bloody Disgusting - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie malls getting extreme makeovers to keep up with the times - Detroit News - April 12th, 2024
- 2000s Horror Fantasy Is One Of The Most Unique Takes On The Zombie Genre - Giant Freakin Robot - April 12th, 2024
- Mysterious 'Zombie Neurons' Unlock Secrets of Learning in The Brain - ScienceAlert - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie SKUs: What They Are, How They Work & Results - JumpFly PPC Advertising News - April 12th, 2024
- Arizona Reviving Its Zombie Abortion Ban Is Trump's Doing - The Cut - April 12th, 2024
- Hyper-sexual "zombie cicadas" that are infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year - CBS News - April 12th, 2024
- Should we be concerned about zombie cicadas? - WGN Radio - Chicago - April 12th, 2024
- You need to play this underrated zombie shooter before it leaves Xbox Game Pass - Digital Trends - April 12th, 2024
- End the 'zombie' Comstock Act - Star Tribune - April 12th, 2024
- OPINION - Flesh-eating zombie narcotics are on our streets Britain is badly losing its war on drugs - Yahoo News UK - April 12th, 2024
- What Is Xylazine - The Flesh-Eating 'Zombie' Drug Linked To 11 Deaths in The UK? - Times Now - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie Cicadas To Emerge In Virginia: What To Know - Patch - April 12th, 2024
- What Is "Zombie Drug" Gripping The UK? - NDTV - April 12th, 2024
- OJ Simpson's Final Film Will Resurrect His Naked Gun Character - As A Zombie? - Looper - April 12th, 2024
- Flesh-eating 'zombie drug' sweeping US is linked to 11 UK deaths - The Telegraph - April 12th, 2024
- Flesh-rotting 'Zombie drug' tranq raises alarm in UK - The Times of India - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie Cicadas To Emerge In GA: What To Know - Patch - April 12th, 2024
- What was the first-ever zombie movie? - Far Out Magazine - April 12th, 2024
- Even Will Smith Couldnt Save Zombie Survival Game Undawn, Which Flopped Spectacularly - IGN - March 24th, 2024
- Rob Zombie Recommends This Surprisingly Wholesome Comedy - Dread Central - March 24th, 2024
- Army Writing and the Zombie (Noun) Apocalypse - Modern War Institute - United States Military Academy West Point - March 24th, 2024
- Fatal Fury's Mai Shiranui Is In This Zombie Survival Game For Some Reason - Time Extension - March 24th, 2024
- Should you be worried about 'zombie deer'? | College of Public Health - George Mason University - March 24th, 2024
- 'Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island' Scares Its Way to Blu-ray for the First Time This Spring - Collider - March 24th, 2024
- Rob Zombie hates my guts: GWAR's Dave 'Oderus Urungus' Brockie was a genius, and here's an interview that proves it - Louder - March 24th, 2024
- In the fight against gun violence, Rep. Frost Introduces the Destroy Zombie Guns Act - The Apopka Voice - March 24th, 2024
- Elfriede Jelinek's 'The Children of the Dead' is a historical zombie novel - The Washington Post - The Washington Post - March 24th, 2024
- Germany's Zombie Government Is Fueling the Far Right - The Atlantic - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie Survival Game Undawn Has Crashed And Burned According To A Reuters Report - MMOs.com - March 24th, 2024
- Will Smiths Zombie Game Has Been Hit Harder Than Chris Rock at the Oscars Its Astronomical Budget Was ... - imdb - March 24th, 2024
- Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island / Return to Zombie Island Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection) - Blu-ray.com - March 24th, 2024
- Registration almost here for Dothans annual Zombie 5K Chase - WDHN - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie magic and gambling club Magic Island will come alive again this summer - Houston Chronicle - March 24th, 2024
- Undawn | The $140m zombie survival game starring Will Smith that bombed while nobody was looking - Filmstories - March 24th, 2024
- After 4 years, a cult classic zombie horror manga from Ga-Rei's creator is finally getting an official English release - Gamesradar - March 24th, 2024
- Will Smith's Zombie Game Has Been Hit Harder Than Chris Rock at the Oscars - Its Astronomical Budget Was ... - FandomWire - March 24th, 2024
- "The game literally no one knew existed": The Will Smith Zombie Survival Game is Reportedly a Big Flop and Fans Are ... - FandomWire - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie-palooza --- Get to the biggest undead music event in the latest Dead Island 2 expansion: SoLA - Gaming Trend - March 24th, 2024
- Bournemouth University medical students treat 'zombie attack' in mass training simulation - The Tab - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie car factories on the rise in China as buyers opt for EVs - Financial Times - March 16th, 2024
- Hey, Remember When Rob Zombie Was Going To Direct THE CROW 3? - FANGORIA - March 16th, 2024
- New Walking Dead Twist Shows How The Zombie Outbreak Will Finally End - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Candid conversations from death row with The Zombie Hunter - Arizona's Family - March 16th, 2024
- Zombie! The Musical - REVIEW - City Hub Sydney - March 16th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero