Route Z Review

Within gaming, killing zombies shouldn't be as much fun as it is. We all try to say that zombie games are old and uninspired but we keep playing them, don't we? Route Z is new to the crowd, combining zombie hordes and driving. It's not particularly clever or innovative, but that doesn't stop it from being quite fun.

The idea is exceptionally simple: one controls a car as it drives at zombie hordes, dodging obstacles, and surviving as long as possible. Yup, it's an Endless Runner, albeit with cars. Controls are simple, with a tap to the left or right changing the car's direction. Everything else is done automatically, right down to gaining automatic weapons that shoot up the zombies that aren't previously run over.

It's fun, though. Route Z doesn't really offer anything surprising but it's certainly stress relieving. Players are tasked with three challenges to work towards at any one time, such as gaining a significant combo, running over a set number of zombies in one run, or simply running out of fuel. After a time, these challenges become much trickier and there's that sense that Route Z is trying to direct players into buying an in-app purchase or two, but some skill circumvents this need.

There are upgrades to unlock, boosting one's armor and fuel capabilities, as well as the choice of new cars to buy, plus extra landscapes. These are all pretty expensive though, again reminding one that there are in-app purchases for the taking. Route Z also uses an energy system - meaning there are limited turns to be had, unless one pays to skip ahead.

It's a bit frustrating as Route Z is shallow fun. It looks quite cool and offers that 'one more go' factor, which isn't so great when up against limited turns. It's a shame that such stringent monetization options get in the way as, while Route Z was never going to be exceptional, it is satisfying for a few minutes at a time. Don't expect to unlock everything for quite a while to come, though.