Zombilution Review

It should come as no surprise that Zombilution is a game about zombies. Zombies that chase, maul, and infect survivors. Sound familiar? The zombie genre is a popular one and there is an endless list of zombie titles out there. In Zombilution, however, players aren't heroically mowing down the zombie hoards, they are controlling them and guiding them in their insatiable quest for survivor flesh.

By tilting their device, players control a powerful mutant zombie with a devestating melee attack towards fleeing survivors and enemy soldiers. When in close proximity to these victims, the mutant zombie can attack them and turn them into zombie minions which can in turn attacks other victims, thus growing the zombie hoard that follows the player's mutant zombie around each level in search of more victims. Survivors are on the run and heading for bunkers, and the point of the game is to intercept the survivors and attack the bunkers until there are no survivors left in the bunkers while avoiding the gunfire of soldiers.

The player has several special zombie abilities to unleash like spittle which, contrary to it's inoculous name, is powerful enough to destroy enemy vehicles. There is also a bonus slot machine that awards random buffs to the player, making their mutant zombie stronger, faster, or more destructive.

The concept of this game has some real merit, but this is severely hindered by the game's unmanageable tilt controls. The degree to which the player must tilt the device to get the character to move is often so great that it makes it very hard to see the screen. The tilt degree is also set so the game only works when the device is in the proper position. This makes it extremely hard sometimes to move the mutant zombie where it needs to be. The zombie hoard also has a tendency to peel off from their zombie leader to attack survivors in the bunker if he gets to close, leaving the leader unprotected and without any backup.

One of the most interesting design elements in Zombilution is the use of actual satellite imagery of Washington D.C. for the game's eight levels. The only problem is that these images simply act as a backdrop for the level and there is no geometry that prevents zombies or survivors from walking right on top of buildings, houses, and trees. It really doesn't help the atmosphere of the game when a zombie can casually shamble right over a three-story building.

Zombilution has a lot going for it in the way of creative gameplay concepts and interesting mechanics, but the game's controls and some development shortcuts keep it from being a truly brilliant and enjoyable game.