Metareview: ZombiU

The review scores for Ubisoft's Wii U launch title ZombiU are splattered all over the place. Our review was positive, saying the game "isn't for everyone, but those who stick with it, through its unforgiving and occasionally frustrating difficulty, there's an exhilarating experience to be had."

• Eurogamer (90/100): "ZombiU isn't the obligatory FPS launch title, but an original twist on the genre that has no console equivalent. It's not quite a revolution, lacking the scope and variety of mechanics to compete with high watermarks like Half-Life 2. But that should take nothing away from Ubisoft's achievement, and the success or otherwise of ZombiU could be defining for Wii U."

• Edge (70/100): "The terrors of the horde that has descended on London come with caveats, then. ZombiU, however, is a title that will infuse impulse buyers, early adopters and Nintendo diehards with relief and appreciation for the novel gameplay that Wii U can and will continue to provide."

• IGN (63/100): "ZombiU has so many great ideas from looting with the Wii U GamePad to permadeath to its spooky setting, but none of them grow into a great game. Controls are clunky, melee combat is annoying, and the game doesn't look good."

• Game Informer (50/100): "Gamers eager for a new experience tailored to the Wii U likely have their eyes on ZombiU. It shows off nearly every feature of Nintendo's new hardware, but the sum of these parts is a horrifying Frankenstein's Monster. Good zombie games are a dime a dozen these days, and I can't recommend ZombiU above them despite being the only undead shooter on the Wii U."

• GameSpot (45/100): "ZombiU is a game trapped in the wrong genre. The run-and-gun multiplayer modes emphasize the game's competent shooting mechanics and ability to create interesting enemy encounters. However, these two aspects are discouraged in the single-player campaign for the sake of survival."