zombies
Latest
Classic control scheme for High Voltage's other game
The Conduit, The Conduit, The Conduit -- that's all we media types bang on about when it comes to High Voltage. But the Illinois-based studio also has a WiiWare game in the pipeline: the scarcely covered Animales de la Muerte, a bloodthirsty shooter set in a Mexican zoo that has been overrun by zombie animals. Let's say that again, shall we: a Mexican zoo that has been overrun by zombie animals. It looks a bit like Samba de Amigo crossed with the gore of MadWorld, and if that's not potential GOTY material, we have no idea what is.And it gets better. High Voltage's Micah Skaritka just confirmed to WiiWare World that Animales would feature Classic Controller support, allowing players to move with the left analog stick and fire with the right, a configuration that Skaritka compares to Smash TV (but which also reminded us of Geometry Wars or Robotron: 2084). Meanwhile, actions that would usually require a shake of the Wiimote (Whip, Throw, Rescue, and Activate) have been mapped to buttons. A welcome addition!%Gallery-28238%[Via Go Nintendo]
Show of hands: Left 4 Dead box art gets a thumbs off
Valve's Doug Lombardi just shot us an email containing the final box art for ... wait, what was it again? Something about "Left" and "Dead." Ah, that's right! It's Left 4 Dead. Thanks, Mangled Hand! What would we have done without you? It's a shame you won't be able to grace the cover of the sequel, though. Perhaps your brother could ... unless he's let all that money he got from the Dead Space cover shoot go to his head thumb.
Capcom reveals zombie-tastic info for Dead Rising, confirms NA release
Capcom cleared the air on Dead Rising Wii today, not only confirming the title for America, but also providing some interesting details about the game.Now subtitled Chop Till You Drop, Dead Rising will use the same engine as Resident Evil 4 Wii. Obviously the game will also utilize the Wiimote's "point-and-shoot" capabilities, but it will include other motion controls, too, such as shaking off zombies and throwing explosives.The other big news is that the port will incorporate an "improved" save system. Many might be jumping for joy at that fact, while others might think that such a change will wussify the series. Either way, that's how the cookie crumbles, folks. We don't have details yet on whether or not the player will be able to save at any time, though.Those of you who are still excited for the game (save system be damned) can expect it to hit North America sometime this winter. Also, check out the new screens in our gallery below.%Gallery-28028%[Via press release]
Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop coming to Wii this winter
Famitsu sort of already spilled the beans on a Dead Rising-based Wii game, but Capcom got to fill us in this morning on the game's new title: Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop, which we'd like to make fun of, but we find surprisingly precious. Capcom also related that you could expect the game on shelves this winter.1UP has some details on the pseudo-port from Famitsu, largely centered on the efforts to make the game more casually appealing. For starters, there's no more timer, you just complete missions and move on. There have also been tweaks to the camera and controls based on Resident Evil 4. And yes, you can expect some motion controls -- in exactly the ways you'd expect -- which you can read about here.%Gallery-28230%
Dead Rising website awakens
The atomic bomb of a few days past has had enough time to send shivers of excitement over the entire Wii community, and now a groin-grabbingly atmospheric website has been delivered by Capcom, adding fuel to the fire of Dead Rising. Details are scant at present, but a number of Wii screens have popped up that look mighty fine.We were hesitant to report the rumor of an over-the-shoulder, RE4-esque viewpoint being added to the Wii version, as the more "worldy" members of the Fanboy team didn't consider such a camera angle would be effective with Dead Rising's gameplay. However, a couple of screens in the new gallery show exactly that, with an on-screen aiming cursor and everything. Hey, it's a zombie-killing game, what could possibly go wrong?%Gallery-28028%[Via Vooks]
Joystiq E3 hands-on: Left 4 Dead
The zombie apocalypse is not funny. Modern civilization crumbles, your friends are eaten alive and those with a pulse are forced to adopt a rather rigorous and unrelenting exercise program, one largely motivated by the desire to stay alive. Shakily counting out your precious remaining bullets and praying that the snarling, undead legion won't find you huddling beneath a desk is hardly a situation worthy of a chuckle. It certainly isn't the basis for a fun party game."It is a fun party game, in a way," remarks Valve's Chet Faliszek. The fun party game in question, of course, is Left 4 Dead, a team-based shooter that actually makes Armageddon amusing. Don't get us wrong -- horrible, horrible things are happening to you and three friends. You're all fighting for your lives, living from room-to-room as you aggressively expend ammo, rummage for medical supplies and desperately try not to shoot each other in the back. Good times!%Gallery-26017%
Dead Rising to eat brains of Wii gamers
The adventures of photojournalist Frank West have taken him into one of the darkest, filthiest, most vile and disgusting cesspools of scum and villainy in human history -- the Xbox 360 (zzzzzing!). Now it appears he is branching out to the sunny shores of Nintendo, as Dead Rising for the Wii has been revealed in the latest Famitsu! Happy day for humans, bad day for zombies.Dead Rising was Capcom's fresh foray into the survival horror genre, after spending years on the same Resident Evil formula. It was critically acclaimed and a blast to play, despite being criticized for awkward saving mechanics and time constraints. Based on the success of RE4: Wii Edition, Capcom went ahead and pulled Dead Rising up from the grave. And we're glad they did.According to some brief translations, new content in the Wii port includes extra weapons, a brand new (undoubtedly psychotic) boss and motion-controlled attacks. The graphics will look as close as possible to the 360 version, and the gameplay purportedly takes into consideration the needs of casual players. Could this mean a more streamlined save system for ease of use? Possibly.Enter here (if you dare) for the full range of Dead Rising scans.
English of the Dead teaches Japanese to the living
As if the English of the Dead game itself wasn't appealing enough, those with a mind to learn the language of the Land of the Rising Fun can make strides with Sega's DS title. It may not be as full-fledged as a product aimed specifically at teaching English-language natives the language of Japanese, but it's surprisingly useful.You see, there's this mini-game included with the title that has zombies running about, with English words above their heads. You, the backpack-wearing son-of-a-gun, are then presented with three different words in kanji, one of which matches the English word. Pretty neat, huh?%Gallery-19510%
Joystiq hands-on: Left 4 Dead, round 2
Randy posted such a good hands-on experience with Left 4 Dead last month, that it would be outrageous for us to try and repeat his performance. So, we spent some time asking the guys at Valve what they'd changed between now and then. They were showing off the exact same level in order to illustrate how far they'd come in the five weeks they'd had in-between demos. New world art throughout the level was a lot grittier and moodier, and will probably cause quite a few players to pee in their pants. Read on while we hunt for a dry pair.%Gallery-26017%
Left 4 Dead 4 November
You've been 4-warned. Valve's PC and Xbox 360 zombie apocalypse sim, Left 4 Dead, will be overturning store shelves in a frantic search for essential supplies on November 4th. We highly recommend that you and three of your best friends shoot through the throbbing, mindless masses of a dilapidated modern society, if only so you can get home quicker and load up the game. Be sure to read our hands-on impressions before you brave the undead hordes. And for heaven's sake, never go back for the dog. That's just stupid.%Gallery-22771%
Rumor: Spider-Man vs. Marvel Zombies creeping to Wii, 360, PS3
Guaranteeing us an ample amount of heebie jeebies in the near future, the supposed megaton marketing leak has revealed Spider-Man vs. Marvel Zombies for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii, where our second favorite webbed superhero takes on foes and former friends now zombified, from Marvel Zombies series.According to a reported screengrab, the T-rated game takes place in an open city, a "free swinging environment in war torn Earth, 2149." Just a reminder: all of this is still a rumor, so don't get your hopes up until there's an official announcement.
AoC: Necromancers in line for radical changes
FunCom system designer Jayde has announced the next step in the retooling of some of Age of Conan's more gimped classes. After Demonologists got a survivability and damage boost, many players thought Assassins would be the next in line. They still might be - there's no clue to the content of this Thursday's patch - but it's the Necromancers whose future looks intriguing right now.The focus is squarely on pets: the Necromancer looks set to become a true pet class, reminiscent of the Mastermind from City of Villains. 'The balance and progression of the class is being altered to introduce 2 pet points every 5 levels after level 5, resulting in all 8 base pet points being available at level 20 instead of at level 70.' Access to ad hoc bonus pet points is also being improved, with a rework to the Nightfall feat tree. For those unacquainted with the Necromancer, this means they will have a lot more undead at their command throughout their careers than they used to. Age of Conan deals with Necromancer pets on a point-based system, allowing players to choose whether they want a lot of weaker pets, a few strong ones, or a mix.
Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ screens, site arise from the grave
Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ, formerly just Zombie BBQ, keeps looking better and better. We have a habit of championing strange titles, and we'll make no exception with this fairy tale shoot-em-up! How did developer Enjoy Up (Chronos Twins) come up with the idea to recreate Little Red Riding Hood as a busty blonde with a machine gun and a penchant for blasting down undead wolves? And what spark of imagination convinced the studio to team her up with Momo "PeachBoy" Taro, a ninja born from a peach and armed with a grenade launcher? Genius, all of it.Publisher Gammick Entertainment has launched an official site for the game, and, in addition to its wicked trailer, the hub has some great profiles for its zombified fairy tale characters, like ablood-thirsty cyborg Pinocchio and a flesh-eating Sleeping Beauty. Check out some of the other undead creatures and twenty new screenshots in our gallery below!%Gallery-19218%
Resident Evil 5 trailer whets our appetite for 'zombie' destruction
As promised yesterday, GameTrailers recently dropped their debut preview for Resident Evil 5. For those yet to run an anticipatory pointer over that quivering play button, the trailer heralds the return of the third-person view present in the franchise's last installment, features familiar parasites who recently and irrevocably wrecked the shop of a small European village, and introduces the game's obligatory female accomplice -- though the new femme fatale appears to be able to hold her own a bit better than the president's daughter. Controversial imagery or no, our excitement for Capcom's newest head-buster is thick enough to drizzle over pancakes, and as infectious as that rascally T-Virus.
Spy satellite shoot-down: The Movie
Like a vivid fever-dream Michael Bay might have after a night of pounding Sparks, this video of our nation's darkest hour and greatest triumph will have you screaming for a sequel. Confirming our belief that the out-of-control spy satellite which the Navy shot out of the sky in February really did contain a planet-destroying plague of zombie juice and / or Aliens, this roller coaster ride of a film retells the whole drama -- replete with swelling strings and in-your-face rage rock. Enjoy the epic video after the break, as well as a recap of our extensive coverage of the event, and rest easy knowing that once again great disaster has been averted... or has it?[Via Wired]
Cinemassively: Braaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnnns
Today's Cinemassively is straight from the archives of 2006! Back then, an artist named Jonathan Coulton was cranking out a song a week as a form of self-promotion. Among the songs was this little ditty about a coworker gone zombie with some not so reasonable demands.Re: Your Brains, in World of Warcraft machinima form, is a hilarious take on zombies calmly requesting brains, instead of just rushing to get them. Created by Spiffworld, it was his first of many JoCo videos, racking up 1.6 million views so far![Thanks, Korrak!]If you have machinima or movie suggestions from any MMO, please send them to machinima AT massively DOT com, along with any information you might have about them.
Animales de la Muerte set for WiiWare
It generally doesn't take much more than a "zombie" descriptor to pique our interest in a game, but High Voltage Software (the folks behind The Conduit) went even further than that for Animales de la Muerte. Not only are they making a WiiWare game about the undead, which they aim to release in September, but even better (or at least, different) -- it's about zombie animals in a Mexican zoo.High Voltage summed up the premise of this cartoonishly zany game more cleverly than we could by saying, "Now, wandering freely through the zoo, the rotting beasts are no longer content with eating visitor scraps they get tossed into their cages -- instead they prefer to eat the whole visitor."Not only do you have to kill the zombified animals, but you also have to save the poor creatures that have not yet succumbed to the outbreak. Funnily enough, the undead animals drop pesos when you kill them, which can be used to upgrade your weapons. As for the controls, the game is essentially a point-and-shoot action title, putting the Wiimote to good use. There's also a co-op mode where you can play with up to four people, if you're not shut-ins like us.We posted some goodies after the break, including a hilarious trailer, so make sure to take a look.
Momotaro joins the Zombie BBQ
As if it wasn't enough that we'd get to play one pissed-off Red Riding Hood (she's armed and out of control!) in the forthcoming Zombie BBQ, publisher Gammick Entertainment has announced a second playable character: legendary Japanese hero Momotaro. Once you take the reins of one of these epic characters of folklore and fable, you'll be pitted against such enemes as UNDEAD GRETEL and PESTILENTIAL PINOCCHIO. If there's a line for this game, you can expect that we'll be first. Zombie BBQ sounds too hilarious to be missed. It looks it, too; check out the screenshots below if you're not convinced. %Gallery-19218%[Via press release]
Circuit City: House of the Deal
Sega's budget port just got cheaper! Circuit City has marked down its copies of House of the Dead 2 & 3 to $19.99, $10 less than the game's usual going rate. Since you're really buying two arcade shooters with this bundle and not one, it's like you're spending only $10 each for two zombie-packed titles. And who doesn't love zombies? Honestly, if you don't love zombies, you're no friends of ours. %Gallery-10506%[Thanks, Jason!]
Zombie Apocalypse: The Computing Perspective
Today, David Hambling over at Wired posted about surviving a Zombie Apocalypse through best practices. What's missing from this article, however, is the IT spin on things. As you know, zombies are primarily Wintel users, formed from the primordial ooze of Enterprise computing and minimal IT support as much as from Voudou curses and spiritual possession. Mac users are naturally resistant to Zombie attacks despite lower per capita conventional firearm ownership due to their reliable computing environment. Fewer trips to IT support means limited exposure to a transformed city-scape where maddened zombie hordes roam for victims. Plus, Apple users can listen to their own portable lifestyle soundtrack on their iPods while watching the walking dead rampage through the streets. Safety + entertainment = win, win. Unfortunately, in the case of Vampire rather than Zombie attacks the case is reversed. By a 20% margin, Wintel users have better access to holy water and crosses. And I'm pretty sure that wooden iPod cases won't work well as stake-through-the-heart replacements and the iRosary was never brought to market as an actual product. Should Apple decide, however, to enter the undead-thwarting arena, you can be sure their devices will be sleek, well designed and offer that Jonathan Ives je ne sais quoi.
