In Zombie Night Terror, the end is nigh. A homemade concoction disguised as the party scene’s latest drug hit the streets, and everybody who’s anybody is raving about how it’s supposed to blow your mind. Needless to say, the substance in question does not disappoint, despite its unusual side effects... including death, reanimation, and a taste for brains.
The game puts you in control of a zombie horde, and it’s up to you to lead the brainless flock to victory. Each level provides you with a unique objective that usually entails successfully chewing on the brains of a specified amount of people. If you want to get funky, try out the various level challenges that add a nice layer of difficulty to each objective. If you’re not one for overachieving, never fret. If you don’t complete the challenges, you’ll still unlock the next level as long as you complete the primary objective.
As you progress, you’ll gain access to different mutations and abilities that you can combine for maximum contamination. The mutation classes consist of Overlord, Tank, and Crawler. Overlords can point your zombies in a desired direction, Tanks bring the power and brute force, and Crawlers have the ability to navigate up walls and through narrow passages. There are many instances where you’ll have to get clever with the combinations as the levels increase in difficulty and you dive further into the plot. There are times when you may find yourself scratching your head, but with each attempt and strategy tweak, you will eventually be able to guide your precious zombie children to their gory, sweet success.
The most common threats in Zombie Night Terror include humans with weapons who will easily take out your entire hoard if you aren’t careful, and traps that your zombies can fall into, rendering them useless. It’s important to be observant of your surroundings, as there are various things that you can use to your advantage. For example, weak infrastructure can be blown apart by exploding zombies, pitfalls can be avoided with the use of Overlords, and hard to reach spaces and humans can get contaminated by getting creative with certain mutations and abilities. The slow introduction of these mechanics helps keep the difficulty level challenging without becoming too overwhelming.
With over 40 levels of addictive, puzzle-solving gameplay and a plot that is reminiscent of many popular cult zombie films, Zombie Night Terror is a refreshing alternative to your typical survival action horror game. There’s a lot of trial and error, but the payoff is immensely fulfilling.
Buy Zombie Night Terror on Steam!
For more indie game reviews at Indie Obscura, be sure to check out our interview with the developers of Zombie Night Terror, a breakdown of the Zombie Night Terror trailer, and our very first look at the game in our Zombie Night Terror preview!
Review
Pros
- Puzzles are both challenging and enjoyable
- Comprehensive introduction of in-game mechanics
- Overall concept is well-executed and charming
Cons
- No hint system available if players get stuck