GAME REVIEW: Zombie Night Terror

Does anyone here remember the hit classic game Lemmings? Now imagine taking that game along with a few George A. Romero films and mixing it with a reactive green glowing substance in a blender. That pretty much sums up the feeling I had while reviewing Zombie Night Terror, and I must say, what a great combination! Funny, challenging, and most original.

The game is brought to us by NoClip, an independant game studio based in Marseille, France. The studio was founded in 2015 by Hugo Blanc, Karl Lagadec, Jonathan Lefaucher, and Jérôme Levet. The four had met one another while employed by a mobile game developer and came together afterwards to produce this title. Embedded in the very name of the studio is a hint that these individuals are very passionate about gaming, as the term ‘noclip mode’ refers to a particular cheat command that can be used to circumvent bugs, reveal easter eggs, and display areas that are beyond the scope of intended gameplay.

Considering the high caliber by which this game is presented along with the fact that this is NoClip’s first release, it would be safe to assume that more good things are to come from this group of creators.

There are plenty of zombie-themed games out there that will put players into the shoes of intrepid zombie survivalists, but what if the tables were turned? This game places control of the shuffling zombie hordes in the player’s hands and poses the following question. If your goal were to infect and spread the zombie gospel across the far reaches of the earth, just how exactly would you go about it? Zombie Night Terror gives players a chance to find out just what sort of strategy it takes to launch a successful zombie apocalypse.

Zombies tend to have a pretty one track mind. Whether shuffling slowly, running ravenously, or vaulting vaulting viciously, all actions a zombie takes move towards the same end goal. Spread the infection. Unfortunately they tend to lack in the intelligence department. That’s where the player comes in. It is up to the player to dictate where the swarm goes and how they go about their business.

Players have the power to allocate useful mutations amongst the ranks that provide the hoard with the edge they need to go up against all those who would fight back. Mutations do have a cost, so be wise when deciding which zombies will benefit the horde most through their extended abilities.

While the majority of the humans cower and scream at the sight of your advancing undead troops, there are others that will put up a fight to survive. Armed with baseball bats, molotovs, firearms and the like, these pesky humans will try their best to stop your army in its tracks. Regardless of their gumption, these fearless zombie-fighters can do little against a well managed swarm..

PC players have the options to use either keyboard, mouse, or a combination of the two. The interfacing is well thought and intuitive. Not to mention that system requirements are not demanding in the slightest. This game was very stable and ran without any issues.

The graphics in Zombie Night Terror are quite charming as well. Grayscale environments provide that classic Romero feel and are contrasted by only two additional colors; blood red and ghoulish green. Fans of pixel art are sure to be pleased with the classic feel of the visuals found in this game. One of the traditional challenges in which pixel game developers are often faced is the ability to imbue characters with detailed expression while working with limited resolution. NoClip excels in this area, bringing dynamism to both living and dead game characters alike.

One particular highlight worth mentioning is the music found in this game. While the formulation of the game’s soundtrack is somewhat slight it is quite well refined and definitely adds a nice flavor to the play experience. It was not until a few hours of gameplay before I started to notice just how appropriate the music was to the atmosphere of the game. This further demonstrates the high level of attention which the developers have put into this title.

Yet another subtle gem this game yields is the colorful NPC dialog that can be read during gameplay. Level maps are filled with potential victims spewing an array of humorous quips concerning their current situation. Some levels have so much going on it is almost impossible to catch them all during the first play through and that most certainly adds an extra level of depth to the gameplay.

Zombie Night Terror has a lot to offer in terms of playability and fun factor. I had a great time reviewing this title and will be playing much more of it going forward. Great original concept and delivered in a very polished manner. With 40 levels and extra achievement goals for each, you’ll be at this one for a while.