Age of Zombies

A hero is born, and his name is Barry Steakfries.

It is hard not to love a game with zombies in it. We here at ZTGD have reviewed countless games featuring the undead, including one just this week. But the trend shows no signs of letting up and now with micro-sized experiences the zombie infestations has seemed to been given new life; no pun intended. In comes Age of Zombies; a twin-stick shooter from Halfbrick, the same guys that brought us Echoes and Blast Off. Featuring some truly cheesy dialogue and endless waves of the undead to blast, this miniature zombie-slaying experience is chock full of mindless fun, but perhaps borders on the side of a little too expensive.

As I mentioned the story is the main reason this game deserves checking out. You play as Barry Steakfries, quite possibly the greatest name ever. You are a foul-mouthed badass dedicated to travelling through time to stop the zombie infestation. From the very beginning of the game you get to know the man behind the name. You first act of business is to blast the scientist responsible for the outbreak and time travelling square in the face. Barry delivers some truly classic lines in the game and is the sole reason to keep playing. He reminds me of a cheesy 80s action star that actually knows he is supposed to be as generic as possible.

At its core Age of Zombies is a twin-stick shooter without the other stick. You control Barry with the analog or d-pad while firing with the face buttons. You can also opt to hold down the trigger and fire in the direction you are moving, but as you can imagine that certainly is not the most sound idea. Once you get acclimated with the controls blasting zombies becomes a breeze, and it’s a good thing because it is truly all you do. Sure there are weapon power-ups and various locales, but the game is so one-dimensional it is a blessing that it is a mini. It is definitely designed to be played in small doses.

The one thing that stands out the most is the visuals. I really love the bright and colorful look of each level, and the animations are definitely impressive considering. Travelling through time allows for some crazy scenarios such as ancient Egypt and feudal Japan. The music is an expected collection of butt-rock tunes that fill your ear buds with a need to mow down zombies at an alarming rate. Sound effects are comical as you might expect, but they get the job done. Overall I was highly impressed with the production values on such a low-budget title.

Age of Zombies is a fun romp that includes all the essentials to make it stand out. The only concern I had was the price-to-content ratio. The game is extremely repetitive and can really give your fingers cramps if playing on a PSPgo. If you don’t mind monotony the protagonist is one of the coolest (and cheesiest) of all time and the zombie blasting is immensely satisfying. I recommend anyone with a love for slaying the undead give it a whirl.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.