Last Man Standing Wins
Battle royale shooters have seen a meteoric rise in popularity over the past few years. The genre originated in Player Unknown’s Battle Ground then achieved mainstream popularity through Fortnite and now continues to reach new heights with Call of Duty: War Zone. Developer Xten Unlimited have made their first foray into the genre with The Last Stand Zombie Survival, a third person battle royale shooter that scatters zombies across the constantly shrinking battlefield. The Last Stand Zombie Survival is a very enjoyable online multiplayer title with simple controls that almost anyone can pick up and play right away, as long as they don’t mind a constant barrage of sales pitches.
Arcade Style Fun for All
For an online mobile game, The Last Stand Zombie Survival captures the excitement of a battle royale shooter very well. The rules are the same as most battle royales. You pick your drop-in location, scurry around looking for supplies and weapons, and then try to survive against 31 other players as the map slowly closes in until there’s only one player remaining. The major difference between most battle royale shooters and The Last Stand Zombie Survival is the zombies. They’re spread across the map and add an extra threat to all players in the game. Personally, I wish there were more zombies roaming the map because there were a few matches where I didn’t see a single zombie. They weren’t nearly as threatening as they could be.
The maps are huge, which is great for exploration and strategy. I never got tired of the areas. They always felt new to me because there were so many places I still had yet to explore. There are also 30 different weapons to unlock and upgrade, which allow players to experiment and figure out what their favorite style of play is.
Something for Everyone
If the solo battle royales get boring, The Last Stand Zombie Survival features four other game modes, Team five vs five, squad battle royales, a battle arena, and duels. Unfortunately, there’s no campaign, but the online multiplayer more than makes up for the lack of story.
To me, the game felt a lot like a cross between Fortnite and Call of Duty: Black Ops’ Dead Ops Arcade mode. The maps, weapons, and customizable characters all share a similar aesthetic as Fortnite. The unlockable weapons even share the same color system as Fortnite; common weapons are green, uncommon weapons are blue, and rare weapons are purple. The gameplay, overhead camera, and 360 degree shooting and aiming mechanics are all straight out of Dead Ops Arcade, which I personally believe to be one of the most underrated features Call of Duty has ever introduced. The two styles blend together perfectly to create a game that should appeal to all types of gamers.
It Feels Like Someone is Trying to Sell Me Something
The most annoying part of The Last Stand Zombie Survival is the constant attempts at monetization. The main types of currency are gold and cash and, of course, you can spend actual money to earn the in-game currency. Players can earn gold through battle royales, supply crates, and daily rewards, so it isn’t necessary to spend any money. But the game is still going to –constantly— ask anyways.
The first thing players normally see whenever they open the game is some type of special offer for a rare gun or a new skin that costs real cash. Whenever players finish a battle royale, an un-skippable commercial plays before you’re taken back to the main menu. Players can also increase their rewards from battle royales by watching a commercial. The ads are pointless though as the increase in rewards is so minor, there’s no point to watch them. There’s even a VIP membership for players who want to skip the ads. The membership also gives players extra money and experience, supply crates, and unique skins. VIP costs $4.99 per week and honestly seems like a huge rip off.
With its cartoonish graphics and zombie action, The Last Stand Zombie Survival puts a spin on the classic battle royale formula in the best way possible. Its simple controls and fun gameplay are perfect for the casual gamer, while more hardcore fans can spend hours playing online playing against other players from around the world. It’s literally a game that has something for everyone.
Is it Hardcore?
Yes.
The Last Stand Zombie Survival puts an arcade-style spin on the classic battle royale formula. The simple controls are easy to pick up and the threat of zombies add an extra wrinkle of excitement. The constant bombardment of ads can be tiresome, but not enough to get in the way of this top-notch cartoon shooter.
