Invasion of the Undead

Don’t let the Fortnite art style put you off, this game is actually pretty good. In a unique twist on the zombie genre, Zombie Horde: Heroes from About Fun has aliens invading Earth using zombies. Considering how oversaturated this genre has become, adding aliens was certainly a twist. Though you only use three heroes at a time, a leader and two wingmen, there are over 70 different kinds to discover and fight with. Plus, they each come with their own sets of weapons and skills unique to them. While the concept and look of the game are certainly interesting, there are a few setbacks it will need to address.

Alien Zombie Shooting

With quality animations worthy of a CGI animated TV show, Zombie Horde does not disappoint when it comes to its characters and gameplay. You can shoot zombies manually or have the various firearms on auto, which I highly recommend. Then you’ll only have to worry about reloading and using special moves. As there are over 70 different heroes, each with their own faction, weapons and abilities, you’ll never run out of ways to kill zombies. For example, there’s Nolan from the Agents, who wields an assault rifle and uses a homing missile as his special skill. He’s one of the few normal heroes Zombie Horde offers. From wannabe superhero Hugo of the Warthogs to flip-flop wearing Pietro of the Resistance, no two heroes are the same. What’s nice to see are the different body types and racial diversity. About Fun really went above and beyond in regard to their characters.

Additionally, gameplay isn’t the same situation over and over again. Sometimes you’ll have to defend a civilian, hold off a hoard until a rescue helicopter comes, or shoot zombies running at you while in the back of a truck. Other times you’re making your way through a neighborhood or train station, blasting zombies while their tentacled alien ships hover overhead. Heck, even the zombies aren’t all the same. Beyond the humanoid ones, there’s Hulk-sized, invisible, able to fly with jetpacks, and even flying heads. I haven’t seen this much zombie variety since The Last of Us and Dead Space. It’s genuinely terrifying when small, hungry heads are flying at you on the battlefield. Despite these positives, there are some glaring issues that put a damper on the fun.

Power Struggle

Throughout the various levels of Zombie Horde, your three-man team will need to be at or above specific power levels. Too little power means you can’t play the next level at all, which is annoying in of itself. Power up your heroes by upgrading their weapon, special ability and armor, along with their skill level. This unfortunately becomes a constant irritation as every level asks for more power. Every few levels I can understand. But every single one? I was rage-quitting instead of enjoying the game. Not to mention, when sending heroes on Raids (one of the additional gameplay modes), they can’t be used anywhere else. Another inconvenience, especially when you need certain heroes for the main campaign and other gameplay modes. Why did the devs think this was a good idea? I can think of several games where you can still use characters in other areas without any trouble.

Zombie Shuffling Along

Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed Zombie Horde: Heroes immensely. All the different characters combined with stellar animation and gameplay really make for an amazing experience. However, the constant need to upgrade the heroes and other inconveniences get real old real fast. How am I supposed to really enjoy the game when I’m forced to keep stopping and starting? Zombie Horde: Heroes is a good game and deserves better than this. The devs clearly put a lot of love and effort into this game already. I’m sure they won’t have a problem making further improvements.