wiiu ZombiU

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I do not have the patience to do the whole official thread layout, but if someone wants to do so and we can get a mod to merge it with this post, feel free.

So I have spent a good 4-5 hours with the game this weekend. That may not sound like a lot to some people, hell to most it is just a normal afternoon of gaming, but for myself these days, that is a good amount of time. I actually started over as well. I played about 2 hours in, realized some important elements to having a successful game, so I decided to start over. I hardly almost every do that, especially when I have committed that much time, but I felt it was absolutely necessary.

So with that said, I have to say from what I have played, it seems like for some awful reason this game is not being understood by some of the gaming press. I just cannot see how anyone could really give it a negative review. The game is pretty damn awesome IMHO.

The use of the WiiU's GamePad in this game is about as good of a use that I can possibly imagine a launch title having, and honestly I think it is probably going to go down as one of the overall better uses of the GamePad period. It is without a doubt an enhancement and an extension to the gameplay, and hardly ever feels gimmicky. The only corny use of it so far has been planks on doors, in which you have to tap to remove them. Everything else makes perfect sense. The inventory management element, you look down when you loot most corpses and cabinets, it also is the environment scanner... All of these elements really make great use of the GamePad itself. And they do add a level of tension to the game as well.

ZombiU is very much a CLASSIC survival horror game IMO as it is at times slow and deliberate. This to me is what makes it so damn good actually. It treats the genre as it used to be before it got taken over by trying to be action adventure games as well. In this regards it reminds me some of Silent Hill 1-3. It is also pretty damn brutal as far as just how easy it is to die. One misstep can and does lead to death. There are some infuriating instances early on you will probably die a whole lot in fact. It was those instances however that helped me change my overall approach to the game. This is another great aspect of the game to me. It makes no apologies for things. You do not move on until you figure out a better way. This is another nod to how games used to handle things... there really is not a whole lot of hand holding.

Perhaps the largest critique I read on the negative reviews was the combat felt clunky. This is no doubt the element I think some people are just not getting. The combat being "clunky" is very much deliberate. Call Of Duty style of gameplay this game certainly is not. It is, again, methodical. You are not powerful (at least not within the first 3 hours), and the combat reminds you of this fact. You have to be smart with things. Going in guns blazing so to speak is not going to work. You have to survey the situation, and actually come up with a plan. One that usually consists of things like finding the best area to fight from. And actually taking the time to close doors and barricade them. It is no doubt a thinking mans game, at least to get the most out of it.

I really feel this is probably one of the better survival horror video games to come out in quite some time. It is pretty damn unforgiving, and truly creates a tensions filled atmosphere where you are on edge most of the time.

So I realize not a lot of people will probably be able to even comment about playing the game, as it does not appear that we have a ton of people here on the forum that did pick up a WiiU. Only a handful. To that handful though, I strongly encourage you to pick up this game if you have not done so already. It is definitely a very unique experience overall, I also think for fans of the survival horror genre it is pretty much a must play, and it really is a great example of the WiiU's GamePad being used to enhance a game overall.

The only other negative thing I can say about the game is Zombies are indeed a bit played out thanks to their over saturation in the video game market the past 2 years. Hell, in every for of entertainment period, but the game is still a great game despite the fact it's main premise is capitalizing on a current trend in pop culture.

[S00N3R FR3AK]

I have really enjoyed this game so far and am happy that I did not return it after seeing some negative reviews,

[compl3x]

I like the idea of when you die you respawn as a different character then you have to go kill your former self to loot your stuff. You have to use the gamepad to survey areas and look for pick-ups, correct? What is it like looking down at the gamepad and then looking back up at the screen? Is it annoying or is it done well?

When I pick up a WiiU, probably mid-next year, this is one of the titles I will probably get straight away. This, NSMBU, and that Rayman game, if we ever see that.

This is being reviewed as a proper survival horror game, not the action-horror games some of the other survival horror games have turned into. I'm looking at you, Resident Evil...

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I like the idea of when you die you respawn as a different character then you have to go kill your former self to loot your stuff. You have to use the gamepad to survey areas and look for pick-ups, correct? What is it like looking down at the gamepad and then looking back up at the screen? Is it annoying or is it done well?

When I pick up a WiiU, probably mid-next year, this is one of the titles I will probably get straight away. This, NSMBU, and that Rayman game, if we ever see that.

This is being reviewed as a proper survival horror game, not the action-horror games some of the other survival horror games have turned into. I'm looking at you, Resident Evil...

I have no issues at all looking down at the GamePad when needed, so I would say it is done incredibly well, as I really have not even thought about it yet, it just makes sense.

And I love the idea of how you die, and I can also say it is not always guaranteed you will have no issues killing your former character. That is one decision I am not sure I agree with, they made it so if you cannot get to your previous character in one character, then they are no longer available. I think they should all just keep roaming around until you get to kill them, all supplies intact, but I guess they thought that could perhaps make the game easier, and survival and resource management would not seem so dire.

So yeah, you pretty much nailed it with your final statement. This is a proper survival horror game, and very much in the tradition of the original Silent Hill and even RE games to some extent. It does not try to be an action adventure game as well, at least nothing I have seen, so it really is incredibly successful IMO.

[shakey]

Damn it Larry, I'm looking for reasons to NOT buy this... and you aren't helping :p I always value your opinion on games, and this is really making me regret buying a new receiver instead of this system :p

[jerzdawg]

great review, I really hope sales are solid for this title. A splinter cell type game would possibly work great with the gamepad as well, I can easily picture some high tech spy gear camera that is controlled by the gamepad. Looks like Ubisoft only has Rayman coming out so far though..

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Damn it Larry, I'm looking for reasons to NOT buy this... and you aren't helping :p I always value your opinion on games, and this is really making me regret buying a new receiver instead of this system :p

:laugh: Sorry. It is a damn good game though, much, much, MUCH better than I expected it to be, especially with the initial reviews.

One thing that was good to see though was all the love it was getting on the MiiVerse. For those who do not know what that is, which I was included in that bunch until I got my WiiU, MiiVerse is a little community Nintendo has created that is basically just an online forum. There are communities within MiiVerse, for example ZombiU has it's own, and people are free to make posts in regards to anything about the community. It is a hybrid between a twitter and a forum like Neowin. You can directly respond to posts, you can take a screenshot in game and make a post (while the game is running as well), etc. I have to say, MiiVerse is actually pretty damn cool.

But as I said, all of the people who were already playing the game were literally all loving ZombiU. I had posted "ZombiU so far seems to be a criminally underrated game by the critics," and within 1 minutes I had 10 "Oh Yeahs," which is the equivalent of a Like on Facebook. In right around a minute 10 people agreed what a good game it is.

There were also people talking strategy. How best to take on this section. Etc. It was good to see people were not only liking the game, but talking about it as well. Besides the new Super Mario game, it looked like the ZombiU Community in MiiVerse was the most active community so far. So I do think word will keep spreading that it is a damn fine game.

great review, I really hope sales are solid for this title. A splinter cell type game would possibly work great with the gamepad as well, I can easily picture some high tech spy gear camera that is controlled by the gamepad. Looks like Ubisoft only has Rayman coming out so far though..

I can def see a game that utilizes tech gadgets like a Splinter Cell working out really well with the GamePad. No doubt. I do believe this game really is going to be looked back upon as one of the initial launch games that got the GamePad aspect almost entirely right.

[notuptome2004]

:laugh: Sorry. It is a damn good game though, much, much, MUCH better than I expected it to be, especially with the initial reviews.

One thing that was good to see though was all the love it was getting on the MiiVerse. For those who do not know what that is, which I was included in that bunch until I got my WiiU, MiiVerse is a little community Nintendo has created that is basically just an online forum. There are communities within MiiVerse, for example ZombiU has it's own, and people are free to make posts in regards to anything about the community. It is a hybrid between a twitter and a forum like Neowin. You can directly respond to posts, you can take a screenshot in game and make a post (while the game is running as well), etc. I have to say, MiiVerse is actually pretty damn cool.

But as I said, all of the people who were already playing the game were literally all loving ZombiU. I had posted "ZombiU so far seems to be a criminally underrated game by the critics," and within 1 minutes I had 10 "Oh Yeahs," which is the equivalent of a Like on Facebook. In right around a minute 10 people agreed what a good game it is.

There were also people talking strategy. How best to take on this section. Etc. It was good to see people were not only liking the game, but talking about it as well. Besides the new Super Mario game, it looked like the ZombiU Community in MiiVerse was the most active community so far. So I do think word will keep spreading that it is a damn fine game.

I can def see a game that utilizes tech gadgets like a Splinter Cell working out really well with the GamePad. No doubt. I do believe this game really is going to be looked back upon as one of the initial launch games that got the GamePad aspect almost entirely right.

Well i dont own the the game yet let alone Wii U just cant afford it right now but i want the game it is to me a giving you an Original Game an not something that was rehashed. Now as for the MiiVerse you was talking about i think you are also able to video chat with someone while playing the game if video chat is yet open .

Anyways i think already it be great to see them announce a sequel to this game i would love to see this game set in Alaska or something ( The Thing ) Like settings that be damn cool

[Tarvis123]

I bought ZombiU (and 4 other games) and it is a very interesting concept and definitely puts me on edge when I play it. I haven't progressed very far yet, but looking at the gamepad doesn't distract from the immersion of the game at all - infact I would say it enhances it because of the actual vulnerability it makes you feel for those few seconds.

I was unsure of buying the game due to the poor reviews from critics, but everyone on other forums and on Miiverse loved it so I took a chance on it, and I'm glad I did. It's definitely showcases some of the capabilities of the gamepad and gives me the feeling of an older Resident Evil game in terms of atmosphere.

Also, Miiverse is such a simple idea but incredibly awesome.

[Lord Method Man]

I agree MiiVerse is awesome.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Kotaku's ZombiU review is up. I actually tend to agree with them, and although I only glanced at the review so far, just by reading under the YES you should play it, summarizes what i was saying nicely.

WHY: A horror game that's actually scary. A survival game that's tough to survive. A first-person Demon's Souls with zombies that uses the Wii U's controller better than any other Wii U launch game So.. why not?.

[notuptome2004]

Kotaku's ZombiU review is up. I actually tend to agree with them, and although I only glanced at the review so far, just by reading under the YES you should play it, summarizes what i was saying nicely.

Larry check out eurogamers review of Zombie U

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-18-zombiu-review

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Larry check out eurogamers review of Zombie U

http://www.eurogamer...8-zombiu-review

Spot on. (Y)

Here are the last 2 sentences for everyone else, they say it all I believe.

I'd always wondered why ZombiU was one of the Wii U's pack-in games, and finally it makes sense. ZombiU isn't the obligatory FPS launch title, but an original twist on the genre that has no console equivalent. It's not quite a revolution, lacking the scope and variety of mechanics to compete with high watermarks like Half-Life 2. But that should take nothing away from Ubisoft's achievement, and the success or otherwise of ZombiU could be defining for Wii U.

You see it in the smart plot-twists, hear it in the ambient weeping of an unknown monster, or try to ignore it in the frantic whispering of a terrified survivor near their end. Perhaps Nintendo's new strategy for tempting gamers, it all seems to say, is more about brains than brawn.

[~Johnny]

After spending three nights with this game so far, I find it impossible that people have deemed this worthy of less than 5.0. Everything - the atmosphere, the graphics, and gameplay, the weapons - has been great so far.

[S00N3R FR3AK]

I think I've killed DirtyLarry twice now lol.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I think I've killed DirtyLarry twice now lol.

You mean RobotRenegade right? I have killed you once I believe, have not seen anyone else though?

I unfortunately have not played the game all that much since my initial time with it. I decided to beat Call Of Duty Black Ops 2. I will have a few days off from work right around Christmas time, and just plan on playing this game and nothing else basically.

[S00N3R FR3AK]

Does anyone else have trouble getting codes for the raven doors? I've found two, figure out the puzzle to reveal the codes but then the numbers are incomplete and we can't figure it out. I'm not talking like missing a number but just being partial and having werid parts. We try to guess(guessed maybe 200 codes on 1 door) but it just does not work and they are random for each play through.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Does anyone else have trouble getting codes for the raven doors? I've found two, figure out the puzzle to reveal the codes but then the numbers are incomplete and we can't figure it out. I'm not talking like missing a number but just being partial and having werid parts. We try to guess(guessed maybe 200 codes on 1 door) but it just does not work and they are random for each play through.

Sending you a PM.

[Slane]

Seems thread hasn't been active for a few weeks. Just picked this up, was wondering if anyone is still playing it? Would like to see some zombies in-game off friends list. :)

Id is Madslane