Pandemic Express: Zombie Escape

About

In "Pandemic Express: Zombie Escape," players either cooperate as survivors, running and gathering resources to board a train to safety, or stalk as zombies, aiming to infect survivors before they escape. The game features dynamic levels and permadeath for both survivor and zombie teams, adding intensity and replayability. Teamwork, strategic planning, and quick reflexes are essential to survive the horde and complete objectives.

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Pandemic Express: Zombie Escape screenshot

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,000 reviews

gameplay52 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

Great artistic style and music that enhances the gameplay experience.
Unique movement mechanics, such as sliding and double jumping, add a fun layer to the gameplay.
The game has a lot of potential and could be a blast with friends.

The game has been abandoned by developers, leading to a lack of updates and player support.
Severe balance issues, with zombies often being overpowered compared to humans.
Long wait times to find matches due to a dwindling player base, making it hard to enjoy the game.

gameplay
143 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
51%
13%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its unique mechanics and fast-paced action, especially when played with friends. However, there are significant concerns regarding balance, repetitiveness, and technical issues, such as bugs and unpolished mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. While the core concept is appreciated, players feel that improvements are necessary to enhance enjoyment and longevity.
- “Now that I've come back to it, the player base is quite low, but if you join the Discord and find a game, I swear it's some of the best gameplay I've ever experienced.”
- “There are a ton of mechanics (bullet jumping, class perks, smooth CryEngine shooting) which give the game a lot of potential for playing matches over and over.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced, incredibly intense at times, and very fun.”
- “Really repetitive gameplay, boring without friends.”
- “I can no longer recommend due to a patch that completely ruined the fluidity and speed of gameplay.”
- “The balancing is horrible, the mechanics are broken and glitchy.”
graphics
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
32%
5%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising its unique and appealing art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere. However, some users criticize the visuals as mediocre or in need of improvement, citing issues like graphical errors and performance problems. Overall, while the art style is a highlight, the technical execution of the graphics leaves room for enhancement.
- “I fell in love with the art style and the whole vibe of the game.”
- “The graphics and colors are amazing!”
- “The design and art style of the world is another appealing aspect which really contributes to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “I, personally, hate the graphics.”
- “Graphics need an improvement as well.”
- “Graphics feel terrible.”
optimization
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
69%
19%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates and frequent stutters, even on high-end hardware. Despite ongoing updates from the developers, the game remains largely unoptimized, leading to a frustrating experience for users. While there is hope for future improvements, the current state of optimization is considered a major drawback.
- “It seems like they have gameplay and mechanics thought out forefront and that gives me hope that they will fix the optimization and performance issues in months to come.”
- “This game can be very fun and enjoyable; however, it needs more time. Optimization is really killing me the most considering how I can't enjoy the game with rain effects and players blasting their guns off together.”
- “Other than that, the game is amazing and runs smoothly.”
- “It's a poorly optimized game.”
- “The game is very unoptimized and has random optimization issues.”
- “At the moment of writing, I cannot recommend the game though, as its movement feels weird, and the optimization is straight up a joke. On 'low' settings, I get a peak at 80 fps with a GTX 1080, that's just insane, considering this game is not a piece of art.”
stability
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder the gameplay experience. While some players find enjoyment despite these issues, many express frustration over the lack of polish and balance, suggesting that the game feels unfinished and abandoned by the developers. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the game has potential, its current state is marred by instability.
- “The game is polished and runs great.”
- “Looks great and runs great, providing a very pleasant experience.”
- “Movement in this game is simple and smooth, enhancing the overall gameplay.”
- “Unfortunately, this buggy mess is what the actual Pandemic Express has become.”
- “This game was amazing, but the devs have abandoned it. It's really, really buggy, it randomly crashes, the play button on the menu doesn't even work, and there are almost never any US servers with people in them.”
- “There are literally hundreds of glitches and bugs in this game.”
humor
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting the funny mechanics, amusing voice chat interactions, and the overall comedic experience when playing with friends. Many reviews mention surreal moments and hilarious gameplay scenarios, despite some technical issues. Overall, the game is described as a fun and entertaining experience, particularly in a multiplayer setting.
- “The few rounds I actually got to enjoy were amazing and also left me laughing when someone started up a truck and classical music started blaring from the speakers; it's such a surreal moment of many, and I can't recommend this game enough!”
- “The community has been nice too; in-game voice chat is a funny experience.”
- “We had a lot of fun, reading the text 'can't connect' about 5 times like this game is buggy to the point where we cannot stop laughing.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The music in "Pandemic Express" has received mixed reviews, with many praising the classical soundtrack for its artistic style and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere. However, some players feel cheated by the audio design, particularly those who purchased the game early and received less desirable music options. Overall, while the classical music is appreciated by some, others find the audio experience lacking or annoying.
- “Great artistic style, music, gameplay.”
- “The only good thing with the audio design for Pandemic Express is the classical soundtrack the developers have assembled for it.”
- “I always loved it because a) the art style and music is simply perfect and b) the community is wonderful and kind, which is because there is no pressure system and the people don't play it because they want to unlock everything.”
- “Not going to lie, I'm being honest when I say that getting a soundtrack for a game no one plays was pretty heartbreaking and felt like it was an attempt at damage control.”
- “As for someone who bought it when it first was released, I feel cheated that all I got was an exclusive music pack for paying to play since the beginning.”
- “Releasing it for free after a few months without giving any extra except music (really useless) to the person who bought the game.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The game's atmosphere is frequently praised for its beautiful design and art style, contributing to an engaging experience. However, some players express frustration with the current lack of active users, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the atmosphere is generally well-received, there are mixed feelings about how it complements gameplay, with some finding it overwhelming or unbalanced.
- “Very beautiful and atmospheric.”
- “It's a really fun game, I love the atmosphere and art style.”
- “The design and art style of the world is another appealing aspect which really contributes to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is unbalanced and boring, making me want to dig my eyes out because of the music.”
- “The design and art style of the world is another appealing aspect that really contributes to the atmosphere of the game.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
14%
71%
The monetization strategy of the game, being free-to-play, heavily relies on microtransactions and advertisements, which many players find intrusive and ineffective. Critics express frustration over the lack of meaningful gameplay improvements and the presence of unnecessary content, leading to a diminished player experience and community engagement. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as a significant detractor from the game's potential.
- “Since the game is free-to-play, there are of course going to be microtransactions, which is expected.”
- “Since the game is free-to-play, there are of course going to be microtransactions.”
- “Getting welcomed by in-game purchase options, game crashes, and still very clunky controls, I wish I never backed this game that I thought could be something cool when I first saw it.”
- “Gameplay doesn't really feel that good to me and the lack of options regarding controls (e.g. ads can't be toggled) is bothersome.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Players highlight the game's exceptional replayability, particularly due to its multiplayer nature and the grind for character sets, reminiscent of classic FPS mod experiences. Despite currently having only one expansive map, the variety of spawns and routes ensures that players will find themselves returning for countless hours of enjoyment.
- “I remember such things being reserved for games back in the FPS mod community golden age, something that is fun with high replay value that will keep you coming back time and time again.”
- “The replayability felt endless and maybe even timeless.”
- “There is a lot of replay value since it's a multiplayer game and humans have sets, which is worth grinding for.”
- “And while the game is more or less barebones right now, one map (but a very large map with multiple spawns and routes) it already has a ton to offer and hours of replay value.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players expressing disappointment and heartbreak over its lack of popularity and perceived attempts at damage control, while others find humor in the experience despite its flaws. The gameplay mechanics, such as movement control, evoke a sense of freedom that contrasts with the overall emotional tone of frustration and sadness.
- “I’d be rolling on the floor with laughter if it wasn’t so heartbreaking.”
- “Not going to lie, I'm being honest when I say that getting a soundtrack for a game no one plays was pretty heartbreaking and felt like it was an attempt at damage control.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on gameplay mechanics where players must defeat a zombie king alongside a friend. The absence of a cohesive story detracts from the overall experience, leaving players to navigate a vast, vertical map with clunky movement controls.
- “Since there's no story, we are jumping straight into graphics.”
- “Let me explain to you the painful story of my people.”
- “Zombie rule the world and now you have to destroy the king with only you and your friend. Take the bus or take the train, you decide.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Players note that grinding in the game offers significant replay value, particularly in multiplayer settings where acquiring specific sets, like the lover set, can enhance gameplay. However, some find the grinding process tedious, especially when it involves parkour mechanics that feel cumbersome due to floaty controls.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Doing parkour is extremely tedious due to floaty controls.”
- “The lover set allows players to use the RPG to instantly leech health back to full 3 hearts in an instant due to its AOE damage (always used with kill farming).”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that while the character design is visually appealing, there is a lack of depth in character development, leaving players wanting more in terms of narrative and emotional engagement.