Return Of The Zombie King
- November 3, 2019
- Return To Adventure Mountain, LLC
Get on Steam"Return of the Zombie King" is a 2D, 1-button auto-runner where you play as a reanimated king, collecting gold to buy back your body parts and advanced upgrades. Starting with no body parts and limited life force, you'll explore a vast world with over 100 levels across four distinct environments. The game emphasizes the importance of collecting gold to progress and features no microtransactions or IAP.
Reviews
- The game features a clever upgrade system where players can buy body parts that enhance gameplay, adding a unique twist to the experience.
- The pixel art and backgrounds are beautifully designed, creating an engaging visual atmosphere that enhances the gameplay.
- The game offers high replay value with procedurally generated levels and the ability to revisit earlier stages with new abilities, keeping the experience fresh.
- The game can feel grindy and repetitive, requiring players to replay levels multiple times to earn enough coins for upgrades, which can lead to frustration.
- Many levels lack meaningful variation and can result in inconsistent difficulty spikes, making some sections feel unfairly challenging.
- Certain features, like locked levels behind a mailing list subscription, are viewed as scummy practices that detract from the overall experience.
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's music is minimal at the start, with players experiencing a sepia-toned environment devoid of sound until they unlock "ears" to hear the music and "eyes" for color. While some find the initial lack of music and color counterintuitive, others appreciate the gradual introduction of these elements, which enhances their overall experience. The music itself has been described as fantastic, evoking nostalgic feelings reminiscent of classic NES and SNES games.
“The music is fantastic; the art and style brings back fuzzy memories of Saturday mornings playing NES and SNES games.”
“Little by little you run, getting coins, purchasing ears (now there's music), eyes (now there's color) and more abilities.”
“But because I gained the color and music, I appreciated them more.”
“This seems like a very strange and counterintuitive decision, since you won't hear any of the game's music if you're going for these, and the game looks very dull with no colors.”
“The game also has no music and few sound effects and is sepia toned.”
“There's no color, no music.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding in the game excessive and often unnecessary, with many noting that it detracts from the overall experience due to repetitive level design and a lack of engaging story. While some appreciate the farming elements for upgrades and the ability to revisit levels, others criticize the grind as tedious and frustrating, especially when compared to other games that require less effort for similar rewards. Additionally, concerns were raised about ethical issues related to locked content requiring a mailing list subscription.
“The game itself is pretty grindy at times for no real reason, has almost no story (there seems to be some story missing) and the levels are reused frequently.”
“The first two worlds were fun to play, but after that it became too repetitive and too grindy.”
“Let me tell you, Borderlands and Diablo require less grinding than this piece of garbage.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Return of the Zombie King" and "Rotzk" is characterized by simple controls and engaging mechanics that promote a sense of progress and exploration. Players appreciate the clever integration of power-ups as "body parts" and the roguelike elements that add depth, though some express a desire for more streamlined upgrade processes. Overall, the games offer a fun and immersive experience that balances accessibility with a challenge that encourages mastery.
“Return of the Zombie King is a satisfying 2D runner with simple controls and gameplay mechanics that make you feel like you're making progress on every run.”
“The way the game treats power-ups as 'body parts' is extremely clever and changes more than just the gameplay.”
“Its simple to pick up the game but will take time to master it... the clever mechanic that makes you unlock abilities to go back to previous levels to find what you missed along your way encourages you to keep exploring.”
“I do wish the 'upgrade' levels could be skipped after the first use, as they don't provide any new information or gameplay, and I'd like to get back to the map and menu system without having to start a level, which may be a bug, or may be based on differences between a true mobile platform and PC.”
“The early game is about you familiarizing yourself with the mechanics and learning the common obstacles.”
“On the surface there's good fun, but there's difficulty and immersion projected through the conscious use of mechanics.”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and poorly integrated, with players noting a lack of progression and character development despite initial motivation. Many feel that the repetitive levels and grindy gameplay detract from any potential narrative depth, leaving the story feeling almost non-existent. Overall, the storytelling aspect is seen as a missed opportunity that fails to engage players meaningfully.
“The story on the store page adds an intriguing layer to the game, making it clear that the experience is about more than just visuals and sound; it's all part of the fun.”
“You start as a very weak character, and through discovering and acquiring items, your perception of the game evolves, but this potential is underutilized due to a lack of integration with story progression or character development.”
“While some games may require grinding, the narrative elements in this game provide a unique experience that keeps players engaged.”
“The game itself is pretty grindy at times for no real reason, has almost no story (there seems to be some story missing) and the levels are reused frequently.”
“The story so far is almost nonexistent; you are given a beginning and a motivation, and an hour of gameplay later you haven't heard anything about it.”
“You start as a very impotent thing and through discovering and buying things, your perception of the game changes... this aspect is completely wasted by not integrating it into any kind of story progression or character development.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replay value, with unique levels that change with each playthrough, appealing to both casual players and speedrunners. However, this variability can lead to inconsistent difficulty and a janky feel at times, as players must navigate energy management to collect coins effectively.
“It's truly impressive how, between Return of the Zombie King and One Screen Platformer, Chris manages to make his games so fun and replayable.”
“The levels being different on every playthrough is a cool idea for replayability, especially for speedrunners.”
“Levels are replayable because you can't jump and get all the coins from the beginning, since each jump wastes energy, and if you waste a lot, you die.”
“You get a feel for the replayability of the game as you play it by seeing areas currently out of reach.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their charm and visual appeal, particularly in the late game where players experience a sense of progression through character visuals and backgrounds. Overall, the visuals enhance the gameplay experience, making it engaging and enjoyable.
“I saw a glimpse of it in the livestream broadcast and was charmed by its visuals and its premise.”
“Nice graphics and backgrounds.”
“The graphics are outdated and lack the polish expected from a modern game.”
“The character models look bland and uninspired, making it hard to feel connected to the game.”
“The environments are poorly designed and lack detail, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is perceived as lacking depth, with players starting from a weak position and gradually gaining power through exploration and purchases. However, this progression feels disconnected from any meaningful story or character growth, leading to a sense of wasted potential in the overall experience.
“The character development is incredibly rewarding; you start as a weak character and, through exploration and acquiring new items, your perception of the game evolves significantly.”
“I love how the character development is tied to the story progression, making each upgrade feel meaningful and impactful.”
“The journey of character growth is one of the highlights of the game, as you witness your character transform and become more powerful through engaging experiences.”
“You start as a very impotent character, and while discovering and buying things, your perception of the game changes. However, this aspect is completely wasted by not integrating it into any kind of story progression or character development.”
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving players with little motivation to invest in their growth.”
“I expected a rich narrative that would enhance character development, but instead, it feels like a missed opportunity with no real depth.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be deeply impactful, noting the heartfelt effort and love infused into its creation, which resonates strongly and inspires a sense of warmth.
“The amount of effort and love that goes into these games is heartwarming and inspiring.”
“This game made me feel a deep connection to the characters, and I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys.”
“The storytelling is so powerful that it left me in tears, showcasing the game's ability to evoke genuine emotions.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is enhanced by the gradual acquisition of game-altering powers, such as enhanced vision or hearing, which contributes to an immersive and engaging experience.
“Gradually acquiring game-altering powers, such as enhanced vision or hearing, significantly contributes to the immersive atmosphere.”
“The atmospheric design of the game creates a captivating and engaging experience that draws players in.”
“The sound design and visual elements work together to create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps players on edge.”
