Zombeer
- January 30, 2015
- Moonbite Games
- 3h median play time
Zombeer is, in all honestly, a cute idea stiffly marinated in Leisure Suit Larry sensibilities, Duke Nukem- like execution, and Stubs the Zombie inspirations. However, this title succeeds almost only in resurrecting those title's shortcomings while piling on some of its own. Stale at best and tedious at worst, Zombeer consistently feels like the guy who comes late to the party and spends the whole evening laughing at his own jokes. With its atrophied mechanics and lame narrative, you will need a beer of your own to wash away the memories of this rotted corpse.
"Zombeer" is a single-player horror shooter game with hilarious references to classic zombie films and beer-drinking. In this game, you play as "K," a zombie virus survivor who must balance sobriety and carnage while searching for his girlfriend in a pandemic-stricken world. The updated version boasts new narrative content from Comedy Central writers and visually appealing graphics.
Reviews
- The game is filled with humorous pop culture references and easter eggs that can be entertaining for players.
- The unique mechanic of managing 'Zombeer' to prevent zombification adds an interesting twist to the gameplay.
- Despite its flaws, the game can provide a fun and silly experience, especially for those looking for light-hearted entertainment.
- The game is very short, with a playtime of around 2 hours, and ends abruptly without a proper conclusion.
- The shooting mechanics are poorly executed, with unresponsive controls and lack of hit detection, making combat frustrating.
- The constant need to drink 'Zombeer' can become tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- gameplay48 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the core mechanics, particularly the beer-drinking mechanic intended to prevent zombification, which feels more like a nuisance than a feature due to its abundance in the game. While some appreciate the humor and pop culture references, they often feel overshadowed by poor weapon mechanics, glitches, and a lack of polish, leading to a repetitive experience that doesn't justify the game's price for its short playtime of 2-3 hours. Overall, while there are moments of enjoyment, the gameplay is generally seen as flawed and unrefined.
“The gameplay has very simplistic run-and-gun mechanics, yet somehow I found it more enjoyable than a lot of first-person shooters released in the past decade.”
“Its balance is constantly being affected and it's a neat game mechanic forcing you to consume zombeer in order to not become a zombie and not over-drinking becoming dead.”
“The lower bar zombie-drunk mechanic is actually amusing for this amount of time.”
“The signature mechanic of drinking beer to ward off the infection is little more than a nuisance since there's beer everywhere in the levels, so there's no danger of running out and turning into a zombie unlike some other zombie games with a similar infection-medicine mechanic.”
“Drinking takes a few seconds and must be done about every 30 seconds, so it's more annoying than a mechanic.”
“But with 4 weapons, a health bar that continues to drain unless you drink beer, poor mechanics, and a lackluster story arc, it's hard to justify the $9.99 when you can buy a much better game for cheaper.”
- humor37 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its abundance of pop culture references and easter eggs, while others find the jokes cringy and juvenile. Some enjoy the light-hearted, goofy tone and moments of genuine laughter, while others feel the humor falls flat and lacks depth. Overall, it seems to cater to a specific audience that enjoys silly, beer-fueled zombie antics, but may not resonate with everyone.
“The game is definitely a bit clumsy, but the weapons, animation, art style, and humor are pretty solid.”
“Chalked full of easter eggs and humor, and zombies and beer.”
“It's an honestly funny game, with a fairly decent story, some of the best references in a game.”
“I wanted to like this game, but the amount of gags and references is cringy and not funny at all.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as competent and stylized, with a unique art style that some players appreciate, reminiscent of other titles like "Gotham City Impostors." While the visuals are not groundbreaking and are sometimes marred by glitches, they are considered enjoyable and fitting for the game's humorous and parody-driven content. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with some praising their aesthetic appeal while others note technical issues and a lack of modern polish.
“Personally, I'm a huge fan of the art style found in this game.”
“Zombeer has a cool art style and fun gameplay; it is a pretty good overlooked game.”
“Character design is great and the surroundings have an art style you just don't see anymore.”
“The graphics are cartoony, the controls are simplistic, the parody references are both random and arbitrary, and the humor is juvenile.”
“Still look the same way when it was released to PlayStation Network and still have lots of issues and bugs; the game so far doesn't provide all graphics configuration.”
“Gameplay can get pretty repetitive after a while and the graphics aren't going to wow you in any way, but for a game that really was just a port from the PS3, it's not all that bad.”
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story in the game is criticized for being rushed and lacking depth, with many players feeling that it fails to establish a coherent narrative or provide sufficient lore. While some appreciate the humor and pop-culture references, others find the plot disjointed and unsatisfying, particularly noting the arbitrary endings that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as needing more substance and development to enhance its storytelling.
“It's an honestly funny game, with a fairly decent story, some of the best references in a game.”
“Was a fun yet short game, could have used more bosses and weapon choices, but if they release a sequel or some DLC to flesh out the story more.”
“Would my story be different if the game had more substance? More than likely so.”
“The story is way too rushed; at the beginning of the game, there should be some lore explained about the world before diving into the characters.”
“Even the game’s conclusion, which is a choice between three arbitrary endings that seem to have nothing to do with the story, leaves the entire game disappointingly without a conclusion.”
“There's no real story here, just pop-culture references from the last 30 years.”
- music9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many users appreciating the soundtrack and its effective use in specific settings. However, some players noted that music is not consistently present, particularly in crowded areas, and expressed a desire for more control over music settings. Overall, the soundtrack is considered enjoyable but could benefit from more integration throughout the gameplay.
“The music can be pretty good sometimes.”
“Really fun to play with a nice soundtrack.”
“Nice soundtrack - superb use of music in the correct settings.”
“There are a few glitches, and I would love it if they added a 'turn music' setting.”
“Only in certain areas, where there is a crowd of zombies or some zombie cheerleaders, do you get any music.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often citing unsatisfying gunplay and challenging mechanics that detract from the overall experience. The need for repetitive wave fights and difficult aiming sections adds to the sense of monotony, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Tedious at best.”
“Having to worry about the gauge while I’m trying to focus on fighting (which is pretty low grade as well) is tedious.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by numerous glitches, including issues like falling through the map and getting stuck in walls, which can detract from the overall experience. While these problems do not render the game unplayable, they significantly hinder enjoyment and gameplay fluidity. Additionally, some users have reported glitches in the options menu, further complicating the experience.
“The graphics are okay, but I'm not going to base anything on that since I personally don't care how bad the graphics are. However, there are certain aspects of the gameplay that could be smoothed over because I ran into so many glitches during my gameplay, like falling through the map and getting stuck inside walls. It doesn't make it unplayable, but it's frustrating.”
“Between the fact that the game lies about this and the option screen glitches to Timbuktu, I found it hard to play the game, let alone enjoy it to any extent.”
“Yes, there are a few glitches, and I would love it if they added a turn music setting.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is mixed; while it generally runs well on lower to mid-range PCs, some users report significant issues, including frequent forced interactions and a minor sound glitch. Overall, performance is solid but could benefit from further refinement.
“Rock solid performance - only a minor sound glitch when trying to mute the volumes.”
“Terrible forced beer-drinking (very frequent) and unoptimized as hell.”
“Performance-wise, it’s not that pretentious, so it will run on lower-mid range PCs.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its fun, cartoonish vibe and absurd dialogue that evoke a B-movie feel. However, some players feel that the experience is ultimately marred by a disappointing ending.
“I admit that the game is fun, but its idiotic dialogue and absurd references blend seamlessly into a B-movie cartoonish atmosphere. However, the ending ruined my experience, so I can't recommend it.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character design as exceptional, highlighting a unique art style that stands out in the current gaming landscape.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character's journey.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their growth feel authentic and rewarding.”
“The backstories and personal arcs of the characters are so well-crafted that they truly enhance the overall narrative experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers a modest level of replayability, providing a few hours of entertainment that justifies its cost, especially when compared to other titles that offer less for more.
“The game offers a variety of choices that significantly change the outcome, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
“With multiple endings and different character paths, I find myself coming back to explore all the possibilities.”
“The dynamic gameplay mechanics ensure that no two sessions are ever the same, keeping the experience engaging every time.”
“There are games out there that charge you more for even less, but with this one, for the couple of hours of amusement and a small chance of replayability, it is okay.”
Critic Reviews
Better off buried – Zombeer review
Zombeer is, in all honestly, a cute idea stiffly marinated in Leisure Suit Larry sensibilities, Duke Nukem- like execution, and Stubs the Zombie inspirations. However, this title succeeds almost only in resurrecting those title's shortcomings while piling on some of its own. Stale at best and tedious at worst, Zombeer consistently feels like the guy who comes late to the party and spends the whole evening laughing at his own jokes. With its atrophied mechanics and lame narrative, you will need a beer of your own to wash away the memories of this rotted corpse.
35%PC Review - 'Zombeer'
30%