Zombie Waves

About

"Zombie Waves" is a Role Playing game and a Roguelike sequel from the "Mow Zombies" team, where players face endless waves of zombies with exceptional game mechanics and compelling visuals. However, be prepared for grinding, annoying ads, and numerous bugs. Despite its flaws, the game offers plenty of humor, providing a unique and entertaining experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

46%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,060 reviews

gameplay40 positive mentions

monetization430 negative mentions

The game has engaging gameplay and is fun to play, especially in the early levels.
Graphics and animations are well-designed, providing a visually appealing experience.
The option to watch ads for rewards is available, allowing players to progress without mandatory purchases.

The game quickly becomes pay-to-win, with significant difficulty spikes that require real money to overcome.
Many players experience issues with ads not functioning properly, leading to lost rewards and frustration.
The in-game purchases are excessively priced, with some items costing as much as $100, making it hard for free-to-play players to compete.

monetization
468 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
5%
92%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with players reporting an overwhelming number of ads that often exceed one minute in length, leading to frustration and a perception of the game as a cash grab. Many users feel that progress is heavily gated behind watching ads or making expensive in-game purchases, with some claiming that the gameplay experience is overshadowed by the constant need to engage with ads for rewards. While some players appreciate the option to watch ads for bonuses, the sheer volume and length of ads, combined with high costs for in-game items, have led to a negative reception regarding the game's monetization practices.
- “The first thing I suggest if you can, buy the 30-day no ads option.”
- “Fun game, but the in-app purchases are insanely expensive!”
- “You can expect that mobile games are going to have microtransactions that strategically entice you, that's just industry standard now, but presenting them this way isn't strategic, it's just foolish.”
- “I wanted to like it, but the constant money grab kills it. Not to mention you'll have to watch 1 hour of ads per day if you don't pay to get rid of them for 1 month only.”
- “It's impossible to play this game without watching ads. You either spend 10 times as much money as buying a PS5 game or watch a lot of ads and get very frustrated when you can't play more than five battles.”
- “The gameplay itself is fun, but overshadowed by the monetization and the amount of ads you have to watch for every single detail in the game.”
gameplay
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The gameplay of the game is generally described as fun and engaging, with smooth mechanics and appealing graphics; however, it is heavily marred by excessive advertisements and a pay-to-win model that significantly detracts from the experience. Many players express frustration over the disparity between advertised gameplay and the actual experience, which often involves long ad interruptions and a reliance on microtransactions for progression. While some enjoy the core mechanics and challenges, the overwhelming presence of ads and monetization strategies lead to a mixed reception overall.
- “The gameplay and concept are fun.”
- “Gameplay is smooth and it's fun to play.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and addictive, with time-based survival levels and upgrades on the go.”
- “The gameplay is stale, survive 12 minutes.”
- “Gameplay isn't like what's advertised.”
- “Gameplay and progress are completely stuck behind a paywall/adwall.”
graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the clean, colorful visuals and unique 3D isometric design, while others criticize recent updates that have led to a decline in quality and aesthetic appeal. Many users appreciate the smooth performance and responsive controls, although some report issues with lag during intense gameplay. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, there are calls for more customization options and concerns about the impact of updates on visual quality.
- “Ad and commercial free, outstanding color/graphics.”
- “The graphics and gameplay are excellent.”
- “Graphics are clean, colorful and not too crowded.”
- “This is just a bad rip-off of other games like 'Archero', which has already had countless rip-offs to the point that the last thing anyone wants is another game that's exactly the same... with worse graphics.”
- “Just got on to pass time and some update changed how the camp works, but there was nothing wrong with it before, and the aesthetic changes are worse than garbage.”
- “I'm suggesting making an option to lower graphics settings since in late stages the animation burden on my device is too heavy, making the game laggy.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
97%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often feeling that it is designed to push them towards spending real money. While some enjoy the challenge of grinding, many express dissatisfaction with the repetitive nature of tasks and the significant time investment required to progress, leading to a sense of burnout. Overall, the game is criticized for its monetization strategies that make meaningful advancement feel nearly impossible without either extensive grinding or financial investment.
- “It's not tedious grinding.”
- “The grinding feels rewarding and keeps me engaged.”
- “I love how the grinding leads to meaningful progress in the game.”
- “Now, the latest update has turned it into a boring Clash of Clans knockoff complete with having to watch ads and spend hours grinding to do a useless upgrade to your castle.”
- “The game becomes unplayable without grinding for days, and they want you to buy $100 characters and weapons.”
- “Everything's behind a paywall: characters, weapons, vehicles, and if you thought you could earn anything by grinding, think again.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
76%
14%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with players expressing frustration over the lack of engaging narrative and repetitive missions that feel more like a grind than an adventure. Many users feel that the game prioritizes monetization over storytelling, with missions often requiring purchases to progress and a lack of meaningful upgrades or narrative depth. Overall, while the gameplay can be enjoyable, the story elements are seen as underdeveloped and hindered by a focus on ad views and in-game purchases.
- “Instead of having just power-ups and levels, make it more story-driven, full of adventures.”
- “I couldn't complete the various quests in time, some of which require arbitrary things that you don't have control over, such as owning a certain amount of epic gear.”
- “Game is nothing like advertised and it doesn't have missions that hint even as advertised.”
- “I couldn't complete the various quests in time, some of which require arbitrary things that you don't have control over such as owning a certain amount of epic gear.”
- “The beginner's quest where you have to raise your attack power is rigged, so far the only game I played where the beginner's quest is unattainable unless you spend money.”
stability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, lagging, and game freezes, particularly during ads and menu navigation. Many players have experienced glitches that result in lost in-game purchases and energy, leading to frustration and a diminished overall experience. Despite its enjoyable gameplay, the persistent technical issues have caused many to downgrade their ratings significantly.
- “Now constant crashes, lagging, game freezes in the middle of a task.”
- “Initially I had this game at 5 stars, but reduced it to three after it keeps failing to load when launched, freezes/gets stuck during the constant ads, and is just generally very buggy.”
- “Go to the streets and beg, cause that is what you are, a beggar... too many glitches when watching ads. At times the screen turns black, causing me to lose energy as I have to restart the game. Firstly, you give a limited source of energy, and secondly, energy is lost due to glitches on your end... pathetic experience... trying to force players to spend money to clear stages.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many users noting its repetitiveness and lack of variety, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, players have reported issues with music and sound effects cutting out during gameplay, particularly when watching ads or receiving notifications. While some appreciate the game's other qualities, the monotonous music remains a significant downside.
- “The music really enhances the gameplay experience, making each moment feel more immersive and engaging.”
- “I love how the soundtrack complements the action, adding excitement and energy to every level.”
- “The sound effects and music create a captivating atmosphere that keeps me coming back for more.”
- “Please add better music that goes with the action.”
- “Half the time there is no music or sound effects even though they are on in settings and my phone volume is up.”
- “The music/sounds stop if you watch an ad or have a notification, and I can't get it back without closing the game and getting back in. There's no reliable 'continue game?' option to let me reopen it.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting performance issues such as clunky visuals, unresponsive abilities, and significant drops in performance. Many players are frustrated by the lack of customer support regarding performance mode settings, which further hinders their gameplay experience. Overall, the game appears to require substantial optimization improvements to enhance user experience.
- “Maybe some optimization would help; my phone is not that bad.”
- “Still cannot figure out how to turn off performance mode. I have reached out and messaged customer support several times with no reply. It's blocking me from damage upgrades and has me stuck.”
- “Badly optimized; it looks clunky.”
- “Abilities don't work properly, the screen becomes too cluttered, and the performance drops.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Players consistently highlight the game's high replayability, driven by random upgrades and varying levels that keep the experience fresh. While the fun factor remains strong, some note that the balance can shift as players progress through levels. Overall, the game's complexity and engaging mechanics contribute to its lasting appeal.
- “Really fun with plenty of replayability.”
- “The levels can vary depending on which random upgrades you get to choose from, which increases replayability.”
- “Graphics are excellent, and the devs clearly put a lot of effort into a highly complex and replayable game.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers note that the improved sound effects significantly enhance the atmosphere, making the experience more immersive with realistic audio for guns and zombies.
- “The improved sound effects for guns and zombies really enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the world with every sound and detail.”
- “The combination of eerie sound effects and haunting visuals creates a truly captivating atmosphere.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its humor, providing a funny experience; however, players express frustration as the enjoyment diminishes at higher levels due to the necessity of spending money to progress.