Zombo Buster Advance
- August 6, 2020
- FIREBEAST
- 11h median play time
Get on Steam"Zombo Buster Advance" is a tower defense game where players lead a team of anti-zombie shooters through 50 stages, fighting against 30+ types of zombies and epic bosses. Players can craft power-ups, use supportive gadgets, and utilize tactics to counter in-game obstacles. The game also includes a game journal and various upgrades, with the goal of completing missions and examining units, enemies, and gadgets.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Web Browser
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a good variety of units and enemies, providing engaging gameplay with unique mechanics like the elevator system for lane defense.
- It has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic tower defense games, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- Despite some grindy elements, the game is fun and offers a decent amount of content for its price, with plenty of achievements to pursue.
- The game suffers from slow pacing and can feel repetitive, especially with the lack of a speed-up button and the grind required for achievements.
- Many units become obsolete as better versions are unlocked, leading to a lack of meaningful upgrades and character evolution.
- The achievement system is overly grindy, requiring excessive replaying of levels and making it tedious for completionists.
- gameplay24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this tower defense game is a mixed bag, featuring unique mechanics like elevators and a variety of units, but suffers from uninteresting level design and a slow pace that may require grinding. While some players appreciate the creative enemy designs and the introduction of new mechanics throughout the levels, others feel that the game falls short compared to its predecessors, often feeling more suited for a mobile experience. Overall, it offers a fun experience for fans of the genre, but with notable flaws that detract from its potential.
“Basically a Plants vs. Zombies type tower defense game with an interesting tower movement (elevators) mechanic.”
“Good mechanics, smooth gameplay, big thumbs up!”
“I also liked the creative enemy design, and the way that each set of levels introduces a new mechanic to shake things up (escalators, walkways, teleporters, healing modules, etc.).”
“A long time ago, I remember playing the flash games of this series. To be direct, they were never the best tower defense games one could play on the internet, but they were fine enough. Especially the last one (I think) was kind of getting somewhere, though it ended quite before it really got 'there'. So I thought, a 'full paid game' (albeit one I purchased heavily discounted) would surely expand on it and improve it, more or less the same way each entry before did. Instead, it feels altered to fit the parameters of a cheap mobile game, downgrading pretty much everything from its previous entries. The level design is quite uninteresting from beginning to end. This game really stands out in how boring its level design is and how poorly it fits with its mechanics, which have also changed from the previous entry in such a way that one could only think the developers never understood what were the good aspects of the previous entries. If one is more cynical, all changes are what they are to fit a smartphone game model, to the detriment of its quality.”
“The gameplay is too slow, and you either have to grind a bunch to beat the boss levels or use the power-ups.”
“I don't mind the simple mechanics, but there are more 'towers' (units) here than there are hours of gameplay... and that's just silly.”
- grinding23 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
Overall, players express mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some find the grind for achievements and upgrades excessively tedious and frustrating, others report being able to complete the game with minimal grinding, suggesting that the experience can vary significantly based on playstyle and goals. Despite the grind, many still enjoy the game for its fun mechanics and low price.
“Not grindy (I don't understand the comments) - I was able to complete it with almost no level repeats other than the times I died.”
“If it wasn't grindy, that would probably cure it.”
“That is just straight up way too grindy and I've seen other people share the same sentiment.”
“Some parts of the game don't feel properly balanced and achievements are unnecessarily grindy, but the game is still fun and a good option for the price range.”
“Mediocre progression system for characters and skills with a tedious grind for runes.”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is centered around a quest involving a selection of soldiers for various missions, featuring a diverse range of enemy types and numerous missions. While players enjoy the gameplay and the challenge of achieving various accomplishments, the narrative lacks depth and offers limited replayability and post-game content. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling narrative experience.
“The story is engaging and keeps you invested in the characters and their journeys.”
“The narrative is rich with twists and turns that make each mission feel significant.”
“I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the story and how it unfolds throughout the game.”
“The story is lacking depth and fails to engage the player, making it hard to care about the characters or their motivations.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and poorly executed, leaving many plot points unresolved and unsatisfying.”
“There is low replayability and post-game content, such as an endless mode, after beating the story, which diminishes the overall experience.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many reviewers noting its short length and lack of engaging end-game content. While some found it enjoyable for a brief experience, the absence of additional modes or challenges significantly diminishes its long-term appeal.
“This is far from a complete failure and is a fun experience, though it could have interesting sequel potential.”
“For 12 hours of fun play for $5, it was worth it, even if there is no significant replayability.”
“There is low replayability, but the post-game content, such as an endless mode after beating the story, adds some value.”
“Too easy and too short, and with no replay value, it should have been 2 or 3 dollars.”
“Except for the bad translations, numerous mistakes, and total lack of replay value, you could easily mistake it for an Ironhide game.”
“Low replayability and post-game content such as endless mode after beating the story.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally well-received, described as good and cute, though some users note that the interface and design elements closely resemble those of Ironhide Games' titles like Kingdom Rush and Iron Marines.
“The game graphics are very cute.”
“Oh, and the interface, graphics, and strategy designs are all a complete tribute to Ironhide Games (Kingdom Rush, Iron Marines).”
“The graphics are good.”
“Oh, and the interface, graphics, and strategy designs are all a complete ripoff of/tribute to Ironhide Games (Kingdom Rush, Iron Marines).”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its amazing soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience and enjoyment, with players often finding themselves immersed enough to simply watch the action unfold while listening to the tunes.
“An amazing soundtrack.”
“I enjoyed my time with the game - I'd often put on music and just watch my soldiers go to work.”
“The music in the game is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
“The background music feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere, leading to a disjointed experience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received criticism due to the portrayal of certain units, with specific mention of the bouncer unit's design being perceived as racist, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization allows players to collect up to 16 units while progressing through 50 levels across 8 worlds, with additional achievements earned based on performance in each level.
“Collect up to 16 units as you progress through 50 levels and 8 worlds, or earn achievements based on your performance in each level.”
