Zompiercer

About

Zompiercer is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by DDDimanN and was released on April 3, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Zompiercer is an action-packed single-player game with compelling gameplay and pretty visuals. Take control of a train, build and customize your home on railway cars, fight off hordes of zombies, and explore the story of a zombie apocalypse world through carefully handcrafted locations."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+17

Skip User Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 939 reviews

gameplay36 positive mentions

stability23 negative mentions

Unique concept of surviving the apocalypse on a train, allowing for mobile base building.
Engaging gameplay with a mix of crafting, looting, and combat against various zombie types.
Active developer who listens to community feedback and regularly updates the game.

Performance issues and optimization problems, leading to low frame rates even on capable hardware.
Combat mechanics are clunky, with poor hit detection and frustrating melee combat.
Lack of tutorial or guidance for new players, making it difficult to understand game mechanics.

gameplay
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
64%
4%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by engaging building mechanics and a unique train-based survival system, which many players find enjoyable and innovative. However, some aspects, such as inventory management, combat mechanics, and resource requirements, can lead to cumbersome and grindy experiences. While the core gameplay loop is praised for its fun and strategic elements, there are calls for improvements in mechanics, variety, and overall polish to enhance the experience further.
- “I love the building mechanics and how much you can build onto the train.”
- “The gameplay loop is kill zombie, collect part, add to train/make weapon.”
- “The core gameplay loop of fortifying your mobile base while venturing out into the apocalyptic world is highly engaging.”
- “I also can't seem to use anything from the inventory screen; I need to put it on a quick slot, then use it, which leads to cumbersome gameplay.”
- “The resource requirements for building the walls and parts seem quite high, seemingly forcing grindy gameplay.”
- “The gameplay and combat can feel a bit repetitive after a while; the material and food need more variety.”
story
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
80%
4%
The game's story is generally viewed as underdeveloped and linear, with many players expressing a desire for more depth and content. While some appreciate the unique premise of a train-based survival narrative, they find the current storyline short and lacking in complexity, leading to a sense of anticipation for future updates. Overall, the story has potential but requires significant expansion to fully engage players.
- “The story has promise—I like the idea of searching for lost friends, and it gives the game a bit of emotional weight.”
- “Visually, the graphics are well-developed, contributing to the overall high quality of the game, and the story is genuinely interesting, providing a compelling narrative thread to follow.”
- “I love the concept of the game, where you have your own train travelling from outposts to towns scavenging for what you can find in order to upgrade your train, skills, etc. There is a little bit of story here which is okay; it's not groundbreaking, but it is nice to have a little mystery to unravel as you go.”
- “Also, the story is very linear and has few secrets to find.”
- “And lastly, the story is very weak; if you're into that side of games, I wouldn't recommend this one.”
- “So yeah, basically a story mode with zero story.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
61%
11%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the stylized, cartoonish aesthetic that complements the apocalyptic theme, while others criticize the lack of graphical options and optimization issues leading to lag. Many agree that while the visuals are charming and contribute positively to the gameplay, there is still significant room for improvement, particularly in terms of detail and performance. Overall, the graphics are seen as acceptable but in need of polish to enhance the overall experience.
- “Visually, Zompiercer opts for a stylized, gritty aesthetic that perfectly complements its apocalyptic setting.”
- “The graphics are cartoony in some ways, but realistic in other ways, yet it achieves a good balance of this and creates a really nice looking game.”
- “Using the train to get about and its your mobile base is excellent, the graphics are pretty and the sound quality is good.”
- “There's a distinct lack of graphical options -- no borderless windowed, for example.”
- “Graphics are bad, UI is bad, zombies are disgusting 'Shrek' looking things, no tutorial, no jump, and the list continues.”
- “It's art style seems mismatched, an odd mix between somewhat realistic graphics and the Subway Surfers mobile game, nothing too intensive you would think, but it still runs like hot garbage and made my computer sound like it was going to explode with how fast my fans were running.”
optimization
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
65%
16%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates, particularly on lower-end hardware. While there are reports of improvements following updates, many users still find the game poorly optimized, especially in demanding areas like cities. Overall, while some players enjoy smooth performance on high-end systems, the consensus is that further optimization is needed to enhance the experience for a broader range of hardware.
- “From a technical standpoint, the game is well-optimized, providing a smooth and immersive journey into its post-apocalyptic world.”
- “I have nothing but good things to say; performance is not an issue if you use a computer that meets the required specs. I run a GTX 1070, 16GB RAM, and an i7 7700K, and on max settings, it runs perfectly.”
- “Update: The developers have made several major updates, and the game is now really well-optimized and much better, with several new items added to make it more fun.”
- “In places, unstable optimization.”
- “The game could use a lot more optimization and while in early access you can expect performance to be affected, however after 6 months the game still needs more work to be an acceptable experience.”
- “Sadly, performance is abysmal, and seemingly it gets worse if you have high-end hardware.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
96%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing significant bugs and glitches, such as freezing, character issues, and train malfunctions, leading to frustration and refunds. However, others report a relatively stable experience with few glitches, praising the developers for addressing issues more effectively than many other early access titles. Overall, while the game shows promise and potential, it still requires substantial work to improve its stability and user experience.
- “What a cracking fresh game this is, and it runs great on the deck; just needed a few button adjustments.”
- “The game maintains a smooth performance throughout, with no noticeable bugs or crashes.”
- “I've played for hours without any issues; the stability is impressive!”
- “Too buggy and unstable, I had to refund it mid-game.”
- “Unfortunately for me, I'm guessing either my laptop can't process the game or there is a bug because every time I try to start a game it freezes and won't ever respond.”
- “Great game could spend hours playing, but this is why I do not recommend the game; it crashes and freezes on loading screens between the different zones.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
5%
89%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in the early hours as they navigate resource collection and crafting. While some enjoy the loop of combat and resource farming, many express frustration with the high resource requirements and the slow pace of exploration, suggesting that improvements in mobility and resource balancing could enhance the experience. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant flaw, though some players appreciate the game's core mechanics despite its grindy nature.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The resource requirements for building the walls and parts seem quite high, seemingly forcing grindy gameplay.”
- “Very tedious, very repetitive, very grindy.”
- “The frequent, seemingly minor trips across the game world to make incremental progress can feel tedious, especially for those accustomed to faster-paced gameplay.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
The music in the game has received positive feedback for its dynamic and engaging quality, with upbeat tracks enhancing the gameplay experience, especially during train sequences and combat encounters. Players appreciate the blend of aggressive electronic beats and ambient tones, although some note that the music can be short-lived. Suggestions for improvement include the addition of custom music options and addressing audio performance issues when other programs are running.
- “The game features a dynamic soundtrack that ramps up during combat encounters, blending aggressive electronic beats with ambient horror tones.”
- “I love that the music changes to make it more spooky.”
- “It’s a very relaxing game with good music for a fair price!”
- “No jump scares, no eerie music, just the cold silence and the knowledge that there are zombies down here with you.”
- “Having any other programs running (i.e. music player, internet browser) will cause problems across the board as Zompiercer will demand more attention to keep it running smoothly.”
- “+ okay-ish audio (music and sound effects)”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its impactful visual effects, well-crafted maps, and immersive design, which effectively convey a post-apocalyptic setting and enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the intense encounters and moments of respite, although some critique the environment design as lacking depth in certain areas. Overall, the combination of atmospheric elements and creative gameplay mechanics contributes to a captivating and engaging world.
- “Visual effects for explosions, gunfire, and special abilities are impactful and satisfying, contributing to the game’s intense atmosphere without compromising clarity during hectic combat.”
- “The atmosphere, combined with the creative gameplay mechanics, really makes it stand out from other survival games.”
- “The atmosphere in zompiercer is captivating, urging you to continually push forward and explore every corner of the game world.”
- “The atmosphere of the post-apocalypse is conveyed with dignity.”
- “The atmosphere in Zompiercer is captivating, urging you to continually push forward and explore every corner of the game world.”
- “Unique twist on the zombie survival premise, solid atmosphere, base building, crafting, and survival mechanics, and a very active developer to boot.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers strong replayability through its roguelike progression system and a mix of classic arcade mechanics with modern elements, providing players with new features to discover. However, some users note limitations due to a lack of varied paths and content, suggesting that while the foundation for replayability is solid, further development could enhance it. Overall, the potential for replayability is present, but it may require additional updates to fully realize it.
- “Offers amazing ways to learn, replayability, and presents a decent string of new features to find and enjoy as you drive down the railway tracks.”
- “Developed with a clear focus on fast-paced action and strategic weaponry, the game expertly combines classic arcade-style shooting mechanics with modern roguelike elements to deliver a deeply satisfying and replayable experience.”
- “The game also features a roguelike progression system that enhances replayability.”
- “I haven't played for too long, but I would urge the dev to make sure you can pick different paths for the train later on to ensure there is some replayability.”
- “Fun open world, but it takes you towards the same path, which limits replay value a little bit.”
- “There isn't a terrible amount of replayability at the moment, but it's still in early access.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both uplifting and absurd, with players finding joy in the contrast between the upbeat music and the chaotic gameplay, leading to moments of hysterical laughter. While some reviews note a disconnect between the game's comedic elements and player experiences, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully combines relaxation with humor, eliciting genuine laughs from players.
- “The upbeat music when the train is rolling is both a welcome sound and something that causes me to almost begin hysterically laughing... it's like 'all is good in the world... I didn't almost just die... nah... what a lovely train!' Hahaha!”
- “What the trailer shows is the original author failing to play this game, which I find just hilarious, but my wallet doesn't.”
- “It's very relaxing and funny too.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the emotional depth of the game's narrative, particularly the theme of searching for lost friends, which adds significant emotional weight to the overall experience.
- “The story has promise—I like the idea of searching for lost friends, and it gives the game a bit of emotional weight.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a desire for adjustments in monetization-related features, such as reducing the impact of ads and resource management, as well as improving gameplay mechanics like saving progress. They suggest that these changes could enhance the overall experience and potentially lead to more positive recommendations.