8.) Atmosphere – New Orleans Setting
What better setting for a zombie game? What better place than the voodoo vibes of New Orleans? It’s the perfect place to virtually roam and and the fog does double duty. Not only does the fog hide graphic pop-in, it feels right because of where you are and adds more creep to the creepy atmosphere. All that and your home base is in a New Orleans cemetery. Crypt creepy!
9.) Health/Stamina Balancing Act
As you’re one of the living, you need to eat. Problem is – a lot of the food is tainted. So while eating improves your stamina, it decreases your health. So you constantly need to take meds to counteract any harmful effects. It’s a dangerous juggling act further compounded when undertaking any activity be it walking, climbing, attacking zombies or just trying to stay ahead of a horde of them. Any of these drains you which means you need to be strategic about when and how you move through the New Orleans neighborhoods.
10.) Zombie Kills
Okay, okay, I saved the best for last. One hand to grab, one hand to stab.
This mechanic is so satisfying. This also ties into the weapon heft referenced earlier in point 4. There is something so viscerally violently appealing about grabbing a zombie by the noggin with one hand and then stabbing them with a knife or screwdriver with the other. Swing too light and the weapon just scrapes along the scalp. You have to add enough muscle mustard with your attack to penetrate the skull and get to the grey matter.
It’s dark. It’s violent.
And it’s so satisfying!