5th October 2010 - If the games this year, have left you wanting; more braaaains, horror and gore than you can poke a stick at, then surely October is the month to man up and face your fears. While other parts of the world revel in beer laden fests of merriment, just be thankful that America recognises that little pagan holiday on All Hallows Eve and with it a slew of good old fashioned zombie games. All Age Gaming has five of the best coming up at the end of this month:
Left 4 Dead 2: “The Sacrifice”
Valve
PS3 and XBOX
October 6th (560MSP)
Apparently Left 4 Dead is about to become Left 3 Dead, as the saga continues. After the first four survives met up with the most recent four (Left 8 Dead?) it seems someone is to pay the ultimate sacrifice come October 31. Which of your favourite four will succumb to the variety of Zombies. If you have yet to get into this co op game by Valve, it's not too late.
Red Dead Redemption: “Undead Nightmare”
Rockstar
PS3 and XBOX
October
Single player shenanigans ensure in the wild west, in perhaps the most unique twist on the genre yet. Yes, it's been a while since we saw zombies anywhere other than shopping malls and office blocks,but perhaps this grind house approach will provide a few more surprises. Add rotting corpses to disease striken miners, Undead horses with pistols at dawn. The last Rockstar zombie was seen running around Liberty City in a pair of speedos....
Dead Rising 2: “Case West”
Blue Castle and Capcom
XBOX 360
TBA
If you thought the conspiracy was done and dusted, if you thought all the zombies had been put to rest, if you considered photographing 'sexy' zombies in compromising positions oh so 4 years ago- think again. Frank West is back, and he's double teaming it with Chuck Greene because the truth, is out there. Moulder and Scully would be proud. This one might be an XBOX Exclusive, so grab a PS3 playing buddy and get your kill on!
Double Fine Production: “Costume Quest”
Double Fine Production
PSN, XBLA
October/TBA
Expected to drop in Fall (right around Halloween obviously) Costume Quest combines efforts of Tim Schafer and what's left of Double Fine productions. After the announcement of no more Brutal Legends, The focus has been on smaller games in concentrated doses through XBLA/PSN and Steam. Costume Quest follows a lively bunch of kids out for treats on Halloween. What they get instead is a bunch of tricks, whereby fighting involves turning into imagined monsters or creatures (read: robots) to do battle and score loot. The cute costume the kid wears represents their fighting avatar and you quest and loot and generally level up, in true twisted comical Schafer-esque fashion. Likened to the Monkey Island series, this is one to look out for.
Call of Duty Black Ops: “Zombie mode”
Activision
PS3 and XBOX
November 11th
Do these zombies need an introduction? Just a shame that there are not more vampires, werewolves and general gouls gracing games this year. Call of Duty sees the return of the infamous 'zombie mode' in which players generally face off wave after wave of the undead in an otherwise wave/horde, tower defence stance to the end. There's not much more to say, except that the game actually drops a little after the end of October but expect more news around Halloween.
So there you have it, five up and coming titles to wet your proverbial pants. If pure thrills are more your thing, then there is always Hydrophobia and Castlevania: Lord of Shadows. Guitar Heroes Warriors of Rock take a turn for the deamon side and if you missed it, Limbo makes a great addition in the dark while Resident Evil 5 is gearing up on the PSMOVE.
On top of all that, if you just need a break from the games, Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D drops at the cinema while the brand new series The Walking Dead, headlines the only commercial tv show to have zombies (finally!) set in an apocalyptic world based on the comics of the same name.
Article Written by Ian Crane