Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Reviewed by Barry
Zombies Ate My Neighbor was one of the first games I ever played for
the Super NES, and to this day I still enjoy playing it. It was one of a
kind as far as the basic idea- in how many other games do you go around
saving the world from giant babies (and mean so big, the most you ever
saw was up to his knees) using a squirt gun!?! Don't let the name deceive
you- zombies aren't the only enemies. This game is very tough, but you
can play 2 player, and you will enjoy every minute of it!
Graphics: 10 out of 10
The graphics are superb (for their time), pure eye-candy. The humans
are very life like, and the color patters interact very well. I love when
you shoot your suirtgun- when it hits something, there is even a little
splash back! The other weapons and characters are intriguing, and sometimes,
even horrifying. One of the first levels (two or three, I think) is a hedge
maze. I can remember how startled I was the first time a big, buff,
chain saw yielding monster came bursting through the hedge, cutting
out a piece of it as he went!
Music and Sound: 7 out of 10
Video game music is one of my pet peeves- I can't stand it. I'm being a
little generous here because the sound is very good, but the music can be
downright obnoxious. When in Egypt, they play Egyptian sounding music,
which just isn't acceptable for the game genre. It needs more action music.
Many, if not most of the levels, do contain this kind of music or horror music,
but the soundtrack overall is nothing too special.
Game Challenge: 10 out of 10
Write down that password when you die 'cause you might never be coming
back. Just because you breezed through a level the first time, doesn't mean
it will be that easy a second time around. I would definitely recommend
inviting a friend over to play alongside you- trust me, even people
experienced at shooters will find the later levels a lot easier with
someone covering your back. Just make sure you both make it to the
exit at the end!
Game Play-Fun: 9 out of 10
Game play can get a little frustrating at times, not to mention incredibly
tedious if you can't find that last person you are supposed to save in time
and end up wondering through the shopping mall for half an hour, only to
have the human die. Again, invite over a friend; they game is a lot more
fun if you can split up the objectives or fight alongside each other to
complete one objective twice as fast. Personally, I wish you could save,
because the worst feeling ever is when you realize you lost your hard
earned password.
Frustration
Veerrrrry frustrating at times. Invite a friend to play two player to
relieve some of the annoyance. Boy oh boy, some of these levels are
tough. Horribly annoying to run out of ammo for a good weapon, or to
get creamed when you almost made it to that poolside exit.
Replayability: 4 out of 10
The game is repayable- after 2 or 3 months. You may beat the game
and decide to start a new game right away, but once you make it to
one of the later levels you're likely to leave this intensely frustrating
game to collect dust on your shelf. Many SNES games I found to be
highly repayable, but not this one.
Game Value: 10 out of 10
It was worth the price when it first came out, and still is, even though
it is rather hard to find. Check out Funcoland or Ebay. This is sure to
bring many hours of entertainment for you and a friend. It is a classic.
Multi-Player: 10 out of 10
This game has the option of a co-operative multi player mission. Playing
with a friend is sure to be a lot more fun than playing by yourself, that
is of course, unless you are very anti-social. The co-op is handled very
well- that is, it isn't hard to play multi player, like it is in some games
where they split the screen so you can't see very much to your side. That
would make this game very tough because enemies are coming from all
sides, and it is important that the screen stays big enough to see to all
sides in this game.
Overall: 9 out of 10
I promise you it is worth your time to track down this game. You will love
it. It is one of the first enjoyable shooters of all time. Great graphics and
a wide assortment of vicious enemies help to make this game an instant
classic. It requires a fair amount of tactic, a lot of skill, and a whole lot
of luck.