Downloadable "Braaaaaiiinnns." Zombie Apocalypse.

Zombie Apocalypse. Just sounds cool doesn't it? Well sometime next month we'll find out if it plays as cool as it sounds when Konami and Nihilistic's game hits the Playstation Store and Xbox Live Arcade.

As you've probably guessed from the title, this game involves killing zombies, lots of them. This is a four-person top-down shooter that probably has more in common with Zombies Ate My Neighbors than Left 4 Dead (with a control setup akin to Geometry Wars or Super Stardust), but should satisfy fans of both.

Basically, you pick one of four characters (very reminiscent of Left 4 Dead) and then use everything from machine guns, flamethrowers and chainsaws to make the undead...re-dead. There are several environmental hazards to use in disposing of the zombies as well. An airport level, for example, has a running jet engine that you can push the zombies into, resulting in a satisfying spray of blood and gore.

Each "day" of this particular apocalypse will act as a level within the game, 55 in total. In typical videogame fashion, each level will get progressively harder with denser waves of zombies and even a few special zombies that are more dangerous. So far the game definitely looks to be as fun as a barrel full of...zombies...that you get to shoot at.

Let's just hope all the zombies are white (Caucasian? do we worry about political correctness here?) so we don't end up with another Resident Evil 5 fiasco. (Really people? They're videogames...about ZOMBIES. Lighten up.)

If you want to check out some more in-depth coverage on the game, head on over to the Playstation Blog.

Free Fists of Plastic!

There's something of a deal going on at the Playstation Store right now, and that deal is Ragdoll Kung-Fu: Fists of Plastic.


I remember when this game was originally released for the PC via steam, but since then it has apparently made the move to consoles, remaining a downloadable title.
The game is free for one week on the Playstation Store, and since it is quite fun, I highly recommend adding it to your hard drive.
You get yourself a little plastic action figure/ragdoll, customize to personal preference, and then beat the crap out of similar characters. You aim your attacks with the left stick, punch with square, kick with triangle, jump with X, and block with circle. There are some SIXAXIS dependant special moves as well. At first these seem completely unnecessary (and probably are) but it's somehow fun to jerk your controller left and watch your character go flying left on the screen.
The single-player mode is really just a set of tutorials, and there's no online functionality, but if you have some live, tangible friends by your side, there is fun to be had. The lack of online play really hurts the game, but you CAN fill in slots with bots, and since the game is at it's best with all 4 player slots filled, you would be best served to make use of said bots. The multiplayer has standard modes like deathmatch, king of the hill, and capture the fish (flag) as well as the somewhat unique Dodgeball. Dodgeball still plays like a deathmatch but has a deathdealing dodgeball that will kill any player it hits in a single blow and is probably the most standout of multiplayer modes. There's a decidedly Super Smash Bros. feel to the game, with the fast-moving chaos of fighting and random weapons/powerups that fall from the sky, but Ragdoll Kung-Fu definitely does not live up to the same standard of quality as Smash Bros.
That said, the chaotic gameplay, jerky motion-sensitive special moves, and general sense of humor make this game a worthwhile download...while free. Once May 21st hits and the game goes back to its regular retail price of $10 however, you'd be better off spending your money elsewhere. And good luck getting the annoyingly catchy theme song that plays from the XMB out of your head. "Aaaaaahhhhh Ragdoll Kung-Fuuuuu..."