by: John Olin

October 25, 2005

Eventually through the game besides the ability to eat brains and turn people into zombies you have the ability to throw your organs and exploding them like grenades, to get rid of long range or flying enemies. You can do a fairly humorous far that dizzies surrounding enemies so that you can eat their brains. You can use your head as a bowling ball, and doing either will turn enemies into zombies. You can then use the zombies to help you advance better, using them as shields, or to confuse your enemies so that you may get behind them and eat their brains. The most interesting power you obtain is the ability to rip your hand off, ala “Thing” from Addams Family and walk it around to possess someone. You eventually could posses people with rocket launchers, snipers, machine guns, ray guns, and so on. Eating more brains can rejuvenate all of these powers, and the game forces you to use them at strategic moments. Along the way you will get into some boss fights that make you think for a second, and scenes where you use silly vehicles, in a very Halo-like style. One of them is a tractor with a spiky shovel on the front, allowing you to impale oncoming enemies.

Visually, the game holds up nicely, even though you shouldn’t expect them to be better than Halo 2. It is kind of weird seeing the visuals, as you expect a Spartan to come out at any moment, but they are nicely animated, many of them vast, and the only thing that gets in the way is a load screen at the end of every forty minute or ender level. The lighting is done pretty well, if not a bit murky, but it is evidentially good when you see the effects cast by the burning of Stubb’s cigarette. Still it is technically a good looking game, showing the depth of the Halo engine, and showing a very unique style of presenting a game. The game’s menus and most of the set-up are even like Halo, as you will quickly find out playing the game.

The sound in Stubbs is pretty well done; the groans of the zombies sound like they are torn right from the movies, and the gloops and tears of flesh are appropriately disgusting. The sounds of guns going off in the background, and laser beams shooting off make you feel like you are in a war zone, and especially when the action becomes heavy you feel as if though you are in uncontrollable chaos. The game does have a lot of repeating screams and cries for help, but they never get old, as they are so over the top that it is just humorous. The soundtrack, which, I thought was genius, is actually old popular 50’s songs done by current bands. You really only get to hear about two or three songs in the game, but it is mostly in the menus.

Check out our exclusive interview with the Lead Designer of Stubbs the Zombie here. Please keep in mind it requires Quicktime.

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All in all, combined with its humor, innovative gameplay, and presentation, Stubbs the Zombie is the most charming and playable title this year yet. You may be a bit surprised at how short it is, but there is enough to do that if you have waited for this, or are a huge fan of Halo, you need this game. Otherwise rent before you buy.

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