In the Zone

It shouldn’t be that difficult to survive a zombie apocalypse now, especially after so many TV shows, movies and video games have taught us exactly what to expect and how to proceed. Some have already started to stock up on supplies for the upcoming rising of the undead, which is concerning, and not because there is an actual apocalypse on the way.

In the Zone is a top-down shooter in the style of Alien shooter, in which your primary goal is to survive and fight back in the meantime. You win the game by amassing as many points as possible, but it is not as easy as you might think. There are many things working against you, not just the zombies, and the action gets a lot faster the longer you manage to survive the hordes.

To begin with, weapons are a must, because there is no other way to fight off angry undead husks than with hot lead. You can choose between a pistol, a shotgun, a hunting rifle, or even a flamethrower, although they are not all available from the start. In fact, they appear after each wave, and you must move around in order to pick them up. Ammunition is scarce as well, so don’t be wasteful.

Another gimmick that makes it a bit harder to survive and score points at the same time is the fact that you must be inside the designated areas at all times. These zones change every minute or so, and you are not rewarded any points for the zombies you kill outside the active area. It’s not a game over offense, but the high score is the only reason to play the adventure multiple times.

As far as the technical aspect is concerned, the game is designed using Game Maker, so it is pretty basic to say the least. It’s responsive and well refined, on the other hand, so you won’t have to deal with glitches and bugs. However, the poor visual quality might prove to be a problem with some gamers, although it shouldn’t matter all that much in the long run.

In the end, In the Zone’s final flaw is that it is a bit too short, because the zombies get too fast to keep up with after a while. However, it can be the perfect way to blow off some steam and put your reflexes to the test every now and again.