It is time yet again for I, Apps Pirate the corsair extrordinaire, to review another title. Just so we don’t break the streak and invoke the Sea Hag’s curse, I be reviewin’ another zombie title. Avast and settle down me hearties, for I bring a tale not from the seas of Black Beard, nor the lily livered pirates that roam only the western shores. Instead me thinks that hauling some booty from the far east be more appropriate in telling a new story. This tale be teemin’ with the pox undead who are torn apart like a hull takin’ canonball in all its fury. It is also a tale of the Samurai, noble warriors of the far east.
The Gameplay: Summoning Heroes, Using Powers, and Defeating the Horde
Thar be one thing that I do admire about the zombie warriors in any land, and that is their persistence in the endeavor of eating your flesh. So too does this apply to the zombies in this game, but besides that, what is the thing that makes this game different from other zombie killin’ titles? Well, the first thing that truly comes to mind the key ways by which you can stave off the masses of undead warriors. Firstly, this game uses side scrolling rather than the usual top down shooter view. While this may seem like a limiter, the gameplay more than makes up for it by giving you unique powers. The movement of the samurai is controlled through holding the edge of the screen depending on which direction you want to take. Attacking needn’t be your worry, for the game takes control of the attacks depending on the range of the enemy.
The Upgrade System
The second thing is that you are not alone in this fight since you can hire on other fighters to come to your aid. At some point, you will be able to summon the heroes of legend who have carry along with them a fury akin to gale sweeping a stormy sea. After each level, you are awarded a certain amount of golden doubloons which ye can then spend on upgrading your allies so that they may last longer in each fight. Besides that there be also a hefty upgrade system which you can use to strengthen your warrior. Lastly, you can also use the secret techniques of the samurai to dipatch many enemies in one hit. These can range from an ultra powerful slice of the sword, to a lightnig shot that zooms across the screen like so many across a stormy night.
How the Old Samurais Look?
Ancient seems strange to an old sea farer like me. While I am accustomed to towering buildings and shanty towns that line the docks, the green and bamboo forested areas of the east feel strange to me. Never have I seen slanted roofs and arcing bridges made of wood. In this game, you are tasked with protecting an ancient shrine, and even as curious as it may be to me, I finid myself strangely drawn to how this game looks. Animation-wise, the game is very pretty, and every slash made by the warriors feels like it has real impact. The warriors that fight with you and the zombies you oppose don’t look half bad either. Overall, it is a treat to watch the game in action every time you attack, move, and summon other samurai.
Is the Zombie Tale of the East for You?
This game is in essence, a mixture of three varying game mechanics. It has zombies, which have become as stale as the bread we feed the scoundrels down in the hold, and it reminds me more of of tower defense games. However, it is the ability to attack and retreat that add a little more meat to the game in the way of tactics. If you seek a game that delves into experimental gameplay, then by all means, try this game out just for a taste of something new. It dares to try something unique, much like how I intend to map out the rest of the easter oceans. We set sail, and until the next time we meet fair winds to you.
1 Comment
Honestly. I think that plants vs zombeis on ds is shit. For some odd reason the game isn’t responsive to the touch controls. I know that graphics don’t make a game. But the visuals on any other port are smooth and awesome. On this its a jumbled mess of pixels. The sunflower doesn’t appear to be smiling anymore. Also the music sounds alot worse.