Review: Zombies Ate My Neighbors

ZAMN is one of those games that fell in a deep hole of censorship. Released in America it was allow reference as to what the Zombies were doing ie: eating your neighbors- this is a pretty violent act Ihear, and there are laws against it. Unfortunately those of us in European states had to put up with the title "Zombies". No one gave a hoot though, and it is seemingly forever remembered as Zombies Ate My Neighbors).

So much like our beloved Left4Dead, this is a game that has some wonderful co-op play. With no internet back in 1994 to play online you actually had to have some friends over to your house to get the most out of this 48+ level behemoth. Gone are Zoey and Bill, Rochelle or Ellis- in are "Zeke" and "Julie".

Paying homage to all the zombie movies of the previous years, the game drops you in the middle of your neighbourhood, a mall, or a variety of locations (more than the 5 or so in L4D1+2), overrun with the undead proceeds to arm you and then sets you out to lay waste against the legions of Zombies, Vampires (not the *glitter* kind either), Werewolfs, midgets with axes and giant babies.

Points are a usual retro affair- score on kill, but the main objective is to save your neighbours (who are being eaten). Let a zombie get too close and they will pop them into ghosts and you wont be able to, thus losing precious, precious points.

The most you'll need to save is 10, and they are dotted all over the map either chilling in the pool, or having a BBQ. If all of them die (get eaten) then you will lose- same if you get bitten or hit too many times by the undead. Once you have saved them all, or as many as you can, an exit door will open and you can proceed to the next stage (SAFE HOUSE HERE).

Weapons are littered about the place and have different effects on the horde that are into eating the people who live next door- silverware kills werewolves faster, and crucifixes (crucifii?) for vampires. You can find these either as drops around the game world, or hidden in stashes in cupboards.

The gameplay can be repetitive, but really, thats the same with most retro games. Zombie killing is fun, no matter how many times you do it. If you don't have fun chilling in front of your HDTV with a SMD or SNES plugged in then I'll give you your money back*.

*I didnt take any money from you so I have nothing to give you- sorry. You probably won't regret it anyway.