Now as people are no doubt aware, zombie games have been done in many different forms over the years and have since become a go-to of the gaming industry. In fact they are so popular that it almost feels like we secretly wish that the zombie apocalypse is going to happen. Personally, I don’t since I wouldn’t last very long at all in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. However, sometimes I am curious about how long I would last. This is an idea that I don’t think is explored enough in zombie games because the main focus of the zombie apocalypse is always the aftermath of the outbreak and how every is awful now because zombies roam everywhere now. Very rarely do games not jump forward in time to show what life is like in the aftermath of the outbreak. Personally I have always kind of found this to be a bit strange. I understand that not everyone is prepared for the zombie apocalypse, but I feel that it would really increase the all important fear factor by not having to skip the all important first stage of a zombie outbreak. That is where the chaos is at its peak! Chaos and confusion will no doubt make things more exciting no? So, I want you to hear me out for a bit on this while I talk a bit about the zombie apocalypse as a setting.
Now what usually happens in these apocalypse scenarios is that everyone is out for themselves and can’t trust anyone since they never know what moment will be their last. That is the way the world is built and there is nothing wrong with that. It makes more sense to start a story with the zombie apocalypse as the backdrop so there can be more emphasis on human relationships. However, this has been done quite a number of ways before so I think we can mix it up a bit. What if instead of focusing on the aftermath, we focus on the beginning of the tragedy? Let’s have someone who is at the center of a zombie apocalypse and see how long they last. I’m thinking something like Minecraft hardcore mode except that every mob is a zombie. So as the game goes on you have to deal with more and more as your resources begin to run dry and you make do with whatever you can find which will influence your chances of survival. I just feel like many zombies games follow a certain script once they get to a certain point. It becomes hunt for resources, don’t get hunted, kill anything that moves and repeat until you survive till the next day. I just feel like it would refreshing to at least try and go off script for a bit if we are going to continue using the zombie apocalypse as a setting for videogames.
The other reason I feel like we should focus on the start is because characters are generally not very interesting once things are well into the zombie apocalypse. People are always jaded and trying their hardest to survive so they are all out for themselves. What I am saying is that you never usually see a lot of character growth during the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. The reason is because that becomes the new normal so nothing really changes in people’s behaviors. People only really change through some kind of influence or pressure so why not start with the outbreak and see how it changes a person? I feel like that would make an interesting storyline. I am not saying that this hasn’t been done before, but I would rather see a general shift in the way the apocalypse is handled. After all, where can you build from after the apocalypse? Does anyone think that we would all band together and rebuild society after the end of the world? Probably not. Do choices really matter in a world where every choice is essentially morally gray? Not a chance. Do people really go through many changes after they have reached the point of no return? Well unless you count losing appendages, I don’t think that much will change. So why not have an experience where we see someone going through all of the pain, confusion, suffering, and all the other emotions that come with the apocalypse all at once. At least give me a reason to root for their tragic backstory. Just saying. Anyway, thanks for hearing me out today. See you next week.
That Casual Gamer Guy 