Without The U, Zombi Is Destined For Mediocrity

Ubisoft’s undead nightmare will feel a little more lifeless on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

[-Foxtrot]

Should have called Microsofts version Zombi Me and Sony's Zombi Them

Zombi Me, U and Them

[Genuine-User]

You never know. lol

On topic: No it's not. Ubisoft can simply make an additional inventory app for IPAD/Android tablet.

[dead_pixels]

While that's absolutely true, the prospect of juggling multiple controllers is a little daunting. Could be cool, though!

[MSBAUSTX]

I agree. Microsoft can use something like this with their windows 10 streaming as well. Maybe stream something to smart glass the way Dead rising 3 did. It works ok. I really actually enjoyed Zombi u. Thought it was fun.

[GordonKnight]

In Zombi U you use the gamepad to scan the area. This game made every good use of the gamepad, maybe even the best. IMO

The Zombi game will feel completely different without the gamepad. Can't see using an iPad unless you can attach it your controller some how.

[TheUndertaker85]

Remote Play features anyone? Hey look, a camera, on screen inventory via the Vita or Remote Play enabled device...

Nintendo fans seem a little butthurt by the prospect that it is 100% possible to duplicate the game plus give it upgrades thanks to more power being available on PS4/Xbox One.

[N4g_null]

And who uses any other those tablet solutions for playing second screen games?

So far they either don't work are the lag is horrible. If you have played zombi u you know they are going to have to slow this game down to a crawl for it to work using a second device.

I'm all for them trying it and i'm all in on a hololens version as long as it is on pc. I don't have time for this hey look at me we got a wiiu game that doesn't even preform better but we got it ay! It needs to go pc so we can make full use of hololen or even Morpheus, even though i'm less impressed with sonys tech.

Then we are talking about ubi soft here lol. I don't own a single game of theirs this gen for a good reason, watch dogs, ass creed, shutters. It really is sad that their best game might have been zombi u.

[sinncross]

I figure they will just add more HUD to the main screen and split the screen (or picture in picture) for the segments you were meant to use the gamepad to search for stuff.

not quite the same experience but still workable.

[showtimefolks]

It could be done right without needing a game pad. I hope for future consoles Nintendo put these gimmicks behind them and just make a powerful core console with feedback from developers

[Perjoss]

"ZombiU...
ZombiMe...
ZombiAlways...

...that's the way it should be"

- Lionel Richie 1986

[SilentNegotiator]

-Zombie Lionel Richie

[mamotte]

Zomwindows.

[Nick_The_Slick]

Zombi U was mediocre as is...

[deadpoolio316]

Thats being very generous, I thought it was kinda less than mediocre personally...Between the wonky combat, the wonky controls, the game breaking bugs that they never bothered to fix. and god the visuals were terrible, why did it look like there was constantly vasoline and cigarette smoke filling the screen at all times

[About30Ninjas]

Well said a bubble for you sir

[mhunterjr]

I think this is BS...

Sure the GamePad made you take your eyes off the screen to check your inventory...

There's no reason why they couldn't have the inventory screen block your view in the XB1/PS4 versions... It will have the same effect... And has already been done in other horror games...

[dead_pixels]

They could do that, sure, but having a menu pop-up and block the screen isn't the same as having you manipulate the gamepad like a physical rucksack as things play out independently on the big screen. That was a part of what made it so immersive. This goes doubly so for the scanner, which utilized the gyroscopes, forcing you to glance around the room you're in (unless you were a ninny who hates immersive experiences and used the sticks).

Having menus pop up to obscure the screen and excising the need to utilize the gamepad as an independent tool will gimp the experience in my opinion. If those things don't bother you, I'm glad you'll still enjoy the game.

[mhunterjr]

It would only bother someone who has played the wiiU version... Maybe...

The way I see it, If your frantically trying to rummage through a rucksack while surrounded by zombies, the tension comes from the fact that you can't see your surroundings, not from the fact that you are swiping on tablet.

The GamePad was a gimmick... A clever gimmick, but a gimmick... If it alone determines whether or not a game is worthwhile, then the game wasn't very good...

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

@Mhunter
"The GamePad was a gimmick... A clever gimmick, but a gimmick... If it alone determines whether or not a game is worthwhile, then the game wasn't very good..."

If you're gonna go that route, then the same can be said for the whole holo lens/ morpheus ideas that people keep tossing out for this game, since it's just as much a gimmick.
Going by that same logic, If this game, or really any game, needs to rely on VR to make it good, it wasn't a solid game to begin with.

[Neonridr]

you don't seem to understand. Without the gamepad, it takes away from the whole effect.

The point was you had to actually look down at the gamepad screen taking your eyes off the TV. The game didn't have a pause button so anything done was done in real time.

Sure you could do what you say and have an inventory screen block your view - frankly I think they have no choice but to do that, how else do you access your inventory if it doesn't show up on the screen? But it is not the "same effect". Similar, maybe. But a poor man's version.

And like dead_pixels said, the gamepad was used for more than just the inventory. Map screens, scanners, sniper rifle, etc also used the screen.

[MSBAUSTX]

Agreed. In a real life application you would have to take your eyes off of whats in front of you to look in your bag anyway. It added to the suspense and feel of the game. It made you look back up and then down and then back up and OH $H1T THERES A ZOMBIE IN MY FACE!. IT IS WHAT MADE IT FUN! They can recreate this with a companion app for PS4 and in turn use the smartglass app or windows 10 functionality. Problem solved.

[mhunterjr]

It doesn't take away anything... You could have the inventory screen onscreen, and still have everything happen in real time...

A long as the game doesn't pause, the effect is the same... You bring up your inventory, search through it, then close it... bam, there's a zombie in your face that you didn't expect...

[ocelot07]

I don't mind the block screen idea as it will make the game harder. With the wii version you could still look at the TV and see if a zombi is coming up to you. On the PS4/XB1 you couldn't which would actually unsettle the nerves a bit.

Or they can add a smartglass option for Xbox and PlayStation App or Vita for PS4. Meaning you can use phone or tablet for the inventory and it will then be exactly like the Wii version only hopefully better. Think like that Fallout 4 is doing with the pipboy.

[gameboy1]

Ubisoft have expressed they wont be over ambitious like with Watchdogs again and also said they have changed their policy on how they show off future games basically they wont show games running on 2 GTX gpu's and try and say there running on ps4 ect....ZombiU will be a straight port without the gamepad gameplay.

[Neonridr]

it might render in a slightly higher resolution, but that is all I can think of.

[truechainz]

I have played games that already do what you suggest, and having the gamepad did add tension. The physical act of looking away does more than you think in tense situations. There was a real potential for building on that too since they just scratched the surface on the possibilities that a good second screen experience can do for survival horrors, but what's lost is lost. Now VR is the next big step for survival horror.

[N4g_null]

The better question is who would buy this? If it doesn't get better graphics... who would buy this?

[ltachiUchiha]

I kind of agree but then again if they used it on Morpheous or Hololens I believe it can be better then the pad especially if u can use the Vita or an IPad or Tablet to do the same thing as the WiiU Pad did.

[dead_pixels]

Now that would be something I'd love to see. Take notes, Ubisoft!

[ReesesPuffs]

There is noticeable latency with the Vita and IPad or any other tablet. The screen for the Vita is small and has less buttons in comparison to the pad and the IPad/tablets have no control sticks. That coupled with the latency is not going to give you a superior experience.

[ltachiUchiha]

I can agree with that but then again takin advantage of Morpheous or Hololens could ENHANCE the "EXPIRIENCE" on a whole nother level if Ubisoft actually tried taking advantage of Morpheous & Hololens & do remember they have more power to work with, with the ps4/XB1 so imagine them using the engine for the division or assassins creed for the new Zombie game. That alone would bring the immersion to another level for the player & with VR would also add another level of immersion on top of that but then again knowing Ubisoft they prolly wouldn't put the EFFORT to do that so we can only "HOPE" lol. I can agree with that but then again takin advantage of Morpheous or Hololens could ENHANCE the "EXPIRIENCE" on a whole nother level if Ubisoft actually tried taking advantage of Morpheous & Hololens & do remember they have more power to work with, with the ps4/XB1 so imagine them using the engine for the division or assassins creed for the new Zombie a game. That alone would bring the immersion to another level for the player & with VR would also add another level of immersion on top of that but then again knowing Ubisoft they prolly wouldn't put the EFFORT to do that so we can only "HOPE" lol.

[ltachiUchiha]

^^^Sorry tried to edit & it double posted my comment.

[ReesesPuffs]

I can agree with you there. I imagine the VR does open up the possibility for much more immersion. With a game like this the graphics probably won't add a drastic amount to the immersion but I can agree with you there. Lol at the double post by the way. I was feeling some déjà vu reading your reply.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

That would be the ultimate case of hypocrisy, though.
Game pad does it = omg this sucks!
Vita or phone does it = yay soooo awesome!

I'm sorry, but if that really does turn out to be the case, and gamers actually WANT to use their Vita or phone in the same way as the pad for this game, then it'll only prove that the people bashing the game pad are just as much a bunch of brainless zombies as the ones they're shooting.

Especially since they'll have to pay huge to get a Vita or a phone that could handle the game without lagging to the point of de-synching.

[ltachiUchiha]

The Vita can handle ps4 games even online. I dont see how a WiiU game would be any different unless the dev does a lousy job. Just saying.

[JamesBroski]

I think it's actually the "U" from "Ubisoft" that make this game destined for mediocrity.

[MSBAUSTX]

That actually made me laugh. Nice one

[WeAreLegion]

I think it'll be just fine without the pad. I just enjoyed the gameplay.

[Kane22]

interesting, cause for me. ZombiU was medicore

[Cam977]

have you ever heard of menus? Y'know.. the thing every game ever has survived on. This is clearly a fanboy upset that his game is going multiple due to a poor performance on the system it was made for. The additional content will make the game slightly better, that's all.

[dead_pixels]

A fanboy? Really? Of the 40+ consoles sitting in my office with me it's hard to think of one I fire up less frequently than my Wii U. Hell, I've probably would've spent more time screwing with my 3DO if it weren't for site assignments, and that's saying something.

That said, my Xbox One and PlayStation 4 get so much more time out of me compared to my Wii U that it's silly. But the fact of the matter is much of ZombiU was built around the Wii U's hardware, more specifically the GamePad, and without it the experience will be radically different.

[marloc_x]

Pushing a cursor around with a stick..

[LazerShark]

Nah, if they beef up the graphics, and make the story more coherent (if you die and start up as another character, your handler keeps yelling at you like you've known each other forever, breaking immersion), the game will do fine.

Sad to see I seem to be the only one that actually enjoyed ZombiU.

[gleepot]

I adore it. One of my favorite Wii U titles.

[assdan]

It was also destined for mediocrity without the U.

[sarshelyam]

If Ubi doesn't include second-screen tech via the PSVita, even optionally, that's a major oversight.

[5yb5n6u]

i read the comment there.
who is this matt?
"
matt / July 9, 2015

Xbox1 and ps4 are not way more powerful all this misdirection comes from N4G and only N4G the WiiU can do a more visually appealing version if done today ?? sick of this misdirection on ps4 and especially xbox1 that they are some kind of beasts ?? only the wiiu has brought games out that look equal or better then there original reveal…..
Reply
matt / July 9, 2015

Xbox 1 = 170GB of bandwidth RAM.
PS4 = 178GB of bandwidth RAM.
WiiU = 562.3GB of bandwidth RAM when using edram/ddr3.

WiiU does 8k textures which are huge look at FastRacingNeo.
"

i like to have what he is having, because clearly he is on high

[5yb5n6u]

chuckle at the disagrees,
do they honestly believe that wii u hardware got more power than xb1 and ps4?

[jmc8888]

I guess it depends on how much they are going to rework it. I mean, it seems like they are going to have to remake it big time.

They need to improve the graphics.

They need to change the game quite alot. You are supposed to hold up the gamepad to look at crap...so how do you do that without a gamepad? Oh maybe make an inventory item like a falshlight... but that's a big change which would include remaking animations and all that sort of stuff.

How are they going to do the inventory? Part of the hook was about going through your inventory while the game is being played and you are exposed to zombies. You can't do that without a gamepad. What you can do is pull up the inventory on the HDTV while still being exposed, but you won't see as clearly with it, and you'd need to close it to start moving around again. It basically screws up that entire dynamic. Well technically it makes that dynamic EVEN HARDER, and most people aren't going to want that.

Then you had the whole multiplayer aspect where you had a person playing on screen trying to kill zombies, and the person with the gamepad using the gamepad to spawn zombies on the map. How do you do this without a gamepad?

I mean seriously, that game was centered around the gamepad, and taking the gamepad away makes the game less then it was. There is no way around that.

Also, while some people love hard difficulty, alot of people don't. People are going to get pretty pissed off when they go running around from place to place with limited ammo. If you die, you have to find your backpack with your next survivor or all your progress is lost.

They seriously need to rework that, as even on easy, it was brutal. They really should work in an option where you can play like that, but don't force people who don't want to play like that. Allow some save points or something.

So really it can only be better if the patch stuff in that should of been patched into the Wii U version. But it creates some awkward situations where the game was designed around the gamepad, but won't have one on these other versions.

It's a good niche game, for those that like the ultra hard even on easy, permadeath niche. If you like that, you'll love this. If not... pick it up in the bargain bin.

[KryptoniteTail]

Much rather play with Trophies on PS4 and whatever enhancements they add, and if they allow the Vita to act as a GamePad then it will be even better. Wii U can do nothing of any value that the PS4/Vita combo cannot do as well or better, get over it. Nintendo fanboys are just mad they're losing one of their only 3rd party exclusives.

[rjason12]

Ooooo trophies! That'll make the game sooooo much more fun than it already was!

[stragomccloud]

Do you have any idea how big the latency is between the vita combo and just the Wii U? You're obviously misinformed. It's not even close to the same, and the not I versions will suffer for it.

[TheUndertaker85]

You can direct connect your Vita to the PS4 rather than bouncing off the router then to the system

Not to mention wouldn't it be convenient to play Zombi on the go? Can't do that with WiiU...

Nintendo fans really are reaching. There's the excuse it can't be the same but in reality it really could and those Gamepad features would most definitely work elsewhere. Now it's latancy... But aren't you then getting the same experience? Not to mention content the WiiU doesn't have?

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

@Under
No, dude: there's no reaching going on here from anyone other than you.
You just don't understand that a second screen experience was what added to the immersion of the title.
Something that doesn't work on the go with just one tiny Vita screen.
And the latency on the Vita is vastly worse than the game pad.
Connected or not, the Vita wasn't designed around the PS4 like the Game Pad was for the Wii U, and it's far more expensive to boot.

If you honestly care that much about playing this game the way it was intended, you'll get it on Wii U.

[user8966828]

All you people talking about the Ps4/vita combo need to go look up the rayman legends interview where Ubisoft said they could not do the gamepad mechanics with the vita because the vita could not things the gamepad could which is why the Wii u version is the definitive version so say all you want but they can't recreate the gamepad experience with the vita sorry but Ubisoft has stated this themselves

[PigPen]

It's awesome that Xbox & PlayStation owners can try it out for themselves. The downside is, it's a horrible game. Even if UniSoft used fresh paint and cleaned it up.

[SilentNegotiator]

Because the gamepad thing was so revolutionary and great that EVERYONE ran out and got a Wii U....

The only reason this game got even the level of reception that it did was because it was the first game that half of the journalists experienced the gimmicks on.

[SilentNegotiator]

BTW, that tagline is the most unreadable thing that I've ever laid my eyes on. WTF is that font and how soon can we kill it with fire?

[About30Ninjas]

I'm not even gonna bother with this game I played this on the Wii U already, the only thing I personally like about the game is that is challenging but beside that the game is very boring and most of the time you got to wack Zombies with stick cause you barely get bullets, Dying Light is a better choice IMO

[spoonard]

Got some news for ya...outside the Nintendo circlejerk, ZombiU is a mediocre game at best.