Zombi U: Can The Cult Classic Truly Be Reborn?

Sean Halliday of Pixel Gate looks back at the Wii U's cult hit Zombi U. Will the PS4 and Xbox One version contain the soul that made the original such a joy?

''For all the stick the Nintendo Wii U has suffered, at least when it comes to a lack of adult games, Zombi U always remained a firm favourite. The misunderstood Ubisoft effort was a genuine step forward for survival horror. Touch screen gimmicks were transformed into viable gameplay elements that provided some truly intense moments. The slow and sluggish nature of the gameplay, the way in which a single zombie posed a genuine threat, Zombi U was fantastic''

[MilkMan]

I don't see how this is going to work without the WiiU pad, BUT the more people play this cool game the better it is for the series. I loved every minute of it.

[gangsta_red]

I don't think so...compare this zombie game that was on the WiiU with the hundreds/thousands of zombie games PS3/4/360/X1 users have been getting for a while now.

Dying Light has already IMO spoiled us in the zombie genre of gaming. Don't know what this game could do to overshadow that experience.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I'm not sure why Dying Light doing well means Zombi U's port will do bad.

I get one is a better Zombi game, but the concepts are similar and many fans of those games may pick it up.

I'm not getting it, but once it goes down in price I may pick it up as a once over.

[gangsta_red]

Has nothing to do with the port being bad.

This is basically Nintendo's Wii/U only real zombie survival game they have had while Xbox and PS fans have enjoyed many games in the zombie genre. I bring up Dying Light because that is the most recent zombie game that did everything right.

The game comes at a time where there has been an influx of way better zombie games on the other two systems.

The concepts are too similar except one does it far better. That alone may make this game irrelevant.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@G- Red. - " That alone may make this game irrelevant"

Not really, consider I can own Dying Light and own Zombi....

I mean..lol, consider I'm telling you I will buy this port AND Dying light, hell that doesn't even mean I won't buy RE or Evil Within, or Dead Island 2 (when ever it comes out) lol

Sorry but the are not THAT much the same that buying 1 is playing them all.

I'll pick it up at a later date. It won't get huge sales, but likely enough to cover the port, depends on what price they are going in for.

[gangsta_red]

That's cool that you will pick up the game.

[FallenAngel1984]

See hypocritical that this game caught a lot of flak just by virtue of being Wii U exclusive. If this does well enough to spark a sequel, it'd be truly ironic.

[InTheZoneAC]

except this game has no chance to do well on ps4/one because I doubt many are interested in it anyway...

[_-EDMIX-_]

define "do well" its a port, they will likely get a profit from this game day 1, consider they would have not ported it if they felt they couldn't make the money back from the port.

I think it will do fine and they will get a profit, I think they are gearing up for a Zombi 2.

Red Steel got a sequel sooooo lol

The game existing on PS4, XONE and PC is enough for it to have a "chance"

[Summons75]

If they fix the constant yelling from that character swinging a 4 pound bat and the extremely slow swing time, I'd say it could be the great game it wants to be if it weren't held back.

[Revolver_X_]

"Cult Classic"

A bit of a stretch statement, don't ya think?

[PixelGateUk]

No, not really. The game still generates discussion, it always has done within small circles. The following and appreciation has always been there, just in a smaller scale...like a cult classic

[Revolver_X_]

Just because something has a "cult" following, doesn't make it "classic." The game is decent at best. In 5 years no one will be discussing this game. To call it a "classic", is a stretch.

[AstroCyborg]

how is it a cult classic when ubisoft didn't even make a profit thats a failure

[marloc_x]

Source?

[Skate-AK]

"Yves Guillemot, Chairman and CEO of Ubisoft, is typically one of the biggest proponents of new systems, but betting big on the Wii U didn't work out well for the company. ZombiU, one of the most popular launch titles for the system with players, was not profitable, he says. Not even close. As such, he says, there are no plans (or even desire) for a sequel."

http://www.gamesindustry.bi...

[marloc_x]

^I appreciate the link, but I suspect this game has far surpassed 500,000 copies..

[JacketsNest101]

It has most definitely passed 500000 copies. Unless they spent insane amounts of money on the game, then there is no way that they have not turned a profit on it.

[PixelGateUk]

I think you may need to look up the term cult classic/cult following

[AstroCyborg]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[jmc8888]

Umm, it's missing half its features.

It was made revolving around the gamepad. You take that out, and remove the multiplayer (which also used the gamepad in unique ways), and what you have left is half the game with slightly prettier graphics.

Part of the game was that you had to look at your inventory while everything was happening, but you could still look up and see if anything was coming. That whole dynamic changes if you...

a) pause the game to look at the inventory
b) you can't see what's happening because the inventory is on your screen blurring everything out.

No matter what that will change the dynamic of the game to either easier or harder.

[Pejjan]

I loved this game, and I think it will work good with the ps4 controller