Zombies, Aliens, and Guns | Xbox Review

April 29, 2024 Scott Clark

I’ve fallen more and more in love with the twin-stick shooter genre since the release of Vampire Survivors. I’ve been chasing that high for quite a while now. Very few titles have come close, but none have ever topped the pure pleasure I had back in 2022. Most feel like quick cash-ins while the genre feels hot. Zombies, Aliens, and Guns from 9Ratones & SergioPoverony is sadly more of the latter. It still scratches the itch slightly, but (as with most Ratalaika Games titles), it’s very short and more suited for players looking for quick achievements/trophies.

Quite the Combo

The premise of Zombies, Aliens, and Guns is quite simple. You must rescue the world from an onslaught of, you guessed it, zombies and aliens. You are the nameless machismo-laden protagonist. In each bite-sized level, you have a variety of tasks including clearing out enemies, locating supplies, rescuing survivors, or defending said survivors or encampments. Despite the simplicity of the gameplay, I appreciated the variety of each stage. You’re never doing the exact same thing for very long.

Your health and ammo are displayed above your character at all times. Thankfully, both replenish themselves automatically, albeit very slowly. So even if you can’t find an available ammo crate right way, you can simply wait to recharge before heading into the next area. Your starting weapon is a simple machine gun, but you can also acquire other weapons like a shotgun or a minigun. These come across more as a way to give the game some variety instead of giving you any kind of edge. I wound up using the same weapon throughout most of the game.

The placement of the weapons and health packs also felt rather odd. Most of the time, I came across them when I really didn’t need them. Conversely, when I really could have used a pick-me-up, there was nothing to be found. It makes the level design feel a bit rushed. Thankfully, the game isn’t very difficult, so it was never a massive issue.

Flat Stanley

What makes Zombies, Aliens, and Guns unique is its art design. The characters and environments are heavily pixelated but also have the Paper Mario effect. They are 2D Minecraft-esque sprites set in an isometric playing field. This is actually a unique take on the genre, but it also poses a slight problem. It’s often difficult to hit enemies if you are on the flat side of their character model. I found myself positioning my character in a way that provided what appeared to be a wider target instead of one that makes more strategic sense.

This title truly feels like an arcade game. I half expected an “Insert Coin” prompt to pop up on the screen when I perished. Unfortunately, when that did happen, I was simply taken back to the beginning of the level. Although the stages are very short, it was a tad frustrating to just have to do the same area over and over again.

Zombies, Aliens, and Guns Final Verdict

This is the second game this month that I’ve reviewed where its easy achievements were the biggest selling point. Zombies, Aliens, and Guns plays well enough. There’s just not enough meat on the bone to make it a solid recommendation. The art is simple, yet unique, and the bosses are a bit of fun to take down. But it’s kind of the epitome of a one-and-done title that I don’t see myself ever coming back to. There’s simply too many better options in this genre out there.

To hear me talk more about Zombies, Aliens, and Guns, be sure to listen to our May 1st, 2024 Episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on an Xbox copy of Zombies, Aliens and Guns provided by PR Hound for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.