Xbox Hardware & Games

Finger-lickin' good!

Video: 4
Sound: 5
Gameplay: 4.5

I love zombies! Movies, video games, life–size cardboard cutouts, you name it. So, when I heard about a game called Stubbs the Zombie, I was pretty excited. Yes, there have been many zombie games—e.g., the Resident Evil series—but this one would be different.

Unlike all the zombie games before it, Stubbs actually lets the player be the zombie. Just as the tagline for the game promises, you play as Stubbs, a Depression-era traveling salesman who awakes from the dead in a futuristic town called Punchbowl, where crime and pollution don't exist.

This is a fun, extremely addicting game. From the moment you "awake," to the end of the game, there are loads of people to eat. One of the best things about Stubbs is the unique weapons you can use in order to turn humans into zombie followers. First, you have gut bombs, which turn people instantly, and then there is flatulence. The gas stuns people and allows you to walk up and eat them. Eventually, you'll learn to use your detachable hand for possession of gun-toting humans and your head for bowling into large crowds.

The graphics are very cartoonish, but it adds to the feel of the game. The robots, hover cars, and buildings are like something out of The Jetsons. Each time you eat a person's brain, blood spurts in all directions, and you can see little pieces of head fly about.

The sound in this game is excellent. The soundtrack makes you feel as if you are watching a '50s movie. You can just sing along as you are ripping people's heads open. The AI in the game has some classic one–liners, depending on if they are getting eaten or running after you. You can hear humans getting killed on all sides, as well as the zombie horde following close behind. Bullets, lasers, canon fire, they all have their own distinct sound.

Gameplay for Stubbs is very easy to learn. However, I did get confused on which buttons to hit in order to use my possession arm and bowling head. Also, hitting the Y button allows you to eat brains, but it's also the button you hit to push any zombies out of the way. This gets really annoying when you are surrounded by a horde and you want to attack humans.

This is one kick–ass game. It is also one short game. I played this game off and on for about a week, and I beat it. If you sit down with it for a long period of time, it would probably last about two days.

Stubbs is filled with corny humor, interesting characters, and some really fun levels. My favorite dealt with a cornfield and a bunch of redneck farmers. This game is definitely worth taking a look at, especially if you're a fan of the genre.