When we talk about the fashion for the revival of the classics, we primarily mean remakes, sequels and "spiritual heirs" of some old hits. But it turns out that now a little less well-known classics are being revived and, let's say, even Russian Flash games. Zombotron is a bright (and possibly the only) example.

Most of you, of course, know nothing about this and have never heard of it, but about eight years ago Zombotron by Anton Karlov and Friv5Online Games Studios was very popular among connoisseurs . It was an “old-school” two-dimensional action game with elements of a platformer, where we, as a lonely biorobot, relimatily shot zombies on an abandoned planet.

The game bribed the destructible environment and the ability to kill enemies even without firing - they were allowed to crush with elevators, falling barrels and boxes. Plus, the secrets and truly explosive dynamics: grenades and flammable containers detonated and carried everything alive to hell.

Zombotron was so popular that not only Charles and Armor Games Studiosreleased the second and third parts, but crowds of clones with the same name began to appear. Yes, you yourself can appreciate it - and now the web is available and the originals, and crafts based on.
Not joking
And now, after many years on Steam, a new Zombotron comes out - in fact, restarting the entire series (and in particular its second part). With all the consequences - a much prettier modern picture, “achivkami” and some innovations in the gameplay. But first, let's talk about the plot.
Zombotron game review
"Bosses" are constantly blocking something, evade, and even some nasty things are calling for help!
In the role of the fearless space mercenary, Blaise Rush, we land on the title planet Zombotron, from which the distress signal was received, and go in search of its source. Naturally, easy, no matter how Blaze hoped, this walk will not be - especially after the unknown steal the jet engine from his ship.

In the process of searching for the kidnappers, we not only constantly burn down all around, but also communicate with the natives, we trade with them, we fulfill the request to destroy the huge spider. And even meet some familiar characters. In general, Anton Charles came up with a whole “universe of the planet Zombotron” - and those who are in the subject will actually find references to previous releases, events and characters described there in the new game.

We also periodically communicate with an assistant drone managed by a reasonable AI. As usual in such cases, he not only provides important information on the plot (“Oh, God, captain, unknown forms of life are approaching us!”), But he also tries to joke. Maybe, for example, in response to Blaise’s curses about the lack of a key to a locked door, ask: “Didn’t you try to look under the rug?” “Remind me to replace you with the module responsible for the sense of humor,” the captain retorts. Not much, of course, ridiculous, but for an action movie focused solely on action, and this is not bad - it dilutes the shootout.

And with shooting all is still - fun, a lot, interactive and explosive. Even the control scheme has not changed. We run left-right and jump on WASD (the arrows do not work anymore), and while shooting and jumping, we don’t forget to keep a close eye on the mouse pointer. The sight and hands of the captain, which squeeze the weapon, are tightly attached to it and therefore they spin and spin to full 360 degrees even in a jump. At first, it is not quite familiar, and the jump itself is implemented specifically (on the W key), but you quickly get used to the features of control and begin to demolish enemies famously.

In addition to the actual shooting at Zombotron, it is very important and interesting to explore the levels and search for hiding places where you can profit by coins or new gear. In addition, there are vending machines, where we buy weapons, helmets, armor, boots, as well as first-aid kits, ammunition, and even stimulants. Options are not that much. We have a gun, a pistol, a machine gun, a shotgun, a submachine gun, a rifle, a laser, rocket launchers, grenades - in general, a standard program. The variety is that the equipment can be rare or epic, which gives different bonuses to damage, protection or to the characteristics of the character.

Yes, the role-playing system was added to the proven mechanics in the restart. Although the word “system” in this case, of course, sounds loud. We simply accumulate experience, obtain levels and put the points gained into force, agility (increases the chance of critical damage and the likelihood of evasion) and endurance. But in combination with rare or epic equipment, this can significantly help in battles with large and really complex “bosses”. The latter can at once turn the pleasant passage of a Zombotron into a tantrum no worse than those cases when you tried to defeat some huge monster in Dark Souls .

As before, you can kill in Zombotron without demolishing your head with a shotgun. Here is a very interactive physics, allowing not only to punch walls in search of secrets and shoot down helmets from enemy heads, but also to crush the poor creatures with descending platforms, bring down stones and so on.

At some point, will give a ride on the armored "zombie mobile", which presses all in its path. At the same time, almost in every location there is some kind of gas cylinder, which, if you shoot him, takes off, and then effectively detonates, destroying everything around. Or an enemy with such a balloon on his back. Naturally, grenades work well in this situation.

Opponents are so stupid that they periodically even blow themselves at the balloon with their claws, on any object that is in sight, and even at each other. And you can also set them on purpose: to destroy, for example, an obstacle in a queue separating some alien cuttlefish and a humanoid enemy, and they will rush at each other. But in no case should the authors be blamed for the fact that, they say, there is a stupid AI or dishonest physics, which allows killing a big evil person with a small box - it is, on the contrary, a “trick” of Zombotron , which increases the degree of madness and fun that reigns at every level.

But for the fact that in the game there are bugs, when, for example, our hero or “zombimobil” gets stuck in textures or the “boss” suddenly stops in place, you need to scold. And also because the armored car has too little health, - coupled with the fact that it constantly gets stuck and tries to roll over somewhere, levels with it can make you keen desire to kill someone.

However, the fact that you are still cursing and pulling out your hair, you will continue to try to kill, finally, this “boss”, ride a zombie mobile and even get to the end, already says one thing : Zombotron is an amazingly addictive thing. So, the restart was a success. Personally, my dismissive attitude (“Restarting an old-fashioned Flash game? Well, everything is clear”) disappeared without a trace just a couple of minutes after the start.

Pros: addictive gameplay; funny physical model that allows you to kill enemies in different ways; many secrets with valuable rewards; the game looks very high quality; everything is fine with sound and music too.

Cons: short duration; there are bugs.