Ska Studios has set a record of success with I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 selling over $100k. They also managed to snag a XBLA deal with The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. James Silva is no stranger to making a successful game. His recent addition is ZP2KX: Zombies and Pterodactyls 20XX, a sequel to last year’s ZP2K9 2D multiplayer shooter. Can he continue his success with his most recent addition? Yes, yes he can.
ZP2KX plays similar to ZP2K9, but for those who have not had a chance to check out the multiplayer mayhem of this 2D shooter with an absurd variety of weapons. It is easy to pick up and play, this is a good thing because there aren’t any tutorials or info about game modes, weapons, or the like. You basically just have to experience everything for yourself. This initially just drives the player to try everything possible and experience the wackiness that ZP2KX has to offer.
You control a custom modified character through 5 different game modes. There is the standard free-for-all Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and (my personal favourite) Zombie Hunt. The goal of Zombie Hunt is well, hunt zombies if you’re human or hunt humans if you’re zombie. The trick is that while you’re human you only have a flash light to find the zombies while they can see everything. This creates for an intense and frantic multiplayer game mode that is sure to keep players coming back for more.
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The gameplay is customizable and on par like you would find in a high quality title such as Modern Warfare. You have the options to set up matches to your likings whether that is to have bots replace people, increase difficulty for bots, set score limits and more. Another aspect of customization that adds to the variety of gameplay is the “Mutator” option. A Mutator provides every player with a set of weapons depending on the one selected. For example, the “Firestorm” Mutator starts players with all fire based weaponry and more fire based items laid out in the map.
The weapons of ZP2KX range from standard shotguns and pistols to an AK-47 that fires cats and a Hive weapon that shoots bees. It is completely ludicrous and fun to devastate your foes with such an arsenal that makes you think, “What should I use next?” The guns are not the only means of destruction as there are a plethora of bizarre grenades. Some grenades have the ability to change the atmosphere around you by slowing time or explosions that result from a nuke. This ammunition results in some seriously chaotic fragfests.
Another aspect that adds to the fun is the ability to earn experience and level up your character. You level up from earning kills, capturing objectives, and gaining bonus experience from kill streaks. Once levelled up you receive different rewards depending on the level such as unlocking a new skill, clothes, or customizable class. There are 3 different sets of skills that can be applied to your customized character that act as “Perks” for the Modern Warfare inclined people. The skills are almost equal and there aren’t any over powering ones to seem like there would be an unfair advantage. Even if you think that there could be an unfair advantage; the host at any time can change the settings to a different Mutator that automatically applies skills to everyone.
The artistic style is very dark and gritty that does cell shaded great. It is well done that captures the mood of the game. Each weapon effect look authentic especially the flames that lie on the ground and attach to the player. The lighting and shadows look incredible which makes the player feel more immersed in the atmosphere. Another contributing factor to the games atmosphere is within the musical soundtrack that shares the same traits as the art. It is an intense techno beat that fits the game perfectly. At times the music does become unnoticeable when fully into the action. The only problem with the music I found is once a song is finished during a match it won’t restart or play the next until the match is over.
All in all, Ska Studios has once again created a piece of gaming heaven. This time around they take the players addiction and feed it delectably. The asking price of 80 :MSPoints: is ridiculous for anyone to turn it down. The package is huge with ranks, unlock-able features, weapons galore, 10 maps, Mutators, and more. It would be hard to not recommend ZP2KX: Zombies and Pterodactyls 20XX to anyone who enjoys to “splatter some fools” online.
More information as well as the trial download or to purchase the full version can be found on the Xbox Marketplace.
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