Infectonator 3: Apocalypse is the latest installment in the zombie runner franchise from Armor Game Studios. It tasks players with the non-traditional objective of destroying the world rather than saving it. The game gives players a varied array of zombie types and tools to spread the undead plague and bring the globe to its bitter end. This is a game that’s quick and easy to pick up, but challenging to master.
Levels are laid out in a simple manner – humans litter the screen and you are required to eliminate as many as possible in a set amount of time. Levels are extremely short, each usually only lasting 30 seconds to a minute. The game provides a number of different ways in which to clear civilians. The main mechanisms are, of course, zombies. You’ll start off with a basic grunt type zombie who can easily dispatch cowering unarmed humans. You are given the option to place these zombies where ever you like on the map. Strategy will be required as humans can be spread out and separated by walls and doors that your zombies won’t naturally know to pass through. Once zombies are placed, you have no control over where they go, so you’ll need to pick your spots wisely.
Players are also able to use weapons, each with differing effects and advantages. An infection attack causes humans in the area to turn into zombies. Grenades cause area of effect damage and can kill most in one shot. Mines can be placed strategically to cut off escape and deal with humans that are difficult to reach by your horde minions.
While the levels can be quickly completed, the larger overarching goal is to spread the plague throughout the entire planet. A world map displays progress and players are given a degree of freedom as to where they unleash the undead next. Naturally, I chose the area closest to my home to tackle first. As I watched my neighbors fall with each level cleared, the region’s Infection Meter grew. As this meter fills, a second Panic Meter starts to grow as word spreads throughout the world that something bad is about to happen. All regions around the ones you’ve attacked will start to fight back as humans arm themselves and look for a cure to the spreading plague. This is all represented in your map, and the game requires that points of incursion are chosen wisely. Beating up on the same weak region will only give others more time to strengthen and make things harder for the horde in the future.
Before long, Infectonator 3: Apocalypse will give you the ability to craft new zombies in a Laboratory. Crafting is simple and offers variety in the types of zombies the player can utilize. The Chubby zombie sacrifices movement speed for higher HP. A Coin Collector quickly moves throughout levels but will focus on loot stashes rather than human fatalities. And my personal favorite, the Clown type, inflicts higher damage and leaves infection drops that turn civilians into part of your army. There’s some nice variety here and each player is sure to develop a preference and craft accordingly. You’re only granted a limited number of zombie slots so you’ll need to decide what combination works best with your approach.
Infectonator 3: Apocalypse keeps players hooked with a constant loot drop system. Each level comes with a main set of objectives that provide a plethora of rewards, ranging from coins to zombie crafting items and weapons. There are also secondary objectives which accumulate over multiple levels and grant similar rewards. Coins are used to purchase additional weapons and level skills. You’re given the freedom to invest earned money into a set of six different attributes. These attributes range from Lifespan to Speed, and Infection Chance to Attack Damage. Much like the zombie selection, players are given the freedom to level their attributes as it best fits their play style. It’s intriguing to think that you can have multiple playthroughs with different horde builds. I went for a more balanced approach, but a different disbursement of skill points can make for a much different experience.
Players will need to use strategy wisely as they progress through the game. As the plague spreads and the world starts to take the threat more seriously, unarmed civilians are quickly replaced by more formidable foes. Early on, you’ll be faced with armed officers who are a good match for your grunts. Not long after, armed foot soldiers with automatic weapons will quickly deal with your weaker zombies. The worst of all, however, are the shotgun toting enemies. They seem to one-shot your zombies (even the stronger ones) as rapidly as I could place them on the screen. This gave me a new appreciation of the power of the shotgun in the battle against zombies.
Recommendation: All told, Infectonator 3: Apocalypse is a simple yet addictive experience. Levels play more as micro encounters, but the larger meta game compliments well to create a balanced zombie running affair. Experimentation and trial and error give the player added incentive to try out new ways to play the game and, with a low cost of entry, I don’t doubt players will want to keep coming back.
Infectonator 3: Apocalypse launches on Steam on Thursday May 10th.
This game was provided to the reviewer by the publisher but this fact did not influence the opinion of said reviewer.
Check out our Review Guide to see what we criteria we use to score games.
