Burn, Zombie Burn!

Your name is Bruce and zombies are attacking. This is all the plot you need to know to play Burn, Zombie Burn! a little gem available on the Playstation Network at the moment.

In arcade mode Bruce gets to run around six areas killing our undead bretheren, seven if you include the helpful tutorial mode, covering the glossy floor with zombie blood. Arcade mode has choices with Free Play being the unfettered entertainment of non restricted mauling. Defend Daisy leaving you trying to save your delectable girl from the nasty fiends and Timed involving, you guessed it, a ticking clock. In addition we have the entertaining and often taxing challenge mode with one open at the start and nine further ones to unlock.

To his advantage Bruce is always carrying his trusty pistol and burning torch. Other weapons become quickly available as the mayhem develops. These include the slow but powerful shotgun, machine guns, bats, chainsaws and the brain and dance guns. The brain gun sucks brains allowing you to distribute them on the field of combat where they attract zombies and the dance gun... Well let's just say you can refine the dancing action with the sixaxis controller. Liberal explosive devices also litter the area, from your own upgradable TNT, gas canisters or exploding zombies. Ka-boom!

Of all these the torch is the most important. In fact it's well worthwhile doing the tutorial in the game, not only to get the trophy. Training identifies the sometimes subtle tactics of the game and will enhance your experience; where else would you learn that setting zombies alight before killing them releases different pick ups? get an early shot at the lawnmower and learn about the Big Red Button!

Bruce's enemies have variety each with their own quirks. You have your usual slow moving ponderous zombies, well ponderous given the speed of some of the other denizens. Then a selection of the others includes ones who charge you down, dancers who move away from you as you look at them, super zombies and the infected. The infected are the nastiest of the bunch being both immune to fire and also being able to infect their kin, making them fireproof, what's more they're immune to a damn good dance. Miserable gits.

The nice thing about the game is you don't actually have to be too good to unlock things. The more tactically you play the more those bronze medals creep in opening up new levels. You do have to spend some time getting there but you actually feel satisfied that your game skills are improving. It gives you time to enjoy shotgunning that long line of burning, pirouetting dancers.

In Burn, Zombie Burn! doublesix have got the package right. This is definitely a distant relative of Zombies Ate My Neighbours but issues raised there have been dealt with effectively, whether that be due to the generations of difference, better design or a helpful lock on feature. Solid colourful characters and environments, clear pick ups even given the absolute carnage going on and a nice simple soundtrack. Add to this an effective control system and a good deal of variety and things are looking about as rosy as the blood covering most everything.

Entertaining without being taxing, you can unlock everything without being an expert. Suitable for most older types of games player and a winner after a few beers. At its price and without mentioning the multiplayer and split screen options Burn, Zombie Burn! would make a welcome addition to your collection.