Zombies are immortal at this point. It doesn't matter that as gamers we have killed them by the millions in seemingly every genre, because at this point there’s just no getting rid of them. We might be sick of them as video game villains but every time we think we’re done to (ahem) death, they rise from their graves with some new twist that makes us reexamine them. Case in point- Audio Defence: Zombie Arena.
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You’ve never seen zombies like this before, mostly because you won’t actually see any zombies at all. This clunky game title gives you a hint that this is the latest iOS game from Somethin' Else Games, the UK studio behind Papa Sangre and The Nightjar. If you know anything about those games you know that they’re unique in that they are video games that have no video.
See, Somethin’ Else has created a proprietary ‘Papa Engine’ that lets players use a regular pair of headphones to hear incredible surround sound. It’s insane how well this works- it lets you pinpoint enemies and objects around you with incredible accuracy, something you never assumed was possible without at least 5-7 speakers mounted around you. It forces you to play and think in a way that no other game does, and they have taken advantage of this by creating games that are audio-only adventures- all the better to demo their amazing tech.
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In both Papa Sangre titles as well as The Nightjar you basically play a blind person that is forced to navigate terrifying, dangerous environments, whether that’s in a Day of the Dead-themed world or an abandoned space ship. Reception about the actual games can be a bit divided but there’s no denying that they’re truly unique experiences.
Audio Defence is perhaps the most game-like of all of their games. It sees you playing a blind warrior who has to fend off a horde of zombies, which are set on you by a gleeful, sadistic announcer. You’re trapped in the middle of an arena and you’ll have to use your ears to figure out where the zombie are coming from and take them down before they eat you alive. If that sounds incredibly tense- it is, made even more terrifying when zombies get loud and close to you and your character’s heart starts sounding like it’s trying to break out of your chest and leap right into the incoming undead maw.
The absolute best way to play the game is by using your phone’s gyroscope. You’ll hold the phone up in front of you and spin around to face each incoming zombie. This works way better than you’d expect and has the side benefit of making you looking like an absolute loon, so yes, you’re going to want to play this one by yourself, at home, lest you have the unassuming public (or chuckling co-workers) think you’re losing it more than you already are.
The game starts you off placing you into a series of challenge levels that give you a rudimentary story and introduces you to all the various weapons, power-ups and monsters you’ll face. As you progress through the game you’ll find more of each, everything from sawed-off shotguns to a tesla coil to all manner of zombies. After you exhaust all of those Challenges (and get three stars on each) you’ll find an Endless mode that lets you play forever- until you die, that is. But this mode allows you to purchase new weapons and change up your arsenal, and is the real meat of the game. I am partial to the Banjo as a melee weapon, as it gives a nice twang when you smash it over a zombie’s face.
This is where it’s obvious that they’re going for a more game-y game. Each time you start Endless mode it will give you new modifications to deal with, whether that’s faster or stronger zombies, a sputtering engine making a racket (it can be shot to be quieted momentarily) or other things that change up the level nicely. Each time you’ll earn money to buy and upgrade your weapons and although this is a premium title yes, there’s IAP available. It’s not at all necessary, thankfully, although some weapons (Iike the sonic cannon) are locked away behind premium currency.
But there’s more than enough to enjoy here. It's overwhelming at points- you're just likely not used to using your ears so much- but it's perfect for enjoying in spurts here and there, and it's the kind of game you'll want to show off to everyone because the tech behind it works so damn well. Audio Defence: Zombie Arena is so unique and fun that, just like Somethin' Else's last three games, even if it's not a must-see, it’s an absolute must-play.
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Audio Defence: Zombie Arena was reviewed from an iOS code provided by the publisher. It's currently available on the App Store for $4.99 and we hope they'll work on an officially licensed Day of the Triffids game in the future.