Developer: Longplay Studios
Publisher: Longplay Studios
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Terminus: Zombie Survivors – Review
There have been many zombie games over the past decades and most of us have seen the same formula repeatedly. Most of these games are fast-paced action shooters, such as Dying Light. However, have you ever tried a zombie turn-based strategy game? That is what Terminus: Zombie Survivors brings to the table. Dinner is served, with human flesh still on the menu but in quite a different way.
Story
The story of Terminus: Zombie Survivors is a fairly basic concept: for an unknown reason, most of mankind has turned into zombies and has an appetite for human flesh. You, the protagonist survivor, must survive this ordeal and find the hidden terminus because only there will you be safe from the undead horde. Unfortunately, there isn’t more to that. There is no information on how or why the outbreak started. Conversing with other survivors throughout the game also doesn’t give more insight into this matter. For Terminus: Zombie Survivors however, it doesn’t matter so much as the game it’s not about a set-in-stone story but more so about how you as a player create your own story by trying to survive and how you did (or did not) accomplish this.
Graphics
The graphics of Terminus: Zombie Survivors seem quite simple at first sight. It looks like a 32-bit game and many objects on the map have been animated in the same way without much variety. This counts for most houses and their interior in general and also for the zombies and other survivors. However, further playing the game shows that Terminus: Zombie Survivors has some very nice pixel art. Many zombies you encounter have a unique art when you come in contact with them. This doesn’t only count for the special zombies you will encounter but also for just regular ones as well. The sprites of the zombies are well made as they manage to convey well the grotesque and horrific beings they are. Apart from the zombies, some other interactable NPCs and items also have well-made pixel art such as the fortified house with survivors inside or the radio, which is a very important item in the game.
Sound
The sound design is also not something to brag about. The music does set a good theme by giving nighttime a much creepier soundtrack than during the day but there isn’t much variety here. The sound effects of hitting a zombie are nice and the noises the zombies make sound realistic. But, weirdly enough, when a survivor gets hit, they don’t scream or yell but make a squishy sound instead, as if a squeaky toy has been squished. This is of course not very realistic and therefore breaks the immersion a bit.
Gameplay
The gameplay is very interesting as Terminus: Zombie Survivors is a sandbox zombie survival turn-based game. Therefore, it completely breaks with the traditional fast-paced gameplay other zombie games provide. The turn-based gameplay is an excellent concept as it gives way more dynamics to the game. Throughout your playthrough, you will have to make careful decisions and a lot of planning ahead is required. The actions of your turn but also those of the zombies are important to keep an eye on. Apart from that, there are also the actions made by the other survivors during your turn. Unfortunately, running into one doesn’t happen often, making this part of the turn redundant.
You’ll start as a survivor with one of the three unlocked classes. The main goal sounds simple: Survive and find the Terminus. You can only find it via a radio which you can then either power up or repair in case it is broken. It is possible to stumble on the Terminus by accident. Since the map is quite big, the chances of that happening are slim. The map is divided into areas which you’ll explore one by one. In the city or the suburbs you’ll mostly encounter houses, but there are a few other areas with different encounters as well.
There are a couple of house types you can encounter (mostly a residential house) which you can then explore inside. Most of these houses offer the same type of items which doesn’t give much variety to your strategy until you start employing different methods to scavenge for food. This can be for example, setting a trap and hoping that you’ll catch something. Since it isn’t explained how this is accomplished, this part of the game is trial and error. Unfortunately, you don’t often start with the items you need to try other types of survival methods. Finding them later in the game allows you to try but since you can’t save to redo a failed attempt this often can lead to a premature end of your run. A death only brings you back to your last played turn but it is highly possible that you made a mistake a couple of turns before. This is not something you can then change anymore.
Terminus: Zombie Survivors also offers a couple of different game scenarios that are interesting but resemble the base game much and don’t offer any different items or NPCs you can encounter. However, even the base game offers more than enough areas to visit and places to explore.
Conclusion
Terminus: Zombie Survivors gives a very interesting twist to other zombie games but demands a certain level of focus and planning ahead. It will not be a type of game where you can just mindlessly kill zombies. However, if you can commit to making choices under pressure and keep your wits about, then Terminus: Zombie Survivors has a lot to offer. We enjoyed this title in short bursts, and it’s great to pick up and play in between other titles.
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