The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we focus on undead fire starter Burn, Zombie, Burn!
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Developer: Doublesix
Region(s) available: North America, Europe
Players: 1-2
As the inaugural game released under Sony’s Pub Fund initiative (of which the platform holder recently invested a meaty $20 million dollars in), Burn Zombie Burn is an ideal example of how eager devs can squeeze heaps of fun out of a very small package. With this classic arcade actioner, players hop into the shoes of a chap named Bruce, who as you might have twigged must fend off hordes of invading undead of all shapes and sizes.
An arena-based shooter by trade, Burn Zombie Burns tasks gamers with blasting as many zombies as possible before poor Bruce succumbs to their attacks. Doing so accumulates points, with players able to unlock more content by reaching the required score threshold. As the game’s title so emphatically implies, your preferred method of killing enemies is to burn them to a crisp, adding to your score multiplier. Be warned though, as you’ll end up crispy critter yourself if any barbequed zombies wonder too close.
The game is comprised of six levels, each one possessing significantly varying layouts. Every stage has its own unique event triggered by what’s known as the ‘Big Red Button,’ itself activated by raking in three consecutive weapon combos. Events themselves typically aid players’ progress in some form or another; though in latter stages it can also prove detrimental to Bruce’s efforts. Outside of the bread-and-butter Freeplay, Burn Zombie Burn also offers up three other distractions – Defend Daisy, Timed and Challenges.
The former – as you might have guessed – has gamers tasked with protecting Bruce’s bit of skirt, Daisy, from the attacking zombies while she sits in a car in the middle of the arena. Timed, meanwhile, gives you a five-minute countdown from the get-go, with extra time obtained by killing undead. Lastly, Challenge has you completing a slew of objective-based missions, typically highlighting various gameplay mechanics and pitting you against increasingly tough scenarios. There’s heaps of unlockables on offer too, such as concept art and filters, which can be obtained by earning various medals. Bring along a mate, meanwhile, and you can team up or go head-to-head with them in the game’s co-op and battle modes, respectively.
That’s your lot for this week. Tune in again on Monday as we once have another butcher’s Inside PlayStation Network.