Game Review: The Walking Dead Risk and Monopoly!

Get your wallets out folks because The Walking Dead has taken on two classic board games and given them new life er...death maybe, i guess?  The comic universe of The Walking Dead is brought to life with The Walking Dead Risk and The Walking Dead Monopoly.

Seminal classics Risk and Monopoly are fantastic games on their own merits but when you add some zombie action to them, they're even more fun.  Especially in the case of Risk, but I'll get to that in a moment.

The changes to Monopoly are mostly cosmetic, much like the seemingly limitless adaptations this game has.  Still, the changes are cool.  From the game pieces (Carl's hat, Lucille) to the extremely clever currency (ammunition/supplies, etc), Walking Dead Monopoly is a neat little twist on this ageless game.

With Risk, things are a little different, and they're a lot fun.  Walking Dead turns Risk into more of a Risk/Pandemic hybrid which brings whole new life to the game.  If you've never played Pandemic, you definitely should as it is a fantastic game.  This version of Risk brings some of those game mechanics here as you are not only warring with other camps but a seemingly endless horde of zombies that increases in size every turn.

This is Risk, so you know you are in for a long game but the tension is ratcheted up when you're dealing with the random appearance of zombies.  It makes for some fun and exciting turns.

Both of these games have been around for decades and both remain among the best board games have to offer.  With a little zombie added fun, both Risk and Monopoly are given just a bit of extra punch for an even funner time.

Both of these games would make excellent gifts this holiday.

The Walking Dead Risk and The Walking Dead Monopoly

10/10 ZOMBIE HORDES!

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The Dead Continue Walking!

AMC has renewed The Walking Dead for a third season after the first two episodes of its sophomore season.

So more Zombie drama for us!

The Walking Dear airs Sunday nights on AMC.

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Walking Dead Season 2 Peak!

The Walking Dead returns with its 13-episode second season this fall and AMC has given an early peak.

I for one cannot wait for the show to come back.  If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and get a copy.  It's one of the best shows of the season.

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Wii Peak: Zombii Attack!

I just received some info on what is the first WiiWare game I've had any interest in buying.

It's called Zombii Attack!

Here are some details:

Zombii Attack is an arcade survival game that offers fans a new level of addictive gameplay exclusively to Nintendo’s WiiWare and is rated E+10 and will cost 500 Wii points.

Launch or lunch, it’s up to you.

You play as a fortunate survivor trying to last in an infected metropolitan city over-flowing with hungry zombies who want to munch on you for lunch.  Armed with a slingshot and the laws of physics, survivors use their Wii Remote in a realistic natural motion in order to load and fire the slingshot with items such as anvils, tires, experimental highly-explosive z-bombs and even the undead themselves.

Powered by the state of the art Unity 3 game engine.

Use the Wii Remote to strategically slingshot various environmental objects as well as attacking zombies at approaching waves of hungry zombies and their secret hideouts in order to earn special weapons, ammo, armor and more.

Survivors must keep five rules in mind when playing:

Improvisation: Use zombies, explosives and other items to destroy zombies and their hideouts before they eat you.

Cash: Earn money destroying zombies.

Firepower: Always stock up with armor and improve your slingshot.  Remember to show no mercy because the zombies want you for lunch so you must destructive items at them and their secret hideouts.

Collect: Dr. Zii is looking for a cure. You are on the lookout for a certain type of zombie. You must collect this zombie as they contain elements needed by the Dr. to create a cure.

Defense: You can upgrade your barrier to better repeal zombies and repair it when damaged by zombies.

Here is the official press release:

ZOMBII ATTACK INFESTS THE Wii AND POSES SERIOUS THREAT TO WIPEOUT UNFUN GAMEPLAY

Gamers Digital Brings Physic Based Downloadable Arcade-Style Game to WiiWare Suitable For All Ages

EXCELSIOR, Minnesota (March, 23, 2011) — Today, Gamers Digital issued a nationwide health warning to all current and potential Wii™ users to pay close attention to Zombii Attack, scheduled for release in Spring 2011. Those who download Zombii Attack exclusively on Nintendo’s WiiWare™ service may become infected and suffer from uncontrolled bouts of hysterical laughter, experience intense feelings of exhilaration and become affected with a disposition of overwhelming joy.  Ignoring these symptoms can lead to habit forming fun. 

“If you or anyone you know plays Zombii Attack please take every precaution to not have fun, avoid enjoyment and please stifle all laughter in order to prevent further spread of the infection.  Please, be very careful when playing Zombii Attack,” said Gamers Digital CEO and mad developer of Scott Zerby.

How the zombie virus infection spread remains a mystery for now, but it appears Zombii Attack originated deep in the underground labs of Gamers Digital before spreading to highly populate metropolitan cities that are highly interactive using the state of the art Unity game engine.  The undead now overrun these cities. They hide in buildings, launch frenzied attacks and pose a very serious health threat to the remaining survivors and the world at large. Non-gamers should not approach the zombies.

There are scattered reports that one survivor is making a stand armed only with the laws of physics and a trusty rubber band to launch environmental items at zombies before they spread their infection. Those infected by Zombii Attack’s will experience more than 18 ever increasingly difficult levels of zombie madness. Lone survivors must use strategy when launching anvils, tires, experimental highly-explosive z-bombs and even the undead themselves at the endless waves of zombies using the Wii Remote™ with realistic natural motions.

When Zombii Attack’s infectious fun takes over, the only known cure is to recognize the warning signs, arm your slingshot and destroy all attacking zombies before they eat you. Play at your own risk.

Zombii Attack is rated “E+10” by the ESRB. For more information on Zombii Attack, please visit http://www.gamersdigital.com.

About Gamers Digital
Gamers Digital is a multi-platform publisher, with leading development studios worldwide.  Gamers Digital games are available on the biggest names in the global download space, including Big Fish Games, Yahoo!, MSN, Gamehouse, Nintendo®, and Apple.  To visit Gamers Digital, go to www.gamersdigital.com.

This sounds like one of those instantly charming indie titles that are destined to surprise folks.  It hits this Spring and I'm pretty excited to give it a look!

For more information head to www.gamersdigital.com!

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Dead Rising 2 Has a Life of Its Own

With all the hoopla surrounding Dead Rising, it seems to have a life of its own.
Don't believe me?  Read on.

Today Dead Rising 2 releases on XBOX 360 and PS3, just in time for the horror season as this week begins the month of October.  For those of you that haven't played the original, it's worth picking up at Amazon for it's bargain price of $19.99 or you can pick up the used version at Gamestop for the same price and have 6 days to try it out.

Dead Rising 2 operates pretty much on the same lines of the original as you only have 72 hours to beat the game.  Hi, I'm honestly here just to kill zombies. That can get boring after a while, though, so I suppose it's good there is a final goal to the game.  The second game takes place in a Vegas-like city that features a reality game in which you need to compete to save your daughter, Katey.  If nothing else, these games are great to do something most of us only dream of, kill zombies. I know I'm not making the best case for this game, but go and download the demo and form your own opinion.

New Features in Dead Rising 2:

• Co-op Gameplay for Tag Team zombie-killing action
• Terror is Reality Mode allows up to 4 players to be pitted against zombies in an arena
• Combo Weapons - Players can combine different items to create uber-weapons

In addition, XBOX has released a prologue, Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, which adds a new depth to gameplay.  A bargain for only 400 Microsoft Points ($5), this game is a stand-alone title and will whet your appetite for the full fledged version of the game.  This is a great thing because it adds a depth to the characters and the drive of the story.

Finally there is Zombrex Dead Rising Sun.  This is a Eight episode web series that takes place inside the Dead Rising universe and classically dubbed in English.  You can find the whole series on the XBOX Live place for Free.  Here is a trailer

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Combining Zombies and Anime Makes for Thrilling Entertainment

Based on the manga of the same name, the anime takes place at a high school during a zombie outbreak.  Though instead of calling the monsters zombies, the characters refer to the undead beasts as "Them".  We follow the survivors as they find a way to escape the pandemic.  When the end of the world has come, where do you run?

The production is animated very well, though in parts, they obviously saved on budget and time by using still frames.  Normally this is a little off-putting and distracting, but this series pulls it off in a way where it doesn't dis-shovel the continuity of the scene.

I never thought I'd see zombies in anime.  I've been a stranger to anime for a few years because there wasn't anything new out that interested me.  This show has my undivided attention as it should have yours.

At the very least, High School of the Dead will help quench your zombie cravings until The Walking Dead premieres on Halloween.

I couldn't find a HD version, but I found a streaming version running at 480p at The Anime Network.  Check it out and tell me what you think of the show.

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Zombies Attack in Episode of "Black Box TV"

When you put youtubers Joe Nation and Tony Valenzuela together on a project, you're getting gold, whatever it is. Their new new project called "Blackbox TV" is a "Twilight Zone" sort of show.  

The first episode, "Do Over"   features Youtube superstar Philip DeFranco aka Sxephil.  This episode asks the question, "What if fate gave you the chance to look into your future and see that one of your choices would change your life forever?"

The second episode, "Where Are You?", features another youtube star, Justine Ezarik aka IJustine.  In this episode a young woman wakes up, alone in the desert after having a fight with her boyfriend the night before. After going back to their campsite, she can't find her boyfriend anywhere.

This new episode, "The Last Exit" is my favorite by far.  Because of course, it has my favorite kind of baddies, zombies.  Experience this new episode below.

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Darabont Returns to TV with Zombie Series "The Walking Dead"

When an Oscar nominated director like Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) creates a television show about zombies on AMC (The same network that produced Breaking Bad and Mad Men), people take notice.
The Walking Dead is adapted from Robert Kirkman's comics series of the same name.
This is a dream come true for zombiephiles because no matter how good a zombie movie is, there is never an ending and the viewer is always left wanting more.  With this series the audience will only have to wait a week till its next zombie fix.  Even after the series ends, the fans of the show will be able to pick up the story (If they so please) with the comics series (and it goes on a for a long time).

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Movie Trailer: ZOMBIELAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you can't tell the excitement I have for this movie from the excessive exclamation points in the title then just watch this trailer and perhaps you'll understand.

Woody Harrelson + Zombies = WIN.

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Video Game Trailer: Left 4 Dead 2

OMG awesome.

XBox 360 and PC on November 17.

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