Half-Life 2 Beta Mod – Zombie Master!

Review – Zombie Master
Even though zombies have yet to walk this earth, they are a popular phenomenon in both movies and games. The latter has seen its fair share of undead-action, with both Resident Evil and Left 4 Dead starring these unsung heroes.

In most cases the survivors actually survive, and the lovely zombies have to face their unholy creator.
Their defeat can be explained in a number of ways, but the most obvious is their lacking intelligence: even though they’re superior in numbers, zombies can’t organize themselves and are easily out-maneuvered by trained soldiers.

This isn’t the case in Zombie Master, a Half-Life 2-mod still in beta. The game makes use of an old and well-proven formula, pitting survivors against hordes of zombies. So far everything is pretty straight-forward, but after a few minutes of playing one thing becomes very obvious: these aren’t the degenerate zombies you’re used to killing.

Playing the master
Every undead creature is controlled by a leader – a Zombie Master, if you will – who has the ability to coordinate their attacks. The master is randomly chosen from the pool of players and has a number of tools at his disposal. He can spawn different types of zombies – ranging from small and speedy, to flaming and screaming – and command them as he sees fit.

While playing the zombie master, one enters an RTS-like view. Being the master is probably the best choice for a strategic-loving person, though it also suits the more sadistic player. Activating different traps is very entertaining, especially since they have such a variety. Some traps might destroy bridges or other landmarks – effectively separating players from each other – or summon invisible and highly annoying zombies.

However, you should bear in mind that Zombie Master takes a bit of practice. You can’t just hit a button and expect zombies to fly out of a barrel; instead you’ll need to invest quite a few hours to get the hang of it. This is definitely a down-side with the mod, seeing as it isn’t very accessible at first.

Playing the survivor
Luckily, there are ways of getting familiarizing yourself with the game without annoying the hell out of others, and more importantly, without agitating yourself. Zombie Master is very entertaining to play as a survivor too, and it’s a lot simpler. In the beginning of a round you are granted a few weapons, though ammunition quickly decreases. Your team is also given a number of tasks based on the map you’re playing.

For instance, if you’re at a gas station and manage to find an abandoned truck, your mission will be to find some spare parts while defending your position. If your teammates are stuck on a desolated island, you’ll need to find wooden planks and try to build a raft – while yet again defending yourself against the ever-so-hungry zombies.

Hate waiting and pistols? Get used to it.
Zombie Master uses the same FPS-system as Half-Life 2, and as such, it isn’t very revolutionary. There are some fundamental differences though, especially when you look at the weapons. You are always in need of guns in Zombie Master and in most rounds, the majority of the players are stuck with a simple pistol. And while this provides a primal feeling of desperation, it can also be a source of great frustration. If you’re not wielding an AK-47, game play will be both dull and repetitive – and your chance of survival will deteriorate extremely fast.

Another downside of the game is dying. No one likes dying, but it’s especially devastating in Zombie Master. Instead of re-spawning as a zombie or coming back to life, you’re forced to wait until the round is over. This isn’t a problem in most games, but a session of ZM is usually between 5-10 minutes long. Waiting for five minutes is never, ever fun.

Not the best of the bunch, but the bravest
Zombie Master might not be the best Source-mod available, but it’s definitely one of the bravest. Granted, it has a few flaws and will only be entertaining for a couple of weeks, but it is worth a try.

The feeling of being a Zombie Master – a darn good one, mind you – is indescribable. Send hordes of zombies towards one single survivor, while hearing him plea for mercy in the chat, is beyond entertaining. It’s pure satisfaction.

And for that reason alone you should download Zombie Master. After all, it is free of charge. And stars zombies. Zombies!