We’ve only seen one of the two Zombieland movies out in the wild, but that didn’t stop our immense enjoyment of Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded.
One of the PSVR 2’s launch titles, Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded puts you in the shoes of a new character joining the zombie-shooting group made up of Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and co. Their likenesses appear in the game, but don’t get too excited: Headshot Fever‘s cartoonish style means they’re not exactly lifelike. And they’re also voiced by other people. Not to worry, though. That’s not what you’re here for. Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is all about the first-person shooting, and thankfully, that’s where it excels.
It’s best described as a level-based game, with multiple short levels for you to jump into. Complete a set of three, clearing enough random objectives in each, and a new set will open up for you in the next difficulty. Each level has its own location for you to run through, filled with different types of zombies to shoot. To start out with, you’ll only be up against the slower, shambling types, easily going down with a well-placed headshot. Later, you’ll come up against bullet-spongey brutes and undead that are lightning-fast.
Each level also has a ‘B-side’ for you to complete: a harder, remixed version of the same location, providing extra challenge for you. There’s a decent amount of content to sink your teeth into, then: there’s even a shooting range to visit with various challenges of its own.
Related: The Best Games on PSVR 2 You Should Buy Right Now
The joy of Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded, though, is that this isn’t a one-and-done game. Each short level may only take you a minute or two to complete. But with global leaderboards, you’ll constantly be competing for the best score. Complete the level that bit quicker, and you’ll climb your way up the board. It’ll keep you trying again and again, aiming to inch your way up to the top spots.
As you play, you’ll also earn upgrade points – in the form of toilet paper – which you can use to upgrade your weapons and unlock new skills. Better weapons means more ammo, better aiming and more damage, and so after each new upgrade you’ll likely want to jump back into past levels to try and do a little better.
You can play Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded either sat down or stood up, and it’s great fun either way. But we found the action much more immersive stood up. You don’t need to move around: the experience is on-rails, with you warping to a new spot every time you’ve cleared a room of zombies. You’ll need a clear arc of space around you, though. Zombies won’t sneak up behind you, but they will appear either side, so you’ll need to be quick on the spot.
By default you’ll have a pistol with unlimited ammo, although you’ll need to reload manually by pushing a button to expel your empty cartridge then holding it to your body to refill. In your other hand, you’ll also have a special weapon. It’s a shotgun to start with, but as you play you’ll unlock more guns, like an automatic rifle. This one has a limited amount of ammo but does much more damage than your standard pistol. You’ll therefore want to use it carefully and sparingly, saving it for the more fearsome of enemies.
Along with simply making it to the end of a level alive, you’ll also want to complete additional objectives to earn extra upgrade points. A level may have a hidden item to find and shoot, for example, like a pair of sunglasses or a golden disc. You’ll also be rewarded for achieving a certain combo, or for finishing under a certain time. Yet more reason to keep playing the same levels.
For fans of on-rails shooters like House of the Dead, Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is an excellent modern-day equivalent. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never seen the movies: this is a perfectly good standalone zombie-shooting romp, made better than ever thanks to the performance and fidelity boost offered by PSVR 2.
Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded Review – GameSpew’s Score
