Shooting and zombies go hand and hand so much you begin to wonder if one can exist without the other. Though zombies come with a variety of tropes besides an affliction for headshots, one of them has never really been challenged: the infection. In Zombeer you play as K, who just got bit by a zombie cheerleader. Normally that would be the end of that, but this particular strand of zombie virus can be contained by drinking beer. Drink too much and you become inebriated, but drink too little and you’ll find a new taste for flesh. It’s a fun mechanic that has you constantly making sure you’re just buzzed enough to fight wave after wave of zombies.
At this point zombie games come in hordes that would rival any outbreak, so having a gimmick like Zombeer seems like a cute way to change the tried and true formula. Unfortunately even it cannot save this game from shambling over itself. Instead of shooting zombies, drinking beer and shouting cheesy one-liners, you spend the game searching for ammo because too much of the titular beer takes its place as pick-ups. The protagonist comes off as rash and dumb having cheated on his girlfriend with the zombie that bit him and then spewing dialogue that could make even the most immature cringe. Even his walk speed feels stupid and slow, stumbling more like a defeated man than an action hero on a mission. There’s also an unhealthy obsession with nailguns, which is cute at first but quickly becomes annoying as zombies soak up ammo like a sponge. Speaking of the zombies while the guys get such variety as a mime that can scream or another that can dance to make you drunk, female zombies are all so extremely busty that it passes the point of grindhouse tribute and straight to poor taste. Of course with a game like this there’s plenty of references to horror films or other video games, but they’re so blatantly obvious that it feels like appeasement more than anything.
Zombeer feels like a sophomoric effort. The entire game can be best summed up with the first weapon you get: a floppy novelty vibrator. Too much time is spent trying to convince you that the game is edgy and naughty, rather than it actually proving that it is. There is nothing about K that makes him cool or funny, which wouldn’t be as bad if the game didn’t seem to push that angle at every chance. I’m sure to someone out there this game would be a fever dream, but it managed to come out a complete nightmare.