What if there was a zombie game with no zombies?

[Swarles]

So you are going through a desertad wasteland with bodies and moans but you never see a zombie. There would be scripted elements in which people in the group would stray away and later you would find them dead in the street. You would never see a zombie and there would be no combat but at every turn you would expect one but dont find it. You try to get to safe houses and an aid station at the end. You here distant moans and find mangled bodies. You have to keep hydrated and fed as well as have regular sleep or you could pass out and die. What do you think?

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I'd think.
"Wow, this game looks shit. Good job I read the review first."

 

[killcheese]

It could work. If the atmosphere is deep and the game is immersion. Amnesia the dark descent is a good example of this.

 

[Tips_of_Fingers]

I'd think: "This could have been a decent, atmospheric game if it was written better."

 

[hazabaza1]

It would be a terrible game.
No threat apart from hunger and thirst wouldn't be entertaining.

 

[pyrosaw]

I had the same idea with clowns. Unfortunetly, the player would eventually just brisk fowards knowing nothing is going to kill them. Some scripted moments of actually seeing a zombie might work, but I still don't think it would happen. That's why Silent Hill had a few monsters. To keep the threat there.

 

[MCDeltaT]

Sounds like it could work as an indie game.

 

[Tips_of_Fingers]

It could work. If the atmosphere is deep and the game is immersive. Amnesia the dark descent is a good example of this.

Sorry but that was irritating me. = ]

Amnesia is awesome. Although you do see monsters...and proceed to get mauled by them >.>

 

[stefman]

So you are going through a desertad wasteland with bodies and moans but you never see a zombie. There would be scripted elements in which people in the group would stray away and later you would find them dead in the street. You would never see a zombie and there would be no combat but at every turn you would expect one but dont find it. You try to get to safe houses and an aid station at the end. You here distant moans and find mangled bodies. You have to keep hydrated and fed as well as have regular sleep or you could pass out and die. What do you think?

id think "well that was an interesting movie for sure." sorry bud but that's exactly what you described. also if the potential "player" found out there was no combat/ zombies they would have no reason to be all tense as they know it will not kill them. i think amnesia the dark descent did the closest thing to what you are describing. on that note you would probably love it. damn didn't read. someone else mentioned amnesia. o well check it out anyway. and with a bit of tweaking it could turn your idea into a really cool experiment/ experience. really cool idea, just needs some work.

 

[shenhen]

It could be really awesome if there were like a single zombie in the entire game. So first you only walk around for a couple of hours and then a zombie jumped out.

 

[Lem0nade Inlay]

Hm, it would be interesting.

But ultimately I'm afraid it would get boring.

Maybe you could have conflict within other humans? Like, you have to run away from the army who are exterminating people? (a la 28 Days/Weeks Later)

 

[thiosk]

So first you only walk around for a couple of hours and then a zombie jumped out.

...killing you, and then [the game] asking if you'd like to start over.

 

[Leopard]

I had the same idea with clowns. Unfortunetly, the player would eventually just brisk fowards knowing nothing is going to kill them. Some scripted moments of actually seeing a zombie might work, but I still don't think it would happen. That's why Silent Hill had a few monsters. To keep the threat there.

Yeah, this. If you know there's no threat its not scary. You'd need like zombies to randomly appear occassionly, that way the player would always be on edge. Other than that sounds interesting.

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

1st hour of playtime: holy crap, shat my pants again

all other hours: i'm never gonna see any zombies am i? ... *sigh*

 

[Swarles]

Just to everyone saying it I have played amnesia. It gave me the idea along with the thread about a game where you only run up stairs.

 

[kickyourass]

If done right and the character interaction is good then I'd say it definitely could work. Though I wouldn't really say it was a 'zombie game' since there wouldn't be and zombies present.

 

[Radeonx]

So the entire game is me walking around listening to eerie sounds and character dialog?
No thank you. That sounds unbelievably boring.
Amnesia was good, but that was because you can actually die in that. You are running from something.

 

[Swarles]

Yea mean no monsters, cause no zombies I can name a few, Left 4 Dead, House of the DEad Overkill, Resident eveil 4, they are not zombies they are mutents, or infected or possesed or something

but yea that game will probly one day be made by a indie developer who will say everyone who calls it a crappy game doesnt get it.

I ment something with no monsters yeah