All Zombies Must Die!

Lore & Background

All Zombies Must Die! is set in the fictional town of Deadhill, where a zombie apocalypse has occurred. Players choose one of four characters: Jack, his ex-girlfriend Rachel, the Rastafarian alien Luxo, or the scientist Bryan. Each character has a different secondary attack in addition to their equipped weapon. Game locations include the suburbs, a shopping mall, and the town centre.

The game uses a dual analogue stick control system: one stick moves the character, the other aims the weapon. It features light role-playing elements such as quests and item creation. Players choose which quests to undertake, allowing non-linear progression and exploration. Players increase their character's level by defeating enemies and collecting items from containers like bins and cupboards. Characters can be levelled-up at bases, which also serve as hubs for weapon modifications, such as creating electrified melee weapons.

Reader's Guide

All Zombies Must Die! represents a notable entry in the downloadable top-down shooter genre, offering cooperative play for up to four players. Its spiritual connection to Burn Zombie Burn situates it within a lineage of zombie-themed action games. The inclusion of light role-playing elements—such as quests, item creation, and character levelling—distinguishes it from pure shooters, providing a degree of non-linear progression and exploration. The dual analogue stick control system was a standard for the genre on consoles. The game's setting in the fictional town of Deadhill and its cast of four distinct characters, each with unique secondary attacks, added variety to gameplay. As a downloadable title, it contributed to the growing market for digital distribution on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows. Its legacy lies in its blend of cooperative zombie shooting with RPG mechanics, a formula that would influence later indie and downloadable titles.

Did You Know?

• The game is the spiritual successor to Burn Zombie Burn.
• Players can create electrified melee weapons at bases.
• The game is set in the fictional town of Deadhill.
• One of the playable characters is a Rastafarian alien named Luxo.

Origins and Platform Availability

All Zombies Must Die! occupies a specific niche in the action-adventure genre, blending top-down shooter mechanics with cooperative play for up to four participants. Rather than being a direct sequel, the title positions itself as the spiritual successor to Burn Zombie Burn, carrying forward the high-energy zombie-slaying formula while expanding the scope of what players can experience. The game launched as a downloadable title, making it accessible without requiring a physical disc. It was released across three major platforms: the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. This cross-platform availability meant that both console and PC audiences could jump into the cooperative zombie-fighting experience. The top-down perspective gives the game a distinct visual identity, emphasizing fast-paced gunfights and tactical positioning over the kind of third-person aiming found in many other shooters. By combining the action-adventure structure with a party-based multiplayer focus, the title carved out a space that appealed to friends looking for a shared, chaotic experience rather than a solo narrative journey.

The Roster of Survivors

Players step into the shoes of one of four distinct characters, each bringing a unique personality and combat style to the zombie apocalypse. Jack serves as the anchor of the group, while his ex-girlfriend Rachel offers a contrasting perspective on the unfolding disaster. The roster is further diversified by Luxo, a Rastafarian alien whose otherworldly background sets him apart from the human survivors, and Bryan, a scientist whose expertise presumably informs his approach to the crisis. Beyond their narrative identities, each character is mechanically differentiated: every survivor wields a primary equipped weapon and possesses a unique secondary attack that no other character shares. This design ensures that choosing a character is not merely a cosmetic decision but a meaningful tactical one, as the secondary attack can alter how a player interacts with hordes of zombies in tight spaces or open areas. The variety across the four options gives cooperative squads the flexibility to cover different combat roles, making group strategy a core part of the experience.

Mechanics and Progression Systems

The control scheme relies on a dual analogue stick setup, with one stick dedicated to moving the character around the top-down arena and the other handling weapon aiming. This separation allows for fluid, responsive combat where players can strafe while keeping their crosshair locked on incoming threats. Beneath the shooter surface, the game weaves in light role-playing elements that reward exploration and experimentation. Players can choose which quests to undertake, granting non-linear progression and the freedom to roam the game world at their own pace. Character levels increase through defeating enemies and scavenging items hidden in containers like bins and cupboards. Bases function as safe hubs where players can level up their chosen character and access weapon modification stations. These stations enable creative builds, such as crafting electrified melee weapons that transform a simple club into a devastating close-range tool. Ammunition is deliberately limited, pushing players to manage resources carefully and consider when to switch between ranged and melee approaches.

The World of Deadhill

The entire game unfolds in the fictional town of Deadhill, a once-ordinary community now overrun by a full-scale zombie apocalypse. The setting spans multiple distinct areas, including quiet residential suburbs, a sprawling shopping mall, and the bustling town centre, each offering different layouts for combat and exploration. Players navigate these locations on a mission to complete quests, gather scarce items, and hold the line against relentless zombie hordes. The limited ammunition available in each area adds a layer of tension, forcing players to decide whether to conserve bullets for a larger threat or spend them clearing a room of the undead. The non-linear quest structure means players can approach Deadhill in different orders, discovering hidden items in everyday objects like bins and cupboards while working toward their chosen objectives. The town's varied environments, from the open spaces of the suburbs to the tighter corridors of the mall, create a rhythm of combat that shifts between wide-area engagements and close-quarters survival, keeping the experience fresh across multiple playthroughs with different character choices.