Many arcade games include a challenge mode when faced with limited gameplay options. However, Burn Zombie Burn! missed the memo explaining how much fun challenges are with a friend. All of the challenges, which are loads more interesting and varied than the score-based game, are single player only. With no real storyline, and very little goal besides "stay alive" the co-op game went stale pretty quickly.
Another issue I encountered is the local-only co-op. You and your friend will replay the same level many, many times to unlock different stages. Friends tend to get bored looking at the same environment for too long, and while sitting in the same room, other suggestions are likely to come up. Suggestions such as watching a movie, or playing Flower, even feeding the fish were uttered after only a few rounds. There are two solutions that I have thought would have prevented this. Number one, have the co-op levels fully unlocked from the start, or fewer prerequisites to unlock the later levels. Number two, add a bit more variety than those three gameplay options. The challenges would have been a great touch, especially to coordinate tactics to beat specific challenges.
Oh, and just to be snarky and make my point, give us online play! When people are sitting on your couch and get bored, they tend to wander off and eat your food. Online play not only saves your fridge, but extends your possibilities and investment into the game. The co-op in Burn Zombie Burn felt a little bit like an afterthought with so many limitations, I would have expected more from a title like this, especially with so many different challenge modes already in the single player portion!
Verdict
Co-Op Score
The Co-Op Experience: Pair up with a friend as you churn through endless hordes of zombies in this top down shooter. Scoring is key, and the angrier you can make the zombies the better your score!Co-Op is available in three modes: Freeplay, Timed, Protect Daisy
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.