Released alongside Nintendo’s Wii U hardware in 2012, ZombiU was specifically tooled for Nintendo’s console with unique controls and gameplay quirks, putting players in a first-person fight for survival against the undead in a post-apocalyptic London setting.
ZombiU made extensive use of the Wii U’s unique hardware setup, mapping inventory management, navigation, and other key mechanics to the Wii U GamePad’s touch screen. Ubisoft overhauled ZombiU‘s control scheme and other gameplay aspects as part of the porting process for the retitled Zombi.
“We knew from the beginning that maintaining the tension and feel of the original was one of the main challenges, as the way ZombiU was presented on Wii U cannot be reproduced,” said Zombi producer Hélène Henry.
“We maintain a minimal HUD as much as possible,” Henry continued. “It disappears when not required, giving the game a very lonely feeling. If you have surround sound, the awesome sound mix from the original still stands and greatly helps immersion. As much as possible, we’ve tried to keep those key elements.”
Ubisoft notes that ZombiU‘s minimap will be displayed on-screen in Zombi, whereas Wii U players previously had to take their eyes off the action in order to scan the GamePad’s screen for navigation. Zombi also increases its field of vision in comparison to the Wii U original, and movement controls have been similarly modified.
Some features won’t transfer to Zombi, however. The Wii U version’s multiplayer mode, which allowed players to place groups of zombies in the path of a competitor using the GamePad’s touchscreen, will not be featured in the upcoming console ports.
Ubisoft assures that these changes will not affect ZombiU‘s core themes of vulnerability and claustrophobia, as gameplay still takes place in real time with no pausing, and players can still be attacked while accessing inventory items or upgrading weapons.
Zombi debuts digitally for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC platforms on August 8.
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