ZombiU producer disappointed by early reviews

December 16, 2012 10:18PM PST

By Zorine Te, Community Manager

Guillaume Brunier says development team was not expecting such "harsh" initial feedback; says these opinions eventually proved a minority.

The Wii U's survival horror game ZombiU is a console-exclusive title that was available at launch. However, the game was released to a less than positive reception, something which reportedly "disappointed" the game's developers.

Early ZombiU reviews disappointed devs.

In an interview with Nintendo Life, ZombiU producer Guillaume Brunier spoke about the team's reaction to the reviews that the game initially received.

"We were really disappointed with the early US reviews," Brunier said. "We are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the experience we created, but we did not expect so harsh a feedback. However, as more and more journalists and gamers played the game, these opinions proved to be a minority. So, right now, we're rather pleased with the overall reception of the game."

ZombiU is a fear-fuelled first-person shooter game that is designed to take advantage of the Wii U's touch-pad interface. The game boasts multiplayer modes and permanent character death, allowing the player to assume the role of various survivors throughout the adventure.

By Zorine Te, Community Manager

Zorine is the Community Manager at GameSpot Australia. She enjoys competitive gaming, eating and winning. Is prone to gamer rage.

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353 comments

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zatchbatch

I think gamespots review on ZombiU is LUDACRIS. this is one of the best horror survival games i have played in years. The game has its faults. But it gives you that real first person Horror game we all been waiting for. Sure the cricket bat is a dumb weapon of choice. And you can find better weapons in a post zombi world. But the chills you get from turning each corner and the goosebumps you get from searching your bag not knowing what will creep up behind you. This game is great. and if people give it a wirl they might also love it. Ubisoft you nailed it here and best of luck with more games you have for the Wii U im sure you will please all of us :)

zell1

Their talking about you gamespot, you!

fayhee98

@smackdowner360 Go fuck yourself. You 360 fanboys are just jealus that you'll never get games like Super Smash Brothers and Pikman 3.

mariofan50

Don't get discourged, Ubisoft, I think ZombiU is an amazing game and you shouldn't listen to the people at IGN or Gamespot, they're biased!

ZomDie420

1 Like

this game is the best at what it does hell i have to take breaks every 30 or so minutes to calm down from the tenses pulse pound fear i get from the game i haven't had that kind of fear in a game sense i played resident evil 2 back when i was 8 that's a true statement.

ps. Capcom talk to them about how to make a better Resident Evil game LOL:)

zatchbatch

@ZomDie420 Well spoken haha Capcom can use some advise

Inconnux

The main reason people gave it bad reviews is because they were expecting CoD style zombie game. This is a SURVIVAL HORROR game, which is exactly what it delivered. I gave it a 9/10.

Simmo3D

1 Like

I cant believe how GameSpot and IGN rated this game, its actually a great game. Everyone I have spoken to that owns it said its great too.... SCREW OFF GAMESPOT

AdaxWong

2 Like

Have to say ZombiU is one my favorite Titles of 2012! Its fun and its great! I'm in my 5th play through and it just keeps getting better and better! :D

dakilla808

2 Like

Im 36 years old and im hardly able to find games where I keep playing. Well zombie U has me playing and I cant stsop

mgreatorex

Zombiu is a good game. Not brilliant, not average & not rubbish, just good. And to all you Xbox & PS3 nerds this is new generation from Nintendo. Just wait until Sony & Microsoft bring out next gen, will it be pioneering like Nintendo or will they just copy as they always do?

DarthLod

2 Like

"whispers" That's what happens when you develop for gimmicks like the Wii U instead of actually making a quality game.

dagofbicks

@DarthLod "wonders" Who let you out of your cave?

tgwolf

...Okay, well...so you were expecting players to stay zombies and play your worthless game? I don't see how this would come as a surprise...

cachinscythe

1 Like

@tgwolf "Worthless" eh? Not one aspect of it was even remotely done properly? The game doesn't function at all? It doesn't have any graphics or gameplay?

I'm not saying the game's worth much, but to me, a word like "worthless" is supposed to be reserved for anything that scores a whopping zero, which to the best of my knowledge, nothing ever has.

genjuroT

2 Like

"This game is not good." -Me

diabolik_023

1 Like

since you do the same damn thing every time... what were they expecting ... the nobel prize ? THINK PEOPLE , THINK !!!

wayno22

5 Like

well done ubisoft you given us nintendo fans the best zombie game in years on any system dont worry about the bad reviews we the people love it and other game reviewers do to dont wait for gamespot to give a good review anything nintendo they down grade it if this game was on the shit box or pissme off 3 it would have recieved a 9

Araknie

2 Like

How do i internet.

HADES2001

4 Like

The game is really good for a launch titels deserves a 8 or 8,5.

The meaning of the game is giving you a thrill not like left 4 dead shoot everything but a lot more like the TV series walking dead survival at all costs.

Hope they make a sequel.

dreamfist11

@HADES2001 idk how you could get a thrill from such repetitive gameplay, they couldn't even give you more animations knowing you would spend most of the time swinging a cricket bat

donutboy

@dreamfist11 @HADES2001 The same argument could be said for just about every game ever made. Pacman for example, and yet it's haled as one of the greatest games of all time so your argument is WEAK dreamfart or wetdream or whatever you call yourself.

Alpr1010

1 Like

@donutboy @dreamfist11 @HADES2001 Comparing a game from 1980 to 2012, nice.

ameerz

2 Like

@HADES2001 i agree its amazing and realistic . as in survivability i wish i could play it

dreamfist11

2 Like

Zombie U??

More like ZombiePoo!

Grazie grazie i'm here all week folks *bows*

dagofbicks

@dreamfist11 dreamfist11? More like dreamofbeingfisted101! Hey, where did you go? Come back, I'm not finished with you!

donutboy

@dreamfist11 You are retarded.

Araknie

@dreamfist11 Prego.

death_dealerK

1 Like

I thoroughly enjoyed zombie U and yes it had some flaws but it is still a scary game. I think people are taking the flaws too seriously and need to look at it as a whole.

Sevenizz

5 Like

@death_dealerK With the prices of games these days - any flaw is inexcusable.

ameerz

1 Like

@Sevenizz @death_dealerK Prices ? seriously go play AC Franchise most of them have bugs ... Mass effect too .. alot of games are bugged and flawed . just enjoy them . there arent a game that is perfect .. i dare you to name one!

ameerz

@cachinscythe @HADES2001 @Sevenizz @death_dealerK what does that game even have ? ... a simple game like that wouldnt be bugged would it ? it was one of the first games ever the ofc it wouldnt be bugged ... im saying games like GTA 1 or 2 or any out of that year . almost every game has atleast minor bugs . people shouldnt complain because that is a normal thing . there isnt anythign perfect in game ..

cachinscythe

@HADES2001 @ameerz @Sevenizz @death_dealerK *facepalm* Pong? Seriously? You're comparing games that require numerous program elements to one of the simplest, most easily programmed games ever created? If you expect all games--or even most--to be as bug-free as Pong, you're expecting far too much out of developers. I bet you almost anybody on this page would program a game like ZombiU much worse than the people who actually made it, but I'll be happy to retract this if there's anybody in here who programs these complex games for a living and actually works in the industry.

That said, if Pong genuinely IS bug-free, that's a good answer to ameerz's question.

HADES2001

1 Like

@ameerz @Sevenizz @death_dealerK i have yet to find a bug in pong for the atari 2600 does that count ?

abHS4L88

2 Like

@Sevenizz @death_dealerK

Then I guess there isn't a single game good enough for you then, might as well quit gaming all together.

dagofbicks

@dreamfist11 Don't lie, you secretly love this game.

BargGainX360

@dreamfist11 @mike9876543210 @abHS4L88

COD is Repetitive/Boring shit, it has been the same for the last 5 Games or more, Zombie U went with something new and they made some mistakes big fucking Deal.

aroxx_ab

2 Like

@abHS4L88 It is many good games for me, because i accept nothing in the world is "perfect", some flaws dont stop things/games to be good/enjoyable

dreamfist11

@mike9876543210 @abHS4L88 I'd suggest you read your comment again to see how much of a dumbass and hypocrite you are rofl.

"also have you played zombie u, if you havent then you are a troll by stating an oppinion that is backed up by stupidity"

So you say my opinion would be stupid and I would be a troll if I hadn't played zombie u yet...

"black ops 2 online is crap compared the mw3 or bf3"

wait for it.....

"i dont even own black ops 2"

pow right in the kissa

Yeah talk about stating an opinion that is backed up by stupidity.

huh...interesting...it appears I have exposed another hypocrite nintendo fagboy troll

Please please, you guys make this too easy

mike9876543210

2 Like

@dreamfist11 @abHS4L88 hahahahaha, wow, read my comment properly then read yours

mike9876543210

2 Like

@dreamfist11 @abHS4L88 i never compared it to cod you idiot, i simply used it as an example, also i dont even own black ops 2

dreamfist11

@mike9876543210 @abHS4L88 There the faboys go again comparing zombie u to COD. Yeah dumbass all games have flaws no shit, and your talking about COD to the wrong person, I hate COD. You can't compare a game with a few flaws to the repetitive/ boring shit that zombie U is, please be smarter and think before you post, you nintendo fagboys make it too easy

mike9876543210

2 Like

@dreamfist11 @abHS4L88 if i said that black ops 2 is better on the wii u than ps3 or xbox, does that make me a nintendo fagbot, no, every game is flawed, black ops 2 online is crap compared the mw3 or bf3, doesnt stop people playing it, as for abhs4l88 being a troll, he simply stated that if no one want to play a game with flaws there is no point playing games because everygame have them, also have you played zombie u, if you havent then you are a troll by stating an oppinion that is backed up by stupidity

dreamfist11

@abHS4L88 Its funny that you randomly insert German into your comments, does it make you feel better about yourself troll?

Btw defending a game that is clearly flawed, tooth and nail just because its on a nintendo console not only makes you a troll but also a nintendo fagboy, weve been over this before abhs, even celcius agreed your nothing more than a fanboy, youve established yourself as that .

abHS4L88

4 Like

@dreamfist11

I see you still don't know the meaning of the term troll. Here, let me define it for you.

An internet troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into anemotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

Oh look, my response has to do with the original comment and look at a post you made.

"Zombie U??

More like ZombiePoo!

Grazie grazie i'm here all week folks *bows* "

Meine dummkopf, you are more troll than anyone I've ever seen on this site, moreso because you flat out deny it.

dreamfist11

@abHS4L88 @Sevenizz @death_dealerK troll

aroxx_ab

3 Like

@Sevenizz All games got flaws

Sevenizz

Ubisoft has a bad history with launch titles. I think the only launch title they had a good review with was 'Splinter Cell - Team Stealth Action'...for the N-Gage.

ExplicitMike

@Sevenizz LOL did you really just used N-gage as and example of a launch title. Next you'll be telling me why Virtual boy launch titles did so terrible. As least a successful console like the wii with their terrible red steel.

cachinscythe

@ExplicitMike @Sevenizz What? Whether it's a good system or not--which most agree N-Gage and Virtual Boy weren't--it still counts as a "launch title" if it's in the launch window. I'm not defending the N-Gage, but if what he says is true, Splinter Cell-Team Stealth Action WAS a launch title, so what's wrong with that example?

cachinscythe

@Sevenizz ...wow. That's pretty hilarious given how bad the N-Gage did. :)

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