Ed-0: Zombie Uprising review

Following a year in Steam’s Early Access program, the Xbox port of Ed-0: Zombie Uprising still retains a bit of jank. But the game also offers a rather distinctive take on the action-driven, roguelike formula. Still, those who enjoy quirky games and have forgiveness for minor flaws might enjoy walking the path of an undead destroyer.

If you only enjoy the kind of technically proficient but slightly sterile experiences offered by triple-A games, you might want to steer clear of Ed-0: Zombie Uprising. Released by D3Publisher, it recalls the inelegant but habitually entertaining franchises like Earth Defense Force and OneeChanbara. But instead of centering exclusively on action, Ed-0 is just as much a roguelike that persistently forces you to make tough decisions and deal with the consequences. For players willing to put up with a few unpolished components (hey Lancarse, being able to quit would be nice) Ed-0 offers a healthy blend of action and administrative duties.

Delve into the recently released Xbox Series S/X title, and you’ll begin as a hulking samurai, armed with a katana. As a master swordsman, you can cleave through shambling corpses with a three-hit combo or a powerful thrust that takes a moment to charge. Across runs, you’ll encounter random magical scrolls. Once mapped to a button combo on your controller you’ll have access to special strikes, such as a powerful yoko giri (side cut) that can one-shot subordinate foes. You can map four of these specials onto the controller’s face buttons and upgrade them if you find duplicate scrolls. Like most roguelikes, you’ll only get so far with your basic melee attacks before large groups of enemies overpower you. Before long, they’ll grow resilient, taking a dozen katana swings to take down.

Shiren the Wanderer with Real-Time Combat?

Feeling like a three-dimensional, action-driven entry in the Mystery Dungeon series, randomization drives each journey through the game’s underworld. While heading through a succession of floors connected by torii gate-shielded portals, you’ll encounter a supply of arbitrary items. Some are given ambiguous names, and if you decide to eat “hard food” or toss a “white orb” into a crowd of zombies, you might be in for a surprise. Like most roguelikes, learning the best use for each object is a fundamental part of the experience. On the upside, the gates themselves are clearly labeled, so if you’re low on health, the best route forward is obvious.

That said, the sense of discovery is limited. After about six hours with the game, you’ll probably see most of the everyday items and only find new things on protracted, productive runs. The good thing is you aren’t stuck with just playing as a samurai. Perseverance (or knowing a cheat) will eventually unlock a sumo wrestler and a ninja.

These Zombies Have an Agenda

While Zombie Uprising keeps the storytelling brief, those with knowledge of Japanese history should appreciate the references. The source of the game’s undead pandemic stems from “kurofune raikō” or the “arrival of the black ships”, a reference to U.S. Navy Admiral Perry’s strong-arming an isolated Japan into a trade treaty.

As many historians noted, the consequence was a bevy of Westerners filling the streets who probably shambled around in awe, much like the game’s undead enemies. Remarkably, Katsushika Hokusai, the famed ukiyo-e artist, plays a role in the story. At his studio, you can admire some game-inspired ukiyo-e prints, before instigating a great wave of bloodshed.  But instead of inundating players with playful satire, Ed-0 limits the amount of exposition. As such, you might end up desiring a bit more of the game’s wit.

Surprises, Both Good and Controlling Tossing

Shinjuku-based developer Lancarse likes to keep players off-balance. A previous build had invisible mines, which when stepped on, would occasionally get my samurai drunk. My noble combatant sank into a puddle of mutinous muscle, puking all over himself, drawing the attention of a horde of zombies. This was hilarious the first time it occurred. But on each subsequent playthroughs, stepping on a mine got a lot less amusing. However, there have been changes.

The mines are still there, but in far smaller numbers following Zombie Uprising’s Early Access debut.  But statistical balancing remains a fundamental flaw. Enemies are like damage sponges, and the buffs and augmentations that carry over to successive runs take too much grinding to earn. Nailing the pacing of a roguelike can be difficult. Too often, Ed-0’s longer runs devolve into battles of attrition.

Hope is Occasionally Found at the Bottom of a Sake Bottle

At present, each playthrough lasts long enough to show off the game’s unpredictability. One run was going great until I battered open a treasure chest, setting off a trap that sent a zombie mob running after me. Another trek was an exercise in inventory management, at least until a wicker basket made room for other objects, acting like a nestling doll. Like any respectable roguelike, you’ll probably be persuaded to use indistinctly named items when beaten down. If you appreciate a game that cultivates a sense of desperation, Ed-0 will amuse, at least in the short term.

Aesthetically, Zombie Uprising has aptitude, offering 60fps performance on the Xbox Series X. Walking through forests in the early stages feels sufficiently unnerving, with a bit of haze concealing groups of lumbering adversaries. Later, you’ll venture into period-specific structures where you’ll cover tatami mats with the mutilated undead. Like OneeChanbara, you’ll become covered by the blood of your enemies, giving your character an unnerving appearance. That said, object pop-in diminishes the game’s impact.

Yes, the Village Hub Can Feel a Bit Lifeless

Back at your base village, the game channels the elegant tranquility of the Tokugawa era, with storefronts where you can purchase new abilities or adventuring essentials from the local merchant. There’s something quite amusing about seeing your character scarf down a giant cheeseburger or onigiri and I’m glad that Uprising isn’t afraid of silliness. Capcom doesn’t seem to know what to do with their Dead Rising series. But here, Lancarse demonstrates they have what it takes to get the franchise back on track, with its mixture of mutilation and madcap silliness.

Hubs can often feel utilitarian in games. While Ed-0’s is a bit sparce, with some unused space, it invites exploration with treats like a small farm behind the dojo. The town vendor sells you antidotes like water which helps with stat-depleting hangovers or sushi to from your hunger from compromising your health supply.

Mastery is baked into Zombie Uprising. You’ll unlock new abilities by doing tasks a specific number of times. Heal repeatedly during a run, and you’ll start to open new restorative abilities thanks to the powers of the Sacred Tree back at the town hub. Earning virtue, a resource gained by putting the undead to rest, and you’ll unlock vessels that constrain stat-boosting blessings. That’s on top of the charms that you’ll find, which often have deliberately ambiguous effects on your adventurer.

Conclusion

At present, Ed-0: Zombie Uprising can feel overly grindy. On one run, I faced a flaming enemy that took at least 60 sword hacks to defeat. Other times it can feel punitive. While it’s customary to forfeit some of your wealth when dying in roguelikes, taxation of half your gold feels vindictive. You’ll eventually unlock an additional character, the sumo who offers a palm-fist combo and a chargeable assault that erupts into a huge fireball. While slower, he’s a walking tank clad in a mawashi and purification rope. Appropriately, the wrestler has a massive health bar.

Despite these issues, I found myself revisiting Ed-0’s underworlds, dedicated to the task of making an efficient assassin of the undead. As it stands, this isn’t a technically impeccable effort, but it’s an undeniably likable one that delivers some goofy enjoyment. If you ever wanted an OneeChanbara roguelike, this is the closest you’ll get for the foreseeable future.

Ed-0: Zombie Uprising was played on Xbox Series X with
review code provided by the publisher