Digital Shorts: ‘Undead’s Building’ Review (Nintendo Switch)
In DIGITAL SHORTS we review some of the latest video games that are only available digitally (at least in the UK), in a short-form review format. In this edition we take a look at Undead’s Building, a new “puzzle” game now available on the Nintendo Switch.
Operate an elevator in a zombie invested apartment where the undead wander the hallways! Use the security monitors to check each floor and then move between floors as quickly as possible to pick up survivors. Delay and the undead will eat them before you get there. Tough decisions await! Will you abandon one person to help three on another floor? Or try to rescue them all? Quick thinking and fast controls are required to rescue as many people as possible!
Undead’s Building looks like a game from the PS2 era and plays like a game from the Amiga era. And both of those are good, nay GREAT, things!
As someone who grew up playing puzzle games like Impossible Mission, Flashback et al, Undead’s Building‘s game mechanics seem VERY familiar, even if this game is NOTHING like any of those I’ve mentioned! OK, OK, so maybe Undead’s Building feels very much like it shares Impossible Mission‘s elevator mechanic (or maybe moreso Elevator Action) but there’s no extra puzzles to solve here, no run and gun shooting, instead you merely ride up and down in an elevator saving people and avoiding zombies. Simple right? Right!
In fact Undead’s Building maybe a little too simple. Well that’s if you’re not bothered about perfect scores and saving 100% of the apartment’s tenants!
You see you’re SUPPOSED to use the security monitors to see on which floor survivors are on and if they are in danger from getting attacked by zombies. I say supposed because, after viewing the security cameras at the beginning of each level (something you have no choice in) you can actually just ride the elevator up and down all the floors picking up surviving tenants when you see them. Though there’s still an element of skill as the elevator only holds nine passengers at a time, so decisions have to be made if and when you drop off your passengers at the safe floor(s) and free them from this apocalypitcal situation.
Given the ease of gameplay, along with the overall shortness of the game, you’ll find yourself completing Undead’s Building before its even begun. But… but, if you WANT to get the most out of this game, like I did, then you’ll strive to save every tenant, as fast as possible, and get the best end-of-level grade you can. All the while enjoying the sheer madness of a game where you’re essentially playing an elevator in the midst of a zombie apocalypse!
Undead’s Building, developed and published by Double Drive, is out now on the Nintendo eShop.
