With no end in sight to the zombie craze currently enveloping the planet ZR: Zombie Riot throws its hat into the ring with perhaps some of the most charming zombie-shooting action of recent memory. Built from the ground up for Oculus Touch, this was one of the first games I tried after installing my new hand controllers, and it remains one of my favorites, even a month later.
Much of ZR: Zombie Riot’s charm lies in its art design with backgrounds that look like they were ripped from a Simpsons’ game and zombie models that look like they hired unemployed Left for Dead monsters. It’s easy to overlook the constant gun play, explosive carnage, dismemberment, and even the killing of KIDS (zombie kids of course) when there is so colorful environments and special effects dominating the experience.
ZR: Zombie Riot delivers a full story mode that will take you across multiple stages and themed environments where you get to attack swarming hordes of zombies, trying to keep yourself alive or protect a specific item of interest from being destroyed. An impressive arsenal of 30+ weapons are at your disposal providing plenty of violent takedown tactics ranging from sniper rifles and shotguns to pistols, chainsaws and baseball bats (with spikes of course). Most levels will start you off with certain weapons and new ones will get airdropped in throughout the missions.
Being a wave-based survival game you’ll play ZR: Zombie Riot from a stationary position with all weapons in easy reach of your virtual hands. Some weapons like the pump-action shotgun or the larger assault rifles realistically require two hands for proper use. You have the ability to look and fire in full 360-degrees, although most levels only have the enemies coming at you from a 180-degree front-facing view. That still didn’t keep me from checking over my shoulder at times due to the spooky and immersive 3D surround sound. The music is mostly forgettable and there is occasional spoken advice from the narrator, but the gun sounds and zombie moans certain rise to the top of the mix.
If you want to test your survival skills then check out the three arenas specifically designed for endless zombie waves where you play until your dead, trying to best your previous efforts. This mode offered virtually endless replayability, but I also had no problem playing through the story mode multiple times. The shooting mechanics are spot-on and nailing headshots in this game is particularly satisfying, especially with the sniper rifle. The way the designers implemented the scope in VR is perfect.
In some levels there can be a bit of strategy in knowing which weapons to use at the right time, and since the wave patterns seems to be identical on replays you can learn when those big guys are coming and save the grenades or dual-wielded shotguns for maximum impact. Reloading is also another skill worthy of mastering before you reach the more advanced levels near the end of the game. And don’t overlook simple items like shovels and clubs. If zombies get close enough these become very effective.
I loved the arcade nature of ZR: Zombie Riot, both in its story mode and endless survival arenas. I have yet to have a problem or glitch in the gameplay, and the Oculus Touch is the perfect way to interact with a world that the Rift headset so effortlessly immerses you in. The cartoon nature of the art design certainly takes the edge off the violence, making this game suitable for anyone of the recommended age to even be using the Rift. It’s definitely a blast to play and something that is easy to come back to time and time again. 
