Zombie Command

When you’re not playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero, chances are your plastic guitar controller is gathering dust. Well, Epicenter Studios is hoping to transform your guitar into a tool to stop the undead in an upcoming zombie “shooter” known as Rock of the Dead.

The game is pretty much a combination of Typing of the Dead, which it was largely inspired by, and a hint of Rock Band thrown into the mix. So, how’s it work? Instead of blowing off limbs or trying to put the undead down with a solid head shot, a riff appears on the screen. If you shred the riff, it’ll blow your enemies away. It takes on the approach of the notes flowing right-to-left rather than the top-to-bottom combination we’re accustomed to seeing in music and rhythm games. Still, some are disappointed that the game really is based more on how quickly you move the strum bar as opposed to the true musical feel of playing a semi-accurate note chart and finger tapping like a true guitarist. Still, the game is gaining heavy attention and is expected to capture a fairly large audience of gamers.

Plus, the game will be coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to the Nintendo Wii, which it was originally announced for. Aside from graphical improvements, leaderboards and Trophies/Achievements, the non-Wii versions are expected to also include eight Rob Zombie/White Zombie tracks. Plus, Rob Zombie will be a boss in the game, assuming you can collect all the body pieces to unlock the battle.

Another feature included will be drum support, which follows the same basic principles as guitar mode. Still, both modes promise to be difficult and challenge the player, especially if you’re on a high difficulty while playing drums.

Rock of the Dead’s release date is set for October 5 for all platforms with a price tag of $40 for the 360/PS3 version. The title is expected to be stiff competition against Rock Band 3 and the next Guitar Hero release, but the game itself is unique in comparison to the two.