'Game of the Year' finalist at the 2021 VR Awards and TIGA Awards, ‘Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever’ combines arcade lightgun games with racing mechanics. Headshot combos slow the clock, meaning the most precise shooter is the fastest - challenge the leaderboards with skill, speed, and accuracy.
The game takes direct inspiration from classic arcade lightgun games like "House of the Dead", blending that style of on-rails shooting with a time-focused, score-chasing gameplay loop. Players must quickly and accurately take out hordes of zombies by lining up headshots, with successful combos slowing down time to allow for more kills. This arcade-style shooting mechanic forms the core of the game's addictive gameplay.
The game heavily rewards player precision and timing. Hitting consecutive headshots triggers a "Bullet Time" effect that slows down the action, giving players more time to rack up combos. This encourages players to carefully aim for the head, rather than spraying bullets. Maintaining these combos and finishing levels as quickly as possible is the key to achieving high scores and climbing the leaderboards.
While the main campaign levels can be completed relatively quickly, the game offers endless replayability through a variety of challenge modes, leaderboards, and upgrade systems. Players can unlock new weapons, perks, and other upgrades to improve their performance, and compete against friends and other players for the fastest times on each level. Thisloop of trying to beat your own high scores and those of others provides a strong long-term hook.
Reviewers praise the game's tight, responsive controls, which are essential for the precise shooting required. The teleportation-based movement, while limiting, helps avoid motion sickness and keeps the focus on the core shooting mechanics. The simple reloading system, where players just need to bring the gun close to a floating magazine, also works well within the game's design.