Age of Zombies is a PSP Mini game (also playable on the PS3, of course) that comes out today. Halfbrick studios are the guys that brought you Blast Off (and its soundtrack) and Echoes, both PSP Minis, and Raskulls on XBLA. The team that made this game includes:
Design
- Phil Larsen
- Tony Hansen
- Steve Last
Programmers
- Steve Last
- Paul McNab
Level design
- Ryan Langley
Lead artist
- Murry Lancashire
Composer
- Jesse Higginson
Age of Zombies comes out today, and we got a chance to sit down over email and have a nice chat with Mr. Larsen, as he points out below.
1) What do you do for Halfbrick, and what did you specifically do for this game?
Hey guys, my name is Phil Larsen and I am the marketing and community manager at Halfbrick. Over the last few months I was also on the team as one of the creative designers on Age of Zombies. I helped design the story, setting, gameplay and overall progression. I also wrote the script!
2) What were some of the challenges and triumphs of developing this title?
In a world of shooters and zombie games, we needed something unique. We certainly weren’t going to mess with core gameplay and what makes shooting fun, but adding another layer of fun and polish to make it stand out as a fun mini. The design was simple – a game where you play as Barry Steakfries, some badass dude who has to travel through time to fight zombies. That way we can avoid the clichéd “run-down city” zombie setting and go all out wacky. Zombie ninjas and dinosaurs are awesome.
3) How do you think it turned out? Is it as you envisioned it originally, or did you have to make compromises?
We did have to make compromises, as pretty much every game does. The game itself is very much akin to the original design, it’s just that as we began working there were so many ideas and features we wanted to include. It’s time travel, the possibilities are endless! That’s what is known as “feature creep” and is generally a developer’s worst nightmare. However, we stuck to the plan and came out on the other side of a relatively short dev cycle with a product we were happy with.
4) If it’s a success, do you have other thoughts on a sequel or ideas you’d take wiht you into a new game?
Well, as mentioned above, there were many ideas we simply didn’t have time to implement. In the game currently is five time periods with three stages each, original bosses and a Survival mode. Imagine where we could take Barry Steakfries in a sequel! The moon? Another dimension? The land of friendship and happiness? You decide!
5) How is it developing for the PSP vs the iPhone or DS? Any other platform experience?
The PSP traditionally needs to be a bit more of an expansive experience – if we’re going to be making an iPhone game (we are), then it will be more simple, instantly playable and minimal input. That’s a game specifically focused for what iPhone is all about. More complex games can work, it’s just a different kind of development experience. With the PSP, you have a bit more wiggle room with its traditional control setup, but obviously the game still needs to be simple and focused. They are minis after all!
6) When does the game release, and what’s next for you and your team?
If you’re reading this, the game is out right now for $4.99, and it’s playable on both the PSP and PS3. Check it out in the minis section of the PlayStation Store and enjoy! Coming up next will be Rocket Racing, a fast-paced arcade racer with some great gameplay mechanics and a slick style. That will be out in early March. We look forward to showing you more!
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