When modern-day Acclaim showed off its inaugural sizzle reel around a year ago, a few games stood out more than others, showcasing elements from the typical output Acclaim of yore was associated with. HYPERyuki: Snowboard Syndicate appears to be a fusion of SSX and Trickstyle, while survivors-like Ground Zero Hero features Matt Groening-esque character designs. The connection, of course, is that Acclaim published a lot of Simpsons tie-ins during the ‘90s.
It’s definitely cool that these throwback elements exist, especially in something that’s clearly chasing a trend at the same time. Not only is Ground Zero Hero a survivors-like auto-shooter, but it also has Rick & Morty-style irreverent humour – mostly evident through its colourful cast of misfits. If you’re thinking that solo creator Rowan Edmondso has missed the boat somewhat, bear in mind that Ground Zero Hero has been in development for three years.
Elements of Fallout and the X-Men are present too, although these come with the territory. We’re cast into a mutant-filled post-apocalyptic world, with fallout bunkers acting as safe zones, and must collect glowing DNA blobs to mutate our lone survivor’s skills. Once the DNA gauge is filled, one of three new mutations can be selected to help kill hordes of mutated fauna and flora. You’re able to sprout tentacles and giant fists, grow a third leg to get around quicker, lay explosive eggs, shoot lasers and fireballs, summon a circling vulture, and emit a radioactive glow that’ll fry anything nearby. Coins, meanwhile, can be spent on permanent upgrades, such as auto-healing, more base health, and improved critical chances.
So far, so predictable. Ground Zero Hero, however, does make a few changes to the survivors-like formula, helping to set it apart. Its two standouts are the day-and-night cycle, which sees stronger enemies emerge at nightfall, and the 10,000-kill quota required to summon a boss. At night, if you’re not yet strong enough to tackle the vampires and werewolves that appear, you’re able to hop into a nearby bunker – albeit at the cost of wiping all uncollected DNA. All existing enemies will be abolished too, so there is a positive to resting – especially if the screen is awash with foes. Killing nighttime predators, meanwhile, unlocks rewards. As for the kill quota, this can be achieved reasonably quickly by investing in the right upgrades. It also means that there’s no milling around until the usual 15-minute or 30-minute time allotment is up.
Dotted around the wastelands – of which there are five to unlock – are a few diversions, such as safes to crack to gain bonus cash, slow-mo mushrooms to consume, exploding cows to ride, and the occasional unique encounter, such as a crocodile who hands out life-restoring candy and an elephant that hoovers up surplus DNA. Some objectives are marked with pointers, giving you a reason to stroll around instead of remaining in a single area. This is in addition to seeking fallout bunkers, which you should ensure are always nearby if you’re underpowered.
On that note, Ground Zero Hero does allow you to become temporarily overpowered regularly. Every mutation has a 1% chance of ‘Going Bonkers’, which sees you wipe out countless enemies at once, as well as causing great harm to bosses. Missiles can also be detonated with explosives, wind towers knocked over, and more besides. There’s always a sense of looming danger, though, as swarms of enemies will often whizz across the screen. Getting caught in the middle of a swarm won’t necessarily kill you, but it will leave you in need of a candy fix.
At the end of a successful run, a new powerful mutation unlocks, helping to mix things up and provide a fighting chance against stronger enemies. The first of these is an electric eel appendage that’ll zap several freaks at once. The number of permanent upgrades is locked per stage too, so you’re never going to be maxed out for long. This adds a nice sense of progression.
I’ve had access to Ground Zero Hero for a couple of weeks ahead of release, and playing it every evening for an hour or so has been pleasurable, with steady progress made. There’s a lot to be said for offering a more colourful and jovial take on the genre, and the experience is backed by an upbeat soundtrack that could have been ripped from a ‘90s cartoon. While it is guilty of featuring a grind for coins, and would’ve perhaps benefited from a dash move to help evade passing swarms, it remains a fun take on the genre, with a couple of interesting ideas that help it stand out. If fatigue hasn’t hit you yet, here’s an unlikely hero you can rely on for a good time.
Rowan Edmondson’s Ground Zero Hero is out 20th August on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 and PC. Published by Acclaim.