Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse Reviews
Fun can still be had in Stubbs The Zombie, however, its flaws are still ever apparent. It’s a mostly enjoyable experience, just feels very dated and was an incredibly low-effort remaster.
Stubbs the Zombie is still what it was more than fifteen years ago, with the good and I'm afraid the bad, but also the good, which is that. A not very long story with zombie jokes, and a leading man who makes himself loved. A pity that there has not been more effort to bring back a title that even the word 'remaster' is too big for. But that retains sparkle and touch at least.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Good old zombie Stubbs is not fresh enough for present-day players.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Aspyr could have fixed some very serious technical problems after so many years.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Even though its gameplay mechanics are a bit dated and there aren't much improvements over the original game, the remastered version of Stubbs the Zombie is still one of the most unique experiences you can have, especially if you missed it 15 years ago.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Stubbs is emblematic of the end-of-lifecycle game in that it is extremely weird, kind of janky, and beloved by those who happened to pick it up in the game store, which was something we had way back then, because console games hadn’t invented online purchases yet.
If you already have a soft spot for Stubbs the Zombie, you're going to have a perfectly fine experience here. But we wonder why on earth anyone would hold a candle for a game this obviously flawed. There's some ambition here for sure, but something is always working against it. You can't lose yourself in its mindlessness because your character is too weak. You can't really formulate a decent strategy using your powers because you can only gain access to them through the rote melee combat. The jokes didn't make us laugh. The premise is fun but the gameplay simply doesn't do it justice. We'll say it again – in order to make Stubbs the Zombie fun at all, you have to possess one of the firearm-wielding humans, thus transforming it from a load of baffling nothing to a pretty dull shooter. Please, no more resurrections for Stubbs. Let the man rest.
Stubbs the Zombie deserved more then, but not now. A too simple port that fails to attract attention to an outdated game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Stubbs the Zombie Rebel Without A Pulse is a cult game incarnate. From the offbeat premise and crass sense of humor, to the low budget presentation and likable protagonist; it is the kind of game that is hard to dislike because of how quirky it is.
The HD remaster version of Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse wants players to see the fun side of a zombie outbreak and it does it in all the right ways. Players will once again roam through the city of Punchbowl looking for love and revenge.
Even with its blatant pacing issues, as well as the fact that this is, at the end of the day, an upscaled port of a game originally released three console generations ago, Stubbs the Zombie is still well worth checking out today. The charming story, carefree attitude and unique gameplay is something we really don’t see a lot of these days.
This re-release of Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse does make me wish it was a remake like Destroy All Humans! got last year. However, it being exactly how I remember and so little changed is some great nostalgia. It’s a fun, silly, and stupid game that doesn’t last too long — kind of perfect for 2021. It’s a budget priced title that is clearly aiming to gauge interest in a potential sequel, and I’m all for it. I had a blast going back to experience being a love-stricken zombie all over again.
These are all problems that were present in the title upon its 2005 launch, so the port can only do so much. With this in mind, the game is solid — stable frame rate, the assets look as good as they possibly could without an overhaul, and the modernised controls are a demonstrable improvement. Hit detection is a little sluggish, but it's worth the price of entry for getting a peek at such an oddity. While saying the game lacks focus could be construed as an insult, it’s truly fascinating to see a game made with, for its time, such a high level of quality that wears so many different hats. And for that, we appreciate the opportunity to experience it in the modern era.
When games from previous generations make a return it's always interesting to see whether unusual ideas that met with some success then can hold up now...
Whether this is for you depends on how much fondness you have for games of this era. This is no remaster or remake; it's a direct port. For me, the pieces come together just enough to find fun in spite of itself.
There's a bitter sweet feeling to playing Stubbs the Zombie in 2021. The game is too dated and linear to really recommend and some of my fond memories were tarnished by revisiting it, but the core gameplay still has enough to keep you engaged and the setting and humour still stand out. I still think it is worth a return play for those old enough to remember it first time around and I am glad that it is finally available again. There is enough here to get your heart pumping, but there's a persistent whiff of decay that you just can't shift.
Stubbs is a fun game that doesn’t take itself seriously. There is really nothing else quite like it, and I had fun revisiting this dumb action title. For those that never got a chance to play it before it is more than worth checking out, if for nothing else but seeing how different this game is from pretty much everything else out there. It thrives on its wackiness and dumb fun and is still enjoyable today. And now players can experience it on every console or PC under the sun.
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is a modernised re-release of the 2005 hilarious cult classic, complete with 60fps and a nice sharp resolution. Although the game doesn’t really boast many improvements over the original, the game has a lot of charm within its simplistic gameplay and mindless combat (literally). The co-op mode means you can bring a friend along with you (locally) as well as some very time-consuming and tricky trophies to keep you occupied for a while, ensuring replayability if going for the platinum. I wish it was more colourful and that the cutscenes were actually 16:9, but overall the game reminded me of the games of yesteryear, simplistic yet lots of fun to play.
Stubbs shambles into 2021 as a decrepit mess.
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse isn’t a terrible game by any stretch of the imagination, but once the novelty of playing as a zombie has worn off, it’s rarely fun. It’s dated in just about every way imaginable, and while those who fondly remember it from many years ago might get a kick out of taking control of Stubbs once again, newcomers are probably just going to left wondering why his corpse has been reanimated once more. With some fresh ideas I’d like to encounter Stubbs again one day, but his original outing now just carries the stench of decay.