Zombie games are not exactly rare these days, and survival horror as a whole has seen just about every twist imaginable. So whenever a new title in the genre pops up, especially one built around resource management and the undead, it is fair to approach it with a bit of skepticism. Still, every now and then, a game comes along that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place.
Don’t judge it by its cover
I was granted early access to play a demo of the upcoming isometric zombie survival horror game Vultures: Scavengers of Death, and it became immediately clear what it is aiming for. Admittedly, when I first read the premise, a zombie survival horror with resource management and all that comes with it, I kind of rolled my eyes.
Another one? In a genre that has been chewed up, spit out, and shot in the head more times than any World War II shooter, it is natural to wonder what possibly makes this one different. Luckily, it did not take more than a few minutes to realize that maybe I am just too jaded for a 30 year old.
Happens to be proven wrong
Credit where it is due, the demo quickly won me over. Maybe it is because I am a 90s kid and an unapologetic horror fan, but this game hit a very specific sweet spot. From the moment I stepped into its grimy police department setting, clearly inspired by Resident Evil 2’s Raccoon City Police Department, I was locked in. I was never bored, never glancing at the clock. I was fully immersed.
The VHS-era aesthetic it aims for is completely on point. If this had launched as a PS1 title back in the day, I genuinely believe it would have earned a cult following. As “generic” as the zombie survival setup may sound on paper, I found myself repeatedly thinking, “they really don’t make games like this anymore”.
This game is for you if…
The standout feature here is that Vultures: Scavengers of Death is turn based. That alone sets it apart, as there are not many survival horror games that successfully blend tension with methodical, turn-based mechanics. Yet here, it works. If you enjoy stepping into the boots of a cigar-smoking, quip-dropping musclehead who is just there to get the job done, you will feel right at home.
Scavengers constantly had me thinking ahead before entering every new room. If you were not prepared with enough health items, weapons, explosives, or ammo, it was easy to get overwhelmed by the undead and spiral into trouble. Even when fully stocked, sometimes the smarter move was to sneak past enemies instead of engaging them head-on.
The demo lasted roughly an hour, and it was engaging enough that I genuinely wanted to keep playing into the next chapter. That alone says a lot. Consider it added to my Steam wishlist.
