Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is an action game released in 2005 for Microsoft’s original Xbox, Windows PC and Mac OS X and was developed by Wideload and published by Aspyr and was Wideload’s first game.
The game was also once available through the Xbox 360 via backwards compatibility physically and digitally through Xbox on Demand in 2008 but was delisted from the digital store in 2012 due to technical difficulties with the hardware at the time.
The PC version of the game was also once available on Valve’s Steam platform in 2007 but was also delisted in 2014.
A sequel for the game was also planned but was unfortunately cancelled when Wideload closed down in 2014.
With the game being unavailable on digital storefronts, it has since garnered a cult following over the years and has become sought after by collectors “dying” to get their hands on the game due to its rarity and uniqueness from other games of the sixth generation of video games.
However, the game has “risen from the grave” on March 16 of this year and is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, with smoother frame rates and higher definition textures.
The game has also been re-listed on Steam on the same day as well.
The game takes place in the fictional Pennsylvania city of Punchbowl during the 1950s, where technology has advanced ahead of its time to where there are flying cars, robots and scientific advancements.
Punchbowl was founded by billionaire industrialist Andrew Monday who, with the help of former Nazi scientist turned American citizen Dr. Hermann Wye, created the city and provided the technological advancement of the future.
One day during the grand opening ceremony of the city, the titular character Stubbs awakens from the dead through unknown means and starts to wreak havoc throughout the city.
Wanting revenge for his death in his previous life, Stubbs ventures throughout Punchbowl devouring the brains of the living and creating his own army of the undead to take down the city.
As Stubbs, players are tasked with going throughout the levels creating zombie minions.
Being run on the Halo engine due to being developed by some of the workers from video game company Bungie, the game plays and feels similar to that of Bungie’s Halo games during the original Xbox era.
The player first attacks a civilian until they are stunned, once they are stunned they then devour their brain, causing them to become zombified.
When a civilian becomes zombified, they fight alongside Stubbs, attacking nearby humans and causing the zombie army to expand in number.
Devouring a human’s brain will also replenish health for the player.
Stubbs also has unique abilities at his disposal to help him on his journey such as unholy flatulence which, after devouring enough brains, allows him to stun enemies around him with the use of his flatulence, gut grenades which involves Stubbs using his own guts as an explosive device which can wipe out any human nearby, possession in which Stubbs uses his own arm to possess a human and control them causing them to attack other humans and finally an ability in which Stubbs uses his own head like a bowling ball, knocking down humans and can be detonated remotely to explode, in which afterwards Stubbs humorously pulls a new head out of his neck.
Depending on the levels, Stubbs also has access to other means of attacking enemies such as vehicles with weapons.
With the game taking place in the 1950s, the soundtrack sporting music from the era also gives the game a vintage feel.
The game also supports a two player mode, in which a player can have a friend join in on the mayhem with classic couch co-op.
Stubbs the Zombie is a must play cult classic for gamers who missed out on this gem and playing this game is definitely a “no-brainer.”
With its humor, vintage aesthetic, and unique way of being the enemy which gamers have fought against in various games for many years, Stubbs the Zombie is the zombie simulator that deserved another chance through the modern day of gaming.
