This review is an unedited version of the review written by Zombie Dredd and published in the Tech Magazine: Issue 50 October 2017.
I’m sure many of you suffer with some perfectly rational fears about the end of the world. I mean, let’s be honest, a zombie apocalypse is right up there isn’t it? We’ve all been secretly training for that inevitability for years thanks to the forward-thinking attitude of game developers. So, in that regard, we’re all about as ready as we can be…
But what about the (almost equally inevitable) Llama apocalypse? Who’s actually ready for the moment those slightly cute and furry pack animals (with a bad spitting habit) rise up and revolt against us all? I can safely say that I wasn’t. But thanks to South African game developer Rogue Code we can all be just a little better prepared… if we had a military-grade Mech and three friends to team up with.
Yes, VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse (we’ll call you VALA from now on) is all about training you to kill ‘vicious’ Llamas…
Hold on. Maybe it’s more about social commentary and the awareness of all living life on the planet.
No. I had to go back and check again. It’s definitely about killing Llamas.
As you can clearly tell, VALA does not take itself overly seriously. At its core is an old-school twin-stick shooter (with controller support) that can be played co-op or solo. It probably could have as easily had you killing another cute animal species but then it would’ve failed on the bad-good puns like ‘The Llamanati’. Because behind every apocalypse there has to be puppet masters controlling the strings…
Of course, for every evil mastermind, there are the heroes and in this case, that hero is you and your suit of armour. In a sequence of maps set in a pretty decent sized city, your job is to secure each area by wiping out every last breathing Llama. It’s certainly not complicated really, but it sure is addictive.
The Llamas aren’t afraid to make your job difficult and swarm you in a way that makes you reconsider whether they aren’t actually just true evil in a furry and cuddly coat. Choosing the right weapon for the job (and choosing the right words to describe it all) is crucial. The game offers plenty of perks and weapons to ensure the full and final destruction of the Llama menace. If you want to be strategic, you can use exploding cars and chokepoints to your advantage. Ultimately, if it’s a bloodbath you’re looking for, it’s a bloodbath you will get. The Llamas may run the streets but their blood will fill it. Unless you choose to turn the gore off.
VALA is old-school. It’s isometric from a top-down perspective. And is one of the greatest ways to while away an afternoon as you attempt to progress just a little further. If you want to spend an uncomplicated (and massive amount of) time playing games, then you need VALA in your life. You also really need to be fully prepared for the looming Llama apocalypse. It is coming…
Score: 7/10
Available for: Xbox One and PC
Distributed by: Digital distribution
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