As we are aware, in the sea of indie productions it is not uncommon to find some respectable games. Today, for this very reason, we want to talk to you about Garage, a title released exclusively on Nintendo Switch and that pays homage to the zombie splatter of the 80's. The videogame is a vertical shooter that demonstrates one fundamental thing: often to create a fun experience you don't have to invent anything new. Simplicity, in fact, in the case of the work developed by TinyBuild Games and Zombie Dynamics, proved to be the most powerful weapon of the entire production. This type of video game fits perfectly with the portable architecture of the hybrid console of the great N, the pixel style then gives that retro touch that will please many nostalgic gamers.
Pixel-zombies
The story of Garage lays the foundations on a narrative solidity that is not exactly original, but which nevertheless does not tire. The protagonist of the events, that is Butch, will suddenly wake up inside a trunk of a car in a deserted parking lot. The only things he will notice are the shreds of human flesh on the asphalt, all seasoned with a good dose of blood and mysticism. The main character will have an undiscovered personality that will reveal itself as the adventure progresses. But this is only a small piece of a much more complex puzzle: the mysteries to be solved in the Garage are numerous and intriguing, we will not spoil anything for logical reasons, but we can assure you that finding out how the infection started is not the top priority. While you face this experience you will get to know several strange and crazy characters, all normal if we then mix it with the context on which the game is based.
The questions asked at the beginning will be answered at the end of the latter, leaving you with bated breath for the duration of the title. We can say with certainty that the software houses, at least at the plot level, they are committed to creating an intriguing and original story, so as to diversify, at least in part, from all other content focused on zombies. The humor of the game, however, often does not match the apocalyptic scenario of the game, which you may or may not like depending on your personal tastes.
How do I kill someone who is already dead?
As for the gameplay, as also mentioned at the beginning of the review, Garage is a top view shooter. The title combines exploration with a few small puzzles, topped off with some old-fashioned racing sequences and constant, adrenaline-pumping action. To move and shoot you will have to take advantage of the two analog sticks as in the classics of this genre but the thing that greatly varies the combat system is the weapons. To defeat the zombies you can use melee items such as axes and knives, up to the classic guns and rifles, all surrounded by melee moves. The combat system and the style of production go very well with the level design adopted by the developers, which often leads to the most absolute madness, passing from one extreme to the other with unsettling naturalness and consistency.
The gameplay is therefore nothing innovative, but it is limited to doing its duty without exceeding. Contrary to the plot, here the developers wanted to be more on the safe side, by inserting simple mechanics and already tested from previous titles. if the software houses had had the courage to propose an innovative or at least "risky" system we would now be talking about something else, for this reason if there is a criticism to be put to production, it is precisely the lack of daring after throwing solid foundations regarding the narrative.
Techniques and technicalities
A big problem with the game is the high difficulty imbalance. It will not be a novelty to die almost constantly, as it will not be strange to fall at the hands of inconspicuous enemies while, not even to do it on purpose, to resist harshly to more advanced zombie shots. The complexity of Garage it is impossible to read at all, giving the impression of having to face more the randomness of events than the monsters in general. All this turns out to be unpredictable, expect to lose at any moment. This unfortunately goes in stark contrast to the much more characterized and studied boss fights, which however will not require too much effort to overcome. Garage is obviously not free from some small and annoying bugs, but that still does not affect the experience in any way.
In conclusion we can say that Garage it's a great title, developed intelligently and with knowledge of the facts. Unfortunately, some mistakes on the calibration of the difficulty and the not having dared in terms of gameplay, mean that the title is a good production but nothing more. The developers did not want to dare, offering a fun title that does not risk as much as it could have. The bases to create a slightly "different" game were all there, too bad they weren't exploited properly. In any case, we are sure that the next works will certainly be of quality - like the latter - and we look forward to seeing the experience obtained by Garage bear fruit in the near future.
