Apocalypse Rising Place Review + Interview

Background: In this game, the objective is to survive an zombie apocalypse by any means possible, this includes PvP as well as PvE (player vs environment a.k.a. zombies).
Bonus: Interview with the creator of this game is located at the end. I might do more of these interviews if I can contact them.

Version at the time of review: v2.0.2

Review:
So, after this game had been on the second page for a while, I decided to give it a go because it looked like the popular DayZ mod for Arma II. Upon spawn, a player is given the choice of four perks, these will help you through out the game as it improves areas of your character (I recommend picking Cardio, the Adrenaline perk does not work well because blood bags are common later on).


After selecting a perk, an extremely large and extensive sandbox world is available the player to build and explore in; it includes several large cities, many small towns, and a few airfields. Loot is often spawned in these places so it essential for you to locate a city to stock up on essentials like ammo, food, sodas (water), and even building materials! 


After I arrived at one of the major cities and finally got a chance to use my collect tool and inventory, I found that both were extremely easy to use, unlike the original DayZ game. I walked around more, eventually finding some hostile zombies that were after me. I shot my gun for the first time and I have to say that the guns feel pretty good. They use ray-casting so hit detection will not screw up when you are in desperate firefights with enemies and zombies. The sound and blood effects are also very satisfying.


Gameplay: 9/10
This game definitely kept me hooked for many hours. The effects are very satisfying and the rush when you take down a survivor keeps me on the edge of my seat. The only problem I have is the lag that is caused by the cruddy Roblox engine. The map is huge and Roblox has no idea to limit render distance properly. If your computer cannot handle the game on regular graphics settings, try lowering them to 1, it will help a lot.


Building: 7/10
The buildings in the game are quite simple in order to reduce the lag, however, they are detailed enough to create a nice environment.


Scripting: 10/10
The GUI functions exceptionally well without too much lag. The weapons are also very well scripted so that they have no hit detection errors. There are very few (if any) bugs, so it is very stable.


Balancing: 10/10
No VIP shirts. Yey! The game is based off of a progress system so weapon balance does not really factor into the balancing. As far as the perks go, they are "side-grades" so they are also balanced.


Overall: 9/10
If you have a decent computer to handle the lag, definitely go and try it out, you will not regret it. The rush of fighting someone else or running away from zombies is a unique feeling to DayZ and this place. Scripts and buildings are well made and contribute to the creepy and exciting atmosphere. The GUI and inventory system are easy to use, simple, and neat looking. Although there is much fun to be had in this game, you can/will lose hours of work from an ambush or fire fight. Just be aware when you see me in a game, I will shoot you :)


-yomamadude6
twitter: @FatCakeCows

Gusmanak (creator of Apocalypse Rising) on the Roblox engine, the future of Apocalypse Rising, and tips to play the game.

Q: What was your inspiration for creating this game?
A: The DayZ mod for ArmA II was a massive inspiration. The difficulty of the game and the uniqueness of it was very attractive to us. ZolarKeth and I had been wanting to make a game that would knock the socks off of Roblox, but we couldn't think of anything that would be challenging enough, or worth making. When I suggested that we try to recreate DayZ, our goal was set, and it kept us going throughout development.

Q:  What were some limitation you ran into while making the game?
A: Limitations? The entire thing that Roblox likes to call an Engine. Throughout development we were constantly battling lag and stability. Even now the game isn't 100% stable. A lot of players still complain about the framerate.

Q: In the future, do you see yourself copying DayZ directly, or instead making your own twists to the game?
A: We're already slowly starting to branch off from the ideas that made up DayZ. I'm sure there will be small changes and additions, but I can definitely say that the differences between Apocalypse Rising and DayZ will noticeable in the future.

Q: Are vehicles going to be implemented?

A: Roblox has been giving us a hard time with framerate recently. In the future when more of the game is optimized (especially the map) then vehicles may eventually become a big part of the experience.

Q: Can you give the readers a tip on how to play the game well?

A: I highly suggest teaming up with one or more friends. It's more fun when you have someone watching your back. Other than that, Apocalypse Rising is still a sandbox game, and there are more than one ways to succeed. It's up to the player to find their way.