A couple of weeks ago now, the ZRC received a comment on our blog from game creator Wayne West of Spare Brains Games, who kindly offered to send us a review copy of their Zombie Cafe card game.

Of course the ZRC was very pleased to take up this noble responsibility, and so last weekend we got our copy in the mail. Upon which the ZRC learned that its staff had misplaced all of their dice, and more had to be acquired. Not just any dice, mind you; dice suitable for playing Zombie-themed games, for this and future reviews. Plus, this excuse justified a trip to the local game store.

Lo and behold, the perfect steel-grey and green dice were there, ready to pair with the game.

And with that, we were off to the Zombie Cafe!

Zombie Cafe is a refreshingly simple experience after years of playing complicated, constantly-changing card game monstrosities like Hecatomb, Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh (all of which contain/contained heinous anti-Zombie stereotypes by the way). Everything you need, except some 6-sided dice, comes right in the package.

(A one page set of rules, front and back. Ahh, nice to play a game without Errata)

In essence, Zombie Cafe works like this: each player is given a set of brains to sell, and opportunities to draw and deploy ‘Specials’ cards that make their brains easier to unload, their opponents’ brains harder to serve, or otherwise alter the numerical balance of power. As a player relieves themselves of brains, however, they also lessen their card-drawing power, giving other players a chance to catch up to, or gang up upon, their would-be-Champion. The dice are used as a randomizing element to determine the sale of a particular brain on the basis of its total adjusted score.

Particularly innovative in this game is the concept of a ‘Play Immediately’ card, which presents an additional randomizing element to the gameplay, feeling a bit like an infusion of Monopoly’s Chance cards. Given that players often zealously guard and regulate their hands, this adds a potential downside to drawing and turns a universal-benefit into a bit of gamble; drawing a card will, usually, expand one’s strategic options, but it could also spell doom in the form of an additional, unwanted brain that you have to unload.

(Here you can see the Brain and Specials card decks)

Zombie Cafe is easy to learn, easy to play, and highly portable, with the contents all easily fitting into the small game envelope; one could most likely put the entire game in a moderately sized case for carrying a MtG deck. In our experience, games take 15-20 minutes to play (though this is with 2 players, longer games could well take more time), which is perfect for a quick break before bracing oneself for the latest Romero atrocity at the local multiplex, or while hanging out at a convention, or otherwise engaging in direct pro-Zombie activity. (We will be taking the game with us to B-Movie Madness this weekend). Without a doubt it’s a fun independent gaming experience, and on that note we can heartily recommend it.

However, from a Zombie Activism perspective, there are some troubling qualities to be found here. While, generally speaking, the Zombies in this game are portrayed in a far-more-evenhanded approach than in most media, holding down jobs, creating a functional society, possessing taste and intellect, there are still some lingering prejudices to be found within. A losing Cafe-owner is said to be eaten alive by ravenous undead customers, for example; there is also the occasional humorous slight against the Differently Animated. One might also comment on the brain-exclusive diet found in the game, but honestly, we all know brains are delicious. Living humans would eat more of them, if not for prions and the fact that a brain is almost entirely made of cholesterol.

Still, progress is measured in baby steps, and Zombie Rights Campaigners must take what good news we can get, and here is some good news indeed. A Zombie game where the object is to peacefully co-exist with the Differently Animated, to share commerce, currency, perhaps even camaraderie with Zombies? It’s almost too good to be true. The fact that it’s enjoyable is icing on the cake.

Recommended.

Tags: Review, Zombie Gaming

This entry was posted by John Sears on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 12:27 am and is filed under Zombie Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.