Parent's Guide: ZombiU - Age rating, mature content and difficulty

ZombiU is a zombie-themed, first person survival game set in London, during the middle of a second plague. Rather than causing boils under your armpits, though, this particular plague has been turning the citizens of London into zombies - and its into this fine mess that you have to go. Guided by a mysterious person known only as the Prepper, you have to explore the zombie-ridden London, to uncover the reasons behind the outbreak, and hopefully, find a cure.

With an emphasis on survival, ZombiU is unforgiving, even for more experienced players. On the normal difficulty mode, a single hit is all it takes to kill you, while on the "Chicken" mode, you can at least take a few hits before popping your clogs. While zombies are a fairly rare sight on the streets of London, they do have a nasty habit of getting in groups and cornering you. With ammo being rare, you're forced to rely on makeshift melee weapons to defend yourself, with a cricket bat being the game's mainstay.

One of the other things more novice players may struggle with is the way the gameplay's split over two screens. Whilst most of the time, you'll have to look at your TV, certain key things - picking locks, hacking consoles, even finding your way around with a map - are handled on the GamePad's screen, forcing you to switch your view between the TV and controller. It's also important to keep in mind that the game doesn't pause when you're rooting through your inventory, making you easy prey for any zombies that come wandering past.

Those who haven't quite grasped dual analogue sticks yet will also want to steer clear, as the GamePad is the only supported control method for ZombiU - the Classic Controller Pro, and Nunchuck/Wii Remote combo are only allowed in the game's local multiplayer mode.

With an unforgiving difficulty level, and some complex, dual screen gameplay that's almost been designed to distract you so you fall prey to the zombies, ZombiU is a game that less experienced players may struggle with (and many more experienced too). If you're a Walking Dead fan, however, it may be worth a look.

As a game filled with undead hordes, ZombiU has lots that parents should be aware of. With much of the game revolving around killing zombies, often with melee weapons rather than guns, the game is about as gory as you might expect. The first time you hit a zombie, the chances are the top of its skull may come off, exposing its brain, with further hits removing more skull (although the bits of skull that come off relate to the damage rather than where you hit it). Decapitations are also prevalent. At one point in the game, you'll come across a bloodied corpse, while a character explain that they "couldn't handle the situation", as a suicide reference.

In terms of bad language, ZombiU is profane, although there's fairly little talking of any sort in the game. F**k and s**t can both be heard, along with a few other, more minor curses. On the bright side, there are no sexual references to be found.

Age Ratings

Format Reviewed: Nintendo Wii U