Gamertell

Zombies get a bad rap. The majority of them just can’t help their innate, ravenous urges. I’m sure if they had a choice in the manner, we’d see quite a few vegetarian, or even vegan, members of the Undead. You don’t get mad at lions for chasing cute zebras, or vultures from scavenging off the zebras’ carcass once the lions are done.

Quite a few video games even portray some more rational zombies. So since not all zombies are evil, we shouldn’t instantly condemn or fear them. Zombies are simply a part of the circle of life, and we should accept the good along with bad. Besides, if someone isn’t able to outwit/outrun a zombie, then maybe that person deserves to get eaten.

Looking at every zombie as a numb, killing scavenger is stereotyping which, as we know, is wrong. Some zombies go against their inner nature and attempt to make a positive contribution to society. Zombies in Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys, Stubbs the Zombie and Cry of the Infected provide views of zombies who are more than compulsive eaters.

Fins, Half-pipe and Lefty from Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys

Fins, Half-pipe and Lefty are a perfect example of some of the zombies that are just good people. They have the common courtesy to remain in their graves resting, and only decide check out the living world when the irresistable scent of oversized brain. Plus the trio ignores the succulent human brains in favor of the alien brain thingys.

Perhaps one could argue that the trio seeks alien brains because they require less effort to acquire. Most of the alien brain thingys are heavily armed throughout Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys, while the humans run around screaming, flailing their arms like little kids. So clearly the humans would be the easier appetizer. Fins, Half-pipe and Lefty clearly have some sort of zombie-moral compass, or at the very least know how to prioritize.

Stubbs from Stubbs the Zombie in “Rebel Without a Pulse”

Stubbs is a bit of a stretch, but you have to realize that most of his actions are motivated by conscious decisions rather than hunger. Stubbs is very busy in Rebel Without a Pulse - he goes on a bit of a rampage, eats a few people, creates a zombie army, decimates the town of Punchbowl and avenges his own death. But the only reason he did all this was because he was unjustly murdered to begin with.

In fact, after he accomplishes his mission, finds his love Maggie Monday and makes her a zombie, he’s content to just end things. He could have taken down his son Andrew, after Andrew tried to avenge his mother Maggie and Punchbowl by attacking Stubbs, but doesn’t because Maggie steps forward. Stubbs and Maggie then take off on their own to live a happy, peaceful un-life together.

Robert from Cry of the Infected

Robert is a civilian casualty in Cry of the Infected who has been accidentally turned into one of the undead because of a biological weapon which has accidentally infected the entire city. Rather than just rampage and search for some cerebellum, Robert decides his first priority is to find his wife.

Throughout Cry of the Infected, Robert, and at times the other zombies, are portrayed as actually having some intellect and emotion. Robert’s devotion to his wife remains despite his transformation. The other zombies lash out at each other and other people not only in hunger, but in both anger and desperation after what has been done to them. This game shows that zombies can have emotions other than hunger which motivate their actions.

So next time you see a zombie, don’t immediately reach for your weapon. Give your undead friend a chance to show his/her intentions. Then grab your blunt objects or records and aim for the head - survival of the fittest after all.

Site [Teenage Zombies: Attack of the Alien Brain Thingys] Site [Stubbs the Zombie] Site [Cry of the Infected]