Arizona Sunshine’s Dog Mode Is Already My Favorite Way To Play Zombie Games

Arizona Sunshine has been a solid success for Vertigo Games and Jaywalkers Interactive. Debuting in 2016, the game became a staple of the VR space and eventually got both a sequel and an updated remake. Now, the developers are bringing the game into a more traditional third-person space, which could risk making it feel like any other zombie game. Luckily, though, the developers had something else in mind that helps improve on the tight horror-action gameplay and unlocks an entire other playable character.

While attending Summer Game Fest, I got the chance to try the new Arizona Sunshine. For the most part, it’s a solid take on a familiar genre, giving players plenty of guns to use in their battle against the undead horde. However, once the multiplayer mode was set up, I got to step into the role of Buddy the dog, who can run through the horde, bite through a zombie skull, and return fallen ammo to the other player like the good boy he is. It’s silly and surprisingly fun to be a dog in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, proving to be exactly the kind of gameplay innovation this genre needs.

Arizona Sunshine’s Dog Mode Is My New Favorite Way To Play A Zombie Game

Arizona Sunshine had to make some changes in adapting the inital VR experience into a more standard third-person action game, but the decision to add multiplayer by allowing another player to take on the role of his dog was a silly, strange, and spectacular choice. In Arizona Sunshine, one of the more enjoyable touches of the gameplay comes with the player’s canine companion, Buddy. The dog can’t be hurt by the zombie hordes and serves as a secondary ally in the field, dispatching the undead with sudden attacks or grabbing faraway items at the command of the player.

It’s a fun little tweak to the gameplay that is especially useful when the zombie hordes can become overwhelming, giving the player a little bit of backup to rely on when things get hairy. If you want to bring a friend along for the apocalypse, however, they can join either as a copy of the main character for a standard adventure or take on the role of Buddy. Naturally, when presented with the choice during the demo made available to the media during SGF, I chose Buddy. Running around as a dog in the zombie apocalypse is surprisingly fun, as is racing around the remains of society to grab an enemy and bring them down.

Luckily, animals can’t be transformed in this world, allowing Buddy to bite into several undead throats without any risk of being corrupted. You also have the ability to move through parts of the map that your human companion can’t get through as easily, leaving Buddy to recover some important gear or unlock certain paths. The teams at Vertigo Games and Jaywalkers Interactive already had a pretty fun zombie action game on their hands, even if it felt pretty familiar. Still, the ability to play as Buddy adds a goofy layer to the already pretty silly experience that helps it feel unique.

Buddy The Dog Highlights How Developers Can Make Zombie Games Feel Fresh

Zombie games are a dime a dozen in the modern gaming industry. They make for easy nameless enemies for players to mow down in action games, quick threats to unleash in horror titles, and make for easy comedic fodder in wackier experiences. As a result, though, it can be hard to make a zombie game stand out amongst the crowded field. Arizona Sunshine found success with early VR adopters by bringing that style of game to the VR space, but shifting to a third-person perspective could have felt a little too familiar.

Even retaining the game’s comedic sensibilities would have been tricky to keep it feeling unique when franchises like Dead Rising had a clear influence on the title’s tone and gameplay. Adding elements like multiplayer is a good way to help, but even then, it’s something that players have seen in other games. Being able to play as Buddy the dog is the sort of weirdo goofball choice that fits the tone of Arizona Sunshine and gives players something unique, and I loved it immediately.

It shifts the gameplay mechanics and forces you to reevaluate how to approach the undead horde. Your mission becomes less about survival and more about keeping your human partner alive, a fun tweak on the formula that I wish would be expanded further into a full campaign mode. Even just as it is, this new approach is just goofy enough to be instantly memorable and fun enough to be entertaining. After getting a little bit of hands-on time, I just want to see more of Arizona Sunshine‘s dog mode.

Arizona Sunshine is set to launch later this year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.