Zombi (1986 video game)

Zombi is a text adventure video game developed and published by Electric Dreams Software in 1986 for the Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, and ZX Spectrum. The game is a tie-in to the zombie film Dawn of the Dead (released as Zombi in some European markets).

Players take on the role of one of four characters trapped in a shopping mall overrun by zombies. The objective is to survive by scavenging for supplies, barricading entrances, and fighting off hordes of the undead. The game is notable for its bleak atmosphere, resource management, and permadeath system; characters killed by zombies are permanently removed from the game, making survival a difficult and tense endeavor.

Gameplay involves using text commands to interact with the environment and other characters. Players can examine objects, pick them up, use them, attack zombies, and issue commands to their companions. The game also features a real-time element, with time passing and zombies constantly moving towards the player's location. The scarcity of resources, especially ammunition, forces players to make strategic decisions about when to fight and when to flee.

Zombi received mixed reviews upon release. While praised for its atmosphere and challenging gameplay, it was criticized for its difficult controls and occasionally frustrating design. Despite this, it is remembered as a significant and influential text adventure game, particularly within the zombie genre, and for its faithful recreation of the tense, survival horror setting of the film it was based on.