Games like Vampire Survivors are all the rage these days. It’s easy to understand why. There’s something satisfying about the survival roguelike experience that keeps you coming back for more, and Acclaim’s Ground Zero Hero is looking to capitalize on the genre’s popularity.
The first thing that you’ll undoubtedly notice is the game’s distinct art style, capturing the vibes of iconic animated television series like The Simpsons. It’s something that lends well to the game’s over-the-top gameplay and presentation, which tasks players with fighting against massive hordes of mutants. You’ll want to absorb the remains of said mutants to unlock new mutations and keep progressing through the game.
Ahead of the game’s summer release, Acclaim announced that a free demo is available now on Steam. Players will be dropped into the game’s first wasteland, Doomsday Desert. You’ll also be able to test out 14 of the game’s 19 total mutations. Best of all, all progress you make during the demo will carry over to the actual game.
Ground Zero Hero is the brainchild of solo developer Rowan Edmondson
To say that Ground Zero Hero has been a long time coming is an understatement. Rowan Edmondson, who has been working on the game for over a decade, left his job as Creative Lead for mobile developer Dobsft Studios.
“I worked hard on this nonsense,” said Edmondson in a press release. Nonsense it is, in the best possible way, of course. In a post from his LinkedIn announcing the project, he called the game “Vampire Survivors on acid.”
As for publisher Acclaim, it’s the latest in what’s been a wonderful comeback story for the former iconic developer. Elder millennials like myself remember Acclaim from our youth. They’re the publisher behind classic games like Mortal Kombat, Turok, and NBA Jam.
After filing for bankruptcy in 2004, the company announced they were back in 2025. They’ve steadily been releasing games since, including the old-school basketball game Basketball Classics. It’s not quite NBA Jam, but it still satisfies that retro sports itch, especially on my Nintendo Switch 2. Games like Basketball Classics and Ground Zero Heroes fit within the vision of the new Acclaim, shunning larger mainstream titles and instead supporting smaller independent developers.
Acclaim will look to keep the momentum rolling when Ground Zero Hero releases later this summer for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, and Steam.
Follow Outrun Gaming on MSN for more content you love.
RELATED:
