I do not understand how cars work or any other object that requires a fair amount of technical knowledge. Of course, the automobile industry seems to like it this way as the only ones who can truly fix them are mechanics. Gone are the days the average person could tinker with his or her car to his or her heart’s content. Yet, I don’t have a problem with this. If I fixed my car, it would probably end up as one heck of a mess. And that’s a rather pleasant way to describe Zombie Driver on the PC.

Zombie Driver takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. How the apocalypse happens, I am not really certain. Nor do I care. One does not play these types of games for the plot. Instead, this is a game about slaughtering as many zombies as humanly possible by running them over with a car. Plus, you have to worry about rescuing the survivors.

So, this sounds and controls like a typical racing game, eh? Yes, there is a sense of urgency to rescue folks, get the zombie horde under control and sometimes complete a level in a limited time constrain. Yes, the cars are intuitive to drive as you can use the arrow keys, WASD setup or even the mouse to control them. However, this is where things get a little murky. You are encouraged to run over as many zombies as possible as they rapidly boost your bank account. You are encouraged to explore the game’s world to find stacks of cash. And you have access to four different power-ups once you purchase them.

Then there are the cars. Each car has different advantages and disadvantages. There are three stats: armor (resisting attacks), speed and ramming (how easily the car runs over a zombie). The taxi is a decent low-level car that will hold up to four passengers. A limo is a slow car with decent ramming ability and strong armor that can hold six people. The ambulance can also hold six passengers with low armor and speed, but it has a solid ramming power. Furthermore, you can upgrade each of those stats three times. Thus, the taxi can become a stronger rammer but will never be as strong as the ambulance or as fast as a sports car.

Graphically, Zombie Driver is solid and dark and bloody. Buildings come in various shapes and sizes, from the traditional business buildings to neighborhoods. Roads look desolate and destroyed, and vehicles are abandoned, waiting to be destroyed. Trains litter the tracks while zombies lumber from place to place. Water flows under bridges. How detailed the world is, obviously, depends on how powerful your computer is. The one gripe I have against the engine is that it takes a bit too long to load, and I have a modest computer.

Sound wise, everything is a bit forgetful. The problem is that it is good, but it doesn’t differentiate itself from other games. The groans of zombies never stops being satisfying as you mow them over with a car. Gunfire fires out of your car whenever you have the guns equipped. Explosions of various types are the norm. Sometimes it is a car transforming into metal shrapnel; other times it is flesh due to the monstrosities in the world. However, there is no human voice to balance out the world to tell you what to do. You’re out there on your own, and it can be devastatingly lonesome.

In a nutshell, “lonesome” could be the best to describe Zombie Driver. It’s ultimately just you and how many zombies you want to destroy. In other words, this is pure escapism. How far you want to take it all depends on you. Could there be refinements to the formula, tweaks to the system so it’s even more intense? Yes, just like any other game, there are things that could be done.

For me, Zombie Driver is one of those games that are best played when relaxation is needed. There’s nothing like mowing down zombies after a day of craziness. On the other side of the coin, this game might be considered too “masculine” by other games since cars and zombies tend to be seen as a “guy thing.” Regardless of how you paint it, $10 is a pretty good bargain for a game that lets you escape the everyday humdrum for awhile. Let’s just hope the police don’t hand out speeding tickets while playing this game.