Title: Moving Hazard
Version Tested: PC
Available On: PC
Developer: Ill Fonic, Psyop Games
Publisher: Ill Fonic
Genre: Shooter
Official Site: https://www.movinghazard.com/
Release Date: March 10th, 2016 (Early Access)
Where to Buy: Steam
In pretty much any First Person Shooter you have played, zombies have always been your enemy, hell-bent on consuming your flesh. In Moving Hazard, however, zombies can also become your allies, changing the tide of the battle. I was able to live stream Moving Hazard with another member of The Nerd Stash, the legendary Ryan Griffiths, for around two and a half hours in addition to solo time. Ryan and I both agree that the potential here is great…but it still has a way to go to be that “must have a title.”
Ryan’s take on the game is this: “My thoughts on Moving Hazard are that it is a game with a lot of potential, but sadly lacks some ambition. The concept of weaponizing zombies is an interesting concept and one that is executed surprisingly well, however, with a lack of single player options and only small team based games available right now, I couldn’t wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s good fun when all the pieces come together but a lack of support from the community, in general, may be what prevents this game from taking off. With the so-called “saturation” of zombie games in the market, it takes a lot to get people invested into the genre, and I feel that Moving Hazard probably doesn’t do enough to do that.”
In my opinion, weaponizing the zombies is a great way to get yourself out of a bind, especially in a low health situation. A carefully placed Pheromone Attractor Molotov can turn a horde of the undead into flesh eating allies ready to devour the enemy attempting to hold a point. You’ll also have access to distractor grenades which will buy you a short amount of time if you find yourself in a pinch by drawing the zombies away from you and towards the grenade.
Moving Hazard has realistic weapons that become upgradable as you progress in the game. Several different classes are also available which will complement different styles of play and vary in effectiveness from map to map. The light class was by far the most useless for me as you only get a crossbow and a pistol. Perhaps if I was Daryl on the Walking Dead I would have fared far better. The crossbow only has one shot before needing to reload. I’d have more luck of hitting the floor if I fell on it. The medium class will get you set up with the M4 Assault Rifle initially and the Heavy class will have you using the M249 light machine gun. The current game modes that are offered in multiplayer are Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill and Capture and Hold. Capture and hold are essential “Domination” where three points on the map need to be held as long as possible.
Now initially use of some of these weapons can come off as frustrating. During our Twitch stream of Moving Hazard, Ryan made a comment about the length of time it takes to aim down the site which he felt was too long. It felt like every time we came face to face with an opponent, we were beaten to the punch before we could even get the gun up to fight back. That can feel like a major downside for the same reasoning I’ve expressed in my other reviews before and that is that no one likes to lose. Many can accept losing, but they need to at least feel like they have a chance at winning; otherwise the whole experience will ultimately turn into a negative. Well, you can make your gun aim faster…you just have to buy the upgrade for it.
Let me say, no, I am not talking about micro-transactions where you’d have to pay actual money for better equipment. Moving Hazard has an in-game currency system in which you will accumulate money as you progress through the multiplayer and solo survival modes. This money can then be used to purchase upgrades for your weapons, items like fore-grips, improved iron site, quick draw and quick reload among other things. My only complaint here is the length of time it took me to get a good chunk of cash to start purchasing things. Ryan and I played for a good two hours in addition to the time I played alone, which gave me just enough cash for three different attachments. It very well could be that I just was not skilled enough to earn more cash than I did but even so it came off as a downside for me. All of the in-game upgrades and attachments for load outs can be purchased in the main menu in the “Hideout” section.
Moving Hazard was a game I enjoyed but lost interest in fairly quickly. At our two-hour live stream mark, I was already wondering what else I could play. I came back to the game with interest again a few days later but again, it was short-lived. The multiplayer currently only supports 4v4 and depending on the time you play, you will have a tough time finding those slots filled. The solo survival will provide some good fun starting out. It is also a way to earn cash without going head to head against real opponents so you’ll have better upgrades on your weapons when you do. Keep in mind that the game is still in Early Access so it’s not a title that’s already all said and done. Ryan makes a good point about the saturation of “Zombie” games but Moving Hazard does stand a little apart from that with weaponizing those zombies. I’ll be very anxious to see how things go coming down the home stretch.
Have you played Moving Hazard? The game is available now in Early Access on Steam! Share your love for the game below!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeiD8Reqfs0[/embedyt]
