Can Robert Bowling’s Human Element make zombies scary again?

Robert Bowling‘s company Robotoki has revealed their first project to be a zombie survival horror game called Human Element. The undead creatures–known as zombies–have taken over popular media and have not showed any signs of slowing down. Human Element promises to change up the game with a new feature that allows the player to choose between three different classes–Action, Intelligence and Health. You will also be able to choose between three different identities that include Survive Alone, Survive with a Partner, or Survive with a Child. Bowling stated that, “How you choose to start in the world will determine how you can engage and impacts the scenarios you will be presented with on a physical and morality level.”

The new additions will add a whole new level to the zombie genre we have come to love, but you have to wonder how well these features will work within the game itself. Survival horror games are known for thriving off the basic human emotions such as fear, but Human Element promises to push the envelope even further. The main draw of the game is that you will be placed in extreme situations were you will have to make tough decisions. These crucial decisions you make during the game will determine how your character will progress further into the story. Bowling plans to play into our darkest fears, “Their greatest strength is the fear that [zombies] instill in us, the survivors, that unreasonable fear. Unreasonable fear that leads us to do unreasonable things to survive.”

It is hard to get excited for yet another zombie game but will this one be different? Is there even a chance for a zombie game to be scary again? Telltale Games‘ The Walking Dead has proven that developers are starting to place more emphasis on relationship building between characters and the consequences of their actions within the game. We hope that Human Element can stand apart from previous game releases by finally making zombies scary again, but I suppose we will have to wait and see. The game is slated to release in 2015 and will be available on next-generation consoles.