Original Xbox game, Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, which sparked a bit of controversy back in the day is making a return on modern platforms.
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse has arrived on modern consoles such as PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, as well as PC. If you weren’t an original Xbox owner you may not remember this game, heck, even if you were an OG Xbox owner you may not recognize it. Published by Aspyr and developed by Wideload, Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse released in 2005 for the original Xbox. The game was Wideload’s first title and was actually developed using the original Halo engine. Though it released to very mild reception it certainly has a group of fans and the developer saw its release as a success. Wideload Games was bought out by Disney in September 2009, only to have them create one game, Guilty Party, and then shut down in March 2014. Plans for a sequel to Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse never came to fruition due to the closure.
For the uninitiated here’s what Stubbs the zombie is all about according to the official store page: “Be the Zombie. Kick A** and Take Brains. It’s 1959 and the city of Punchbowl, PA, is a beacon of progress and ideal living. Show the living that law and order are no match for a dead man on a mission.” You’ll be eating brains, possessing the population of Punchbowl, and you will “bring civilization to its knees”.
The controversy that the game fostered in 2005 was regarding cannibalism in games. Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse along with the title F.E.A.R was centre of these criticisms. NIMF’s David Walsh and U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman called the game “cannibalistic”, stating it would be damaging for younger children. Both games were and still are, rated M for Mature by the ESRB.
For those crazy Stubbs the Zombie fans, the return of the Xbox original also brought a collectors edition which is available for preorder here. The collection includes Stubbs’ head – 9″, special colour vinyl, Stubbs the Zombie posters, and more.
You can pick Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC for $20.
