Since the 1970s, successive generations have found fascination with zombie horror. The genre's durability is partly down to how it constantly reinvents itself, via videogames like Resident Evil (opens in new tab), comedies like Shaun of the Dead (opens in new tab), and even Jane Austen rewrites such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (opens in new tab). But the latest zombie craze is the biggest yet - in physical terms at least. For 2.8 Hours Later (opens in new tab) is a crosstown zombie chase game that turns entire British city centres into a post-apocalyptic battlefield.
Hundreds of players take part in the mass game experience, which involves running in and out of abandoned hospitals, spooky prisons and sinister churches, negotiating with half-crazed survivors for clues to the next location and running from armies of blood-soaked zombies.
A weird but enthralling combination of horror makeup effects, creepy set design and what is essentially an adrenaline-fuelled, giant game of 'tag', 2.8 Hours Later is as mad as a box of frogs but enormous fun.
Following the final battle, participants are separated into 'Survivors' and the 'Infected', with the latter being transformed into zombies themselves by a team of make-up artists, before the two groups are reuinited at a late-night zombie disco.
Taking part
2.8 Hours Later completes its Bristol run this Saturday before moving to Manchester, Birmingham, London and Nottingham. See the website calendar (opens in new tab) for full dates and ticket details.
If you're not able to take part in the event, check out this awesome promo video:
Other events
Live action zombie gaming is not just a British phenomenon - similar events are taking place across the world, in cities such as Melbourne and Chicago. There's even a Twilight spin-off (opens in new tab).
Meanwhile, Slingshot, the company behind 2.8 Hours Later, is also organising two other mass street games in the UK.
Cargo (opens in new tab) pitches you against an artificial intelligence that will either help or hinder your progress across the city. The game been developed in collaboration with the Mixed Reality Lab (opens in new tab) at the University of Nottingham, as part of the EPSRC funded ORCHID (opens in new tab) project.
Meanwhile Incitement (opens in new tab) is set in world plagued by corruption, injustice and inequality, where a single action could spark massive change.
Have you taken part in live zombie gaming? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
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