If there’s one thing about being the Time Tunnel Gamer, it’s that stepping into the time tunnel is always a gamble. I never know where or when I’ll end up, what challenges I’ll face, or who I’ll become. But if my last adventure taught me anything, it’s that zombies are not to be trifled with. So, when I emerged from the tunnel, I was hoping for anything but zombies. Yet, there I was, under Arizona’s blazing sun, waking up from what felt like a dream (or maybe a different time entirely) only to hear those all-too-familiar sounds. More zombie work ahead.
I found myself in a trailer park. Seeing food on the grill, I hoped there might be some friendly faces around. Grabbing a slice of pepperoni pizza, I headed towards a red truck with its driver door open and a hat on the hood. Thinking I might return it to its owner, I put it on. Inside the truck, I found a box full of ammo—jackpot. The place was eerily quiet, but on the back of the pickup truck was a generator. I figured the place could use some power, so I pulled the cord to get it started. Big mistake. The moment I did, they came.
Running around, I scavenged for more ammo inside and outside the trailers, grabbing everything I could find. The noise attracted zombies like moths to a flame. They were climbing over fences, jumping down from trailers—doing anything to get to me. Zombies of all sizes, with each pull of the trigger, their blood pouring onto the ground. Shooting off arms and legs, dismembering them, but we all know the headshots do the most damage.
I ran into the door in front of me, escaping the horde, and suddenly, I was someone else—someone named Liam. It felt good to find someone who could communicate and didn’t want to eat me. But this tunnel was unfamiliar, dark as the heart of the devil. Then I heard a noise. Something was wrong. As I called out for anyone to hear me so we could get out fast, there was no response. The familiar zombie sounds started again, and I realized Luis and I were in another dire situation.
No matter how many times I called for help, my crew was nowhere to be found. I ran until I saw some light and grabbed as much ammo as I could find. Amid the despair, the sound of the Commander’s voice over the radio sparked a flicker of hope. I explained the situation to her, admitting I didn’t know what to do since both members of my crew were gone. R.I.P. Sarah and Rodriguez. I pleaded for help, but the Commander reminded me I was on a mission—to get inside the dam, reset the control system, restore power, and prove myself useful. If only she knew the whole truth.
As I was restoring power, I stepped through a door and heard the chilling news—the outbreak was now beyond our control, and orders had been given to launch the nuke. Due to being overrun, I’d have to get inside and launch the nuke manually. What had I gotten myself into?
Becoming Dockson brought a sense of confidence. To have any chance of completing this mission and saving what was left, I’d need plenty of ammo. No matter how much I thought I had, it wasn’t going to be enough. Finding keys and card keys proved tricky. Whoever had been here before was no match for what took them and what they had become. Their screams echoed around me, making the dark tunnels even more eerie, flashlight in hand or not.
But as I kept fighting through the horde, more zombies tried to surround me. That’s when I saw it—my escape, the tunnel. Reflecting on everything I went through, and what Liam, Dockson, Rodriguez, and Sarah faced, I had to wonder, was it all worth it? We couldn’t let those things remain a threat, but the unity and courage we gathered felt complete.
Were the sacrifices made enough for the greater good, or would this lead to something bigger down the line? It almost made me wish I had a buddy with me. This adventure taught me that we can’t take anything in life for granted. We only get one shot, so we need to make it the best for ourselves and each other.
- Arizona Sunshine Remake with includes all the DLC, is out now for Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S, & Pro on the Meta Store, PlayStation VR2 on the PlayStation Store, and PCVR via Steam VR. A review code was provided.
- To learn more about Vertigo Games, please visit their site, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Until our next journey through the time tunnel, remember that you are appreciated, happy gaming, and remember to game through time.
