I can't believe I just barely found such an awesome project! Thank you, higher power of choice!
Okay, before you read any further, I think it's time for a proper puzzle game involving zombies. None of this "push the pillars around to get a gem from a statue's mouth IN A POLICE STATION" rubbish. Read puzzles -- up to your discretion, of course, but I'd be happy to puzzle over the, uh, puzzles, too.
I know that the UK isn't as gun-crazy as the US, so this leads to some opportunities for dodging zombies, hotwiring vehicles to get away, and even improvising fun things like high-velocity pogo sticks and spinning spoon-fans of doom. I hope you're having even HALF the fun reading this that I am writing it.
I'm thinking it can be a combination of:
1. Conker's Bad Fur Day for the humor and timeless pop culture references (I'll have to do some research into British humor, but I can ROCK dry humor)
2. Resident evil for chic intelligence and zombies
3. The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall for a rich environment. If you've never heard of this game, it is SO worth checking out for the sheer richness and scope of the game world. It's Skyrim's older and nastier brother.
I think we can combine some intellectual terror (the end of the world, ya know) with some genuine hilarity without resorting to cheap tricks, and put it in a game world people will really want to be in.
I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I know the difference between "this is fun" and "I wish I could live in this world." Between the two of us, I believe we can create the latter.
My story idea (VERY rough) is as follows:
A guy (let's call him Jeff) is a handyman driving through the countryside in his beat-up old truck when he sees a car accident. He stops to help, finds zombies, and begins an adventure that takes him all over the place as he tries to get back to his family -- most importantly his pet guinea pig, Guido. Guinea pigs are not accomplished zombie slayers, after all. Total babe in the woods here.
I've never played the Dead Rising series, but I could understand comparisons. Larger world, maybe more level-based, more intellectual humor and puzzle solving and less "hey, let's use this random object to thwack an endless assortment of respawning zombies."
Along the way, Jeff can fall in love (perhaps in a Don Quixote-inspired fling with a tractor or something), save a bunch of people and finally stop the zombies by spelling out something in a wheat field so that aliens will know to come help.
I believe we can do the "zombies and aliens" thing without it falling back on cliches. I swear, no anal probing.
If there is any awesome remaining in the bottom of the tube, you shall have me write this game for you. I will fawn over it like Gollum with his Precious.
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
-Chris