On paper, Left Fore Dead: Zombie Battle Golf sounds like the ideal party game. You essentially battle your way through a golf hole while dealing with all sorts of elements, including zombies, chickens and whatever else the developers could throw in. Include a focus on multiplayer and it sounds like the game couldn’t go wrong. So…why does it?
The big problem is that Left Fore Dead comes off as sloppy and unfinished. There’s chaos here, to be sure, but it’s not the best kind. Rather, it’s a mess, with glitches all over the place and overwhelming odds that turn the game into more of a chore than a party. On top of that, the gameplay is just too one-note, with barely any elements to keep things interesting.
The multiplayer is…okay, I guess? I hopped into three different sessions during my review time, but each time came crashing down due to the glitches and sudden disconnections. Plus the sound is somewhat annoying, to the point that I tried to crank out my own tunes to drown it out. Alas, the problematic game remained.
If this was an Early Access title, I’d be a little more forgiving with Left Fore Dead. But this is a “full” release, and the developers at Maple Taco have some serious patchwork to do. The game just feels like a disorganized mess, and the lack of single player support hurts it even more. This one should’ve stayed at the clubhouse.
Left Fore Dead Has a Concept, But Little Else
Maple Taco, making its debut here, does have an interesting premise with Left Fore Dead. You’re playing golf, but during the zombie apocalypse. Yeah, we know, the timing couldn’t be worse, right? At least let me get to the ninth damn green.
On top of that, it’s thrown in a multiplayer arc, so you make each trip to the hole seem like a race. It’s a neat idea, but the problem is that, somewhere along the way, the execution got lost. Like, really lost.
First off, it’s just not that fun a golf game in general. The mechanics are broken to say the least, as even trying to get off something along the lines of a quick swing is a chore. Then there are the battle tactics against the zombies, which are even more bland. Chopping up the undead should be a blast…so why isn’t it here?
Combining the two, however, makes things even worse. The game just becomes a drag at points, and even crashes on some occasions. We ran into two hard crashes where we had to start the game over again and try to reconnect. Oof.
The multiplayer, when it works, isn’t bad. There are some laughs to be had amidst the mayhem. That is, if you can find it. Some players will be scratching their heads wondering just what the point is, especially as you fail to complete hole after hole.
And then there’s the glitches, which I’ll cover in the visual section below. Let’s just say “mess” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Had the game been a work-in-progress, I would’ve shown more forgiveness. But Maple Taco chose to release Left Fore Dead this way, and…yeesh. Here’s hoping the company has a road map to fix the problems ASAP, because there’s a mountain of them. Covered in zombies.
Left Fore Dead Can’t Complete the Good Look Transition
I do admit, Left Fore Dead’s cartoony style is a good one. You’ve got oddball looking characters and zombies roaming around a golf course. Cool, right? Not really.
The animations are broken, sometimes with characters even melding into one another. On top of that, there are glitches everywhere, with ball physics being put into question and some people passing through others. The course design isn’t very innovative either.
On top of that, the music and sound effects fail to innovate in any way. I expected more of a creative soundtrack – or maybe even a comical narrator – and failed to get either.
Left Fore Dead Is Way Too Off Course
I always like cheering on a developer giving something the old “college try” for the first time, and Maple Taco does have mild promise with Left Fore Dead. But the execution, sadly, just isn’t up to snuff. The game feels unfinished and fails to entertain, even with its multiplayer shenanigans. On top of that, the presentation is very lackluster, and the course design needs a lot of work.
Maybe, with some patches, we’ll see this game take shape the way it’s supposed to. For now, though, Left Fore Dead just doesn’t belong in the golf bag.
GAMERHUB RATING: 1.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Maple Taco for providing us with a review code! Left Fore Dead: Zombie Battle Golf is currently available on Steam, and does work on Steam Deck.
Looking for a more solid golf game? Check out our review of PGA Tour 2K25!
