Since Sony's launch of the PSP Minis line, Age of Zombies is the first title to really catch my attention. Weighing in at a mere 21MB of storage space, and costing only $4.99, Age of Zombies is a perfect portable title for shooter fans who want to slay some zombies on the go.

At its core, Age of Zombies is another in an incredibly long line of top-down zombie shooters - 3/4 view in this case. It features the same control scheme we've all come to know from titles such as Geometry Wars, with which we use one analog to move and another ana...but, oh wait, the PSP tragically has only one analog stick. Still, the idea remains largely the same. Age of Zombies allows players to use either the analog or D-pad to move, while the four face buttons act as the alternative to a second joystick.

It suffices for a dual analog-less device, but it's not the easiest to pull off diagonal shots, and the range of motion isn't completely fluid. But in the realm of PSP titles, which have all had to deal with this problem, developer Halfbrick does a fair job of circumventing the issue. The left shoulder button rounds things out to toss grenades used to annihilate the undead hordes by exploding them into flames.

Players start with only a pistol, but along the way pick up special guns with limited ammo, such as a shotgun, Uzi and flamethrower. This arsenal is enhanced by secondary weapons like grenades and mines, as well as shields that prevent the zombies from ganging up on and dismantling our hero so easily.

While the 16-bit look and feel of Age of Zombies goes a long way in creating its appeal, the centerpiece of the title is a hero named Barry Steakfries. Let me repeat that. The hero of Age of Zombies is a man named Barry Steakfries. He has short brown hair, a five o'clock shadow and only wears black. He's also got a list of one-liners and off-handed remarks that would make Joel Schumacher weep.

It all goes a long way in building Age of Zombies' feel, which is a cross between campy and the daydreaming doodles of a creative elementary school nerd. Barry Steakfries is not only battling zombies, but he's traveling through blue portals of time to do it. This allows him to battle zombies through different eras - such as gangster zombies and caveman zombies - and also allows him to face off against his arch-nemesis, a zombie T-Rex. Let me say that again. Barry Steakfries has the arch-nemesis of a zombie T-Rex. Add to that the intentionally bad dialogue of a self-aggrandizing 12-year-old on a mission to rid time of the walking dead, and that's Age of Zombies.

The time element offers an easy explanation for the varied levels, which are divided into three stages for each time zone, with the last one always culminating in a boss fight. This is really Age of Zombies' key to success. It is the type of game serious gamers can easily decide to play all the way through in one sitting, or casual gamers can absorb in increments of mere minutes. Its fun comes bite-sized, and its framework is full of charm. Though no additional difficulties or modes are present for extended play, Age of Zombies is worth the $4.99 price tag, and is the type of title gamers will find themselves passing the PSP to friends to try when they're finished.