Axe Zombie

Axe Zombie's sprite.

The **Axe Zombie**, or **Zombie** for short, are one of the most common enemies encountered in almost every level from *Blood.*

## Description

   The Zombie appears as a decomposing, khakis skinned humanoid; complete with a scrawny torso and a set of contrastingly muscular limbs. It always appears to be barechested and barefoot, with the pair of tattered blue pants around its waist being the only piece of clothing that it seems to wear. It has a bald head, with its facial features closely resembling to those of the Cultist.

As its name suggests, the Zombie wields an axe as its main (and only) method of engaging in combat against a target.

Contrary to its name and its stereotypical craving for brains, the Zombie shares more in common with the Deadites from the Evil Dead franchise than a stereotypical zombie, both in terms of its appearance and its voice.

## Involvement

Axe Zombies are unintellegent and incapable of coordinating attacks, although they do tend to appear in major groups. They can be encountered very commonly from throughout the levels and sometimes they can be spotted coming out from their grave.

They can also be seen laying on the floor from further levels as if they were dead, but that doesn't really mean they're dead. When approached, they'll get up and start attacking Caleb. While following Caleb, they'll shout "*Braiiiins!*" and "*More brains!*" in a nearly-"muffled" voice, like a steratypical zombie.

As a beginner, Caleb is recommended to use the Pitchfork to stab the Axe Zombies to bounce them off until they die. Using the Sawed-Off Shotgun will take 2-3 times to take them down, however. Upon death, they fell to the floor/ground with a guttural scream.

Somtimes when killed, their heads get decapitated and can be kicked around like a soccer ball.

Using the Voodoo Doll on the Axe Zombies will cause their body to collapse into dust while dying.

## Official bestiary

   These slabs of rotting, undead meat are a force to be reckoned with. They aren't the brightest foes you'll face, but they can be very persistant. If you don't blow their stinking heads off, you'd better learn look over your shoulder, because chances are you have a loyal following you don't know about. Even wreathed in flames they'll drag you screaming into an early grave.

## Trivia

* The Axe Zombie’s facial appearance is based off the Deadites as they appear in the Evil Dead franchise.
* The Zombie’s concept art, along with its original clay model and the sprites differ vastly from the finalized version in its appearance. The original one appears to be a lot skinnier, lacking skin on several regions of its body (most notably on its head), and several splotches of blood on its body; a stereotypical and a more fitting appearance for its moniker.
	+ Meanwhile the concept art depicts it as wielding a sickle, the sprites didn’t have any weapons on it.
	+ The Zombie’s face on the barrels reuses the original sprite instead using the final one.
* There appears to be a variant within the sprites that is suspended by its back with a chain. This appears to use the beta sprites instead of the final ones. Given its lack of any other directional sprites other than the front, the idea was either dropped early on during the development, or if it was to be used purely as a decorative object on a level.
* It’s one of the only two enemies to have a unique death animation to the Voodoo Doll; the other being the Bloated Butcher.

## References

1. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20080907170211/http://blood.lith.com/bestiary/bestiary.asp