ZRX: Zombies Run + Marvel Move Reviews

by AxlRosa

Honestly, I bought ZRX when it first came out and it was THE BEST run app. I told everyone. People I ran with, people who were just starting to run, strangers. It didn’t matter. I told literally everyone.

Then I had a few surgeries and couldn’t run for a bit. Came back to find that all of my progress was gone and it was now a subscription. So I started over. Or tried to. This is where the glitches made it impossible. Music crashes happened on every run, progress didn’t save, miles weren’t accurate, run times were off and no matter the pace, you couldn’t outrun zombies. I’m talking about a pace increase from a light jog to a full on fast-as-you-can sprint, without being able to outrun them. It also doesn’t work on a treadmill, which is a bummer for people who need times to run with softer impact.

I truly loved ZRX. I’m still trying to, but it doesn’t look good. The concept is amazing, the designers are talented but the cost is absurd. Especially for something that crashes on every run.

by Lassojeb

Let me start by saying I love ZRX. Zombies, Run has a great story and amazing world/app that made me actually excited to work out and dive back into the next episode or work on building my base. The issue is you MUST have your phone always. A big problem if you have the Apple Watch with cellular and prefer to run without lugging your phone around. There is no reason why I shouldn’t be able to stream just the basic aspects of the game, running and the audio stories while tracking my progress, on the watch and then work on my base, etc. after my run is over and I’m back at my phone.

This is an update I hope they are working on as it is the only thing that is keeping me from using ZRX as much as I like, every time I run outside and not on a treadmill I’m not taking my big iPhone plus with me. If they added this feature, it would be an easy 5 stars no question. PLEASE put some thought into adding this feature to the watch app!!

by Bbmcg10

I really love the idea behind ZRX -- the narrative storyline does a great job keeping me motivated to get out running consistently, and the writing is funny and engaging. ZRX also has a decent amount of free features like the settlement mini game and item collection. Unfortunately, ZRX is really buggy and the amount of bugs really minimizes my willingness to pay a subscription for this service. For instance, in the seven weeks I've been using ZRX : it counted chapter one twice, it only randomly calculates calories expended per run (and sometimes not at all), the zombie chases seem really inconsistent in whether it senses you speeding up (even if I'm all-out sprinting), and sometimes you get two zombie chases that overlap each other so that I can't tell what's going on. I really wish they would polish the main functionality and fix these bugs before trying to do spin-off apps or make people pay subscriptions for content. If they did that, it would be a killer 5-star app. But as it stands, it's just a decent app that I don't think is worth the money for the premium features.

by Eighty-seven15

Using ZRX is great. Over time, the story gets confusing, and the characters run together. This is especially because it’s playing while you’re exerting yourself and only ever paying partial attention to the details. Still, the zombie chases spur you on and keep running fresh. The watch app is absolute garbage, and has been useless for years. It hasn’t worked in about 5 versions of ZRX, and I’ve been running the latest hardware and OS on both the phone and watch. The watch app never loads, and when it did many years ago, it still required the phone to be nearby. The watch is no longer new tech, and there’s no reason this shouldn’t be fixed by now. Unfortunately, the problem with the watch app is causing me to use ZRX less and less, and pretty soon I’ll probably discontinue my paid subscription.
It also should have better integration with popular tracking apps like Strava or MyFitnessPal. As of now it only links to RunKeeper, though those things can meet in the Apple Health app.

by TwilightPowerDiamond

The writing in this game is great. The story is immersive and includes a diverse cast without over-stimulating or overwhelming the user. I feel genuinely connected to the characters and I can both celebrate their successes and feel their pains. It’s a gripping story, sometimes.
ZRX is incredibly buggy, though. You can “pick up items” for your base in this game, but ZRX is broken and will only pick up one item per run and get stuck before playing the “item pickup” speech. Second, the mission dialogue is broken. I have to pause and un-pause over and over to get dialogue to play. These two factors greatly de-motivate me from playing the game.
ZRX also has some poor design choices, in my opinion. Despite having a login feature, bug reports need to be sent by an email directly connect to a device. This could be fine if instead an email was displayed to users where they could open a browser and send a email, but I can’t find that address. Also, the automatic downloads for the next mission doesn’t work as advertised, and I still have to do it manually. Sometimes I download the wrong mission and have to wait get the actual next story, further demotivating me from playing.

Don’t pay for ZRX. It’s buggy and has some user interface issues. Play for the story, though, because it’s fantastic.

(FYI, I’m on the iOS 13’s current update and the bugs are still present.)

by Blah Blah143

I wish you could set a timer or something for the chases. It’s really hard to know when to slow back down. If I could set it for different speed bursts or something for 1 minute, 30 second, or even 5 minute intervals just to keep from burning myself out halfway through that would be great. I do like being able to pause or stop my run at any point if I need a break though. The radio operator already has a lot of character and personality! I feel like if the game kills him off later or something like that I will start crying while I run and have to delete ZRX on principle of him not leading me around anymore! The plot is really cool so far too. And I love the at home workout feature and the mini world building game. I like how I haven’t seen any “buy more parts to build this” ads yet, so it means I really have to work to get those add ons every run and I’m not cheating myself. If you want to get into shape and start running this is a fun way to get into the habit real fast. I can’t wait to run again to find out what’s next!

by Just A Believer

This storyline for ZRX is amazing. I highly suggest and want everyone to try it. I’ve been using ZRX for 5 years now. This time last year I would have given it five stars. However, it’s only getting 4 stars as the company is now beginning to nickel and dime you for everything. You want to run one virtual race? You have to pay for all of them. They argue that their annual price is cheaper than two races combined in the “real world” and you get ALL of the virtual races. Sounds great but if you want merch to go with the virtual race you now have to pay for that separate. They’re branching out away from the main story too much (in my opinion) and they have yet to fix the Apple Watch glitch. Seriously, what’s the point on having ZRX as Apple Watch ready if it glitches with every single use?
I do love ZRX but I’m a bit frustrated with where they’re currently taking it.

by .Dan79.

Note: this isn’t a game to score points, you can leave your iPhone on a table and the story will still progress. Voice actors aren't terribly realistic; under tense moments they still sound like their privately and quietly recording the dialogue. Like it’s a bedtime story.,Having only finished mission one I don't know what happens when you've completed all missions as a free user, I guess I can continue to do the unlimited side missions. I've yet to see how to implement what I've picked up into my town so I wish the overall instructions were more clear. BITTOM LINE: This is just an app that plays a radio drama about a zombie apocalypse while you work out. You can’t lose the game, you were not competing against anyone else, you can’t get more points than someone else for the same mission, you don’t have to run when the story tells you to run in, you literally don’t have to do anything different than if you weren’t listening to ZRX at all. It is merely audio entertainment while you walk, jog, run heck, even drive!

by AyameShimitsu

I do want to start out saying that I won’t run without ZRX. The story is great and I love Sam in particular. Over the years, certain aspects have gotten better:the robot voice, transition between story and music, better tracking, etc. However, a lot of my favorite things have been taken away. The base builder feature no longer have achievements to work for or gets attacks while you’re away. Zombie link no longer tracks your speed throughout the run. They got rid of most of the achievements in general to only a handful of them. Lastly, I miss just purchasing the seasons straight out instead of a yearly subscription. I miss that option. I know it’s a better business decision and some people prefer the yearly thing but as I’m not consistent with my running (and it took 3 or 4 years to get through season 3) it was a nice option to have. I still like ZRX and recommend it, but the elements I enjoyed most and fueled my competitive/gamer side has mostly been dismantled

by Yogi2.0

This running app has gotten me through more tough runs and long weeks than I can tell you. I wanted a fun way to start back to running - and now I am fully hooked. I highly recommend this to anyone who needs a little motivation to get after their next run. I thought the whole being chased by zombies thing would help me finish a run faster- and it does. However, what surprised me most is the quality of the acting and writing in ZRX- it is excellent. The story is immersive- and before you know it, you will want to get your next run in just to see what happens next! The run logs -stats tracking and base building - as well as the ability to set an air drop goal and run to a specific location are all great as well. I am about a year in and still completely loving ZRX . Happy Running all!

by MetAl/mASter

I have ran a few times with ZRX and I love the immersive story line and the zombie chases but that’s were the fun stops. I’ve ran outside with it and it seemed to connect with my watch just fine. But the other times I have ran in the gym it won’t connect to my Apple Watch 3. Also it seems almost after every transmission it won’t go back to playing my music. I after to stop running and either pause the run a couple of times to get it to play or advance the song a couple of times to get it playing again. Also I have noticed that when I am at a jog and am getting chased by zombies I can’t get away even when I’m almost at a dead sprint....which seems crazy when your at 5 miles or more and are having to sprint to escape....but I can’t escape and end up having supplies dropped to escape!! I got ZRX years ago when it first dropped and came back to it....it seems really buggy now and also like the developers aren’t putting the time in it to fix the bugs....I am will to pay for the subscription but not with these kinda bugs.....I did order the book and am looking at doing the virtual race....so hoping they get these bugs worked out!!!!

by Kolith

I am not a runner. I have a bad back, and bad knees, however I just got a recumbent bike and it has been amazing! I wanted to find a way to track my rides and I remembered a friend had mentioned ZRX awhile ago. I had actually downloaded it and used it to try and run once or twice but was miserable. When I got my bike I decided to see if it would still work and to my absolute delight it did!!! I live in a gated community that is just one block of houses basically a big square. I hop on my bike, turn on the zombies and Boom, I’m riding as fast as I can to escape! I love the story and get a little thrill every time my music lowers and the story starts. I I also love the radio station, it feels so real! Thank you so much for making ZRX! I went from barely doing anything to riding 10 miles a day!!!

by C587

ZRX puts all other virtual races / runs to shame. People talk about spending money on a virtual race but there is nothing virtual about it. With Zombies, Run you get a real compelling story and in theme emails, and puzzles. You can get the medal too but with Zombies, Run you actually get a fun reason to get out and run.

I enjoy running, but it gets boring. Having the motivation to go on longer runs, to get out every day and run is hard. With Zombies, Run I want to get out there and run. The story is so compelling that I need to get out there and find out what happens next. I have favorite characters, and favorite couples. I know the places we run too, and am fascinated to learn more about the zombie plague and how it’s going to effect our heroes, and the villains too. The sound does get better as seasons go on. The other day I literally jumped when a zombie noise came up. It’s not just zombies though the main story line deals with history, politics, people and so much more. There are also other adventures. You can run along with Lois and Clark, run up a mountain on Mars, down to the depths of the ocean, and so much more. This is also a company with a loyal fan base. People make art about their running app! It’s incredible and I am so happy I downloaded it.

by JKLNSargent

I was a confirmed smoker of 20 years who had given up on trying to quit. I never EVER would have thought I would be a runner someday. But about two months ago, I found Zombies, Run!

Now, I’m proud to say that I’m almost two months smoke-free, and I’ve dropped about ten pounds! My older two kids (10 and 8 years old, and usually glued to some screen or another all day) actually put down their devices and started joining me. Now all of three of us run pretty much every day, and they are helping me train for the virtual 5k race coming up in about a month!

ZRX makes running really fun! If you’ve tried running before but can’t seem to stay motivated, nothing is quite as motivating as NOT being eaten by zombies! The story is well-written and engaging, the voice talent is superb, and the technical aspects of ZRX are very sleek and well-designed. I really can’t say enough great things about ZRX!

by TSellers27

I can't believe there aren't more reviews for ZRX - it's fantastic! It's the one thing that's kept me running and exercising through the winter and beyond. The writing is fantastic, the storyline is great, I love being able to build my own little base, and I constantly can't wait to see what happens in the next mission. I've gone from 220lbs with no running experience to 180lbs and almost making a half-marathon, in less than 5 months! And I'm not even in it for the weight loss anymore - I'm in it for the story!
The company is fantastic, too - always looking to see what their fans have to say, and doing their best to use that input to make this game even better. They always seem to be striving to make it open to everyone, too - it doesn't matter what kind of runner you are, or what shape you're in, anyone can play this game.

Tl;dr It's a great app made by a great company and if you're thinking about giving it a try, I'd definitely recommend it!

by Flaxenfox456

This is an AMAZING app!!! Interesting story, heart-pounding zombie chases, sports bras, side-missions, ZRX has it all. And I'm not even into zombies otherwise! There is something so inspiring about going on missions for Abel Township with Sam or others in your ear all the way. I've always been on the imaginative side, so to immerse myself in this world and run like my life depends on it is awesome.

I have encountered no bugs in six months of use. ZRX has season upon season of main story, with more on the way, plus side missions such as interval training, airdrop, and supply runs. Then there are six super awesome race missions for 5k, 10k, and 20k.

When I purchased the year subscription for the pro version, I thought the price was very steep for an app. But the motivating story, number of interesting voice-acted characters, and diversity of easy-to-use features make it my favorite purchase of the year. The developers do a great job of improving and adding to ZRX on a regular basis. They are always working on new seasons, and I feel my money helps make that happen!

by Caitlee M.

Years ago I saw someone talk about this on Tumblr. My parents always got on to me about not exercising during summer breaks and I thought this would get them off my backs. It did—and more! Years later, I can run 10ks. I regularly run five miles, each under ten minutes, without slowing down. This year it kept me moving even in the middle of a pandemic with the Home Front, and my arms look better than ever before! I can plank for a while minute! Even on days I don’t feel like exercising, the story and characters always come back for more. The other features—virtual 5ks, e-mails from the characters, earning enough supplies to finally upgrade that big building—are icing on the cake. I love Zombies Run. I recommend it to all my real life friends, and I would recommend it to whoever reads this review too! Zombies Run inspires me to stay active and strive to learn more and run better all the time. It was well worth the original download price all those years ago, and it’s well worth the VIP price now. Thanks, Zombies Run!

by Alergic!!

I haven’t ran in over 10 years and I’ve had 2 kids. I thought I would die if I ran now because my energy and activity level was pretty much 0. I started with the 5k training and I wasn’t even able to finish the 15 second runs in the beginning. Now here I am 6 months later and I love the motivation it gives me to keep going. There are some glitches here and there but totally worth the $35 a year!! I have cut almost 20 minutes off of my 4 mile run! I have been sharing on my Facebook and trying to get my friends to do it with me. None yet, but my friends also help keep me motivated by cheering me on. There is also a base and you gather supplies as you run to use in your base later. There are so many things that get you with the reward center of your brain that it’s easy to find motivation. It also kind of relates to our current global situation! Bonus motivation! The best part, if you don’t want to run, you can just walk, until zombies chase you. Definitely recommend for any fitness level!!

by Dogs_Luvr

I’m a 17 year old going into college. Throughout high school I played rugby so I stayed fit, but I decided to not continue that in college so I had a hard time finding the motivation to work out throughout the summer. I purchased various (inexpensive) gym memberships and at-home CrossFit programs, but never followed through for more then a week or two because I would get bored and cancel my membership or pack up my workout CD’s. I didn’t have the money for fitness classes, so I tried running and found that I enjoyed being outside, but I found myself getting bored of that fairly quickly too. After a few months of bouncing around different workout styles I found ZRX and let me tell you it works wonders. As soon as I start to space out and get bored the story comes on again and I’m able to focus on that and get excited for the next piece of the story. I use a secondary app for interval running, but as soon as I get some money from my upcoming birthday I plan on purchasing the yearly runner’s club membership and working out while following this totally rad story. First app I’ve ever rated btw

by FreeRangeLizard

This is hands down the best app I've ever downloaded! I really struggle with staying motivated to run, or even to keep running when I finally do. It gets boring just running for what feels like no reason. But ZRX is the absolute best! I've started going on runs even when I don't have to, because I love the stories!! I feel so immersed in the story! I've had to look behind me a few times just to make sure there weren't actually zombies... I love that there's side missions you can do as well, like supply runs. That way, if I want to take a break from the main story, I can! For FREE!!! How many running apps can you say are beneficial for no money?! And there's even special features if you want to subscribe! Personally, I'm on the free version, but it is just as good, if not better! I really enjoy ZRX, and will most definitely be using it for a long long while! And I'm buying a waterbottle and a phone case to go with!

by Emmalemmafuckyou

This game is a really neat concept! The story is interesting so far, and there’s a lot of engaging content that you don’t have to pay for, and I love the idea of actually being able to pick up supplies to help build your township. And I love the voice acting! It really drives the story foreword, and I think the radio show after the mission is complete is strangely cute and fits nicely into the world. However the one thing keeping it from being 5 stars, is that the zombie chases are very bizarre and buggy. Unless you have your gps on for outdoor running, there’s no way you’re going to outrun them, and even if you are running outside it’s incredibly hard. And if you already have been running, and you encounter a chase, it’s pretty much over for you and you lose some of your supplies. AND if you pause the mission while you encounter a zombie chase, they catch you immediately and you lose supplies. It’s really unfair. But, if you manage to fix these problems, I would gladly give ZRX five stars!

by WolffHiker

ZR5K is freaking awesome! As a new runner several months ago I tried various apps and programs to gradually get me running more and more. Most of them were too advanced even for a noob and I couldn’t keep up. But ZR was gradual enough and the story fun enough that I was hooked and actually enjoyed my runs because I wasn’t about to die or injure myself. I stuck to the schedule and had to keep myself from running too much because I enjoyed the runs, and this was during the summer in 90+ degrees and I’ve always hated running. Now I use the regular app but I suggest to everyone I run into that wants to start running to look into ZRX. I’ve also had issues attaching ZRX to my Apple Watch so I have heart rate data but I learned to simply put my phone on me for music and the story and simply run with Strava on to follow and for HR.

by Scubadp

Two years ZRX has been a part of my exercise, and it has continued to be an amazing experience.

You know when you look back at your college years or something similar and think of all the great times you’ve had? I do that constantly with ZRX. I think back to oh yeah I was running past a lighthouse during that scene. Or yeah I totally flipped off an imaginary helicopter and ran the farthest and fastest I ever had before in a desperate imaginary race to save an imaginary character.

The voice acting and writing is phenomenal. The immersion is incredible if you let yourself really get drawn in.

I am on Season 6, but Season 1 sound when I started was lower budget but then Season 2 BOOM you can tell they got money and put it to good use.

My head is always on a swivel due to the incredible sound manipulation that makes me want to look in the direction of the narrated action and I find myself barking with laughter or crying out with shock at a plot twist.

ZRX is the only reason I run. Dead slow pro 12 minute mile pace is my avg across all the runs I have done, but I feel like I rule those runs as Runner 5 and I am always motivated to make it to the end as strong as I can be especially when being told to pick up the pace or just simply RUN!

by Grimmp

This is the coolest app ever! Ive been using it for about a month or so and it’s been so much fun! When i hear “zombies detected” i run for my life and it feels so freaking good learning what I’m capable of - that my limits are a lot further than i thought they were.
I haven’t experienced any of the negative things others on here have. Maybe I’m just lucky, maybe they’re doing something wrong, i don’t know. I’ve been using it for over a month now and i have yet to experience a single bug.
The acting is very good imho. I’ve heard a whole lot worse. And while the plot isn’t groundbreaking or realistic - it’s a story about zombies. How “realistic” do you expect it to be? Lol.
Overall it’s a lot of fun and i had no problem paying the 36 bucks for a yearly subscription - and I’m a big cheapo. I don’t pay for apps. Lol.

by Bob Bukinshna

I don’t know where to start. It is so immersive and feels so real. It’s cliche but I genuinely used to sit in my room almost al day and get no exercise, but this has helped me a lot. Within a month I went from doing almost nothing physical activity wise to now walking around 5 miles a day. And it’s not a chore. It is fun to do and I look forward to it. The missions are amazing, storyline is intriguing, and the interface is user friendly. You gather supplies and build up your base which really brings it all together. And it doesn’t use much battery at all opposed to other games that make you walk like Pokémon go and the walking dead game. The developers and people involved did an amazing job and they seem to always be improving and adding more to the game.