by Niel de la Rouviere

Created on: January 20, 2009

Wow! This is a no-brainer (pun intended). The blatant efficacy of speed is easy to assess, but with creatures that are from the grave this tends to take a turn that many can not envision. So with the aid of an easy to assess danger chart one will realize just how much danger a certain creature will hold. The result will provide an answer as to which will scare you the most: fast zombies or slow zombies.

Time to escape:

With slow zombies one would get a game of cricket in, drink some tea, watch a game on the T.V. all while they've just passed the first house on the street. Fast zombies on the other hand will only spare you your last sip of beer and maybe a quick piss if you're given an early warning.

Fast zombies 1, Slow Zombies 0.

Scare Factor:

Slow zombies are great for the aesthetic and atmosphere. Their slow moaning and impaired brain capacity go well in hand. Fast zombies don't have the brooding effect though, but they definitely have the scary factor in hand. When the zombies in 28 Days Later came running in the tunnels with their loud howling it scared the pants of many. This is a close call, because anything that is not living or dead is inherently going to scare you, but fast zombies will only kill you quicker.

Fast Zombies 2, Slow Zombies 0.

Zombie Encounter:

Slow zombies generally have the quantity advantage as they are so slow they tend to start to bump into each other and form a jam. When you encounter slow zombies you're too late. They'll trap you in an instant. Fast zombies are less sparse, but they'll hit you with a bang. They have the element of suprise. Escaping an encounter is highly unlikely. Therefore, it doesn't matter if you encounter one of them, you are toast.

Fast Zombies 3, Slow Zombies 1.

Survival Time:

Slow zombies gives you lots of time to get the hell out of there and grab some rations. Fast zombies will quickly set pace. You have no time escape and if you escape you will have a small chance of survival as they are bound to catch up quickly.

Fast Zombies 4, Slow Zombies 1.

Conclusion:

It's like comparing baseball and rugby. The one is chilled with a few exciting events here and there while you entertain yourself, while the other is fast and furious, right up in your face and ready to cause some damage. Fast zombies are much more effective in scaring one as the reality of their superior speed is too daunting to comprehend. Go watch 28 Days Later and you'll understand.

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