Zombie Attack (2004, Playstation 2)

Zombie Attack (known as Simple 2000 Series Vol. 65 The Kyonshii Panic in Japan) is a beat'em up developed by Tamsoft and published by 505 Game Street (in Europe) and D3 Publisher (in Japan).

Some large building has been overrun by kyonshiis, which are zombie-like Chinese mythical creatures. You play a young girl who enters the building to exorcise the kyonshiis and rescue any surviors. In each level, you have a time limit to find the exit and find and lead enough survivors ot the exit. You have a sword for close combat and a gun with unlimited ammo for long range attacks, and you can throw a circle of rice around you to fend off enemies. Using these weapons will give experience and eventually lead to the weapon leveling up. You cannot fully kill enemies with your weapons. You can only hit them until they have a dark aura around them. Then you can throw a talismanic script at them to exorcise them. You can throw unlimited talismanic scripts. There are several items to found. Some give you experience or health, others a radar, additonal time or a map. If you find a survivor, he will follow until you have reached the exit. If you get into fight, survivors following you will panic and frantically run around. Survivors have a health bar and can be attacked and killed by the kyonshiis. Surviors in panic will calm down if there are no more kyonshiis around them and some time has passed.