Dead Nation Hands-On

Left4Dead,  Dead Rising 2, Red Dead Redemption and Call of Duty: Black Ops are just a few of the games gamers love (and will soon love) that either have their core gameplay revolving around zombies or have implemented the undead recently.  The gaming market is slowly being overrun by this fad and developers seem to want to cash in on the trend while it lasts (take a look at the upcoming Yakuza game).  Housemarque, the creators of Super Stardust HD, have put together a downloadable title called Dead Nation.  As you might expect it is a zombie survival game of the top-down arcade variety.  Those of you who have had enough of zombies for one year may brush this game aside, but I’d advise that you keep an eye on this title.  You shouldn’t let mere screenshots do the speaking because the game’s beauty and addictive nature is unable to be captured in a still image.

Dead Nation’s attention to detail is immediately evident.  Every object, zombie, and material laying on the ground produces a specific sound giving the player an immersive experience most of the time missed in arcade titles.  The soundtrack does a great job of picking up when the situation calls for it as well.  Aside from the sounds the looks are no slouch.  It is incredible to see such a high level of detail present in a game that isn’t being sold on a disc.  Although it is a top down shooter the player can easily distinguish individual types of zombies.  That is assuming you can see them.

The environments vary in numerous ways.  Sometimes you are out in the open and have nothing, but your reflexes to save you.  Other times you will find yourself in tighter corridors slaying on onslaught of undead funneling toward you.  It keeps the experience fresh.  There have been countless games that suffer from repetitive level design which makes the world in which the player is currently inhabiting unrealistic.  Housemarque seems to have overcome this obstacle by implementing small and large changes alike to each level in order to keep gamers on their toes and make them plan occordingly.

Now for the main portion of the game.  The combat is a near copy of what we saw in Super Stardust HD.  The left analog stick controls movement, the right analog stick aims, and R1 shoots.  Those are the basics.  There are other actions such as jumping, throwing grenades/flares, and charging for short bursts.  The game’s mechanics work in perfect harmony with the actions at your disposal.  Cars can be looted from the trunk then shot to set off the alarm which attracts nearby zombies and explodes moments later.  The weapons themselves are not just there for looks.  Each one has its use.  The rifle is your primary and as such has infinite ammo.  Its shots can be charged to penetrate multiple zombie heads at once which is always satisfying.  The smg is more of a close quarters weapon to mow down large groups in narrows spaces with ease.  All the weapons can be upgraded (reload speed, clip size, damage) to make you a bigger threat to the undead hordes.  These upgrades and armor options are available at checkpoint stores that you’ll encounter throughout each level.

Housemarque seems to have all the elements of a great zombie arcade shooter here.  The environments are greatly detailed in both visuals and audio.  Be prepared to have a top down scare you for the first time.  The weapon/armor systems are well done and provide a slight RPG element which is also seen through looting cars.  The game shines as the zombies strike in vast number and vary in their ferocity.  The tension in your fight for survival coupled with the other well crafted features has made this zombie game one that I’ll gladly make an exception for in a market saturated by zombie games.