Dead Nation

What the world really needs is another zombie game. Well, perhaps that's not entirely true. But one more can't hurt either. That's what {Super Stardust HD} developers Housemarque thought to themselves as they began work on {Dead Nation}.

Jack McReady and Scarlett Blake are the stars of a bloody night out, and let me be the first to say that it is a welcome addition to the zombie genre that will adorn PlayStation Store later in the year.

Human brains are on the menu and fortunately for me I'm one of the few ones left alive with the desired dish still left in my skull. Equipped with a silly name, a fairly small but efficient arsenal, my objective is to get myself from point A to point B.

Even if {Dead Nation} sports a top-down camera view, as seen in {Burn Zombie Burn!} and {Zombie Apocalypse}, the game isn't that closely related to those games, rather it borrows some ideas introduced in Valve's {Left 4 Dead} series.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time with Valve's bestseller will recognise the fear of being left vulnerable when gazing into a dark alley, black gaping door or even the back of truck, as there may be zombies storming out at any second. This is also true for {Dead Nation}, and I would even say that its even more terrifying in {Dead Nation} as your vision is limited to a few metres on each side.

One could easily be lead to believe that spraying bullets all around you is the best solution, but in reality that's not your best choice. The game is equal parts strategy and shooter, because if you don't use a strategy you will be punished. Even at the normal difficulty level (the second of four), you will face more than enough zombies to satisfy even the hungriest of zombie hunters.

There's a constant downpour of zombies, and it often feels as if there were hundreds of them attacking at once. It's a good thing people chose to park their cars around the city with the alarms turned, before they succumbed to the virus. These car alarms can be used to buy you a bit of respite from the zombie horde as the zombies will be attracted by the noise. You can also choose whether to empty vending machines to replenish your health or beat them up and use them as bait.

The game has a strong emphasis on co-operative play, and this is especially true for certain blockades put in place, where a walkway may need to be activated or an elevator called upon. It's all about holding off an avalanche of zombies coming down upon you. It's chaotic, stressful and buckets of fun. It's miles away from the experience you get from playing {Left 4 Dead}, and that might sound like criticism, but that's far from the case as {Dead Nation} provides us with a frantic and perfectly staged genocide of the undead.

As you progress you are offered upgrades of your old weapons along with new weapons to try out. Some of the weapons may not be entirely based in reality, but they get the job done, and they leave the levels filled with blood, torn off limbs, and whatever else is left of the carnage.

{Dead Nation} isn't exactly innovative, but instead it borrows from some of the best games on the market and optimise it to such a degree that it's hard to stop playing it.

The game is rather entertaining if you play alone, but it really shines when you play it with a friend whether it be online or huddled up in the same couch. I would have wished for the possibility of playing four players at the same time, and a larger selection of weapons, but other than that I don't have anything to complain about. {Dead Nation} looks like one hell of a street party and I can't wait for its proper release.