Dead Nation (PS3) (From Daily Echo)

Dead Nation (PS3)

in Game Reviews By Ian Crump

Genre: Action

Platform: PlayStation 3

Publisher: Sony

They took over Racoon City, Fortune City, Pandora, The White House and a bunch of fictitious 'Wild West' states. We've seen so of them in recent years, it's surprising that gamers aren't sick of them now and consequently look just like one of them. That's right – I'm talking about zombies.

Playing from a top-down angle, players use the left stick to control the character, the right stick to aim the gun and torch, and a shoulder button to fire. Another fairly unoriginal game in terms of gameplay and premise, this shooter goes a step further to deliver some of the best graphics and polish the genre has ever seen.

The city is devastated, ravaged by humanities apparent attempt to keep the virus-born apocalypse at bay. The streets are eerily void of humans, property is smashed to smithereens and the darkness is intensified by shadows thrown from the character’s torchlight. It's creepy, spooky, scary and quite beautiful all at the same time.

As well as the default weapon of a rifle, players are regularly given the opportunity to upgrade their weapons or purchase new ones that range from normal to outlandish and freaky. Weapons like the lightning gun are silly but add an element of fun.

One or two players can pick up their arms in an effort to thwart the zombie scourge both online or locally. There's nothing better than to join a mate at making some zombies squish, pop and fizzle as they meet their deadly demise – for the second time.

If gamers can still stomach the undead trend that's rippling through video games like a zombie inducing disease, Dead Nation isn't particularly original but has great graphics and oodles of ambience all for just £9.99.

SCORE: 7 / 10