Dead Nation

Dead Nation
Developer(s)	Housemarque
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment
Version	1.07
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3
Release date(s)	NA November 30, 2010[1] EU December 1, 2010[2]
Genre(s)	Shoot 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player, offline / online multiplayer (co-op)
Rating(s)	ESRB: M

Dead Nation is a shoot 'em up video game for PlayStation 3 developed by a finnish video game company Housemarque. It was released on November 30, 2010 in North America, and December 1 in Europe, on PlayStation Network.^[3] Dead Nation takes place in a fictional world afflicted by a zombie apocalypse. The player can play as a male or female character and fight different types of zombies. Dead Nation was one of the games given by Sony as part of their 'Welcome Back' package because of the PlayStation intrusion. ^[4]

Gameplay

Players are awarded score multipliers and money when zombies are killed. Money is used to purchase and upgrade weapons and multipliers grant better scores. Each time players are hit, they lose multipliers and health.^[5] Players fight their way through ten levels, using weapon shops that allow weapon upgrading and armor swapping. During the levels, players can find chests that hold ammunition, multipliers, money, or armor pieces. At times the players are trapped in areas where they must survive until they have accomplished a certain goal. Armor sets influence strength, endurance and agility.^[6]

Zombies are attracted by flares, car alarms, grenades, mines, and vending machines as well as explosions or bright lights such as an exploding car or gunshots. Zombies can be killed by environmental hazards which the player can use to their advantage. Players will encounter a variety of zombies.^[7] Players can use a melee and rush attack against zombies,^[8] as well as a variety of weaponry.

The metagame allows players to follow their country's progress in relation to other countries, as well as local leaderboards. Using the PlayStation Network, players are grouped with other players from their country.^[9] When a country is rid of zombies, a new infection cycle begins. Multiplayer can be done locally or online for two players.

Development

The game engine has been noted for supporting large numbers of zombies on screen as well as impressive lighting effects.^[9][6]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	78.17%[10]
Metacritic	77/100[11]
Review scores
Publication	Score
1UP.com	B+[12]
Edge	5/10[13]
Eurogamer	6/10[14]
GamesRadar	8/10[15]
GameZone	8.5/10[16]
IGN	7.5/10[17]
VideoGamer.com	7/10[18]
Joystiq	5/5[19]

Dead Nation received mostly positive reviews. On review aggregator sites GameRankings and Metacritic, Dead Nation is rated 78% and 77/100, respectively.

Updates

Dead Nation lacked online voice chat upon release, but an update released on March 10, 2011 added this feature. The update also included laser sight upgrades for guns and display improvements including visual indications when the rush meter fills and when players take damage.

A DLC expansion called 'Road of Devastation' has been announced and was released on September 27, 2011. The pack continues from the ending of the original game.^[20]

The DLC expansion for Dead Nation called Road of Devastation is priced at $3.99.^[21]

Road of devastation does NOT continue the story of Dead Nation in a chapter-like format. Road of Devastation is predicated entirely on continuous survival. Sure, that could be said about most games (especially Dead Nation itself), but in Road of Devastation, there are no checkpoints or second chances. Gamers are unleashed upon a path with several forks in the road, and choices must be made in order to circle back to the laboratory where the DLC begins in order to start a fresh round.^[22]

Getting from round to round is what it's all about, but those forks in the road are crucial because they'll lead you to various upgrades that will help you repel endless onslaughts of zombies. Do you want to take the path that will lead you to a grenade or weapon upgrade? Will you take the path rife with money and health? Or will you try to maximize your score or raise your statistics by going down the path that offers multipliers and armor? Once down any of those three roads, you'll then have to choose another path to focus on only one of those upgrades, which will eventually wrap you around to the laboratory.^[23]

Once back at the laboratory, the round is completed. You'll get prizes for keeping your kills-per-minute meter up (something unique to Road of Devastation), while the game will retain money earned, your multiplier and your score (something found in the standard Dead Nation experience). When you begin the next round, you'll have to choose from the same forks in the road as your enemies are upgraded. Zombies will become stronger, faster and appear in greater numbers the more rounds you survive, and more difficult zombies will also begin to make appearances. And if you die, it's game over. There are no second chances. You'll have to start from the beginning if you want to play again.^[24]

References

1. ^ "At Death's Door: Dead Nation Hits PSN November 30thg". Sony Computer Entertainment America. 2010-11-15. http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/11/15/at-deaths-door-dead-nation-hits-psn-november-30th/. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
2. ^ Cristina Giuliano (2010-11-15). "The Zombie Apocalypse Is 1 December". Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2010/11/15/the-zombie-apocalypse-is-1-december/. Retrieved 2011-05. 
3. ^ Ilari Kuittinen (2010-10-07). "Dead Nation Online Co-op Confirmed". Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2010/10/07/dead-nation-online-co-op-confirmed/. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
4. ^ "PSN's free 'Welcome Back' titles revealed". Digital Spy. 2011-05-11. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a319885/psns-free-welcome-back-titles-revealed.html/. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
5. ^ Jeremy M. Zoss (2010-10-18). "Dead Nation is Perfect For Zombie Fans". Joystick Division. http://www.joystickdivision.com/2010/10/dead_nation_is_perfect_for_zom.php. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Dead Nation Viral Walkthrough". GameTrailers. 2010-10-15. http://www.gametrailers.com/video/viral-walkthrough-dead-nation/706211. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
7. ^ "Dead Nation - Know Your Enemy Trailer". GameTrailers. 2010-10-07. http://www.gametrailers.com/video/know-your-dead-nation/705804. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
8. ^ Eric Layman (2010-10-15). "Preview: Dead Nation". Digital Chumps. http://digitalchumps.com/gamingnews/86-unofficial/6356-preview-dead-nation.html. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
9. ^ ^{a b} Ryan Clements (2009-08-19). "GC 2009: Dead Nation Hands-on". IGN. http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/101/1015978p1.html. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
10. ^ "Dead Nation for PlayStation 3". GameRankings. 2010-11-30. http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/971428-dead-nation/index.html. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
11. ^ "Dead Nation for PlayStation 3". Metacritic. 2010-11-30. http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/dead-nation. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
12. ^ Sam Kennedy (2010-11-26). "Dead Nation Review for PS3 from". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/reviews/dead-nation-review. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
13. ^ Edge #223, January 2011 (Future PLC)
14. ^ Dan Whitehead (2010-12-01). "Dead Nation Review". Eurogamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-12-01-dead-nation-review. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
15. ^ Nathan MeunierS (2010-11-18). "Dead Nation review". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/dead-nation/review/dead-nation-review/a-20101118154133655095/g-20100615134118524091. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
16. ^ Robert Workman (2010-11-24). "Dead Nation Review". Gamezone. http://ps3.gamezone.com/reviews/item/dead_nation_review_playstation_network/. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
17. ^ var authorId = Greg Miller (2010-11-30). "Dead Nation Review". IGN. http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/113/1136265p1.html. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
18. ^ "Dead Nation Review for PS3". VideoGamer. 2010-11-15. http://www.videogamer.com/ps3/dead_nation/review.html. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
19. ^ Andrew Yoon (2010-11-30). "Dead Nation review: It's dangerous to go alone". Joystiq. http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/dead-nation-review/. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
20. ^ http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1195010p1.html?RSSwhen2011-09-16_110500&RSSid=1195010&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ignfeeds%2Fps3+(IGN+PS3)
21. ^ http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1197598p1.html
22. ^ http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1197598p1.html
23. ^ http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1197598p1.html
24. ^ http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1197598p1.html

External links

• Official SCEE site