If you’re an avid PS3 gamer, you should be familiar with developer Housemarque. If you’re not, then allow me to direct you to a little gem called Super Stardust HD, which is arguably one of the best games you can find on the PlayStation Network. The game is an original classic, showing that PSN has the chops to compete against Microsoft’s XBLA juggernaut when it comes to engaging exclusives.
For their follow up, the Housemarque crew is moving in a different direction; or perhaps I should say limping slowly and rigidly while groaning for “Braaaaains”. Dead Nation is a top-down shooter that is equal parts Romero and Robotron, and with tight controls, action-packed gameplay, and stylish lighting effects, this is an exciting and addictive zombie shooter that is more than a worthy follow up to Super Stardust HD.

THE GOOD

When it comes to a fast-paced arcade action shooter like Dead Nation, controls can either make or break the experience. Luckily, Dead Nation delivers in this regard. The twin-stick controls are precise and responsive, making it nobody’s fault but your own if you’re overcome by the undead. The game offers up some customization elements, letting you upgrade the weaponry that you purchase, as well as some basic armor options that allow you to change your character’s stats ever so slightly to cater to your specific play style.

Another cool element that Dead Nation brings to the table is a meta-game that pits players the world over against each other, with individual nations getting tallied in a rankings system. Think of it like the Ryder’s Cup, except instead of competing in golf, you’re savagely disposing hordes of zombified affronts against nature.

Additionally, Dead Nation has no shortage of atmosphere; from the great lighting effects to the detailed environments, this is one PSN game that rivals the look and polish of many a retail PS3 game. The lighting effects do a fantastic job of creating a sense of ambiance and really selling the setting. The game’s AI also does its part to carry the experience, as zombies will find themselves attracted to light and sounds, attacking cars when the alarm gets set off as well as surging on flares that you might throw to get them off of your back.



THE BAD
As atmospheric as the game can be, there are some issues to be found with the aesthetic. The whole experience is somewhat difficult to see and can look cluttered at times, and considering how the camera often obstructs itself and gets stuck on objects in the environment, it can be easy to lose track of the on-screen action. When you have legions of the undead descending on you, getting overtaken because you can’t really see what is happening is pretty frustrating.

The game’s “global-virus-resurrects-the-undead” storyline is also a bit of a lost cause. You can choose between two characters, Jake McReady and Scarlett Blake, but the differences in the campaign end there, with the focus being on the action and the plot elements playing second banana.

THE UGLY
Along with vampires (thanks Twilight…), zombies have been undergoing a period of great interest in pop culture. Fortunately, this has netted gamers some fantastic games like Dead Nation, the L4D series, Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, and Call of Duty: Black Ops’ wildly-addictive Zombies mode, not to mention kickass TV shows (check out The Walking Dead on AMC, it is fantastic).

However, considering the transient nature of popular culture, I can’t help but wonder what supernatural horrific beast is next when zombies fall out of favor. Mummies? Well, aren’t they just zombies with an Egyptian motif? Creatures from the Black Lagoon? I thought that there was only one of him, and he was kind of lame. Plus, he got offed in The Monster Squad by a fat kid with a shotgun.



OVERALL – BUY
The folks at Housemarque have done it again. While there are a couple of problems here and there, the end result is a tight zombie shooter with great controls and addictive gameplay. If you’re riding high on the zombie wave that seems to be sweeping through these days, then this is a fine way to spend 15 bucks on PSN.