Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition Review (PS4)

The PlayStation 4 has already received quite a few different free games via the PlayStation Plus program, and last month's Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition was among the most intriguing, coming from developer Housemarque and promising a full HD experience based on the PS3 game that came out a few years ago.

With better visuals, improved lighting, all the different DLC included, not to mention plenty of other new mechanics, like the Twitch chat functionality, the Apocalypse Edition seems like the definitive Dead Nation experience and a great treat for PS4 users.

Did the Resogun studio manage to strike gold once more with this second PS4 project or should Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition stay dead? Let's find out.

Dead Nation, in case you forgot, tasks players with surviving in a post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland by fighting every day and trying to withstand the undead horde that's all over the place. While the story isn't something to brag about, Dead Nation does deliver some pretty good cut scenes and plenty of motivation to plow through its many different missions and various zombies.

In terms of gameplay, the title is a twin-stick shooter but shooting isn't done automatically, as it requires a bit more finesse. Your standard weapon, an assault rifle, has unlimited bullets, but for other guns, like SMGs, shotguns, and more, you need to pick up or buy ammo in between stages.

The upgrade system for guns uses in-game gold and you can improve the weapons through all sorts of ways, ranging from ammo clip size to fire rate and much more. As you progress through levels you gain access to newer items and you can even throw grenades or flares in order to take out large groups of zombies.

Besides choosing between guns, you can also pick between three different armor categories, each with various items that improve your Endurance, Agility, or Strength. Bear in mind that most of them can only improve two such categories, so you need to make decisions about what sort of playstyle you want to have. Either go ultra-agile and powerful or go with endurance and strength, to make sure you make it out alive.

The actual levels start small and simple but quickly evolve into rather lengthy sequences filled with various set-piece moments in which you have to defeat waves of zombies in the same place or just survive until the doors open into the safe zone.

Choose your character ...

... and face the zombies

Between stages you can upgrade your guns and armor, as well as purchase ammo and items like grenades in order to make things easier.

The game has multiple difficulty settings, and even on Normal it's quite tough, requiring strategic thinking and motivating players to use special environmental hazards, like exploding barrels or car alarms, to their advantage.

You can play alongside a friend cooperatively, either online or offline. The co-op experience is pretty good, but it works much better during the Arcade and Endless modes, which were initially released as DLC for Dead Nation on PS3 but are included as standard in the Apocalypse Edition.

One major new mechanic is the Twitch chat integration, which allows those who view your gameplay broadcasts to type commands into the chat and see things appear in the game, from health packs to more zombie groups.

While Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition mostly remains the same in terms of gameplay, the visuals have been improved dramatically, chief among which being the lighting, which makes the whole experience feel more atmospheric and intense, particularly in the set-piece moments.

The soundtrack is good but not that memorable, while the voice acting adheres to the stereotypical zombie experience, meaning the protagonists are relatively forgettable.

Upgrade your gear ...

... and broadcast your performance

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion