Developer: PikPok
Publisher: PikPok
Platforms: Mobile, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Into the Dead 2 – Review
Endless runner games have been popular on mobile for quite some time. Some spice up the gameplay by allowing its user some more actions than only moving left and right. When taking a first look at Into the Dead 2 you might suspect that it came from a mobile platform, and yes this game got ported over to the Switch. While the genre is pretty new to see on console, the mix of the game being sold at a pretty high price while the original mobile version is free, means that Into the Dead 2 has some prejudices to battle.
Story
You play as James and one day after coming home from work you get a radio call from your sister, Helen. Something is going on over at your parents’ farm and while being distracted, a swerving car almost hits you. You do your best to dodge the oncoming car but in the process, you hit something, which ends up covering your windshield with blood. This causes the semi-truck to crash, something highly illogical since those rigs are built for stability. Anyway, James decides to run on foot to the farm, maintaining radio contact with Helen who is taking care of your daughter. Over the radio you hear from Helen that the number of incidents is rising by the minute, you will piece the puzzle together moments later when you start encountering zombies all around you. The story progresses smoothly, but after each chapter, you seem to be getting further and further away from your goal, as events keep on happening in the city. A good thing about the story is that you will unlock side-mission that show the events through the eyes of other characters.
Graphics
The visuals are nice when taking a look at the overall gameplay of Into the Dead 2, especially considering this was originally a mobile game. There are advanced reloading animations, many different weapons and enemies, sceneries that change each few levels, etc. You are running through darkness and mist, impairing vision and limiting you to your quick reflexes as zombies love to hide in the shadows.
Sound
There’s nothing all too special about the sounds in-game. Gun effects are how they should be, the voice acting is quite decent and the music gives a certain spooky vibe. Zombies aren’t giving you the creeps by their widely heard presence and James seems to be a trained marathon runner because he barely breaks a sweat running the long distances in each level.
Gameplay
Into the Dead 2 is an endless runner game that was originally a free game for mobile platforms and is now ported to the Switch for quite the premium price. The game starts with James crashing his truck when evading a swerving oncoming car. He must get to his house immediately to ensure the safety of his father, sister, and daughter. Fortunately, you did not lose your trusty old pistol and this is your lifeline out of the hellhole that the world has become. Unfortunately, supplies are sparse and you didn’t really come prepared either. Bullets are limited so make them count, you can always grab more provisions at supply crates marked with green flares. If you run out then outrunning and dodging is your final ditch effort. In case you get grabbed by a zombie, you still have an emergency knife to thrust into its face, but they are limited to one per run.
Controlling the game is quite easy as you automatically run and vault over objects and if you get stuck behind something, James will slowly evade the object so this isn’t a game over. The only other thing you must do as a player is outsmarting or outgunning your enemy. Some enemies will be an easy target while others get into your face without you suspecting it, or can take a few rounds before going down. If the gun goes click you can still outsmart the zombies by dodging them and if you really want a challenge, try dodging each enemy without shooting once.
After each run, you will manage to find some loot, which is gold, a grenade or a single-use weapon boost. Gold is used to buy or upgrade weapons, companions or getting perishables as mentioned. Getting hold of a new, more powerful weapon can mean the quick demise of enemies, so buying them when you can is a must. This gold was probably the microtransactions currency to buy new items on the mobile version, as prices are fairly high and require replaying older missions to complete all the tasks given to finally make the purchase. These quests range from getting kills to collecting other items, will grant you stars and those will unlock chapter bonuses such as extra gold and a special weapon.
Content-wise there is plenty to go around. Runs aren’t that long so each mission is only a few minutes, yet there are seven chapters that spread over the course of 60 levels. Replaying them for unlocking everything in the game can be a bore but if you want an advantage over your enemy this is a must. You can choose between story mode to find out what happened to your family, arcade mode to see how long you can survive in the endless runner portion or play the many side-stories that show the other things that went down in the rural South. While there is much for you to play with, the core gameplay can get a bit boring since it’s the same formula over and over again.
Into the Dead 2 also saw a few themed events take place on mobile and while these were very popular, the developers decided to add them in the store available for purchase. We have gotten our hands on the two extra DLC chapters and will mention them here shortly. Night of the Living Dead DLC sets the game back in the 1960s George A Romero cult classic by the same name. You play as Ben that stops for a woman that seems a bit sickly, after trying to help her he gets attacked by a bunch of zombies including the lady he wanted to help. Unarmed and making a break for it, you will lead him towards civilization and his rescue. While utilizing the same game and mechanics, the only difference is a way better storyline and the usage of old weapons. These guns get added to the main game as well so you can blast hordes with a military issue M14 rifle.
The next DLC is another famous franchise, the Ghostbusters. As expected, this DLC will revolve around this classic. Here you play as a rookie joining the ranks of those who get rid of evil entities that haunt the living. During the preparations of a wedding party, the Ghostbusters get summoned to find and contain the source of ghost-like creatures. Naturally, since you are fighting something special you won’t get to use regular weapons. Instead, you get equipped with special tools such as a Meson Collider or Proton Pistols. During this DLC you won’t come across any zombie, but rest assured, the ghosts are way more aggressive. This content will also add new weapons to your loadout and they are proven pretty handy against the horde of undead.
Conclusion
Into the Dead 2 is quite fun to play, with much content for a mobile port. However, due to its high price, the game feels a bit too expensive. The repetitive gameplay and the almost straight port from mobile feel like it doesn’t weigh up against removing the microtransactions. Yes, there is gameplay for days, but when it gets so repetitive, you are better off getting it for free for your phone and explore the game’s content there.
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