Dead Effect Review
PROS
- Head shots are satisfying.
- Visuals and lighting are decent.
- Voice actors sound like they're having fun.
CONS
- The fire button is too small and easy to miss.
- No checkpointing; dying restarts the level.
- Yet another zombie shooter.
VERDICT
Dead Effect is an adequate sci-fi zombie shooter with some control and design issues.
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Out in the cold depths of space, the hibernation pods open on the ESS Meridian. Groggy and confused, you make your way out to find that the ship is under attack from a virus that has turned the crew in flesh eating monsters.
Having brought the communication systems online, you receive guidance from an eccentric doctor as you explore the vessel, and try to find out what the hell has happened. We're not the only ones getting a System Shock 2 vibe here right?
Dead Effect is a pretty standard first person shooter. The game guides you along a predetermined path. There are closets to unlock, cash and ammo to collect, and a whole hoard of undead buggers to pump full of bullets.
This is horror game, and the eerie lighting coupled copious amount of book everywhere creates a suitably moody atmosphere. Unfortunately, this mood is somewhat undercut by controls issues. While the movement and aiming is up to par (for a touchscreen FPS, anyway), the close proximity of the small buttons are an issue, occasionally causing you to mispress and screw up attacks.
This isn't so bad when you're just dealing with slow-paced shamblers, but very early on the game introduces runners. It is easy to get overwhelmed and die on only the second level. And as there is no checkpointing system, you have to start over. It's not a recipe for an enjoyable experience.
There are aspects of the game which compensate for these frustrations. For example, the dialogue between your character and the doctor Wagner is pretty standard banter, but the delivery and the silly voices make it sound like the actors are good time, making the chatter a bit more memorable.
Those who enjoy their first person shooters, especially those with zombies or with a horror slant, should get their money's worth out of Dead Effect. We reckon lot of players are going to be put off by the controls and constant restarts, though, so we suggest you listen to the ship's doctor, and approach with caution.
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