trivard676The zombie shooter Dead Nation makes its debut on PSN November 30. Available for $14.99, Dead Nation is a refreshing step back to what makes zombie shooters so great. You can read the review here if you’re unsure of what the game is all about. What we can say is that Dead Nation offers some challenging zombie slaying action which can sometimes be too much for some people. We want to give you an edge ‘before’ you head in, to get you out with only a few bite marks less of a full course meal.
Keep Moving!
Zombies and Special Mutated can come at you from all sides. They’ll keep swarming until you’re bleeding out on the pavement. The best way to get a handle on where they’re coming from are is to keep moving around. Look for and pick off lone wanderers when you see them – you never know when the single zombie can turn into a horde. Try to also look for places that act as choke points, such as between vehicles or through narrowly opened gates.
Upgrade your Weapons!
All of that cash you’ve been picking up isn’t going to just eat a hole in your pocket and disappear. Enemies become harder and more plentiful as the game progresses. The first thing you’re going to want to do is upgrade your most basic weapons. The pea-shooter rifle has unlimited ammo, but at the initial stages of the game doesn’t fire very quickly and is rather weak. And remember, an extra grenade just might save your life over a newfangled electro-gun.
You Gotta Shoot em in the Head!
The rifle is capable of charging up and blasting through a few enemies at once. Just hold down the fire button and line up your targets. Once the beam of the rifle intensifies, fire! It’s a great way for clearing out a few zombies, provided you have the space and time to do so. You’ll want to have your rifle upgraded to fire faster before you start pulling this trick off in a horde however, and you tend to run a little bit slower when the trigger is held down. The only other issue is keeping steady aim under the pressure. So much pressure!
Properly Allocate your Weapons!
There’s nothing worse than running out of SMG or shotgun ammo in the home stretch. A couple of Special Mutated will eat up SMG rounds like they’re candy, and hordes of zombies will make you want to throw away your grenades quickly. Upgraded weapons can help with this. An upgraded mine for instance can offer multiple charge blasts and a larger damage range, essentially allowing you to lay multiple traps in the same area. Lure the enemy into the range and KABOOM! The upgraded rifle will suit your needs in the beginning stages of a level as well, saving more powerful ammo for later in the level.
Charrrrge!
Finding yourself swamped by Zombies? Get outta there! Hold the R2 button and charge through the horde and find a safe zone! The grey metre just under the health metre is a Stamina gauge. It takes a little while to recharge before you can charge again. The charge can get you through fire as well. Fire is hot. Don’t stand in the fire.
Hey! Look over there!
Zombies don’t quite have the sophisticated attention span that the living do. Throw around some flashy lights and they’ll be off your tail. Shoot cars with alarm systems, vending machines, toss a grenade or set up a mine. Anything with a flashing light and sound, they’ll be attracted to it, including switches (bummer). Now the decision…to shoot the vending machine or get something from it? Decisions, decisions!
Dress in Layers!
It might not be the most fashionable wear, but it’s the Zombie-frigging-Apocalypse! Make sure that your armor suits your needs! Each piece of armor will affect you differently, so make sure that the configuration you choose will help you get through the level. You can only change your armor at a designated Weapons Distribution Machine in safe zones, so you don’t get mobbed by zombies while trying to change your pants.
–jeeves86
