Hands-on: Into the Dead – A gritty, endless runner, teaming with walkers and high-powered weaponry [VIDEO]

Until Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead is finally released onto Android, we’re just going to have to make do with the near endless amounts of zombie titles spewing forth from the Google Play Store. One of the latest is “Into the Dead” by PikPok. These guys have a pretty good resume when it comes to Android games, with Into the Dead being the developer’s grittiest. Typically, we feature paid games in our reviews (so you guys know what’s worth buying), but we had such a blast with Into the Dead, we felt it deserved a very special mention.

Gameplay and Visuals

Endless runners are a growing trend in mobile gaming. Partly because you don’t have to work too hard a story-line, and because it allows for short bursts of gaming on-the-go. Into the Dead is yet another title to fall into this fad, blending Temple Run’s endless running with the living dead. Everything in ITD is done in first person which provides for a very immersive experience. You start off your nightly jog after your helicopter crashes in an empty filled — well, almost empty. There you’ll attempt to book it to safety, avoiding obstacles and the hordes of zombies that stand between you and safety. Along the way, you’ll find ammo and weapons cases littered through out the run, which can be used to quickly dispose of zombies standing in your path.

When it comes to visuals and sound effects, PikPok has knocked it out of the park. These guys have somehow turned a game with very simply gameplay, into a terrifying experience — no small feat, mind you. The first person view point makes you feel as if you’re really running for your like through fields, corn crops, and forests teaming with the undead. Levels have a dark, misty look to them. Zombies can be seen in the distance letting off an eerie red-eye glow. Play it in the dark and I guarantee you’ll jump upon your first death. It’s a combination of the visuals, music, and sound effects that fully immerses players into this world PikPok has so wonderfully created. Honestly, there aren’t many freemium titles that have this level of polish and it definitely took me by surprise.

So, Into the Dead is a freemium title — but just how freemium is it? Well, it definitely makes use of in-game currency by way of gold coins. These are accumulated by going for distance, running the longest amount of time before falling victim to a walker. From there, you can spend coins on everything from unlocking new weapons, to outfitting the zombies in different costumes (football gear, or WWII duds). The game does show ads while in menu’s and in between screens, but all of those can be turned off through a simple in-app purchase of $2. Everything else in ITD can be unlocked the old fashioned way by completing missions, earning coins, and never having to pay a cent.

Verdict

I wont sugar coat it too much, but Into the Dead is without a doubt an instant download for zombie fans and gaming enthusiasts alike. Casual, yet terrifying, it’s awesome we live in a day and age where we’re able to enjoy amazing games like this without having to pay a cent. Of course for those that don’t mind slapping down some dollars to make the game a little easier, there’s always that option. But never once does it feel like in-app purchases are being forced down player’s throats. Couple that with the developers promise to provide ongoing updates with new content and features, and I can’t recommend Into the Dead enough. Go ahead and give it a try, you’ll be glad you did.

[Into the Dead on Google Play]