Into the Dead 2 presents a simple proposition: Run for your life. If you slow down for even a minute, hordes of hungry zombies will be all over you, and they don’t take kindly to the living. It’s a game about survival, and the action transpires from the first-person perspective as you sprint ahead—too scared to glance back—and dodge moaning brain-eaters before they can grab hold of you and feast.
Fans of the original game, downloaded more than 70 million times, will recognize the premise. But the sequel introduces a new narrative, and some welcome improvements to the runner phenomenon. Stages no longer last forever. Now levels are separated by a postapocalyptic story line.
“There is a much greater sense of progression and a real journey taking place across rural homesteads, towns, rail yards, forests, and oil fields, all culminating in multiple endings to unlock,” says Mario Wynands, CEO of development studio PikPok.
You play as James, a man who survives a car accident far from home and then struggles to get back to his loved ones before it’s too late. The narrative is voiced by professional actors and mixes into the intense gameplay.
Weapons play a much larger role in the sequel. You can specify level load-outs and ammunition, swap guns while running, toss grenades, or swing knives at the undead. In some stages, you’ll even be able to use armored vehicle-mounted guns to inflict all kinds of gruesome damage. This time around, you must also upgrade your arsenal on a regular basis if you want to see the next day.
For PikPok, Into the Dead 2 is the culmination of two years’ work. The game offers incredible Metal-powered graphics, a compelling story line, and action that seldom lets up long enough for you to catch your breath. As Mario tells us:
“We’ve poured a lot of energy into trying to create one of the most intense and engaging experiences possible on a mobile device. And we’d love for fans of the original and new players to enjoy every minute of it.”