Dead Trigger 2 Review

One of the best free zombie titles for the iOS format has made a return in Dead Trigger 2. Madfinger Games received nationwide acclaim with over 23 million downloads for the first Dead Trigger. With zombie games such a hit or miss on the iOS format, we were surprised at how well Dead Trigger performed, especially considering that it was free to play. We finally have our hands on its long awaited sequel, so let's find out if Dead Trigger 2 is Madfinger's Dawn of the Dead.

The first thing that caught my attention was how polished everything looks. Dead Trigger 2 is one of the greatest looking titles ever released on the iOS format. Much of Dead Trigger 2 seems to have borrowed from the original title's engine, but much more refined. The environmental lighting produces shadow effects on your character properly, and I was quite amazed at this considering this was a F2P iOS title. There are plenty of levels and they are much longer than your average zombie FPS level. The missions are still episodic, given that Dead Trigger 2 is meant for those on the go, but there is still enough to keep me engaged throughout.

After a while, things got a little bit on the repetitive side, but I hardly noticed because I was quite enthralled by Dead Trigger's 2 captivating graphics and its highly-efficient control system. Hours later, I hit the proverbial ceiling due to Dead Trigger's 2 constant grind. These were problems that faced that first title, but Madfinger has tried to vary things up to the best of their abilities. Most of the missions involve either finding an important item or person and escorting/returning everything back to the deployment point.

Along the way are hordes of the undead, which you are able to dispatch through the various explosives and firearms you'll get along the way. Expect the usual - shotguns, handguns, machine guns, grenades, etc. But some other things are unexpected, such as sentry guns and explosive chickens. These unorthodox methods of walker-slaying are a necessity since Dead Trigger 2 features hordes which consist of not only zombies, but abnormal ones as well. Some of these abnormal zombies can be the size of buildings. Expect some Left 4 Dead archetypes as well, such as a zombie that explodes on contact or if you shoot it enough.

Dead Trigger 2 features the tried and true format of having the left side of the screen move and strafe your character around, with the right side used for aiming your weapon. While this has become the standard FPS control style for the iOS format, it's nice to see that Dead Trigger 2 features the old school Resident Evil/House of the Dead style of killing - you don't need to pull off head shots to kill the zombies, just fill them up with an adequate amount of lead.

The resulting effect is that Dead Trigger 2 has you focusing on navigating zombie-filled hallways and open areas, as long as you have a zombie within range and in your cross-hair, your character will automatically fire until the zombie dies. This becomes much more action-oriented on a Left 4 Dead level. Once DT 2 starts throwing in the super-zombies, it became much more complicated and chaotic as I'm found myself frantically trying to navigate the levels and avoiding damage at all costs (the only way you can heal is through health packs, which cost money and resources to make).

Dead Trigger 2's music and sound effects are rather standard. Its focus was definitely on its graphics. I found that the sound effects and music were relatively bland, even while playing with headphones on. The main character's voice became very annoying within the first few minutes as he would keep trying to deliver one-liners, but the voice actor they used seemed to just be a stock macho voice. It almost became a mental game where I would take note that he would try and say something cool every three or four zombie kills. Despite the annoyances of the voice acting and the standard sound effects, I was still thoroughly entertained with Dead Trigger 2.

Many free-to-play iOS games enforce some sort of limitation or energy system which forces you into playing only a limited amount of times throughout the day in order to encourage players into buying their premium content. I am glad to say that Dead Trigger 2 does not follow this model. This is a very admirable concept considering the obvious amount of time and quality which went into Dead Trigger 2's development.

I recommend Dead Trigger 2 for anyone that is a fan of Left 4 Dead, zombies, first-person shooters or anything in-between. Dead Trigger 2 is a true successor to the series, improving upon everything that made the first title great. While the gameplay becomes stagnant after a few hours, its so well polished that it hardly matters. With tight controls, beautiful graphics and insane bosses, Dead Trigger 2 is a must have for anyone that has ever taken delight in anything zombie-related.

App Store Link: Dead Trigger 2 for iPhone & iPad | By MADFINGER Games, a.s. | Price: Free | Version: 1.2.1 | 321 MB | Rating: 12+