Dead Block

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Release Date: July 6, 2011
Developers: Candygun Games
Publishers: Digital Reality
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre: Third-Person Action-Strategy
Players: Single-player, Split-Screen
Rating (ESRB): T (Teen)


Synopsis:

Dead Block is set during the 1950s where a zombie outbreak coincides with the emergence of the rock and roll genre of music during that time period. The rise of Rock n Roll has caused the dead to rise from their graves and return to life as the undead. It features three protagonists: Jack Foster, a construction worker who wields a sledgehammer; Foxy Jones, a traffic warden armed with a handgun; and Mike Bacon, a heavyset boy scout who is often eating and carries explosives.
The game is primarily a variant on the tower defense game mechanic. Players must build traps and fortify doors and windows to keep a horde of zombies from entering a given building. During gameplay players can also scavenge the building for additional powerups, items and things that can assist in keeping the zombies at bay. The game can be played locally with four players in a splitscreen format, and includes ten single player levels along with an additional eight multiplayer co-op levels.

Story:

In the story you start out as this construction worker named Jack Foster. Apparently Rock and Roll has been causing dead people to rise from their graves and attack the living. The main goal of the game is to get a guitar to start working in each level so you can play it because this is what kills the zombies. This game has the best logic ever. Through the many levels the zombies get harder and usually at the end of the level their will be a really strong "boss" that will join the regular horde the next level. The story can be frustrating at times because it doesn't make very much sense. You slowley earn all the characters which consist of a short chubby boy scout, a tall sassy woman names Foxy Jones and then a normal guy named Mike Bacon. Each player has special assets that can be very helpful in the game.

Story Rating 7/10

Gameplay:

The Gameplay is like playing any tower defense game, there is windows all around the house and you have to upgrade the planks covering them or the traps guarding them to keep out the zombies. You find multiple pieces of a guitar scattered through out the levels until you have found them all and you can play a rock n roll song on it that wipes out the zombies. You collect coins and supplies throughout the game as well. You can spend coins on power ups, health sodas, jukebox that makes zombies dance till their heads explode or the characters power ups. This game is a lot different from any other zombie game and the zombies can be really frustrating when the gather up in numbers. The gameplay is ten times better when playing with a friend on split screen. Its almost necessary to be able to get through the game without multiple deaths.

Gameplay Rating: 7/10

Graphics:

The graphics are not very good, the characters facial expressions do not change and the over all graphics of everything are not very smooth. A lot of objects will have rough edges or even black behind them. It looks often like the designers did not put very much effort into the graphics because they look really bad. They also look very clunky at some points.

Graphics Rating: 5/10

Controls:

The controls are easy to get used to because of their simplicity. Rb to hit, b to break something down and Y to break/build a barrier. They are simple and effective. I enjoy the controls in this game except for the fact that you can never hold one down to have it repeat its effect you have to repeatedly press it to finish something fast.

Controls Rating: 8/10

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Overall Rating: 7/10 (Overall fun game if your into tower defense zombie games. In split screen mode it can be really fun)