Introduction
Urban Dead is a browser based MMONG set in the zombie infested city of Malton. Play as either a survivor fighting off the zombie hordes, or as one of the undead yourself. It requires no download, no Shockwave or Flash, just an internet browser. It is also free. Access the game at http://www.urbandead.com.
Gameplay
Due to its nature as a browser based game, Urban Dead appears on first glance to be a little shallow. The user interface consists of a 3x3 grid of boxes with building names, a player stats window, and an actions and events window. Other players show up as a small text box on the map (grid), and in the description window. The action takes place in a turn-based manner, with players using Action Points to move, fight, and perform other deeds. Despite its uninspiring appearance, UD is actually a highly entertaining and addictive game in much the same way as X-Com and Laser Squad Nemesis.
To begin with UD can be a little intimidating. The user interface doesn't offer information clearly to a new user and a little while will be spent stumbling around working out what the hell you're doing. There are, however, good guides available on the UD Wikipedia and forums (easily accessed through the UI), and also on this site (written by me!). Once a player is on his feet in the game progress will feel slow, and this may put off many. Persevere though and after a few level-ups and new skills the going will become easier and the game more enjoyable.
Movement is done by clicking on adjacent 'blocks' on the main map, each of which will contain a type of building such as police stations, hospitals and malls. Actions such as attacking, searching or using equipment are performed using pull-down menus.
The games is played at a slow pace, easily done inbetween emails at work, and much of your time will be spent logged off while action points are recovered. Time spent using your APs is very satisfying though, as they are in short supply. The limited amount you have means you're always wanting just a few more in order to finish off that zombie or find one more shotgun shell. This is a large part of what makes the game so addictive.
As mentioned earlier though, this game is massively multiplayer and other people are the other major attraction to the game. The slow and simple gameplay lends well to temporary alliances with other players, be it in random encounters or as part of a group. As there are no NPCs in this game every offensive action is taken against another player, and it is deeply satisfying to team up with another zombie to bash down a barricade and attack the humans hiding in a building, or to be part of a mall defence holding the barricades against hundreds of zombies.
Sights and Sounds
As mentioned earlier, there's not much to look at and no sounds at all. An upgrade is available to enhance the map, making it look like a city, but flashy graphics is not what this game is about.
Stuff that sucks
The game does have some bad points. There are a limited number of activities and targets can become thin on the ground as humans and zombies tend gravitate to their own parts of the map. Either of these can lead to a player wondering what to do next. This is generally alleviated by player driven events but unless you're lucky enough to be in the area you'll have to keep an eye on the boards to be involved. Another much debated point is the ratio of humans to zombies. Currently zombies are outnumbered 3:1 and this can sometimes lead to the game being unbalanced, especially as playing as a zombie is difficult to begin with. Again, organised zombie tours and mall sieges generally overcome any problems caused by this.
Conclusion
Urban Dead is a little difficult to get into, but persevere and you'll find a game that is addictive and satsfying. It might not be fast or pretty, but there's no better way to while away half an hour at work. It's free too!
Score :
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