Touch the Dead
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| Touch the Dead | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Dream On Studio |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos Interactive |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Genre(s) | Shooter/Survival horror |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
Touch the Dead (titled Dead 'n' Furious in Europe) is a rail shooter/survival horror game for the Nintendo DS developed by Dream On Studio and published by Eidos Interactive under its brand Secret Stash Games. The game's box art was created by artist Arthur Suydam, famous for his work on the Marvel Zombies line of comics.
Gameplay
Touch the Dead is a rail shooter. Players use the stylus to point at oncoming zombies on the bottom screen. Pointing fires the weapon Steiner has equipped. Shots can be delivered to the head, arms, legs, and stomach.
To reload, players must simply grab a clip icon (located in the bottom right hand corner of the touch screen), and drag it to the bottom left hand corner which has an image of the 'magazine'.
The D-pad and face buttons of the console are simply used to switch weapons. Both serve the same purpose, and work for both right-handed and left-handed players.
Health and ammunition can be recovered by shooting crates and cabinets. The player also has the option of shooting switches to open doors and choose a left or right path when a fork appears. Either path chosen will still yield the same bonuses.
Weapons
- Handgun: The first weapon Steiner obtains. It is the weakest of the game's firearms, doing the least amount of damage. It does, however, have unlimited ammunition. The handgun does not allow belly shots. Steiner finds the handgun on the floor in Chapter 1. Resembles the Beretta M9/92F.
- Shotgun: A standard pump-action shotgun. The shotgun is most effective as close range, and can blow off heads and blow out stomachs. Steiner finds the shotgun in a control room in Chapter 1. Resembles the Spas 12 shotgun.
- Submachine Gun: Steiner's only fully automatic weapon in the game. He obtains it while stopping in a shack, located in the swamps of Chapter 3. Resembles the MP5 type K.
- Crowbar: Steiner's only melee weapon, also used to break down certain doors. Steiner gets it from the boss of Chapter 2. Resembles a crowbar.
Storyline
Protagonist Rob Steiner, or Prisoner #1809, has been transferred to Ashdown Hole State Penitentiary. Steiner has been accused of and sentenced for a murder that he did not commit. The intro movie shows him being transferred, and his mugshots. Resting in his cell, Steiner's cell door opens. Seeing his chance for escape, Steiner flees his cell into the Penitentiary, which is mysteriously occupied by zombies. By the game's end, Steiner has gone through the entire prison, the sewer system, the prison hospital, and the rooftops of the prison. Steiner eventually escapes, but realizes that there is much more to go. He finds an airboat that he uses to dredge through a thick swamp, until he eventually comes to an abandoned military base. Steiner fights his way through the zombie-infested base, and is ultimately rescued via helicopter. It is also implied, though not mentioned directly that Steiner was placed there on purpose by the military or whoever it was that rescued him. The moment Steiner is saved, one of the men tell him that they did not believe he would make it out and that Steiner is more dangerous then they had previously thought. It ends with Steiner being placed in handcuffs and the choppers leaving what appears to be an island.
Reception
The game has been heavily criticized for its "blocky" graphics and repetitive sound; however, it has received great appreciation for its innovative gameplay which makes excellent use of the touch screen. Most complaints stem from its reloading system which requires you to move a magazine from one side of the screen to the other to reload, wasting precious seconds in an already difficult game. Because of its poor appearance, but great gameplay most reviews gave it an average score. IGN gave it a 6.9 out of 10 citing its mediocre graphics and poor originality. GameSpot gave it a 5.5 out of 10 also criticizing the graphics, but still appreciating its original gameplay. X-Play gave it a 1 out of 5.