Format: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Developer: Not Doppler Pty Limited
Do you like car games? Do you like zombies? If you said yes to both questions then this game would be perfect for you, because this is the game that lets you run down hordes and hordes of the undead. Earn to Die started life as a flash game and in no time it had been played well over 100 million times. People just fell in love with its brand of zombie-smashing mayhem, but how does it transfer to the iOS?
For what on paper sounds like a very simple game, Earn to Die looks fantastic. While it may at first glance look basic, especially when put next to some of the triple A iOS titles, when you start to play the game you realise just how great the art style of the game is. Earn to Die has the look of a 70’s Grindhouse style zombie movie and I personally love this. As well as the actual game, there are these little cut scenes thrown in that do a really good job of moving the story forward. These are done in a fun cell-shaded style, which is a nice change of pace from all the CGI that we see in video games these days.
As great as the game looks, I think that it plays even better. While it does have a car as your main “character”, I feel that it is more of a physics-based puzzle/strategy game than a racing game. The idea is that there is a zombie apocalypse that has broken out, and you need to jump in your car and get the hell out of there. It just so happens that the undead will not get out of your way. So the only thing you can do is run them down.
I know this sounds a very easy and simple game, but you do need to use your brain and use it fast before the zombies eat it! You see at first you have a very small amount of gas in your car. First time you play this you will drive a little way and you will run out of fuel. The more zombies you run over, the more cash you make. At the end of each round you will have the choice of buying something from the store.
Now of course you will want to buy some gas, but here is where the strategy comes into play. Do you spend all of your money on gas so you can drive really far away? Or do you just get one can of gas and spend money on upgrades for your vehicle? It is a very delicate balance that you will need to work out. After all there is no point in spending money on a tough hard hitting weapon for your vehicle when you have no money for gas, is there?
Earn to Die Lite is a great game, and without a doubt it has the potential to be the next big thing on the iOS.