Fine day for a zombie apocalypse isn't it? Dead Frontier: Outbreak 2 is a bit of interactive fiction about just such a cheerful occasion, and the direct sequel to the original, which you should go play now if you haven't already. The story follows the same man as before, as he searches a ruined city for supplies and desperately needed medicine to bring back to the other survivors. This is a text adventure, so you'll need to read the words that come on screen, and choose your actions carefully from the lists provided. If you're smart and careful, you just may make it out of this thing alive. If you read faster than the protagonist talks, you can simply click on the screen to shut him up and the remainder of the text will pop up instantly rather than s l o w l y crawling across the screen. Buddy, I've got a zombie epidemic to deal with here, I don't have time to listen to you soliloquize about everything. Just send me an e-mail with the footnotes.
Granted, I've been a zombie movie fan ever since Bruce Campbell's 1981 horror masterpiece (you know the one) terrified me when I was just a kid, so there's a lot about any given movie/game/book/breakfast cereal I'm willing to forgive as long as it prominently features someone getting chewed on. As such, I find the gravelly, grittier-than-thou narration enjoyable in a cheesy sort of way, and your available actions feel nicely logical, for the most part. All it's really lacking is the ability to flip ahead and see what would happen if you chose a particular action, since everyone knows it doesn't count unless you take your finger off the page.
There is some replay value here, since what you take with you in the beginning of the game helps determine what you can do in certain situations, and of course some endings are better than others. The game is usually pretty fair about its dangers, and the decisions you make can either help or hinder you further on down the road, which makes for a nice bit of "I wonder what would have happened if I'd... " scenarios. Zombie survival enthusiasts (and we are a particularly odd breed) probably will have an easier time figuring out what choices to make, but none of it is rocket science. (Or brain surgery.) It lacks a lot of the menace and urgency of the first game, but Dead Frontier: Outbreak 2 is an enjoyable play for any horror fan. Just remember to bring your braaaaaaaaaains.
Completed with an A/A+. Good game.
Far above average zombie survival skills? Oh Dead Frontier: Outbreak 2, you flatterer!
I hope they get that plumbing situation worked out.
This was easier than the first one, not because it by itself is simpler to figure out, but because after playing the first you have a better idea of how this zombie apocalypse works and how this author thinks.
Yeah, there's at least one decision that you also had to make in the first one, with the same right answer. I like that-you become better against the zombies as your character does.
I think it was easier because you could more easily avoid situations and take preventive measures, while in the first you are in the thick of zombies and you had fairly random outcomes for choosing a given escape route.
Rank A and A+! Like this one much better than the first (though the writing style and all of that still really needs work). I wonder though, what choices does choosing the
different clothing, different guns, and "liquid courage"
open up? Whatever I pick, it doesn't seem to make much difference.
It also looks like the author decided to make it feel like your character was rationalizing his choices, rather that in the first where he would tell you that you'd made the "wrong" choice.
@Acidifiers
I think the choices factor into your final score.
for instance
I'm certain the choice of saying goodbye to your wife or just leaving is a component of the humanity score.
Hmm. Perhaps I can get a + added to my A tactics if I chose some different clothing or gun... *muses thoughtfully*.
I didn't lock the backdoor and died D:
I'm getting a entertaining bug. Near the end, if you choose to
escape in a car, it breaks down and you can choose to fix it or walk.
I chose the former, and received a fairly vivid description of having my windpipe ripped out by a zombie as a result. However, that didn't seem to overly phase me - the next screen said that I had a frightening walk home after that, but that everything worked out alright, giving me A/A+ scores. All despite being apparently without a windpipe. I'm obviously made of sterner stuff than most!
One thing I discovered on a second playthrough (to see what it'd be like if I WASN'T so damn good at zombies, of course) kind of disappointed me. If you don't secure the door sufficiently at one point, later on you'll come to a point where any combination of choices you make will kill you. The checkpoint happens after the barricade decision, so you have no choice but to "Give up" and start all over again. Since virtually anywhere else in the game, there's still a path to victory available if you hit "retry," it's frustrating that the checkpoint is so unfortunately placed.
But yeah, overall this is an excellently designed little challenge! I like that any of the decisions can sound halfway rational, so victory really does depend on your "knowledge" of this zombie apocalypse.
At one point, this franchise was poised to became a very awesome MMORPG, even with some shooter elements. Then they stopped working on that and it got turned into a flash game... and now text-based... Great MMO though, just a bit repepitive and not enough player contact.
...I tried but I couldn't get the antibiotics. Any help, please?
won with a tatics and a+ compassion
Much much much MUCH MUCH better than 1. I just beat it! Anyway, the voice acting & music was a HUGE leap up from 1. The last one, he was a drama queen with his voice. Now, he just tells you the story with drama injected in small doses as needed. Also, the music feels a lot less like a loop & more like the quiet danger I so adore in my games. Anyway, here's a walkthrough!
It's all in one piece though, no 2nd-layer spoilers!
Alright, here's what you should do to survive this zombie outbreak. So far, I only got a B in Tactics & an A+ in Kindness, but we'll see about better ways to beat it. For now:
Combat fatigues. This may not even matter.
Hunting rifle. May not matter.
Crowbar. Can't get it anywhere else.
Bye, wife! I'm going to the store right now for some medicine! Be right back! Say goodbye.
I like bikes. Take one!
Hey, a guy! For Kindness, talk to him. If Survival & Tactics matter more to you, attack him with that handy little crowbar of yours.
Ooh, crowbars are nice for breaking locks! How convenient! Use the crowbar you got from home.
Smash the skull. Also: The ONLY REALLY WRONG ANSWER is to search it. It will come alive & bite you.
It IS a pharmacy, a First-Aid kit will come in handy later when you want to help anyone in need. There will be some left. Look for them & you'll find one.
A nice run around the block will save your skin from that horde of person-munchers. Try it.
Better safe then sorry. Use the lock & barricades. You can never be too safe from zombies.
Think the place is secure? Better ensure it first. Check around to make sure you're safe for now.
What is it that the army will sometimes yell? Oh yea, that useful phrase:
"TAKE COOOVEEEERRRR!!!!!!" The army is never wrong.
Nothing wrong with negotiating (meaning yelling "I'M NOT INFECTED!").
Best explain to these people. Tell them the truth. This is especially important for kindness.
You'll do what they want (Kindness), but you don;t want to fail them (Kindness) or get killed (Tactics). Ask for some equipment before you head down.
For Kindness, open it slowly or bust in. Let Simth take point if you're more interested in Tactics. None of these will kill you.
Light a match. That's the only good answer I've tried. I know the curtains are the kill-you light source.
Remember that First-Aid kit? USE IT!
That locked, barricaded door paid off, huh? Now the infected can't get in as easily!
Better tell them what's going on!
You still need those antibiotics! Go to the pharmacy. DO NOT STAY & FIGHT, YOU WILL DIE! It is also OK to leave, but you won't be able to get the medicine you so desperately need.
Hey! Iron shutters! Let's close them!
Yea, there's the stuff! Now just to survive until you're home!
I know you can't help her, either shoot them, steal her gun & ammo, or ignore her.
Take the stairs out.
Everyone knows you can't be bitten when you have it around the neck & are ushing it over the railing!
Hey, let's jack that car! That one, there! Yea!
Shunt those cars out of the way.
Best not to drive through a horde of homicidal zombies. Take a back way.
You're not a mechanic, just walk on.
Awesome! Now listen to the rest of your good story. You're done, with a B & A+!
Let me know if any of this could be changed for at least A in Kindness & at least A in Tactics! Thanks!
lol has anyone else noticed that after you get back from the basement the second time (from turning on the power) that if you choose get the hell out that you're on the roof of a 'multi-storey (thats exactly how he spells it lol!!) building' ?
["Storey" is the British spelling of the word http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storey -Jay]
5h0rty, I did A/A with the following differences:
Machine gun instead of rifle
Creeping behind the man instead of talking
Used only the lock without barricades
Opened the door slowly
Searched for and actually found a torch
Took the woman's gun
And that's all, I hope I didn't forget anything important.
I always get an A+in survival and an F in compassion. Does that make me a bad person?
Yay! Finished with A/A even though I killed and/or left behind most of the other people I met. I wonder if there will be a sequel - I really love this series! Thanks for reviewing, Jay!!!
P.S.: I noticed some new arrivals at Armor Games, like Viricide. I'd love it if you reviewed them!
I like this game but the game over screen is extremely scary lol
this is how you get a perfect score:
take the combat fatigues
take the shotgun
take the crowbar
say good-bye to your wife
use a bike
sneak past him
use the crowbar on the lock
use the crowbar on his skull
take a first aid kit
run around the block
barricade then lock the door
secure the area
take cover
negotiate
tell them the truth
ask for extra equipment
let smith take point
find a torch
use the first aid kit
tell them about the zombies
head for the pharmacy
close the shutters
shoot them both
take the stairs
grab by the neck and push over the railing
tag along with the survivors
shunt the cars
take the back route
walk the rest of the way
your welcome :P
So... umm... I kinda like this sequel. It's a BIG improvement from the first one. Also I didn't know that the story was set in 2016. The first game didn't mention the seting. Anyway I got an B for tactics (unlike the first one... I got an A for that) and an A for compassion.
About the "Multi-Storey" part, that's cool, but, the maker of the games is American ( I played the MMORPG)
B in Tactics and A+ in Compassion my first go-round! I only died once (on purpose, to go back and save someone else). I love this game!
5h0rty
I did the same things you did except i took biker leathers and snuck past him and got a A/A+
I'm not playing! I feel like a chicken but, is it really scary?
@Akatsuki: No jump scares. I promise. I hate them too. And the drawings aren't that bad. I didn't find the game scary, but I'm one of those people who doesn't really relate to a lot of scary stuff. What makes it "horror" instead of "creepy drama" in my opinion is relating to it, so it's about YOU. To me, this is just creepy drama :).
xD Thanks! Playing the game now!
Cool game! Loved it!
its good but took forever to get past the generator part! also, like the other guy pointed out, fixing the car you get your throat ripped out lol, and still make it alive without any reference later on your windpipe been ripped out XD and also, replayed it to test a theory, i chose extra ammo, then obv when i got to mall, when going to generator i choose extra merchandise so got even more ammo, so thats two lots of ammo, in theory shooting the zombies in basement would use one of the extra ammo, (as i played it again without first choosing extra ammo and same results) so that when i get up to the girl, steal her gun and proceed, then still get throat ripped out cus no ammo, whats up with that!
First run-through I survived with an A/A :-) pretty happy with that! Only died and had to pick again 3 times. I did almost everything that Jared above said to get a perfect score with the following differences:
1. Took machine gun
2. I slowly opened the door instead of letting smith take point
3. I made a tourniquet instead of using the first aid kit. Thought I might need it later and it was good to bring extras back with me to the compund
4. Stole the woman's gun and ammo. Can't have enough of it! She was doomed anyway and didn't need to make any more noise than I needed to
The rest I did the exact same things. I think I'd do pretty well in a zombie outbreak
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