Dead Target (Android)

WHAT IS IT?

“Dead Target” is an offline, single player FPS, in which the player completes levels by destroying waves of zombies and other creatures hellbent on destroying them.

UI

Maybe I'm just old, but this is overwhelming.

The interface in “Dead Target” is a perfect example of a game that tries to pack in way too much. I might be in the minority, but I prefer simplicity…this isn’t that. In fact, it might be the most convoluted game I’ve encountered yet.

The “main” screen lists all available levels, via a map-style display. There are several available at any given time, based on your progress. The difficulty of each is helpfully displayed, to give you an idea of what to expect. This part is pretty simple and attractively designed.

Navigating to the shop, upgrading your weapons, and claiming rewards for completing daily tasks (called "quests") can be accessed via buttons along the bottom. Once again, these submenus are pretty clear once you enter them.

The problem is that there are often multiple events, games of chance, and “battle pass” contests going on at any given time. These are available via buttons off to the right side of the screen. Exploring all of them can get pretty overwhelming, since they are constantly rotating. This requires navigating through different "event" menus, and even claiming "event only" rewards that are only available from these menus.

The icons on the left side are without textual context. This can make them confusing, even after repeated sessions, since most users won't navigate over there very often. The top image - of a chest - takes the player to a "progress map" which shows a preview of upcoming missions. These can be good or bad. For example, it might show rewards a user will receive if they reach a certain level. On the other hand, it can show a particularly difficult boss that the player will have to contend with. Overall, this feels like another pointless and unnecessary addition.

The "trophy" icon lists player achievements, and grants gold bars for completing them.

Earning medals grants added health and power.

The medal icon takes the player to their "medal collection". Earning medals grant increased rewards and power based on completing certain objectives. These are broken down into tiers; all three requirements of each tier must be met in order to acquire the reward. The positive side is that the boosts obtained here carry over throughout every campaign; they aren't single-use or otherwise limited.

Overall, the UI is probably the one area of the game that requires the steepest learning curve. There are so many menus to browse through that it can get pretty overwhelming.

GRAPHICS

The graphics are appropriate, consisting of rather basic 3D sprites. I’d say they border slightly on the “cartoony”, complete with the green blood that puffs out of every bullet strike. The backgrounds are also pretty standard, and consist of the same few settings repeated over and over again. 

The monster variety is adequate. Beyond the basic zombies, there are some that climb walls, shoot projectiles from afar, and even little poisonous zombie toads (?). Each enemy looks appropriately menacing (well, aside from the toads) and are well-designed. However, the basic zombie textures are very limited, leading to many battles involving fighting of the same sprite over and over again.

The graphics are adequate.

The game runs smoothly on my Google Pixel 7 Pro, without any noticeable lag or drop in frame rate. However, it should be noted there are no settings to adjust the graphics level. That means users on lower-end older devices might have troubles running it. I can't see that being an issue for most, though, as there's nothing really graphically intensive.

Visually, there's enough effort here to show that the developers care, but not enough to stand out in any way, shape, or form. 

GAME MODES

This is where the game sometimes goes off the rails, for better or for worse. There’s always at least one event of some sort going on at any given time. Some of them provide a refreshing respite from the typical game mechanics, while others just add extra “objectives” to the standard game. 

Blast busty women (?) for extra rewards in the "Summer Paradise" event.

For example, the current one is “Summer Paradise”, in which a busty woman randomly appears in “scenario levels” and must be destroyed to earn extra “popsicles” (?). These popsicles are then used to unlock additional event-only rewards. Oookay. Another recent one replaced the busty lady with toy nutcrackers. It wasn’t even close to Christmas. These are the types of events that don't change the game mechanics, as the popups are inserted into existing levels. 

Other times the levels are separate from the main campaign, such as the “Frankenstein event”. In these episodes, players blast their way as usual through a selection of randomized levels. The only difference is that Frankenstein's monster appears at some point within the level, and must be defeated to earn event rewards. This one also becomes tiresome. While the levels are played in no particular order, there are only a handful of different ones. And since the monster pops out in the same spot and at the same time on each one, it's easy to memorize them after a few playthroughs.

A busty woman appearing in the wild.

Yet, in other events, the gameplay mechanics are altered in refreshing ways. One event featured a board game that allowed users a set number of free rolls per day. Players would roll the die and navigate around the board according to the numbers rolled, gaining additional rewards based on the spaces they landed on. 

Another event added an "idle" aspect to the game. In it, a continuously-firing turret destroyed a never-ending wave of zombies. This occurred even after the player exited the game. The power of the turret could be increased by completing levels, with players limited to the number of levels they could play at once. Rewards were granted based on how many zombies they killed with the turret at the end of the event.

Even outside of events, "Dead Target" offers up other modes separate from its main "story". “Apocalypse” sends endless waves of zombies at the player, and continues until the player is killed. The user selects a powerup to start, with additional powerups granted every fifth wave. Monetary rewards are also issued at the end of each completed group. There are multiple areas available, which can be unlocked by surviving to wave 25 of the previous level.

“Side missions” are generally easier than normal missions, and pay out extra cash. These can come in handy if you’re stuck and need money for upgrades or other items. However, these levels follow the same mechanics of the main game, and offer nothing new in terms of variety or interest.

There's definitely no shortage of options that deviate from the main campaign. Unfortunately, they often don't feel any different.

GAMEPLAY

If you’ve ever played a mobile action game before, you already know what to expect. "Dead Target" utilizes the same approach as countless games before (and after) it. Your character is stationary and must blast through several waves of zombies and other creatures. Once all the zombies are destroyed, the level ends, and you progress on to the next one.

The player’s progress is clearly tracked via a “map”. This displays all of the playable levels available to a player, along with an assigned difficulty based on the player’s weapons. One thing I do like that prevents the game from feeling too linear is that there are generally two levels available at one time. That lets players pick and choose which ones they feel like playing. This can provide a tactical advantage at times; for example, if one is “easier” than the other.

There are some pretty cool enemy types.

But the gameplay also provides plenty of irritating design decisions. One is that the effectiveness of the weapons seem to vary greatly between the main campaign and events. Oftentimes, purchasing a new weapon yields equal results to using older, “weaker” ones in the single player “Mission” mode. Each level displays a “recommended” weapon that presumably will make completing the level easier. But that doesn’t always seem to be the case. Many times I’ve entered a level with a suggested weapon upgraded far beyond the recommended level, only to discover the hard way that it’s not enough. Enemies would take multiple hits to kill - sometimes an entire clip - allowing the other zombies to overwhelm me in the meantime.

Yet, using that same exact weapon in other events or game modes results in single-hit kills and much easier completion of missions. Why? What’s the reasoning behind this? It feels like a pretty unbalanced system that leads to more frustration than anything else. Especially when you get used to laying waste to levels, only to return to a fruitless campaign that leads to a quick death.

Also on the weapons front - and another source of irritation - is the upgrade system. Upgrading the first few weapons is straightforward: Pay a set amount of cash, and your weapon is taken to the next level. However, once more powerful weapons are acquired, upgrading the weapon becomes an unnecessarily complex process. Every third upgrade requires an increasing number of “weapon shards”, on top of an also-increasing cash sum. Don’t have enough pieces? Then you can’t upgrade your weapon. “Pieces” can be obtained through missions and events, but they are entirely randomized. That means you might get several for a weaker weapon you no longer use.

Upgrading later weapons can be a bitch.

Adding to the confusion, “tech modules” are also suddenly introduced. These are weapon-specific boosts that affect the gun in various ways, and can be added after every third upgrade. For example, one might increase the rate of fire a certain percentage for a set amount of time after killing a creature. Each module can only be used for one weapon at a time. Multiple modules of the same type can also be “fused” together to increase the power of the effect. Free modules can be drawn once every few hours; “better” ones cost red diamonds (rubies?) which are relatively rare and hard to earn during normal gameplay.

Outside of the weaponry, players can also obtain powerups and other items to help survive the zombie apocalypse. Some of the powerups, like “rage mode” are activated within levels as needed, and last for ten seconds. Other items grant the user increased stats for the entire level, and can be selected from the “pre-game” screen.

“Rage mode” freezes the action for ten seconds, excluding the time it takes to reload your weapon. During this period, your weapon auto-aims, and every bullet fired connects with the heads of nearby enemies. Other ones can be acquired, although I'm not exactly sure how; I think it has something to do with the medal system.

The pre-mission screen lets you select items to prepare for battle.

The “full level” powerups are bullets that increase damage by 50%; a clip that boosts fire rate by 30%; a skull that grants the user 2x critical damage; and a powerful, single-use gun that can be used for the entire level. The latter is a nice touch, as it grants users the chance to use guns that cost real money. Of course, the point is probably to “sell” them by giving the user a small taste of otherwise unobtainable power, but I find these are helpful in easily passing otherwise difficult levels.

Otherwise, there’s the standard issue grenades and medkits that can be purchased using in-game currency. They work as expected, complete with a standard “cooldown” rate to prevent overuse. (This is a mechanic present in many similar games that never makes sense to me. If you have them, why can’t you use them as you see fit?)

One semi-cool feature is that the player is aided by an indestructible hovering drone that also shoots at enemies. While it is helpful, the basic turret can only do so much. And as far as I can tell, upgrading it requires resources that can only be purchased with real money.

Oh, and another sour note: This is one of those stupid games where using ammo costs money. Of course, the "better" the weapon, the more expensive the magazine. Every time you reload, the amount of the bullets are deducted from your total. If you run out during a battle, and don't have enough funds to purchase more, you're basically as good as dead. So make sure to save a little cash in the bank before heading into battle. (By default, bullets are auto-purchased. This can be changed in the settings, although I don't see why anyone would want to do that.)

CONTROLS

The controls follow a similar setup to many similar games. The game is played with the device set to “landscape” mode. The bottom left side controls where the player is looking/aiming, while the right side handles the weaponry. A large “fire” button engages the equipped weapon. This is responsive and works the way it should.

Surrounding the fire button are smaller ones. One swaps weapons in mid-battle, while the other one handles reloading. These can be easily engaged during the heat of battle and are attractively aligned.

The control UI is familiar and well-designed.

“Special” moves are right above the movement pad on the left side. This makes them pretty easy to reach for most players. Once again, this is a “win” in the design department as some games make certain buttons harder to reach than others. But “Dead Target” seems to be well-aligned and has clearly taken player feedback into consideration.

The weakest link in the control layout are the medkits and grenades. These are placed more toward the middle of the screen, though aligned right, toward the fire button. At least to me, these are the hardest buttons to reach on the fly; so much so, that I sometimes forget they’re even an option. I can’t really fault the developers, however, because there are only so many places where buttons can be placed. And there are no setups that are going to completely satisfy every player. 

One nice touch: The buttons can be “flipped” for left-handed players, butting the fire button on the left and movement controls on the right. This is a feature missing from many other games and helps to make it more accessible to a wider range of players.

AUDIO

The audio in “Dead Target” is a mixed bag. The menu music is appropriate and sets the tone for the game. Despite the inclusion of  zombies and other hideous creatures, it doesn’t aim for a “creepy” angle. Instead, it focuses squarely on the “action” aspects. This is conveyed through the “epic” opening track that kicks things off. 

The in-game effects are also a couple notches above “standard”. Each gun has their own sounds that are relative to the weapon’s power/capabilities. For example, the “Tesla” gun - which blasts beams of electricity out of its barrel - emits the sound of…well…electric currents. The M249 LMG - a powerful machine gun - has an appropriately loud sound to match. It doesn’t sound “canned”, with reverb effects that blend into the surroundings. This is a nice detail missing from other games.

But where the audio falters is in the addition of a “Mortal Kombat”-style “narrator” that constantly interjects pointless commentary. For example, hitting a creature in the head causes him to quip “Headshot!” every single time. Killing multiple creatures results in phrases like “Killing spree!” or “Rampage!” Sometimes, he even interrupts himself in mid-word, to offer up another escalated description. This would be annoying even if it was occasional; the fact it’s constant makes it almost unbearable. Currently, there are only options to mute “sounds” and “music”; there should be a separate one for the voices.

Lastly, completing a mission leads to a different person exclaiming “You win!” It’s hilariously out of place, and seems ripped from an 8-bit Nintendo game. Maybe it was. At any rate, it borders on self-parody in a game that, for the most part, seems to take itself seriously.

PAY TO PLAY?

The ad load and greed level in “Dead Target” can be considered “excessive” compared to similar games. Before the menu can be accessed, players are bombarded with at least one offer to purchase some extreme gun using real money. That’s followed by at least one pop-up notifying them of any events that are ongoing.

Expect at least one of these popups every time you enter the game.

In-game popups are also fairly frequent. Randomly, a message stating “HQ has sent you some intel” pops up, along with a small cash and gold reward. This is followed by a skippable ad. That’s it…the ad is the “intel”. I guess it’s a nice touch that they try to work the ad into the design of the game, but it’s still dumb. Completing levels will also result in occasional pop-ups featuring gold and cash “packages” that users can purchase.

These examples are annoying, but nothing too extreme when compared to other games. After all, games are made by people who have bills to pay and mouths to feed, like everyone else in the world.

$100 for an in-game weapon seems reasonable.

But where the game does go a little overboard is in the myriad of rewards openly displayed, but inaccessible to non-paying users. This is a known psychological tactic prevalent in all facets of the internet age. It makes “free” players feel like they’re missing out, and is clearly designed to push them towards a purchase.

Arguably, the “greatest” example of this is the “Battle Pass”. Completing event levels moves the player into higher “tiers” based on the number of event items they collect. Free players typically get one basic item per tier, ranging from a few gold bars, to a few thousand dollars in cash. However, “Battle Pass” players get two items that are of highly increased value. Of course, these are displayed under the “free” items, and even have a button to “collect”, which leads to the “Battle Pass Upgrade” screen.

Want all those rewards on the bottom? It's going to cost you...

That’s already a little low, but it gets even worse. The screen shows a 50% off discount for the upgrade, complete with a banner that exclaims “One Time”. It seems like this is insinuating a one-time purchase grants the user the “Battle Pass” indefinitely. But the fine print states otherwise, explaining that this is on a per-event basis and that it must be re-purchased every “two weeks”. So then what’s the “one time” designation on the top? It would appear to be the number of times you can purchase it at the discounted price. These are the types of shady tactics that push a game deeper into “greedy” territory.

To be fair, there are also quite a few ways for free players to gain additional items. The aforementioned events are one of them. Side missions are also included, which grant users more cash upon completion than “regular” levels. I’ve earned over $1,000,000 in one day (in-game, of course) just from experimenting with other game modes. Users can also get “daily rewards”, just for opening the game. These get better and better with each passing day; best of all, the days don’t have to be consecutive. So whether you play 14 days straight, or spread out over two months, you’ll still get the same helpful resources.

To be fair, there are plenty of ways for free players to gain extra cash.

While it will still be a much slower slog, “Dead Target” doesn’t completely alienize us cheapskates.

IN CONCLUSION

For all its flaws, “Dead Target” does have a high level of replayability. The various events are often interesting, and there are quite a few opportunities for free players to earn extra cash and items. Even when my progress in the main game was stalled, the other game modes gave me reasons to continue returning to it. 

Of course, that can only go on so long. I made it to mission 129 before I felt my time with the game was up. That's when upgrades started becoming too costly, and the frequent events grew stale.

For those with a greater “thirst” for such games - and who don’t mind paying real money - there’s probably enough here to keep them occupied for a little while longer. For the rest of us, “Dead Target” is a valid time-waster that’s worth checking out. Just don’t expect it to resonate once the game is closed.

OVERALL: 5/10.