Dead Effect 2

Dead Effect 2 falls into the "so bad it's good" category of things with a certain B-movie charm to it. Just don't expect a technically polished shooter.

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Dead Effect 2 is a first-person shooter horror game set in a derelict space ship. As a member of the ESS Meridian crew, players must fight off infected crew members and uncover the truth behind the ship's mutiny. With multiple battles, customizable weapons and character development, Dead Effect 2 offers a thrilling and immersive experience.

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Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 892 reviews

story59 positive mentions

grinding37 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and engaging gameplay experience with a variety of weapons and upgrades.
The graphics are decent for an indie title, providing a visually appealing environment.
The RPG elements, including character customization and loot systems, add depth and replayability.

The voice acting is often criticized as being cheesy and poorly executed.
The story is considered generic and lacks depth, with many players feeling it ends abruptly.
The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs and performance problems, especially on certain hardware.

story
510 mentions
12 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being shallow, cliché, and poorly executed, with many players noting that it often feels like an afterthought to the gameplay. Voice acting is described as terrible, and the narrative frequently ends abruptly or requires additional DLC to complete. While some players appreciate the B-movie charm and find the missions engaging, most agree that the primary appeal lies in the gameplay rather than the story itself.
- “The story is surprisingly good in my opinion and I enjoyed every mission.”
- “The story had a sound base structure; however only provided a shallow depth for intrigue.”
- “The story is not even b-movie level, but it beats the turkindian theorem, and there are some amusing moments.”
- “The story is nonexistent, the beginning is ripped straight from Mass Effect 2, which is a vastly superior game, the shooting mechanics are bland and barely passable as functional, the difficulty is non-existent, and the character models....”
- “The story/campaign is a total dumpster fire fueled by horrible voice acting and not much of a coherent story other than something is gonna happen in the distant future and none of it will happen in this game.”
- “The story is very bland and lacks any character development or any real story for that matter.”
graphics
166 mentions
40 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising them as decent to good, particularly for the era of release, while others criticize them as sub-par or dated, often comparing them unfavorably to modern titles. Many users note that the visuals can be atmospheric and enjoyable, but issues like bugs, repetitive textures, and inconsistencies with promotional screenshots detract from the overall experience. Overall, while some appreciate the aesthetic and effects, others find the graphics lacking and not up to current standards.
- “The graphics are gorgeous and surprisingly atmospheric.”
- “Awesome graphics and atmospheric gameplay 10/10.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and the gameplay is pretty nice, I enjoy the RPG section of the game, it reminds me of Borderlands.”
- “Terrible voice-acting, zero story, "story" ends randomly, side-quests are replays of the "story", nothing makes any sense, 90% of the game is just grinding, loads of bugs, graphics are piss poor and nothing at all like the screenshots shown.”
- “This game is total trash, I mean it is from 2016 and graphics look like it is from 2007......”
- “Boring, non-satisfying, bad graphics; boring kills, not what it looks like from screenshots.”
gameplay
161 mentions
30 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its addictive mechanics, variety of missions, and RPG elements, while others criticize its clunky controls, repetitive nature, and lack of depth. Although it offers enjoyable co-op experiences and a solid shooting mechanic, the overall execution feels inconsistent, with some describing it as a fun yet generic zombie shooter that lacks polish. Despite its flaws, the game can provide hours of entertainment for fans of the genre, especially when approached with lowered expectations regarding story and voice acting.
- “Tons of missions and addictive gameplay.”
- “Highly replayable loop, very good level design, gameplay is super smooth, story is engaging, a lot of customization elements and loot to grind for.”
- “The gameplay itself works fine, there's a fair amount of zombies and other enemies, lots of guns to loot, upgradable equipment, and a leveling + skill system and quests.”
- “No, not even as a game to play when bored; even for a dumpster dive, it's hard to maintain enjoyment. If I had anything else to play, I would have. This was so bad, the mechanics and the tedium of selling and upgrading after every damn mission.”
- “As far as I can tell, the developers thought 'what if zombies in space?', slapped together a rough shooter mechanic, threw in some uninspired enemy types (even by zombie game standards), and along the way forgot to try and make their game fun or engaging.”
- “The gameplay was repetitive with the slow accrual of additional items and enemies as you progressed and got worse when trying for all the achievements.”
humor
40 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by a mix of intentionally bad voice acting, cheesy dialogue, and amusing character interactions that evoke a B-movie atmosphere. Players appreciate the chaotic and silly moments, with many finding the humor relatable and entertaining, despite some instances of cringe-worthy delivery. Overall, the game's comedic elements contribute to a fun and relaxed experience, making it enjoyable, especially in multiplayer settings.
- “The funny chaos of the game is great and makes it fun, plus the dialogue of the game is perfect.”
- “Hilariously bad voice acting, deliciously stupid dialogue, and cheesy characters give the game an authentic B-movie atmosphere, while visuals and gameplay are solid enough not to hinder the experience.”
- “After seeing the reviews, I wouldn't believe this game would be any good... yet, it's surprisingly funny to play with friends.”
grinding
38 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with many players noting that it constitutes a significant portion of the gameplay, often leading to repetitive and tedious experiences. While some find enjoyment in the grind for gear and achievements, others feel it detracts from the overall fun, especially given the game's mobile origins and lack of engaging content beyond farming. Overall, the grind can be rewarding for dedicated players, but it may also frustrate those seeking a more balanced experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Stuffed with a metric ton of grinding achievements, as you would expect from a mobile port.”
- “While it offers more than the previous game, such as RPG mechanics, the grindy nature of the game just makes it so unfun to play.”
- “It gets grindy and repetitive due to the game originating on a mobile platform.”
music
25 mentions
56 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and fitting integration into the gameplay, enhancing the overall atmosphere, particularly in a zombie setting. While some players desire more diversity in the soundtrack, the existing tracks are generally considered excellent and well-implemented. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's appeal, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the standout features.
- “Music - best thing about the game, it's really well done and perfect for a zombie game.”
- “The soundtrack is awesome by the way and is implemented very well during gameplay.”
- “+ the music is surprisingly well done and is set up masterfully to seem perfectly in place for areas and events.”
- “Horrid game, sound design, graphics, music, everything!”
- “Liking this game kind of feels like hearing a song you're really feeling on the radio only to find out it's Nickelback.”
- “I would like more music tracks and diversity among the themes, but what is there is very good.”
stability
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
5 % neutral mentions
82 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and crashes that can disrupt gameplay. While some users experienced minimal issues and found the game to run well on older systems, others highlighted significant performance problems that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game appears to be somewhat buggy, with ongoing optimization efforts from the developers noted by some players.
- “It runs great on my older system with everything on high.”
- “Graphics are nice and sound is great, and so far it's pretty much bug-free.”
- “No glitches or crashes for me, so that is also great.”
- “Random game freezes for a couple of seconds happened during a survival mission; not sure how prevalent they are, but you'll hate them when they do happen.”
- “Glitch: on a single-player campaign, I was visited by a player who joined me; the play rate was severely compromised; the game also freezes or crashes sometimes.”
- “An old game which wasn't very polished, and frankly, quite buggy.”
optimization
19 mentions
32 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on mobile devices and during intense gameplay scenarios with many enemies. However, others report good optimization on specific hardware, such as Mac systems with NVIDIA graphics, and improvements following updates. Overall, while the game is playable and visually appealing, it still requires further optimization to address bugs, frame rate drops, and control issues.
- “Played the game on MacBook Pro with 750M; it seems really well optimized for macOS with NVIDIA graphics, which is a strange thing because most games don’t.”
- “I have an i3, and it automatically set everything to the high setting and it runs smoothly.”
- “After the last update, performance got optimized both in online and single player, which should have been when the game got out. Still, I'm happy playing without massive lag, so thanks for that; I will recommend this game, keep up the good work.”
- “Optimization is terrible.”
- “Not very optimized and it has quite a few bugs and kinks to work out, but it's still very playable and overall it's a solid shooter with RPG elements.”
- “The stuttering can be horrible, not that it drops badly, but the drops cause the stuttering, which might be a result of how the engine handles it.”
replayability
18 mentions
22 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a strong replayability factor with a variety of missions, customization options, and engaging gameplay that encourages players to return after completing the main story. While some reviews note that it may lack depth in certain areas, the abundance of side missions, loot, and upgradeable elements contribute to a satisfying replay experience. However, a few users feel that the replay value could be improved, suggesting that it isn't as extensive or refined as it could be.
- “Highly replayable loop, very good level design, gameplay is super smooth, story is engaging, a lot of customization elements and loot to grind for.”
- “In the 'hub-area' you can partake in story missions, survival missions, and plenty of others that are endless and replayable, so the amount of replayability that the game has is frankly flawless to say the least.”
- “Just a bunch of content, a bunch of weapons, a bunch of upgrades, a really straightforward, but enjoyable, and replayable campaign, that despite its linearity maintains a very clear sense of progression, thanks to very clear objectives.”
- “Unfortunately, it falls a bit flat on replayability because:”
- “Replay value: low”
- “- Replay value at current state isn't much”
atmosphere
12 mentions
58 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of novel sci-fi elements and a cheesy, B-movie vibe, enhanced by solid graphics and intentionally humorous dialogue. While some players appreciate the lighthearted tone and detailed visuals, others note a lack of tension compared to more intense titles like Alien Isolation or Dead Space. Overall, the atmosphere is described as immersive and engaging, with a mix of creepiness and enjoyment that complements the gameplay.
- “Hilariously bad voice acting, deliciously stupid dialogue and cheesy characters give the game an authentic B-movie atmosphere, while visuals and gameplay are solid enough not to hinder the experience.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous and surprisingly atmospheric.”
- “Great atmosphere of absolute creepiness of being alone on a spaceship, reflecting what humanity has resorted to, like the first one; and the human characters we befriended did not spoil it.”
- “Imagine if you took the deep space science magic powers from the Mass Effect franchise, kind of a Dead Space-ish atmosphere but with volumes of zombies more befitting Left 4 Dead, an actual loot system (at least better than the first one), passable story, and horrible voice acting (especially from whoever voiced Jane Frey), and you've got Dead Effect 2 in a nutshell.”
- “It adds nothing to the atmosphere and is at its best just annoying unless you turn the volume way down.”
- “Combat is lackluster; as for atmosphere, there is no sense of urgency or claustrophobic terror like Alien Isolation or Dead Space manage to convey.”
monetization
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling it is a cash grab, particularly due to its origins as a mobile game. However, others appreciate the removal of microtransactions and the introduction of reasonably-priced in-game goods, which enhances the overall experience. Overall, the absence of a freemium model has been positively noted by some, contrasting with the negative perceptions of its monetization strategy.
- “I was worried when I bought it that it was going to be awful due to being a mobile port, but they actually obliterated the freemium market and made reasonably-priced shop goods in the game, all sold using the in-game currency (there are no microtransactions).”
- “It's a sequel to Dead Effect, that was first developed as a mobile phone game and later ported to PC with microtransactions removed.”
- “What I can say is that once again, the developers removed all the microtransactions (thank god for that!) and this time around they really have pushed the Unity engine.”
- “The original Dead Effect was good, but this feels like a cash grab.”
- “This is nothing more than a mobile to PC cash grab.”
- “W.... t.... f.... when I saw that, I instinctively felt like this game was a complete cash grab and nothing else.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's emotional impact is lacking compared to similar titles, with players finding it less gripping and engaging. While some elements, like character dynamics and the frustration of resource scarcity, evoke mild emotional responses, overall, the game fails to deliver a compelling emotional experience.
- “I know there is a leveling system, but I could run longer than that trying to drag fat age opera behind me, and she carries a lot of emotional weight among others.”
- “Because the shop keeps changing out its items to sometimes include legendary and mythical items with insane prices that make you want to cry when you don't have the money for it.”
character development
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its quality, with users appreciating both the interior and character design. The game successfully balances fun and seriousness, offering engaging quests and a variety of weapon upgrades that enhance the overall experience.
- “The character development is nice.”
- “Fantastic shooter, need more games that just know how to have fun and not take themselves too seriously, while still providing all the basic parts you need to have a great time, quests, character development, tons of weapons, tons of weapon upgrades.”