$15 gift card reward. The best review writer (Be Free Or Die Zombies)

Wow. Good review

 

Review:

Games like these are great, as a fellow TA member once said "graphics don't make the game" and this game is one of them!
The controls maybe hard at some times, but play with it a little and you should get used to it! I admit that this game IS scarier then Call of Duty: Zombies! The demonic sounds are a great thing for zombies, which this game provides! This is one of those game that would have on your iDevice for a good-killer! There only a few guns, but more updates with better guns! As Ex-President George W. Bush once said "Fool me once....sh...sh....shame on me, fool me twice......ugg.....you can't fool me again"
Which has to do nothing with this review! This game results in see dead people....and colorful buttons! This game is great when your ex-girlfriend is in the room and you are not even 100 miles near her! This game is perfect for long trips (once a new update is out) This game is like your girlfriend. You can play for as long as you want, press as many buttons as possible, you can beat it(beat campaign or chris brown style), it will alert you when its energy is depleting, you need to stick something in it to charge up the batteries and most of all! It saves your progress!
This game is better then when Richard Simmons made videos of work out!
This game is sexier then sliced bread!
This game has side effects, side effects include, but are not limited to: Amnesia, playing your iPod, buying a great game,supporting a indie developer, being on the crapper, being on a plane, explosive bowel movement, having a blast, meeting bin laden, being bin laden, being bind ladens b!tch who gets him coffee and being normal (this goes out to you kjibi!)
Warning Results May Vary!

MORE IN EDIT

 

App Review

I would like to applaud Alina's Web Design for a truly innovative game of its kind, Be Free or Die (Zombies). It has taken one of the top figures of horror, the living dead, and brought it to the iPhone in 3D with a unique but classic survival-game feel. The game contains five sinister levels, each of a different eerie setting with new goals to reach and even more zombies to kill! The fun isn't limited to the hungry undead; Like in most FPS games that have a story-line, there is also a "boss" (which should be included in one of the screen shots) to face once the target number of kills has been attained. This final battle for life creates plenty of interest to keep the player on edge and provides just another means of excitement to come back to. Needless to say, there's loads of replay value here!
As any game may receive praise, there is always room for improvement as well. I would like to offer some constructive criticism and insight for future buyers (That means to hold off until some tweaking is done). Thrilling as it may be, running around popping off zombies one by one (or even by the crowd if you've earned yourself the wonderful RPG), many aspects of Be Free or Die (Zombies) are disappointing. The first stage in itself is not easy to master for amateurs. This isn't just speaking for the level of difficulty - Many contributions add up. For starters, the controls need a very quick fix. I've heard a lot of talk about a "180 button". Sure, this would be a great help to many, but if you're an experienced gamer, this can be considered an easy way out of depleting health. Personally, I think a challenge is what makes up a game's entity. If I have to resort to the the aid of fast-flicks, I lose interest. A message to those who aren't knowledgeable already: Don't blame your in-game death on the quickness of being able to turn around and get a zombie off your back. The speed can easily be changed through the sensitivity settings. Accuracy is what needs amended! When I find a zombie munching on my ear, I need to be able to turn and introduce a rifle round to its face, not its feet. Essentially, the "camera" doesn't follow my finger. It reads ahead and lands where it thinks I'm going rather than just letting me handle it myself. Even simpler put, it wanders. Movement needs to be made a lot more fluid. I'm not completely knocking a "180 button" because for many, it's what will save you from starting over. The developers would be better off, for keeping the satisfaction of all customers, making it a feature that could be enabled or disabled at the player's leisure.
Speaking of starting over, it doesn't settle well when you're one kill away from your target, you're low on health and ammo anyway, and the screen suddenly goes red because you've been attacked from behind by a creature that just thought you'd make a nice dinner. It can get frustrating and reduces the likeliness that one would keep trying fail-after-fail. The scenario I laid out can be remedied in multiple ways. As for the "starting over" portion, adding multiple lives at the beginning (maybe 2 or 3) would be an extreme relief. If creativity is an issue there, try adding a life for every three to five kills, or instead of gaining money from a shot-down zombie, loot a life from one of them instead. That way, when you've worked hard to fight through the myriad of rotting teeth-gnashers but happen to slip up and... Oh... Get your face eaten off, you'll be able to respawn (hint hint: add a respawn feature) where you left off and continue your progress. NOW let's deal with being snuck up on from behind, shall we? I don't like surprises, but I give zombie games the benefit of the doubt because that is expected. However, when I am continually dying in the same spot (even with prior knowledge that they're coming for me) and struggling to defend myself from a creature lunging for my face and two or three hopping on my back, it certainly can be irritating. The simple addition of a mini-map in a corner of the screen would be great and could eliminate a lot of the frustration when dealing with multiple zombies (the firing button can double as a map and a trigger if you want to save space). Another change that would keep the player from getting ganged up on is removing the ability of the undead to become undead again after they've been terminated. I tested my theory after noticing the same zombie I had killed at the start of my trek was now coming back for seconds. I made the kill, then just stood my ground and waited. Sure enough, the same zombie re-appeared, still looking to make me his meal. Upon this discovery, I knew why I was now being attacked by more than one creature from behind that I was SURE I got rid of my first time through. http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/sassycassie6/icons/photo2.jpg
Now that we've gotten technical difficulties out of the way, I'd like bring up the visuals. Have you ever played any of the 007 games (Double-O-Seven, for those who are unfamiliar) on the Nintendo-64? They used to be my favorite games, but since then I've moved on to bigger and better things. The reason why I bring this up is because the graphics for Be Free or Die (Zombies) are reminiscent of the N-64 hits. When up close and personal with the angry, but frozen face of a zombie, it looks more 2D than 3D. Yes, the figures themselves are 3D, which I still find pretty amazing for the developer's first try at a game like this in the app store, but there's no depth. It's as if someone took pictures and laid them over a blank humanoid figurine. The features are detailed but, like I said, hold no dimension. I see this in a lot of games and maybe it's not the developer's fault or even a capability, but for once I'd like to see an ear protrude from a head rather than be painted on a flat surface to look real from a side stand-point, or maybe some active drooling or frothing at the mouth would close the deal for me. I'd be a little more frightened and thoroughly enjoy the intended scariness if I actually saw moving jaws instead of an idle mouth that never seems to twitch with any sign of hunger for my brains. All I see is a still-faced figure hobbling towards me. The hands (when they have them) don't even change position. I could have swore one was trying to do some weird ballet move at some point. Have a look:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/sassycassie6/icons/photo3.jpg
It looks very stiff which can detract from truly enjoying the game. Even worse is the terrain. The grass isn't grass; it's a blurry mess that could really be cleaned up from that fresh regurgitation look. There's a lot of graphical work to do from loosening up the jaws of the monsters to making the setting more believable.
Audibly, the sound effects are great! The gun firing is pretty realistic, and when a zombie keels over, a shiver just might run up your spine from their creepy moans (It did mine!). The background music and noises are hair-raising in that they emanate an overwhelming sense of doom. It's subtle but enough to make those chilling "heebie-jeebies" rise, as well as a knot in your throat. It's a great tool for building suspense, so when you are attacked, you'll jump right out of your chair (or bed... or wherever you're sitting). It's not necessary but the addition of cricket chirps to the forest and old creaking boards in the haunted house would add to the sense of foreboding in the levels.
Commendation must also be given to THE most important sales pitch for an app: The icon. It doesn't over-do it, but it still catches the viewer's attention when they're looking through quality apps to buy! In such a small space, so much is seen about the app, and for that I give genuine kudos. An article that is demonstrative of this method of attracting customers can be found here:
http://normalkid.com/2009/07/22/app-icons-are-itty-bitty-banner-ads/
Aside from everything critical and dissecting (assuming there will definitely be further enhancements), Be Free or Die (Zombies) is an amazing game for anyone who enjoys a challenge paired quaintly with a thrill. The walking dead are ruthless and the weaponry is designed to take them down in the most entertaining way possible. It'll leave you with a sick grin on your face as you take delight in knocking down the beasts with bullets and explosions. As an enthusiast of games of this sort, I found this more engaging than the Resident Evil apps out there, and even the Call of Duty: World at War Zombies. Don't believe me? Take on the challenge yourself! It will hook you quicker than a caffeine addiction and if you play late at night with the lights out, you might need some Depends (but hopefully not)!
For all zombie fans out there, this is for you.

 

I tried to engage potential customers as well as target the developer Hope you have everything you need here!

 

Review for the sake of review

This is a game that you want to beat. You want to kill those zombies. You want to kill the boss at the end of the level. You need to get this game. This game is Be Free or Die, the best indie developer first person shooter zombie game since sliced brains. (or is that velcro gunstraps?) This is obviously a very specific catergory, but it needs its own. It isnt the best game on the app store, but it is a notable one, well worth any price below four dollars if you enjoy zombies, indie developers, and first person shooters on your iPhone. Not many people have delved into that last catergory on this platform, and even fewer have done well. Quite often, the controls are hard to get used to, and the graphics are lackluster. But honestly, could you do better? An fps on the pc has around ten buttons plus the mouse, and on consoles even more! All those buttons take more space than the iProductofyourchoicehere screen has, and this is a major setback for iDevice game developers, who often choose to not go into this shooters at all, or try the easier third person shooter catergory. (I say easier, but I doubt most people could make a decent one of those either) This game, Be Free or Die, is pretty darn good.
Graphics:
this game looks like it was from the 90s. That isnt really a bad thing, but it is how much this game tries to do with it that takes it down some. The areas would look nice if this game were developed by a big company for a next gen console, but it was obviously done by an independent guy or, (and this is my personal favorite theory) the person bought a time machine and asked a company from 15 years ago to do the models. The iThingy isnt a 3d graphics powerhouse, though, so I guess it's almost excusable. The fonts don't seem to be, though. The font is macabre blood red "drippy" text, and looks pretty ugly. (can you spot the oxymoron?) It is small in the options menu, and rather hard to press. The main menu baclground is average, and has animation, which is cool. There is also a transluscent creepy guy (and a ninja, you just can't see the ninja) The in game overlay graphics are okay, and fit i. With the lackluster regular graphics. This is partially made up for, however, by the icon. The icon is art. Small art, but great art. With a good looking zombie on top of a simplistic background, it is pretty, and got me to download this without looking at the screenshots or reviews. THAT is a good icon.
Graphics summary : Average, with a gold star for the icon.
Graphics score : 6.5/10

Gameplay
When you initially start the game, it is a control scheme with a joystick at the lower left, a firing button at the lower right, and a swipe to look viewing system. This is awful. I think it is one of the worst control schemes ever. You may think otherwise, and that's fine. If this were being reviewed solely on this control scheme, it would get a 3. However, you can change this. If I hadn't been so gung-ho ZOMBIES!!! KILL!!! I would have gone into the options and seen a bunch of control options, all better than this one. None of them are perfect, but I would blame that on the iAppHolder's limitations, not on the developer. The environments are challenging, but not too cumbersome. The things at the edges of the paths are annoying, but do not detract from the gameplay. The zombies seem to come from nowhere, and this game is actually rather frightening for non zombie protection agency employees. (because i am employed by this organization, nothing scares me. Except for ponies.) Having goals and bosses is fun, but no story isnt too great. (at the time of this review the developer was holding a contest for a story so this may have changed) There aren't many levels, but the game seems to be a reasonable length for an iSomething game.
Gameplay summary : somewhat frustrating controls, short length, FUN.
Gameplay score : 7.5/10

Originality

There isnt much to say for this catergory. The first person shooter genre isnt very young, and neither are zombies, but that's fine, as not much is original anymore. The zombies arent just shameless ripoffs of other
games, though, so thats good. The name isnt just iZombies, or iGore, or iKill, or iFart super mega golden japanese edition lite, it is Be Free or Die. Seems rather random, but not bad, and not just a word with "i" slapped on in front. With a zombie game, how original do you want it to be? Do you want randomly generated enemies with special abilities for every one? (if so, you need to lower your expectaions just a few miles) This game has a variety of zombies, but they all behave similarly. Sigh... Just another zombie popping up in front of me. I guess i'll just OH MY STEVE JOBS THERES ONE BEHIND ME! If you are a fan of the classic red flash when you are being attacked, this game has it. Bunches of cool guns? This game has it. Dead people attackin you? This game has it.
Originality summary : As original as it needs to be
Originality score : 8/10

In closing, get this game it you have however much it costs at the time burning a hole in your pocket. It's a fun game, and needs little more, but could use some tweaking. Definitely looks good on your app page.

Overall summary: good, old fashioned (practically amish) zombie killing fun. (mmm... Hand churned butterbrains...)
overall score : 7.5

 

Basically, here's my review.

Game's pretty fun and scary, but the controls don't do it for me. They lag like crazy, so I have to move my finger really slow or just hope it goes where I want it to. Graphics are ok for a game like this, and the scare factor is here for sure. If it gets upgraded controls, better graphics and multiplayer sometime, this could rival COD Zombies.

Final Result-
Graphics-7/10- Not amazing graphics, but it doesn't hurt the gameplay at all. Also not really crappy graphics.
Controls-5/10- They just don't do it for me. I'm not sure why they lag so much, but they'll work fine once this is fixed.
Gameplay- 8/10- Hard to say... Isn't really fun, cause you're getting freaked out about zombies trying to kill you. That's just my opinion though, cause I don't like getting freaked out. It does what it's made for though.
Replay Value-7/10- Has a couple different levels, and you can always replay one when you want to get a little scare. With multiplayer, it'd be amazing.

Total score- 69 percent, which boosts it up to about a 72 or a 7.2/10. It does what it's made for, but the controls really get in the way right now. For sure worth downloading for free, and worth a buck or two. Once controls are fixed it'll be a lot better.

 

Here is my review about your game's flaws and improvements which can be done to the game to make it better:

http://iphonetech78.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/be-free-or-die-zombies-3d-fps-game-review/

 

Here is my review: It's a great game

 

I will cut the reviewing aspect and get straight down to the criticism and praise directed solely for the benefit of the developer.

The most important issue is the control mechanism. Yes the developer has given several options and yes it does allow tweaking, but after a reasonable amount of tweaking I was unable to get a usable control scheme. The problem is simply that the controls aren't properly translating the gamer's intentions to actual actions on the screen. I like the Eliminate-style control system and I was thrilled to find it (although I would also like to mention here that the control schemes could have been named better). This was great, until I realized that the execution of the controls was just not quite right.The virtual stick was constantly looking my thumb and the sensitivity was never quite right. I would like to add here that although many options exist for tweaking sensitivity, they should be set at usable values initially and should only be necessary for people who have specific tastes in control sensitivity. Most people don't ever want to have to adjust the sensitivity options or even go into the options at all, so the goal should be to make the default control scheme as perfect as possible so when people change it, they are changing it as a matter of taste, not necessity. Forgetting the fact that customizing your control scheme shouldn't be a necessary step in gameplay, the customization process is just horrible. One must go to options>controls>sensitivity to access the tools necessary to partially fix this broken portion of the game. After that, one must backtrack through these menus and start at the beginning of a level to test them out. If one isn't satisfied with his changes, one must exit the level without saving and once again go through the process listed above. This is ridiculously tedious. It is a NECESSITY to have the option to adjust the controls via the pause menue. While there are many great adjustable features of the controls, there is no option to toggle auto-aim. While I found it helpful due to my troubles with the sensitivity, once this is fixed auto-aim will be a turn off for many gamers. I would also like to point out that the Reticle should turn red or something when placed over a zombie. This is a small but important detail.

The gameplay was fairly good except for a coulpe of things. For some reason, my character was able to walk over ANYTHING. I was constantly accidentally backing up and over cars, trees, and the like and the zombies were able to follow. This took away from the polish and strategy of the game. I would also like to point out that on the first level it is far to easy to fall into the water. While backing up to avoid zombie bites I would regularly be finding myself entering a watery grave. Furthermore, as silly as this may sound, zombie intelligence needs to be increased. One had its back to me and I fired a shot past it, and it kept on walking in the opposite direction. I then shot at the zombie and it even didn't turn around. Apparently, zombies only notice you within a certain vicinity and/or by direct visual contact. There should also be the addition of a button to physically push the zombies away if they get to close (cool stabbing, butting, slapping, punching, pushing, etc. animations optional).

The graphics on this game are fairly good and I am not expecting you to vastly improve them because this isn't supposed to be one of those games that pushes the limitations of the iPhone. I do, however, have a couple of suggestions. ADD ANIMATIONS! When a zombie appears, make them appear in a cool way. There could be pre-made animations of a zombie clawing its way out of the ground, climbing out of a grave, smashing through a window, climbing out of the trunk of a car, or even just stumbling upon one devouring a fresh kill. Gun animations could be improved as well. Something needs to happen when you reload. At least take the gun off the screen, but preferably add a little loading animation. Zombie walking could also be improved. Many times it looks more as if they were sliding over the ground while moving their feet instead of walking over it. The devil zombie boss also leaves a bit to be desired. He looks like more of a normal video game enemy than an actual zombie; make him scarier!

The sound in this game is great. The three dimensional moans and groans add to the eerie feel as does the music. They also help the player become submerged in the game as one is required to listen to the direction of the zombie mode if one wants to succeed. My only complaint is that there should be more variety. Different zombies, different sounds. That zombie-dying sound gets old really fast...

Continuing think of the sound, I would like to point out that while I enjoyed the music, I couldn't help but noticed that it was always the same unless changed manually in the options area by the user. Again, the goal should be that the user NEVER has to enter the options menu. Please integrate the various themes into the various levels as you see fit. Keep in mind, the placement of music is just as important as the quality, so this is something that should NOT have been left into the hands of the user.

The menu system could use a bit of polish as well. As previously mentioned, the buttons can be hard to press, the menus can be a bit aggravating to navigate, and the title text of the game is a bit pixely.

Some other random problems I have are that this game has numerous bugs and a couple other visual polish issues. I have found that sometimes I am only able to fire single shots with my machine gun despite my double taps. I have also noticed on several occasions zombies disappearing and eventually reappearing. The disappearances and reappearances have occurred directly in my view and also outside of it. On one such occasion, I was going through the first part of the second level, and I entered the area with the purchasable machine gun and two zombies that walk infront of the alleyway. As soon as they walked past, I went in. They nor the purchasable weapon were anywhere to be found. I continued to walk through the level, and just as I Was leaving that open area I heard zombie moans. They were back and so was the purchasable weapon. Unfortunately, after that I was unable to kill them because my gun started to produce only single shots and eventually stopped shooting all together

The visual polish issues I was referring to earlier include the death screen, the hurt screen, and the winning level screen. I feel that when you get hurt a bit more should happen than your screen getting tinted red. how about a little blood spatter? Worse than this is the death screen. It is flat and boring. I would recommend possibly the camera zooming out as the zombies begin to start treating your head like stale candy apple. The worst little visual detail of all, however, is the winning level screen: there isn't one. The game simply jumps you to the next level with a brief loading screen in between. There should be a bit more than this. There could be a summary screen for the past level with stats (headshots, damage dealt, damage taken, accuracy, etc.) or a brief intro to the next level which could include elements from your story (possibly journal entries that help move the plot along). There could and SHOULD also be the option to return to the main menue or even to enter a "store" to buy weapons, ammo, special weapons with very limited ammo (ex:a few fireworks for early level people who want to explode zombies), and items such as health packs, speed boosters, etc. that make gameplay more fun.

One last random idea:
There should be weapons that are every day items that are hidden in and specific to certain levels. In the first level there could be a shovel, in the second there could be a crowbar or stop sign that has broken off of its post that can be used as a shield. This could add a little extra fun, adventure, and gruesome violence to the game

Let me just say to wrap things up that this is a great game for the price. I am only speaking negatively about it because I am trying to focus on the ways in which it could be improved. You should give yourself a pat on the back for making this.

 

I think we found a winner

 

Mine was better

 

The criticism may have been good but this is a review. Reviews give praise as well as criticism, all the while giving an explanation of the game in the process. The user only covered one of those areas, and that was pointing out the problems. In order to completely review something, you have to commend the developer for what they need to keep so they don't go changing that, too. Then you need to work on what needs improvement. All the while, you must keep in mind that reviews are intended to be read by potential customers and should go in depth about what the game's purpose is. Include everyone. If you applied to be one of the judges, please keep that in mind. If you have to refer to TouchArcade's main page, please do so.

 

I'm not.....and your correct...he only covered one area

 

Graphical version of review (which explains better):
http://iphonetech78.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/be-free-or-die-zombies-3d-fps-game-review/


Textual version of my review:
If you want to have a zombie killing game, Be free or Die game fits the bill. The zombies are really made life-like 3D when they come closer to you.

However, the weapons given in this game are pretty much limited in the first level. Normally, in such shooter games, you can use an Axe or Knife to hack the enemies but in this game, you only have a rifle with bullets as your only weapon. If you go to the main menu and rate the game, you will gain an extra weapon which is the bazooka – considered as the most powerful weapon in the game. However, you cannot blow things up with this bazooka. When you shoot vacant police car, the car will not explode. It will be better if the car will explode when I shot it with my bazooka which will give it a more realistic feeling. There is no weapon store in this game which is a good-to-have feature which most gamers will like.

When I start playing this game, the game screen will prompt me the objectives of the first level is to kill at least 10 zombies and I had to destroy the devil. It will be good if there is a picture of the devil in the mission briefing screen so that I know who to look for in that game level, else I will be wandering to find the devil and wasting my time in the level.

While wandering around the level, I found the game level to be pretty dark so much so that I cannot see the enemies in the level. The developer can add a button that help to increase the lightning effects of the surroundings so that I can find my way around or else I will be killed by a zombie before I know it.

If you are attacked by a zombie, your screen will turn red and you will find it hard to reverse backwards to avoid the zombie because the arrow key for downwards needs to be hold and press downwards to achieve that. A miniature map like the one above can be displayed on the top right hand corner of the game screen to let the user know where are the traps (shown in red) like holes and where to walk safely (shown in green). Currently, if I fall into the drain, I will be instantly killed in the game without knowing it is a trap. A map can also be useful so I know my location relative to the target monster I am looking for.

The game controls can be further enhanced by using Tilt controls. For example, in the game, I cannot see what lies left or right of me. I can only walk straight. It will be good if I tilt my iPhone right, I can see what is on my right hand side and if I tilt left, I can see what is on my left hand side. For reverse backwards, I just need to flip my iPhone backwards. To move forward, I just need to flip my iPhone forward. This type of controls will greatly enhance the navigation controls in the game as I only need to focus on pressing the shoot button. The up down left right arrow wheel control which is used for navigation can be enlarged further so that the user knows he is pressing on the arrow controls.


Right now, I feel the best settings for the controls I can have is the All in one control settings. This setting allow me to touch anywhere to turn and aim. The rest of the control settings like Aim anywhere, Shoot anywhere, Dual stick and Touch screen does not seem to be very helpful for someone who just started in the game.

The other aspect of the game which can be improved is the selection of the game music under the main menu. When I tap “Music 1”, it does not play the preview song in front of me. It will be better if I preview listening to the song I like to hear before changing that as the game music.


The other aspect of the game is when I tried to play the level, sometimes the game will pause itself. I am not sure this is due to an iPhone accelerometer issue but I am sure this is a bug which the developer needs to look into as it happen to me a couple of times.

Well, does this mean that Be Free or Die is a lousy 3D zombie shooting game? No. It does have its good points as well. The 3D zombie models are drawn very lifelike and the game controls varied from Aim anywhere, Shoot anywhere, Dual stick, All in One and Touch screen type of controls which lets the gamer has a wide selection before the game starts. The environment game settings are well-drawn too but it requires a map to see where I am so I can complete the mission faster. The zombies’ sounds included in the game together with the creepy dark landscape sort of tells the gamer that he is playing a blood thirsty zombie iPhone game.


Graphics: 4.4 /5
Sound/Music: 4.5 /5
Fun: 3 / 5
Addictiveness: 3 /5
Value for money: 3.5 /5
Overall 3.5 /5

 

My review:
its a cool game



I HOPE I WIN

 

Thanks Stubbornmoose. I would just like to say that I had fun testing and critiquing this game and that the extra fifteen bucks was a sweet bonus too

Honestly, I am kinda surprised I won