The graphics in SurrounDEAD [App Store] aren’t amazing, and the simple tap to shoot gameplay isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but if you are lucky enough to be playing on an iPhone 3GS you are in for a treat.
SurrounDEAD is one of the first games available that not only has the standard tilt controls for previous-generation devices, but also utilizes the compass on the 3GS as a control method. Standing up and spinning in circles as you pan the area for zombies feels just as strange as the Amiga 3000-based 1000CS virtual reality machines that often served as the crown jewels of arcades of the early 90’s.
Facing different directions in real life to face those directions in games adds an extremely odd level of immersion to such a simple game. In its current state, it’s little more than a tech demo for 3GS owners to show off the fancy features of their phone. In the iTunes description it mentions updates coming soon to add more zombies, zombie AI, a shotgun upgrade, and some kind of level structure. However, as it stands, you just tap to shoot zombies until you get overrun and eventually die.
If you own a 3GS, SurrounDEAD is worth throwing down a buck at because the compass control method is really cool, but other than that, there’s not much to this game.
App Store Link: SurrounDEAD, 99¢
