You can’t talk about zombie-themed road trip games without mentioning Death Road to Canada, but now that I’ve done that, I can instead talk about today’s game in focus, Deadly Days: Roadtrip.
Developer Pixelsplit has taken the formula laid down in the first Deadly Days, evolved it considerably, introduced new 2.5D visuals, and added a cool road trip mechanic and a big yellow bus that lets you explore a whole host of locations on your way to (hopeful) salvation.
After sinking several hours into DDR over the last couple of weeks, I have to say that the results are already quite engaging for an EA game.
Bussing in a new challenge
As mentioned, in DDR, you have taken control of a big yellow school bus, and in said bus, you must travel from location to location in search of fuel and safety from the undead. Of course, it’s not that simple…
Each location you visit is a suburban setting that could be anywhere in North America. Whether a circus ground, a camping site, or a farm, you have to venture out from your bus in search of fuel and weapons. Naturally, with zombies everywhere, it’s quite easy to get caught out while you rummage through crates and abandoned vehicles.
The gameplay is actually somewhat inspired by the likes of Vampire Survivors, and the focus is on equipping your character with different equipment for each run, and trying to make it work as they auto-blast anything that comes close. On this front, most of the weapons felt pretty viable, but I would like to see even more of the game’s over-the-top energy in future content additions.
Early Access and the road ahead
I think one of my favourite things about DDR is the inventory system, and how the loot you scavenge is not just hauled around with you in a bottomless sack. You’ve got to make deliberate choices with your build, grow your inventory space, uncover clever synergies, and try to find upgrades by combining matching items.
Not only are you working on a run-by-run basis, but there’s already a solid metaprogression setup in place, so your efforts are working towards levelling up your abilities and unlocking new items for future runs. It’s a fairly traditional setup, but it works just fine.
While Deadly Days: Roadtrip is in pretty good shape for an Early Access game, there’s still room for a bit of polish and quite a bit more content. That said, there’s already a fun challenge present, so don’t be afraid of catching an earlier bus if the premise appeals.
Deadly Days: Roadtrip is out now in Early Access on PC (Win), and I played the game via access kindly provided by Sidekick Publishing.
