Dead Effect 2

It's an old school shooter that reminds me very much of Quake 3 Arena for some reason, the difference being it has a reasonable single player mode. Now, don't get me wrong - visually it's nothing too special, even for 2016 when it was released. It certainly looks and feels very dated in 2025. The voice acting is atrocious. All zombies sound the same. There is no strategy, no tactics. There is only a small variety of enemies, and the story is super generic and unremarkable. But, despite all this.... The pace is great, the carnage is exquisite, overall it's super fun to play. Unsophisticated, easy (in a good way, even on hard and nightmare difficulty) and enjoyable. Kill zombies, get better gear, rinse and repeat. If You like fun, old school shooters like the original Quake, Quake II, Q3A or the original UT this will be right up Your alley. If not, then still worth giving a try - especially if You've never played the oldies - as it can often be purchased for close to nothing (80% off at under £2 as of writing). It's a superb stress relief tool if nothing else.

I think it expands more on the first. haven't experienced any bugs. better graphics and sound design than the first. better weapon models and reload animations and runs better than the first. personally I don't get the negative reviews. It's a good little budget shooter series.

Pretty decent looter-shooter for its price. Good variety of weapons and armor, but the enemy variety is kind of lacking. Survival modes and side missions keeps things interesting for a while.

Dead Effect 2, developed by BadFly Interactive and published by App Holdings, is an ambitious blend of first-person shooting and role-playing elements set within the cold, metallic corridors of the ESS Meridian—a vast derelict spaceship overrun by the undead and cybernetic horrors. It is a sequel that expands upon the original Dead Effect formula, offering deeper character progression, richer visuals, and a wider arsenal of weapons. From the very first moments, it is clear that the developers sought to craft a hybrid between the fast-paced action of classic sci-fi shooters and the methodical customization of an RPG. The result is a title that strives for depth within its modest budget, delivering moments of excitement even as it occasionally struggles with repetition and uneven polish.
The core of the experience lies in its atmospheric setting and constant combat. The ESS Meridian’s shadowy corridors, flickering lights, and blood-smeared panels evoke a clear lineage from games like Doom 3 and System Shock 2, enveloping players in an oppressive sci-fi environment. The storyline revolves around surviving waves of bio-engineered creatures, rogue soldiers, and malfunctioning security systems while uncovering the secrets behind the experiments that doomed the ship. The game allows players to choose between three playable characters—Gunnar Davis, Jane Frey, and Kay Rayner—each with unique specializations that cater to different playstyles. Whether you prefer the brute force of heavy weaponry, the agility of dual pistols, or the precision of melee combat, the game offers enough variety to keep the shooting fresh during the first hours.
Dead Effect 2’s most distinctive feature is its RPG-inspired progression system. Each mission rewards players with credits, gear, and experience, allowing for upgrades across multiple categories: implants that enhance physical capabilities, cybernetic augmentations, and weapon enhancements that modify firing rates or elemental damage. The game encourages tinkering, with a color-coded loot system similar to that of action RPGs, ensuring that players always have new toys to experiment with. The inclusion of side missions, survival modes, and optional challenges provides steady replayability. The sense of growth—feeling your weapons hit harder and your character move faster—serves as the game’s main hook and keeps players invested despite its narrative simplicity.
Combat is visceral and satisfying, even if the mechanics occasionally feel weighty due to the mobile origins of the series. Enemies explode into gory fragments under heavy gunfire, and the array of weapons available—from traditional firearms to experimental energy-based weaponry—offers a pleasing degree of variety. The developers clearly prioritized feedback and visual impact: every headshot, every explosion feels responsive. The inclusion of melee weapons like katanas and sledgehammers, though less practical in the long run, adds flavor and showcases the game’s desire to deliver a sandbox of mayhem. Unfortunately, the enemy AI doesn’t always keep up with the pacing, often resorting to predictable charging patterns or standing idle in the open. While this makes the game more accessible, it also dampens the tension that a sci-fi horror shooter thrives on.
Technically, Dead Effect 2 impresses for its scale and presentation given its indie origins. The graphics are sharp, with detailed environments and reflective surfaces that lend a sleek aesthetic to the derelict ship. Lighting is used effectively to create a sense of dread, and particle effects enhance the spectacle of firefights. The game runs smoothly even on modest hardware, and the weapon models are meticulously designed, each with a distinctive look and sound. However, the overall design suffers from repetition: similar metallic hallways, near-identical rooms, and recycled mission structures can create a sense of monotony. What begins as an eerie, thrilling adventure can start to feel like a loop of corridor-clearing exercises after extended play.
Audio is a mixed experience. The soundtrack suits the high-intensity action, blending pulsing electronic beats with ominous tones that underscore the isolation of space. Yet the voice acting and dialogue veer into the territory of camp. The exaggerated performances and inconsistent writing give the impression of a B-movie atmosphere, which, depending on perspective, may either enhance the charm or break immersion. Sound effects for weapons, however, are solid—each gun has satisfying heft, and explosions echo convincingly through the ship’s steel hull.
Where Dead Effect 2 truly shines is in its commitment to content. The game features a surprisingly lengthy campaign with dozens of missions, each interspersed with upgrade opportunities and optional modes such as survival arenas and timed challenges. For those who enjoy grinding for loot or optimizing their build, the game’s structure provides hours of entertainment. Its leveling system, loot drops, and optional difficulties create the kind of addictive feedback loop seen in larger RPG shooters. Still, it’s best enjoyed in shorter sessions, as the limited enemy variety and recycled environments can make prolonged play feel repetitive.
In essence, Dead Effect 2 stands as an impressive effort from a small studio, offering more than what its price tag and origins might suggest. It captures the essence of a sci-fi horror shooter—dark corridors, grotesque enemies, and relentless gunfire—while layering enough RPG systems to give players agency in how they progress. Though it falters in originality, mission variety, and writing, it compensates with solid mechanics, satisfying progression, and atmospheric presentation. It is not a masterpiece of the genre, but it is a game that understands its niche and caters to players seeking a mix of mindless action, steady upgrades, and eerie space settings. For those who can overlook its rough edges and mobile roots, Dead Effect 2 delivers a surprisingly rich and enjoyable journey through the cold corridors of interstellar chaos.
Rating: 7/10

This game plays like a slavic version of doom 3, a bit clunky, but as a millenialboomer it's in a way that scratches an itch that most games don't bother with. guns are loud and punchy, this game feels like something I would play back in 2008 on an old CRT until way too late at night. good job

Fun to shoot at the zombies! Might be a little janky at times, and has that trend of leveling up not mattering since the bad guys scale to your level, but that's a small matter compared to an otherwise solid game.

Writing this just after unlocking the final achievement. To put it shortly, I recommend. Huge improvement over the first game. While the first game is mindnumbingly boring, this one is pretty fun. If you´re a completionist however, if you don´t have patience, you´ll come to learn it :)