Left to Survive : Call of Dead

Genre : Action | 10M+ downloads | Rated for 16+ | 4.3 stars | 536k reviews |

Left to Survive is a action gameplay happening in zombie prone city where two characters strive to survive. 

Narrative :

‘ Survival is a duty: can you survive in this dying state? The dead zombies call ! ’

This is how the developers have described this game. 

Two characters named Tanya Levine & Michael Bennett are stuck in the State full of zombies. Their mission is to successfully survive in the State and eliminate zombies. The game is divided into multiple campaigns which include one character at a time. It requires a maximum of 2 to 3 minutes to complete one campaign where a player has to eliminate all the zombies in the required area. A very little campaign time has created a sense of urgency. User has not been given full control over character movements and has to comply with the narrative. With limited ammunition, it’s how you choose to use it that ultimately decides your fate. 

Graphics and Visuals :

Overall graphic quality is good. The gameplay is very clean & aesthetic. 

Developers have effectively used colour schemes for each character. Use of blood splash makes it more interesting with a touch of bloodthirsty aestheticism. 

It overall creates a realistic and immersive environment. 

Character Design :

The game revolves around two main characters called Tanya & Micheal. The characters can be upgraded as we progress. The overall Design of the character's costumes and appearance creates a sense of seriousness. 

The game has given equal representation to both male & female characters and their abilities are even same. 

Reward System :

The reward system is a bit confusing. A player can't access the reward tray and the reward’s use is also ambiguous. It impacts the player's involvement in the game. Yet the reward system for each campaign is balanced and fair. 

Cultural Representation :

The main characters in the game are White Americans. Also the portrayal of zombies hardly crosses American culture. 

The gameplay, despite being situated in American like cities, has maintained sensitivity and respect for cultural diversity. But it failed to give representation to other ethnicities in character development. The game has avoided sexual stereotypes and has given equal representation to male and female characters. The male character appears in full gear but the female character is flamboyant. 

Sound and Music :

Use of sound effects and music has enhanced the gameplay experience. The sound of bullets creates a sense of tension in the atmosphere. The game sound effects are appropriate but there is a space for improvement. 

Control and Interface :

The user has no full control over the gameplay and has to stick to the assigned narrative. Controls are responsive, easy to understand but features like bullets loading and grenades are slow. It takes multiple headshots to kill a zombie unless it is a shotgun. This creates a ruckus and clumsy gameplay. A user has no full access to the player's full potential ability and also ammunition. One has to pay to upgrade the weapons. 

Conclusion & improvements :

The overall gameplay is satisfactory and this game is probably one of the best zombie shooting game types. Left to survive creates a good sense of urgency and excitement. Campaign span of 2-3 minutes allows users to game zapping. Yet some of the things can be improved:

1. Full control of the game should be given to the user. A player should be able to choose his character and customise it according to his likings. 

2. The graphic quality is good but visuals can be made more vibrant. 

3. Control features like bullet firing and grenade loading are too slow. 

4. The game has failed to give adequate representation to other ethnicities in character development. Non American characters could have added more depth to the game. 

5. Ambiguous reward system can be replaced with a more user-friendly reward tray.