Touch the Dead
Encyclopedia
Touch the Dead is a rail shooter/survival horror game for the Nintendo DS
developed
by Dream On Studio and published by Eidos Interactive
under its brand Secret Stash Games. The game's box art was created by artist Arthur Suydam
, famous for his work on the Marvel Zombies
line of comics.
to point at oncoming zombies on the bottom screen. Pointing fires the weapon Steiner has equipped. Shots can be delivered to the head, arms, legs, and stomach.
To reload, players must simply grab a clip
icon (located in the bottom right hand corner of the touch screen), and drag it to the bottom left hand corner which has an image of the 'magazine'.
The D-pad
and face buttons of the console are simply used to switch weapons. Both serve the same purpose, and work for both right-handed and left-handed
players.
Health and ammunition can be recovered by shooting crates and cabinets. The player also has the option of shooting switches to open doors and choose a left or right path when a fork appears. Either path chosen will still yield the same bonuses.
gave it a 6.9 out of 10 citing its mediocre graphics and poor originality. GameSpot
gave it a 5.5 out of 10 also criticizing the graphics, but still appreciating its original gameplay. X-play
gave it a 1 out of 5.
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Dream On Studio and published by Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton....
under its brand Secret Stash Games. The game's box art was created by artist Arthur Suydam
Arthur Suydam
Arthur Suydam is an American comic book artist and musician. He has done artwork for magazines including Heavy Metal, Epic Illustrated and National Lampoon, while his comic book work includes Batman, Conan, Tarzan, Predator, Aliens, Death Dealer, and Marvel Zombies.-Illustration:Suydam has...
, famous for his work on the Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
line of comics.
Gameplay
Touch the Dead is a rail shooter. Players use the stylusStylus (computing)
In computing, a stylus is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands to a computer screen, mobile device or graphics tablet...
to point at oncoming zombies on the bottom screen. Pointing fires the weapon Steiner has equipped. Shots can be delivered to the head, arms, legs, and stomach.
To reload, players must simply grab a clip
Clip (ammunition)
A clip is a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a...
icon (located in the bottom right hand corner of the touch screen), and drag it to the bottom left hand corner which has an image of the 'magazine'.
The D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
and face buttons of the console are simply used to switch weapons. Both serve the same purpose, and work for both right-handed and left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
players.
Health and ammunition can be recovered by shooting crates and cabinets. The player also has the option of shooting switches to open doors and choose a left or right path when a fork appears. Either path chosen will still yield the same bonuses.
Weapons
- HandgunHandgunA handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
: The first weapon Steiner obtains. It is the weakest of the game's firearms, doing the least amount of damage. The handgun cannot cause belly shots. Steiner finds the handgun on the floor in Chapter 1. Resembles the Beretta M92F. - ShotgunShotgunA shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
: A standard pump-action shotgun. The shotgun is most effective as close range, and can blow off heads and blow out stomachs. Steiner finds the shotgun in a control room in Chapter 1. Resembles the Spas 12 shotgun. - Submachine GunSubmachine gunA submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
: Steiner's only fully automatic weapon in the game. He obtains it while stopping in a shack, located in the swamps of Chapter 3. Resembles the MP5 type K. - CrowbarCrowbar (tool)A crowbar, a wrecking bar, pry bar, or prybar, or sometimes a prise bar or prisebar, and more informally a jimmy, jimmy bar, jemmy or gooseneck is a tool consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, often with a small fissure on one or both ends for removing nails...
: Steiner's only melee weapon, also used to break down certain doors. Steiner gets it from the boss of Chapter 2. Resembles a crowbar.
Storyline
Protagonist Rob Steiner, or Prisoner #1809, has been transferred to Ashdown Hole State Penitentiary. Steiner has been accused of and sentenced for a murder that he did not commit. The intro movie shows him being transferred, and his mugshots. Resting in his cell, Steiner's cell door opens. Seeing his chance for escape, Steiner flees his cell into the Penitentiary, which is mysteriously occupied by zombies. By the game's end, Steiner has gone through the entire prison, the sewer system, the prison hospital, and the rooftops of the prison. Steiner eventually escapes, but realizes that there is much more to go. He finds an airboat that he uses to dredge through a thick swamp, until he eventually comes to an abandoned military base. Steiner fights his way through the zombie-infested base, and is ultimately rescued via helicopter. It is also implied, though not mentioned directly that Steiner was placed there on purpose by the military or whoever it was that rescued him. The moment Steiner is saved, one of the men tell him that they did not believe he would make it out and that Steiner is more dangerous then they had previously thought. It ends with Steiner being placed in handcuffs and the choppers leaving what appears to be an island.Reception
The game has been heavily criticized for its "blocky" graphics and repetitive sound; however, it has received great appreciation for its innovative gameplay which makes excellent use of the touch screen. Most complaints stem from its reloading system which requires you to move a magazine from one side of the screen to the other to reload, wasting precious seconds in an already difficult game. Because of its poor appearance, but great gameplay most reviews gave it an average score. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave it a 6.9 out of 10 citing its mediocre graphics and poor originality. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave it a 5.5 out of 10 also criticizing the graphics, but still appreciating its original gameplay. X-play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
gave it a 1 out of 5.