Blam! Bang! Boooooom! Leaning, shooting, dipping, dodging, and teleporting is the name of the game in Dead Second. Much like the arcade games that inspired its frenetic gameplay, such as Time Crisis, this game knows how to make players feel badass. Step into the shoes of a hired killer and get ready to take care of business.
In Time Crisis, there was a whole crisis’ worth of game to complete, but in Dead Second, there is nary a second before you are made dead. In many senses, this is a short game, but its focus on skill and score makes it very replayable. It has eight core assignments, all of which have three difficulty levels. While the first run through will be relatively quick, further playthroughs will take longer and ask much more of the player. There are also a couple of other options on the menu; namely the shop and the shooting range.
When Dead Secnond loads up, players are immediately in control in a 3D space. The menu is a contextual computer interface that can be pressed and touched in a surprisingly cool way. This is true of all the items and interactions outside of the pause menu. This kind of tactility is great to see as it helps ground the player in the world. Around the area is an array of empty weapon cases, with the first housing a simple semi-auto pistol. Pick this up and then choose either the shooting range or the first assignment.
Each level is segmented into bits of cover that are either crouching or standing areas, and after defeating each enemy at these points, the player can teleport along a path to the next objective. It is easy to grasp and avoids any of the usual motion sickness that can come with VR movement without dragging down the pacing. Teleporting into a corner and taking out an enemy who is now facing the wrong way will never not be satisfying, especially with Desert Eagles.
Levels pull inspiration from classic heists and action-movie style set pieces, meaning players will be in a variety of secret labs, sewers, banks, etc., all of which are well designed around the key game mechanics. Often, players can find really cool, tight sightlines for enemies that are super far away. Enemies also have types, so they can sometimes need a more specific shot, and on occasion, they are drones or flying enemies, which can pose a challenge as they can get around cover. It’s a real adrenaline-fueled experience that leaves one feeling very cool and slick.
Passing levels will unlock new weapons and challenges in the main menu, as well as currency to buy cosmetics. These open up options like dual-wielding, which is a must, though once this is unlocked, players who opted for manual reloading may want to swap to quick reloading instead. Reloading the full way with one gun feels good and look cool, but with two guns it requires holstering one gun, reloading, then unholstering again, which can be a real run killer.
The sound design is top notch, with belting, exciting music and deep, girthy gun sounds. The way the weapons sound and the 3D situational audio provided by the VR headset is truly something to experience. Hearing enemies around a corner, teleporting to the right spot, then lining up that first shot is fun, and the audio really helps sell it. Then when you pull the trigger and the music kicks in, it truly gets the heart pumping.
Having also been expanded a couple of times, Dead Second is still a fairly short experience, but it incentivises replaying levels for better scores, to get currency, and to try harder difficulties. Honestly, it’s well worth the price.
Dead Second feels like a throwback despite being a new and unique experience. A homage to arcade-style shooters, it plays like a dream and is confident in executing its gameplay. With good music and sound effects to boot, it is immersive and - more crucially - a must-have experience for PS VR2.
