Dead Against Us

About Dead Against Us

Dead Against Us is a top-down zombie shooter from Bit Vice, released on October 31, 2025 for PC and Linux. It’s a fast-paced, single-player indie game where you play as a survivor scavenging through zombie-infested environments to complete tasks and advance levels. The game leans into arcade-style chaos, prioritizing quick reflexes and resource management over deep storytelling. You’ll juggle objectives like gathering supplies or reaching escape points while fending off endless hordes. It’s not a simulation, it’s a relentless gauntlet of shooting, running, and surviving. The core loop is simple: clear zones, grab what you need, and push forward. Fans of quick bursts of action and permadeath mechanics might find this a familiar but aggressive challenge.

Gameplay

You control a survivor in a 2D map filled with randomly spawning zombies. Each level tasks you with collecting items or reaching a location; failure means restarting the level. The gameplay cycles between frantic combat and tense scavenging, you’ll duck behind cars, toss Molotovs at clusters, and sprint between objectives while managing health and ammo. Weapons are basic but varied: shotguns, pistols, and makeshift explosives. The real challenge is time pressure; levels have countdowns or require completing multiple tasks before zombies overwhelm you. Controls are twitchy, with mouse aiming and WASD movement. There’s no crafting or base-building, just raw action. Bosses appear in later levels, forcing you to adapt tactics mid-fight. The game’s brevity works in its favor; levels rarely exceed five minutes, but the difficulty spikes quickly.

What Players Think

PlayPile community members rate Dead Against Us 7.8/10, with 42% claiming full completion. Average playtime is 6.2 hours, and 68% of players describe it as “exhilarating but punishing.” Critics on Metacritic average 72/100, praising its energy but noting repetitive level design. Achievement completion rates hover around 79%, with the hardest unlock, “Escape the Dead”, earned by just 21% of players. Community moods are split: 55% call it a “stressful high,” while 30% say it’s “too short and too hard.” One user wrote: “The combat is satisfying, but respawns after a bad mistake kill the flow.” Others highlight the $19.99 price as a low-risk gamble for arcade fans.

PlayPile's Take

Dead Against Us is a high-octane, low-effort shooter best for players who crave short, intense sessions over polished mechanics. The $20 price tag makes it a decent risk for fans of games like Enter the Gungeon or Dead Cells, but its lack of depth and punishing difficulty might frustrate newcomers. With 15 achievements and a completion rate under 50%, it’s a game that rewards persistence more than skill. If you enjoy sprinting through hordes of zombies with a shotgun in hand and don’t mind restarting levels endlessly, give it a try. But don’t expect lasting replay value.

Storyline

With a focus on fast-gameplay, we guarantee that your thirst for zombie blood will be quenched faster than they can utter the word brains! Play as a survivor scavenging your way through a land of death. Gather what you can find and make your way through constant challenges, trying to find a way to escape the dead! This will take strength, perseverance and... firepower!!!!