Zombie shooting mobile game from Vietnam looks like it belongs on a console

Fans of zombie shooter games, we might just have found a really good one for your smartphone or tablet. Best played on the iPad, Dead Target is a zombie shooter developed by Vietnamese game studio MPS and published by VNG Corporation.

According to a press release by VNG, the title has over one million downloads since it was first released on the Windows Phone market two months ago. Once ported to iOS and Android, Dead Target reportedly garnered more than five million downloads worldwide. We are unable to verify these numbers due to a lack of visible data on AppAnnie, but after taking the game for a quick spin we can see how it could be quite popular.

Dead man rising

As with many mobile shooters, Dead Target is simple. Completing a mission leads you to the next, more challenging one. Better equipment is unlocked as you progress, or you can drop some real-world cash for a quick upgrade. What really makes this game stand out from others is some remarkable 3D modeling – the zombies could have walked out of a PC game. Gameplay is smooth and seamless, and while the user interface could use a little more polish, overall Dead Target is pretty slick, and fun.

The game ticks along at an enjoyable pace, and you never really feel like you should spend money. I recommend playing it on a tablet simply because the larger screen will afford you better chances at making headshots, which come accompanied by the best exploding heads I’ve seen in a mobile shooter.

While the 3D Dead Target does look graphically demanding, VNG has said it is able to run smoothly even on Nokia Lumia devices with 512MB of RAM. Dead Target was developed on Unity.

The only quibble I have with Dead Target is one common to games from developing countries. Social issues like gender equality have yet to make an impact on narratives and visuals in video games. I especially hated the crassness here.

Fortunately the game is focused on the shooting, and continues to be even as you progress to tougher missions. You can try Dead Target out for yourself on Windows Phone, iOS, and Android.

See: A deeper look at Southeast Asia’s only two unicorns: VNG and Garena