System: PSP
Dev: Vicious Cycle
Pub: D3
Release: Aug. 28, 2007
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: Mature
Review by Cole Smith

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

I was really impressed with the environments. Not only the background details, but just how big and interactive these locations are. You will travel uptown, downtown, to Zombietown, and even to Creepy Hollow which is reminiscent of a Tim Burton surreal-scape, complete with requisite headless horseman. He delivers some inane lines that are sure to raise a smile on the face of the dead. There are also a few mini-games that you can play in some of these locations, such as the Freak Farms, where you'll find things like a game of pool that is every bit as good as any handheld pool game on the market. You can also win money by betting on cockfights. By reanimating roosters, you will be able to pit them against other combatants. As good and plentiful as these diversions are, there is still the repetition of the combat to contend with, but hopefully you won't make a pig of yourself and try to play this game in one or two sittings.

This is a hard game to put down. The story is great, and as it unfolds, you'll want to see what's going to happen next. The characters are so strong that you won't want to miss a thing. Something that you'll want to miss is the poor camera angles. You don't always get the best front-row view, and you can't instantly change some of the automatic angles that accompany the stock animation.

The tunes are great. Like the sound effects, they fit in perfectly with the surreal 40s style atmosphere. Even the four-letter words don't seem particularly out of place in such a game. These expletives, along with the excessive violence and blood, give the game a Mature rating. There are enough games on the market that employ violence and foul language gratuitously, but here those vices simply compliment the gameplay. This is one uniquely strange, but hilarious game - even if you have to join the dark side for the duration.

Do yourself a favor and, at the very least, rent Dead Head Fred. It doesn't have the same promotional budget as a game based on a movie license, but don't let that dissuade you. You can't put a price on imagination, and this game has that in spades. So get your head screwed on right, and head on down to your local games dealer to get a head start on a truly fun and unique game.

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer