Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade

Back in May, Red Dead Redemption was released to universal praise, and it’s arguably the best game of 2010. Rockstar, the creators of the classic and gritty Grand Theft Auto series, have created what it is unquestionably the finest western game of all time, and arguably the greatest open world/sandbox game ever made (yes, even better than Grand Theft Auto IV). In the months that followed its release, downloadable content was consistently released, but this was primarily multiplayer material such as maps and co-op modes.

And now, Rockstar has bestowed a gift upon all Red Dead Redemption fans: Undead Nightmare, a completely new chapter in the context of the overall story. It is simply spectacular, and an absolute steal for only ten bucks on the PSN and XBLA.

You want zombies? You’ve got ‘em. Whereas Red Dead Redemption was a fairly serious story with the occasional bit of humor thrown in, Undead Nightmare is complete camp from start to finish. Clearly, the developers love zombie flicks, and if you’re a fan of George Romero’s classic films, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven when you’re watching the intro to this game. John Marston, the hero of Red Dead, finds himself thrust into the middle of a zombie outbreak, and must somehow stop the undead plague while trying to rescue his family. Along the way, you’ll run into characters from your past travels, as well as many surprises and twists.

Since this is an expansion, it has the exact same style and controls the same way as Red Dead Redemption. If you’ve played through that game, you’ll feel right at home here. Your Dead Eye meter is still invaluable, finding and breaking horses is still necessary, and you’ll need to master the art of taking on multiple enemies at once. This time around though, you’re dealing with zombies. They show no fear and will attack you in waves, so you’d better work on your aim and become a master of headshots – this is the only way you’ll drop a zombie for good.

There are different breeds of zombies, too – the standard ones that shamble along, and only move slightly faster when they smell live flesh. You’ll also encounter zombies that spit green slime at you, zombies that run at top speed on all fours (definitely the creepiest ones that you’re run into), and enormous fat ones that explode when they die. And, once again, you’ll encounter animals in the wild that you can hunt for sport – but these animals are undead, and lack pelts that can be sold for money. It’s pretty terrifying to be walking through Tall Trees, located in the north part of the map, when all of a sudden you come face-to-face with a bear, its body oozing blood and guts as it rushes at you without fear.

You can stick to the main story if you so desire (and it’s a doozy), but some of the most memorable moments occur when you ride off the beaten path and encounter dozens of side missions. For example, there are "mythical beasts" throughout the map that you can find, including the Sasquatch. The mission involving this man-beast is simply spectacular fun and surprisingly touching – it won’t be spoiled here, but let’s just say that you owe it to yourself to take part in this mission. You can also find and break the Four Horses of the Apocalypse, each of which is far superior to any regular horses that you can find.

As awesome as the new single player missions are, that’s not all you get in this package. There’s also a new multiplayer mode called Undead Overrun, in which you can team up with friends or other players online and taken on wave after wave of zombies, until you’re finally overwhelmed. It’s reminiscent of the Nazi Zombie mode in Call of Duty, and loads of fun. There’s also new costumes that you can find, new weapons, new locales – seriously, there’s so much stuff included in Undead Nightmare, it’s almost ridiculous.

If you’re a fan of Red Dead Redemption, you must, MUST download Undead Nightmare as soon as possible. For the low price of $10, you get an entire new chapter in the saga of John Marston, as well as new multiplayer modes and numerous other goodies. Once again, Rockstar has proved that they love their fans. Undead Nightmare is everything that DLC should be.