Into The Dead

Released in November 2012 by PikPok (and still receiving updates and support from the developers), Into The Dead is a grand mobile game for iOS that falls within the "Endless Runner" genre, but is a far cry from the gameplay of Temple Run and its kin.  I would say a more accurate understanding of the game would be to image Call of Duty's Zombies mode translated into a casual mobile game that you can pick up and put down with ease (as opposed to the full translation of the same, which exists also).

Taking place during the zombie apocalypse, the game starts you off right in the middle of the action, having your avatar pick himself up from a helicopter crash surrounded by the undead. You're alone and unarmed, so running is your only option.  Unfortunately, you're exposed in the country, the undead are everywhere and there is no place to hide.

Gameplay takes place from a first person perspective.  The landscape is dark and foggy provides a claustrophobic feeling, especially when running through heavily wooded areas filled with zombies.  Here and there you will come across weapons lying on the ground that you can pick up and use to clear the path ahead of you.  These range from pistols to chainsaws and sub-machine guns, and all are fun to use.  Ammo can be an issue though, so conservation is generally recommended if you are going for distance.

Not that distance is the only way to play.  Into The Dead includes multiple unlockable play modes, such as Massacre where the primary objective is not to run as far as possible, but to take out as many zombies as you can.

The game is free to play, but is worth a $2.99 fee that disables ads (banners and video ads on the menu screens).  You earn money based on your performance each round which you can save to unlock additional items or purchase single-use bonuses.  If you're the impatient type you can also purchase coins to unlock things more quickly.

Games are generally quick and the gameplay is quite frantic. Zombies are everywhere, and even if you don't directly run into one, they will reach out to grab you and can knock you off-course with their swings, resulting in some hair-raising experiences as you race between large groups of ghouls.  Get too close, and you'll meet with a terrible, messy fate.

The fast-paced gameplay and the variety of weaponry keeps things entertaining, as does the atmosphere.  The game is a bit on the dark side, but makes a great choice for playing in bed at night with the lights turned out.  The game also provides you with missions, which increase in difficulty and ask you to perform tasks such as killing a set number of zombies with a given weapon.  Completing certain missions can also unlock new weapons.

Overall it's a very well-designed, difficult yet addictive game that you can pick up and put down quickly.  If you want a zombie-killing fix and don't have a lot of time, it's a top-of-the-line choice.