Earn To Die 2 [$0.99] is a 2D physics based, platform driving game set in a post apocalyptic world filled with roaming zombie hordes. The objective is to smash your ways through the zombies as you make your way across the map.

The game has a pretty robust upgrade system that lets you upgrade 7 different aspects of your car, including rooftop gun, boosts, armor, fuel and other fun things.

Game balancing has been tuned in a such a way,  that you will almost always have earned enough money in each run to upgrade something. I’m thinking this is an attempt to eliminate the feeling of grinding, although it does make the game feel a little predictable.

The control system allows you to tilt your car back and forth in the air, which is a pretty standard mechanic for driving games like this. However,
unlike other similar games in this genre ( boy are there a lot) you are not really rewarded for big jumps and flips, which kind of takes a bit of the fun out of it.

Looks great doesn’t it, look at that explosion, ffuuuaaaaaaa….
Alongside the pretty exploding particles, this game has significant flaws. Game breaking flaws.

Here is the thing, soon into he game I discovered that levels could be beat by just holding down the gas. That’s right, no tilting required. In fact you don’t even have to look at the screen the screen! So put your feet up, grab a magazine or chuck on GameOfThrones and hold down that gas button.

At this point your technically no longer ‘playing’, wtf I thought I paid for a game!?  Either this was a bad game design decision to ‘keep it casual’, or a massive oversight. I really don’t know, but it completely ruined the game experience for me and became a cookie clicker more so than a driving game.

Another disappointment was that after maxing out upgrades on a car, you are no longer allowed to drive it! You are forced into a new car which has no upgrades to start the upgrade process over again, seems illogical – especially since all cars behave similarly.

Great graphics, great production values, some very flawed game mechanics.

If your looking for something fun with a lot of replay value, try the Extreme Road Trip  series (Free with IAP).