Road of The Dead

**Road of The Dead** is the first entry in the **Saga of the Dead** and the most popular game produced by EvilDog Games.

Road of the Dead is an action driving game revolving around John Creasman and his attempt to escape the city of Evan City and its failing quarantine using his modified muscle car. Join John as he runs over zombies, soldiers and through military checkpoints in his mission to survive.

## Summary

Evan City, a major city in the state of Pennsylvania, is being overrun by a zombie virus. Over the course of 7 days, the entire city is almost completely overrun. The US Military has enforced martial law on the affected areas and has mandated civilians to bunker in their houses with little effect. The city is in chaos and the military is evidently losing.

The game focuses on John Creaseman, a local mechanic who realises the government's vain attempts to fight the zombies, attempting to flee the city with his heavily modified and armoured Mustang muscle car, gunning it for the city exit, running over any zombie or soldiers in his way.

## Game Progression **(Spoilers Contained)**

### Intro

The game starts with John Creasman, working on his car with his radio on when an Emergency Broadcast airs, informing the players of the rapidly worsening situation. John has been working on his car for several days and realises that today might be his last day to escape. Although not mentioned in the game, according to Road of the Dead 2, it is implied that John stole an encrypted military transmitter the day prior which explains his ability to listen in on encrypted military chatter.

The military had locked down and quarantined the city in hopes of containing the zombie epidemic. No one is allowed to enter or exit the city. To enforce quarantine, the military had set up 9 checkpoints throughout the city highway with orders to shoot anyone on sight.

### Entering Highway 65

John enters Highway 65, the fastest way out of the city, at the Evan City entrance. The zombies fortunately haven't made it too far into this area so there are relatively few zombies.

### Checkpoint 1: Monroeville

The military first encounters John at the Monroeville checkpoint. There are a small amount of soldiers at the checkpoint. Soldiers stationed at the checkpoint alert command. The military, fearing the driver of the car could be infected and may possibly spread the virus out of the city, warns the next checkpoint and sends troops to stop John. More soldiers will attack John as he moves through Monroeville to the second checkpoint.

### Checkpoint 2: Red Ridge

The second checkpoint feature more soldiers prepared to take on John. Highway Unit 12 is then activated sending even more troops that will also appear throughout Red Ridge and at the next checkpoint as zombie numbers increase and John approaches.

### Checkpoint 3: Burgony Street

The third checkpoint contains a high amount of soldiers to stop the car and the approaching zombies. Highway Unit 9 is sent to reinforce Burgony Street resulting a steady stream of soldiers throughout Burgony Street and a extremely high military presence at the next checkpoint. Spike Strips have been authorised to neutralise the motor vehicle by bursting the vehicle's tyres. The military also identifies John Creaseman as the driver of the car at this point by running his license plate.

### Checkpoint 4: Central City

The fourth checkpoint contains far more soldiers then the other checkpoints as the military makes John priority number 1. Highway Unit 7 is deployed to stop John, making using of moving spike strips to trick John and inflict more damage on his vehicle. Hellfire attack helicopters have also been deployed to stop John and can be force to land after hitting several street signs.

### Checkpoint 5: Down Town

A heavily reinforced checkpoint with far more soldiers and obstacles to try and avoid. The bomb squad has been authorised to neutralise John's vehicle. Bomb operators will set up a line of bombs which will explode one at a time. Driving towards the origin of the line and closer to the already denonated will decrease the damage taken by John.

### Checkpoint 6: Chinatown

By the time John gets to Chinatown, the military operation in Evans City now changes command to General Sherman who immediately changes tactics throughout the city. Mutanted Zombies also appear in Chinatown. They are extremely dangerous and cannot be run over at any speed, simply grabbing onto your hood no matter how fast. They appear on the road and will position themselves to try to get in frront of John's car. They require much collisions to knock off and do more damage to the windscreen. A bullet from a revolver will still instantly kill them.

### Checkpoint 7: Brighton Square

There is a great number of troops at the Brighton Square Checkpoint. Air strikes have been authorised on Highway 65 to wipe out zombie hordes and John's muscle car. They will fly over the highway, alerting the player. Shortly after they'll come back facing John, dropping bombs in a single line along the length of the highway. They should be avoided by going to the opposite side of the explosives as they can deal very high damage even to a fully armoured car.

### Checkpoint 8: North Side Park

There are a reduced amount of soldiers in North Side Park as the military pulls out of Evans City but there will still be some dedicated soldiers trying to stop Creasman. More Hellfire units have also been deployed and they have been authorised to use Air-to-ground missiles to neutralise the vehicle. They will use them once enough time has elasped since they appeared. Missiles, similar to other explosives, will deal heavy damage. However, they will broadcast their request over the radio, and the missile are quite slow, giving time to evade.

### Checkpoint 9: West Ridge

As the military prepares for their final pullout, there are barely any soldiers left on the Highway to stop Creasman. However, after receiving approval from the president, General Sherman has authorised a nuclear strike on the city. A few Hellfire Units and bomber jets will still try to stop John from escaping and mutants have been increasing in number.

### Checkpoint 10: Tunnel Drive

With the military in full retreat and the nuclear bomb about to hit, all military personnel on Highway 65 abandon the mission leaving the final stretch clear from military presence. Unfortunately, there is a much higher number of obstacles and zombies, including mutated variations.

### Epilogue

With the tunnel in sight, John escapes the city with seconds to spare. As John watches his home destroyed by the nuke, it is revealed through the radio that the nuclear option failed to eliminate all of the undead hordes and many return. With everything he has ever known destroyed and the military in chaos, John drives into the sunset.

## Upgrades

There are 8 things that can be upgraded to help the player escape Evan City, they can be purchased with the ingame currency RP which is earned through running over enemies, destroying Hellfire units, and getting far enough in this hell of a highway.

There are 8 things that can be upgraded to help the player escape Evan City, they can be purchased with the ingame currency RP which is earned through running over enemies, destroying Hellfire units, and getting far enough in this hell of a highway.

### **Perception**

* "You will spot soldiers, oil spills and feeding zombies in the distance." - Tier 1 description
* "You will spot water jugs, spike trips and hidden soldiers in the distance." - Tier 2 description
* "You will spot mutated zombies and explosives in the distance." - Tier 3 description

The Perception allows the player to see a small map at the top of the screen highlighting important details ahead of the player. The map encompasses a boxed area that extends from one side to the other.

* The Perception can be turned on/off by pressing (the "P" key by default).

Higher-tiered upgrades allow more to be spotted.

* Tier 1: Oil spills, feeding zombies, and visible soldiers.
* Tier 2: Hidden Soldiers, water jugs, and spike strips.
* Tier 3: Mutants and Cluster Bomb Stripes can be seen.

**Tactic**

* It is not recommended to invest points in this upgrade in the early game as it is costly and doesn't serve much purpose other than as a precaution against threats.

### **Body Armor**

* "The kevlar vest will give you body protection and will reduce direct damage from bullets and explosions." - Tier 1 description
* "The upgraded kevlar vest gives you extra protection against direct bullet hits and explosions once your windshield is gone." - Tier 2 description
* "The best body armor on the market will make you much tougher against direct bullet hits and explosions. This could save your life when everything else fails." - Tier 3 description

The body armor serves as a secondary line of defense, saving you when everything else fails. It greatly increases resistance to bullets, explosions and increases the amount of punishment the highway throws at you before succumbing.

Your health will recover over time when not taking any damage.

Higher-tiered upgrades allow you to withstand more damage from Explosives and Gunfire.

**Tactic**

* It's recommended to only invest in the first two upgrades early-mid game. As more soldiers will begin appearing frequently.

**Appearance**

* Tier 1 gives John a blue Kevlar body armor that covers his torso.
* Tier 2 changes the color of the Kevlar vest to green, adding extra details and platings.
* Tier 3 once again changes the color of the armor to red. And an additional plating colored dark red.

**Health value** (Tested in Police State game mode, not 100% accurate):

* Tier 0/No body armor: ~4.5 to 5 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire
* Tier 1: ~5.5 to 6 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire
* Tier 2: ~7 to 8 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire
* Tier 3 (Max): ~9.5 seconds under 1 soldier gunfire

### **Firearm**

* "A pistol will give you a fighting chance against zombies and soldiers clinging to your hood. With only a few bullets, use it wisely" - Tier 1 description
* "Extra bullets for your pistol can make a difference between life and death. Use them with caution and don't blow up your windshield for an instant kill." - Tier 2 description
* "A full ammo belt is the best way to make sure nothing stays on your hood. You'll still be outnumbered and outgunned. Use them as a last resort." - Tier 3 description

The Firearm allows you to carry a weapon with limited ammo per run and pressing "F" allows you to instantly kill any enemy on your hood.

You can shoot through the Windshield but will sacrifice a significant amount of durability in your Windshield when shooting any clinging enemies while the Windshield is still intact.

The first tier will unlock the weapon with 3 bullets.

3 extra bullets are given per each following tier, with a total of 9 bullets at the max tier.

**Appearance**

* Tier 1 gives John a revolver/pistol weapon. He holds it with his right hand.
* Tier 2 gives John an ammo belt around his hip, giving him extra ammunition for the weapon.
* Tier 3 gives John a second ammo belt around his left thigh, giving him extra ammo.

**Tactic**

* Save your ammo for mutated, as they require three large debris hits in order to leave your hood while common enemies take only one.
* Do not try to shoot when your windshield is still intact unless it's needed.
* Try to get a clear view from the sides before shooting as it will lock you from handling for ~1 second, making you vulnerable to destroyed cars, especially when your bumper is in a critical state or destroyed.

### **Windshield**

* "This stronger glass is a good protection against all outside danger. It can sustain more damage before breaking" - Tier 1 description
* "This reinforced windshield will give you extra protection from the outside world. It's still glass, do not let zombies bash it in and soldiers blast it to pieces!" - Tier 2 description
* "This windshield is the best and toughest and will keep you safe for a longer time. Your life is still hanging by a tread out there." - Tier 3 description

The windshield is the first of defense between John and the elements. It is quite fragile being glass. Gunfire and explosives can easily destroy it. Crashing into vehicles also damages it but only slightly. The windshield acts as a wall that protects John completely from Gunfire and enemies clinging to the hood.

Higher-tiered upgrades increase the Windshield durability and the amount of punishment it can take before John starts taking damage.

**Health value** (Tested in Police State game mode, not 100% accurate):

* Tier 0: ~5 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire.
* Tier 1: ~6.5 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire.
* Tier 2: ~7.5 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire.
* Tier 3 (Max): ~8.5 seconds under 1 soldier's gunfire.

**Tactic**

* Invest in the upgrade early game as it is crucial to survival - preventing all outside threats aside from impacts and explosions.
* Please refrain from hitting F, it damages your windshield in case you didn't know.
* You can press "R" to wipe away the blood and gore splashing in your windshield (must be done twice).

### **Engine**

* "With more horse power, your acceleration and maximum speed will be improved." - Tier 1 upgrade
* "A better engine with better acceleration and maximum speed. The faster you get the hell out of this city, the better it will be." - Tier 2 upgrade
* "This monster engine will give you the best possible acceleration and maximum speed. It's time to get out of this mess and fast!" - Tier 3 upgrade

The engine controls how fast the car can accelerate and how fast it takes to reach that speed.

Higher-tiered upgrades increase your max speed, your acceleration speed, and your engine's durability before it explodes and end the run immediately.

**Health value** (Tested in Police State, not 100% accurate):

* Tier 0: ~7 to 8 impacts
* Tier 1: ~8 impacts
* Tier 2: ~9 to 10 impacts
* Tier 3 (Max): ~12 to 13 impacts

**Acceleration** (How long it takes to reach 100 mph, tested in the lowest graphic)

* Tier 0: ~9.5 seconds
* Tier 1: ~6.5 seconds
* Tier 2: ~3.8 seconds
* Tier 3 (Max): ~2.9 seconds

**To be verified**

* Tier 0 has a maximum speed of ~140 mph.
* Tier 1 has a maximum speed of ~180 mph.
* Tier 2 has a maximum speed of ~220 mph.
* Tier 3 has a maximum speed of ~240 mph.

**Tactic**

* This is the best upgrade you should invest in, try to max it out as soon as possible in order to farm RP faster.

### **Bumper**

* "The road will be littered with debris. This metal reinforcement will take the impacts for a little while." - Tier 1 description
* "With this metal plating, you'll be able to take a lot more frontal damage before getting in trouble. You should still avoid colliding with abandoned cars." - Tier 2 description
* "This massive armor plate can withstand a LOT of damage. You can just plow through most of the smaller obstacles. Beware of abandoned cars still." - Tier 3 description

The bumper acts as a shield, taking damage from collisions and explosives, and protecting the engine.

Higher-tiered upgrades increase the Bumper durability and time before damage starts affecting the engine itself.

**Health value** (Tested in Police State, not 100% accurate):

* Tier 1: ~8 impacts
* Tier 2: ~10 impacts
* Tier 3 (Max): ~13 to 14 impacts

**Appearance**

* Tier 0 is a Ford GT Mustang 2005 frontal bumper.
* Tier 1 adds metal pieces, rods, and smaller plates to John's car.
* Tier 2 reinforces the said metal armor; now having two major plates to sustain heavy damage.
* Tier 3 turns the bumper into a beast with the addition of even more metal reinforcement, steel platings, and spikes. Resembling a bulldozer. It is also a darker blueish color.

**Tactic**

* It is best to invest only two upgrades to the bumper, as the third is expensive and the second tier is enough to aid you even to the end of the game.
* Don't get cocky and starts ramming at everything you see. Once the bumper breaks it's most likely a game over, unless you're really skilled at driving or already reached the end of the game.

### **Tires**

* "Tougher tires with more grip will give you better control and resistance against spike strips." - Tier 1 description
* "These reinforced sport wheels will give you a lot of control and can also withstand a couple of spike strips, if necessary." - Tier 2 description
* "These are the toughest, most advanced tires you got. They will resist multiple spike strips and give you insane control over your car." - Tier 3 description

The durability of the tires influences the handling of the vehicle and how many spike strips John can go over before they burst and greatly reduce traction, control and slowly involuntarily slide out of the way.

Higher-tiered upgrades increase the number of damage the Tires can get from spike strips before driving on metal. Upgrading the tires also improves the traction and provides better control of the car.

**Health value** (Tested in Police State, not 100% accurate):

* Tier 0: 1 Spike Strip.
* Tier 1: 2 Spike Strips.
* Tier 2: 4 Spike Strips.
* Tier 3: ~7 to 8 Spike Strips.

**Turning speed** (How long it takes to swerve the entire Highway 65 width):

* Tier 0: ~2.4 seconds
* Tier 1: ~2 seconds.
* Tier 2: ~1.7 seconds.
* Tier 3: ~1.4 seconds.

**Appearance**

* Tier 0 is a standard sports car rim.
* Tier 1 changes the rim's appearance.
* Tier 2 adds some extra details for the rim and a spike in the middle.
* Tier 3 adds 5 more spikes around the rim, forming a star.

**Tactic**

* It is recommended to get at least the first tier of this upgrade because it significantly increases control of the car compared to tier 0.
* Hold space to swerve, giving you a LOT of control in exchange for slight speed loss. This is especially useful when you need to make sharp turns around long obstacles like trucks and school buses, or just to ramp up kills.

### **Horn**

* "With the chaos on the street, a louder horn will help you get the civilians out of the way and attract the zombies if you're crazy enough to want that." - Tier 1 description
* "With the civilians going crazy, this loud horn will warn them from farther. Don't let them get in your way. On the other hand, it will attract farther zombies." - Tier 2 description
* "This is the most powerful horn you can install. It will blow the civilians away and rally up the zombies from a great distance." - Tier 3 description

The horn will alert civilians and keep them out of your way, however, it will also attract zombies.

Higher-tiered upgrades increase the range of the Horn as well as changing the audio of the Horn.

**Tactic**

* Do NOT invest in this upgrade as it is currently the most useless upgrade. Unless you're playing Dead On Time, only get tier 1 or 2.
* Even when civilians are running away from you before you horn, just horn to be sure. Sometimes they can return right to you.
* You can horn before you hit the zombies if you intend to do so, they will correct their way into the Splatter hit zone no matter what, giving you RP bonuses.

## Dialogue

*Main article: Road of the Dead/Dialogue*

## Trivia

1. The game occurs concurrently with Road of the Dead 2.
2. John drives a gen 5 Ford Mustang GT.
3. The events of this game is commonly referenced to in other games.