Half*Dead II

**Half\*Dead II** is a 3D survival horror third-person shooter developed by ACS Production Studios Osaka published by ACS. It is the sequel to Half\*Dead. Released in 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and XBox 360.

## Gameplay

As opposed to including separate campaigns for the two protagonists, the game features a "focus switch" system, which allows players to switch between playing as either Peter or Amity. In single player mode, focus switching can either be done on the menu or by pressing the Select button on the controller. Meanwhile, in two-player mode, the players can either choose the option to play with focus switch, whilst assigning a character to a specific controller (Peter for Player 1, Amity for Player 2) or just eschew the focus-switching system altogether and play co-op.

Also added is a new dodge mechanism, which allows players to evade attacks from a zombie by tapping L1 slightly before the zombie attacks. Some attacks cannot be dodged.

A stamina system is also added, which keeps track of a player's running distance. If the player runs too much, he/she gets tired and slows down. Stamina can be replenished in two ways: by standing still or walking instead of running, or by using Energy Drinks, which fully replenishes stamina.

## Weapons

The game no longer includes exclusive weapons, and instead players start with a handgun as a default weapon.

Most of the weapons from the first game return, along with two new additions:

* Grenade Launcher

A grenade launcher capable of short-ranged blasts. Medium

* Sniper Rifle

An SSG sniper rifle that can take out enemies at a long range. Medium.

The number of melee weapons has also increased, with things such as spears, sledgehammers, crowbars and katanas

## Story

Nine years has passed since the Ardent City incident. By this time, Ardent City has retained its former glory as an industrial city. Kristoff Banks has been promoted as commander of the S.O.A.R. team. Meanwhile, Juno Hawkins quit the police in order to spend more time with her adopted daughter Amity. Former detective-turned-novelist Peter Crawford also moved in to Ardent City to write a book about the city's resurgence.

A day before Amity's 18th birthday, a disease similar to the M1 virus began to plague a small town nearby. The disese eventually reached Ardent City, causing another outbreak. During the outbreak, Amity discovers that Juno is missing, prompting her to search for her.

Peter, on the other hand, was thrust into the chaos after his wife and daughter were killed by the zombies. Along the way, the two meet into each other and decided to do a joint investigation regarding the disease's origins, as well as Juno's whereabouts.

## Characters

* Peter Crawford

A former detctive-turned-novelist searching for inspiration. His visit soon turns into a nightmare after zombies began to ravage the city. He is usually serious and strict, but holds a soft spot for his family. His default weapon is a .45 handgun from his detective days.

* Amity Hawkins

One of the survivors from the first incident and Juno's adopted daughter. She searches for her missing foster mother, as well as answers about the mysterious disease. Her default weapon is Juno's 9MM handgun, which she gave to Amity after retiring.