Dead Nation

Dead Nation is a top-down action video game for PlayStation 3 developed by Housemarque, released in 2010 on Playstation Network. Dead Nation takes place in an apocalyptic world that has been overrun by a zombie virus. Players help human survivors battle hordes of zombies that have overrun a post-apocalyptic city.

Dead Nation original soundtrack reflects the tensions and the horrors of the post-apocalyptic world. The soundtrack, composed by Ari Pulkkinen, changes dynamically in-game, variates from different tension levels and locations. Melancholic/melodic distorted guitar and syntheziser lines layered over pounding biomechanical rhythms are heard throughout the game and the pacing shifts from percussive attacks to more atmospheric pieces.

Sound design was created in realism in the mind but it’s also a homage to classic zombie and splatter movies. Sound design takes advantage of high-end surround systems and custom mix-matrix that creates a Hollywood style audio experience, bringing up the special effects, guns and explosions. All zombie vocals were also custom made for Dead Nation with the help of enthustiastic and motivated actors, from game designers to audio professionals. You can also read Sony’s audio blog about Dead Nation.