Operation: Eradicate

During the zombie apocalypse some might find it exciting to be on the front lines dealing head shots and braining the undead, but others might rather take a more strategic approach to fighting off the zombie hordes. For players of the latter persuasion will definitely want to give Operation: Eradicate a look. This game is the zombie slaying statistician's dream come true. This game is not for the action loving thrill-seeker, and is more attuned to the tastes of board game fans. In fact, Operation: Eradicate plays so much like a board game that it feels like it should come with some dice. Think of it as something like RISK of the Living Dead.

This game puts the player in control of a global force of various commanders from different nations, working together to control zombie outbreaks and hordes. Each commander has a specific military or logistic function and by coordinating the efforts of each, the player will be able to clear the globe on zombie infestations. This will require attacking zombie filled cities, clearing them out, and maintaining zombie free zones. It also requires troop and recourse allocation and movement around the globe. The rules for executing these attacks and movements are very complex and aren't easy to learn and this adds many layers to the game's strategic challenge.

While the gameplay is buttoned up and top-notch, the game's interface isn't as polished. On the iPad the icons, buttons, and maps should be large enough to be easily read and tapped. On the iPhone, however, these elements are downright tiny and very difficult to interact with. Players can zoom and pan on the map, but this only solves half the problem. The buttons, icons, and text are all very small and unless that issue is addressed in future updates the game will remain very difficult to enjoy on a smaller screen.

Screen size aside, this game is intricate and boast an amount of depth not often seen in iOS games. Add to this the inclusion of different characters, difficulty levels, and multiplayer options and this becomes and incredibly fleshed out title. Players looking for something immersive, challenging, and with a reasonably long shelf life need look no further.