The app Shadowgun Deadzone is a shooting game that offers a type of gameplay scheme that rivals consoles in both graphics and game experience. Cross platform connection, multiplayer matches for up to 12, and a fair method of buying items makes this app capable of going up against some of the best games on the market.

Produced by Madfinger Games, the company that has made other successful titles like Dead Trigger and Samurai, the app is a third-person shooter game.

Shadowgun Deadzone offers multiplayer carnage in two game modes, Deathmatch and Zone Control. In Deathmatch, you are pitted against 11 others in a free-for-all scramble for first place. Zone Control consists of two teams of six fighting for different locations across the area. The first team to capture all the zones or force the enemy to run out of “spawn tickets” wins. Each mode offers a different experience in the game.

The system for buying weapons offers a plus in overall fairness. For example, say you want a missile launcher. Sure you have enough credits for it, but you’re four ranks away from being able to purchase it. Shadowgun Deadzone has both credit and rank restrictions when you’re trying to buy a weapon. If you aren’t at the required rank or above, then the best you can do is stare at the gun and wish you had it. The game does this to ensure that someone doesn’t save up all their credits and spend it on the most powerful weapon in the game right from the start.

On the other hand, the app does have some issues. Sometimes you will be in a match of Zone Control and the app crashes. All your progress in that match is gone, including credits earned and experience points gained.

Also, there are items that cost gold. Gold can be earned, which takes the longest, won at the casino, which is nearly impossible, or bought with an in app purchase. The items that require gold are usually decorative, but the helmets are what bother me because in the game, a shot to the head will down any player instantly. A helmet will deflect one of those bullets but only per respawn, and the cheapest helmet costs 500 in gold, which is about a dollar spent of real money. A dollar to protect your noggin from one bullet in a video game is a little too much to ask for. And the skins are another story altogether. The cheapest skin costs $3, while the costliest skin comes up to about $30 real dollars. Skins don’t even come with any perks or abilities. They are just there to make you look cooler.

 Shadowgun Deadzone, which is free in the Apple App store, may be buggy and a little on the pricey side but those can be quickly overlooked once gamers see the beauty, fun and addictive gameplay offered in the Deadzone.  Ranked 4.5 out of 5.