Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition confirmed for PS4; free for PS Plus in March

Sony has confirmed that Housemarque's Dead Nation will be released for the PlayStation 4 next week on March 4. The re-release will be branded Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition, and it will feature "numerous enhancements" from the original 2010 PSN title.

For those unfamiliar, Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition is a top-down shoot 'em up, set in an apocalyptic, zombie-infested world. It features a full campaign mode which can be played solo or co-op (either online or local). On PS4, you'll be able to enjoy full 1080p HD, with improved textures, rendering, and effects. Housemarque has also improved the controls, adding a quick weapon select.

Also new to the Apocalypse Edition is Challenge mode; every time you finish a single level, you can send your score to a friend to try and beat.

There's also a Broadcast+ mode which not only allows you to stream your game to the masses, but also lets your viewers influence the difficulty of your game. Periodically, your viewers — whether on PS4 or a web browser — can vote between a positive and negative effect that occurs in your game. There are a total of 30 different voting effects, ranging from spawning zombie packs to giving the player ammo. On the flip side, the player can exact revenge on viewers because voters will appear in the game as named zombies for you to decimate.

Lastly, the Road to Devastation expansion will be included in the main game, giving you access to two extra game modes — Arcade and Endless. Using the PlayStation companion app, you'll be granted a second screen to monitor your game stats as you play.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition will be released through the PlayStation Store for $14.99; however, it'll also be available for free to PlayStation Plus members during March as part of the Instant Game Collection.