YMMV / Wake the Dead

• Anticlimax Boss: In Chapter 18, Marcus Blackstock (the tyrant from the Tower, and the reason Ash and their friends formed their own colony in the first place) is positioned to wrap up loose ends and put an end to Ash once and for all... only to be killed in a Gun Struggle.
• Best Level Ever: Many players gushed about Chapter 19's solstice battle with the horde being one of their favorite chapters. They were particularly drawn to the fact that the scenes changed based on which buildings were constructed; the fact that many, including the Sunflower Creek residents, took part in the battles; the constant tension, as well as the Heroic Sacrifice of Walt and potentially Darren and Mack.
• Catharsis Factor: The option to punch either Blackstock, Dirk, or Trent (if he's alive at that point) for their betrayal in Chapter 18. The same chapter gives you the option of executing the latter two, with Blackstock being automatically killed in a Gun Struggle.
• Dry Docked Ship: Though nothing has ever been stated, the general consensus is that Dirk was in love with Brynn, though there is some disagreement over whether they were ever romantically involved and/or the feelings were reciprocated.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: A meta example. The overwhelmingly positive response for Jocelyn Wu designs in the bonus scene of It Lives Beneath must have played a part in reusing her sprite for major supporting character Cassidy.
• Fan Nickname:
  • Eli has come to be nicknamed "Eli Snipes" due to him using a bow as his weapon of choice (a reference to the sniper from Team Fortress 2, who can also use a bow).
  • Dirk has come to be disparagingly nicknamed "Dick" or "Dirt" since his betrayal in Chapters 17 and 18.
• I Knew It!: Fans have correctly predicted that Brynn will return as an Elite Zombie in the form of a queen, in addition to Dirk's betrayal.
• Like You Would Really Do It: In Chapter 11, Eli is bitten by a zombie (and on his neck, meaning that amputation isn't an option). Many fans thought that there would be no way a love interest would be killed off so early, and sure enough, Eli is cured with an experimental drug by Chapter 13. The only difference is whether Ash tries to reason with him or turns their gun on him (with the bullet missing entirely); Eli attacks Ash in a drug-fuelled rage and feels guilty for it in the former scenario and is upset with Ash for turning their gun on him in the latter scenario.
• Obvious Judas: Dirk's betrayal in Chapter 17 was seen as this by many. While he becomes more and more hostile towards Ash as the book goes on, plenty of people thought him betraying Ash was too obvious.
• The Scrappy: Many players dislike the people of Sunflower Creek for their pacifism even towards zombies, such as stripping Feather of his status as elder for killing a zombie that nearly killed May. Some of their interactions with other groups have also rubbed players off the wrong way, such as their hostility towards Ironmount's knights for bearing arms even as self-defense.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: Some fans feel that Brynn should have played a larger role in the story, since in most stories, characters with customizable names are important characters. Sure, she may have been injured, but those fans think she should have been the leader of the colony while Ash and co go on missions, so as to keep Dirk in check. As for the final Heroic Sacrifice, while most fans have no problem with it, some feel that she should have stayed human up until then, and her death should have been the direct cause of Dirk's betrayal, since he really cares about her.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: Some fans feel that PB's plan for a zombie horror story didn't work out, and that WTD would have been better off as an action story. They point out that had the the writers not killed off Blackstock in Chapter 18, there could have been a sequel that revolves around fighting him while searching for a cure for zombification.
• Too Cool to Live: Brynn is a more competent fighter and leader than Ash, only to sacrifice herself at the second chapter.

---