As a seasoned survivor of numerous zombie apocalypses, I can attest to the fact that Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster has brought back the chaos and carnage that I so fondly remember from my youth. The mall mayhem of Willamette was always a favorite, and this remastered version has managed to capture the essence of the original game while polishing it up to fit modern standards.
Dead Rising, in its early days of high-definition gaming, was a hidden gem that stood out with its unique and humorous take on zombie survival. Unlike the somber tones of games like Resident Evil and Dino Crisis, Capcom opted for a wildly different approach by filling the screen with hordes of moving zombies simultaneously. The game also allowed players to battle monsters and people using whatever items they could find. Although it had its flaws, these are part of what makes the Deluxe Remaster so appealing – it enhances the existing features and adds a few modern conveniences without altering the core gameplay significantly. Despite being challenging for newcomers, revisiting Willamette, Colorado, after 18 years is still a rewarding journey.
Picture this
In case you’re unfamiliar with Dead Rising, here’s a brief recap. Our protagonist, freelance photographer Frank West, receives a tip to visit the secluded town of Willamette, Colorado. The town is under military lockdown, and when his helicopter encounters resistance from the military, he ends up stranded on the rooftop of the local shopping mall. He has three days to uncover the story before the helicopter pilot either rescues him or departs without him. So, what’s the story? Zombies, of course! A strange illness has affected the townsfolk, turning them into zombies. The survivors have taken refuge in the mall, but a foolish mistake (allowing an old lady to retrieve her poodog) allows the zombies inside, and they start hunting for fresh prey.
Frank joins forces with a handful of crucial survivors such as Otis, the janitor, who barricades a secure office into a shelter, along with government personnel Brad and Jessie. They provide Frank with a walkie-talkie, and he sets out to uncover the mystery behind the events at Willamette. This involves rescuing additional survivors and escorting them to the safe room, or fending off individuals who have lost their minds, known as Psychopaths, which essentially serve as the game’s main adversaries.
Initially, I had concerns that the revamped voice acting might lack the same impact as before. However, I found that most actors managed to stay true to their original performances, and in some cases, even improved upon them. Brad’s new performance stood out to me, and despite my initial reservations, Frank’s grittier tone grew on me as the game progressed. As for Steven Chapman, the grocery store owner, he remains just as absurdly entertaining as ever.
In essence, Capcom has essentially mirrored the gameplay and storyline of the original Dead Rising quite closely. The sequence of events is so similar to the 2006 game that I was able to leverage my memories from the original to discover hidden secrets and navigate more efficiently. Visually, it’s a refreshed version of the 2006 game, but not the most impressive product from the RE Engine. The characters, zombies, and Psychopaths have been given an updated look, yet they can still exhibit some robotic or uncanny valley-like performances – a trait that was also present in the original game.
In an unexpected move, Capcom put significant effort into maintaining musical authenticity in their remake. The first Dead Rising featured numerous licensed songs, such as Lifeseeker’s Gone Guru for the fugitive criminals in the park and Drea’s Justified for the ending credits. Given the challenge of obtaining these tracks for this reboot, it’s a delight for fans like me who would notice if they were missing. This is advantageous for live streamers as well because there’s an option to switch off the original music with royalty-free alternatives to avoid content strikes. It’s clever of them to include this feature, mirroring the original music’s presence.
Make time for the important things
As a die-hard fan of Dead Rising, I find myself thrust into the shoes of Frank West during the chaotic outbreak at Willamette Mall. This sprawling, largely unrestricted playground teems with hidden secrets and chances to delve deeper into the mystery while staying alive. However, the narrative requires me to reach specific objectives at designated times, and time marches on swiftly, making some milestones incredibly tight. If I miss participating in a crucial story event when it’s supposed to occur, my ability to progress the story vanishes, and the game transitions into an endless mode. At that point, I can either continue exploring or revert to a previous save.
Engaging in combat primarily involves close-quarters combat, and you’ll find yourself utilizing whatever objects you can use to strike at the undead. The game remains true to its roots, with both powerful and weak weapons still recognizable. A potted plant might suffice against a few zombies, but a katana or mini-chainsaw will drastically up your game. Frank’s unarmed attacks are back and become available as you progress through levels, with moves like Face Smasher and Judo Throw maintaining their over-the-top appeal. When zombies gather in large numbers, they can pose a significant threat, turning a trip to the safe room into a potential massacre.
How do you advance in this game? Primarily, it’s through photography, although other activities are possible as well. You can spend hours slaying zombies and psychopaths, but capturing significant moments with Frank’s camera will grant a large number of Prestige Points (PP), significantly boosting his level quickly. Focusing on categories such as Drama, Horror, Outtakes, and Brutality will yield the most points. The Erotic category has been removed from focus. You also have the ability to retrace your steps to the beginning with the levels you’ve attained, making Frank stronger if you find yourself at an impasse and need a fresh start. Dead Rising’s time-dependent progression and Frank’s initial frailty ensure that new players will likely need to go through the game once just to get acclimated, followed by subsequent playthroughs for a serious attempt at unlocking the True Ending.
Thank goodness timing is one of the few things that are hard here. It’s certainly not the AI of the enemies, even the human ones. Smart AI was never a strong part of enemies in Dead Rising, but even now, the behaviors of the enemies and survivors are pretty crummy. I killed several of the Psychopaths just by putting them in positions they couldn’t respond to, like getting the convicts to run their jeep into a tree in the park and then just wailing on them. Some bosses are better than others, but most of them are sitting ducks if you just know how to manipulate them.
Fortunately, several parts of the game have been improved significantly. The shooting mechanism isn’t perfect yet, but it’s certainly more enjoyable now, with the ability to move while aiming. Additionally, Otis no longer interrupts his walkie-talkie dialogue if you speak over him. He can now communicate during zombie attacks, climbing, jumping, and various other activities. Furthermore, every weapon you carry comes with a durability indicator, allowing you to keep track of when it might break. These small changes have collectively addressed many of the problems that were present in this game back in 2006.
A scoop to die for
The Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster doesn’t aim to drastically change what was originally offered, but instead maintains a strong resemblance to its roots. Functionally, it retains the game’s progression, survivor locations, points of interest, secrets, Psychopaths, their appearance times, and more. In fact, veteran players will find themselves feeling comfortable with the familiarity. However, improvements like durability meters and skippable dialogue have been added for convenience. For newcomers, this game may prove challenging, as it’s just as unforgiving at its start as it was in 2006. Yet, if you seek a solid zombie survival experience reminiscent of Dawn of the Dead, the mall chaos in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster offers an experience you won’t find much better.
This assessment is derived from an advance version of the PS5 game, provided by the publisher. The Dead Rising: Deluxe Remaster will be available for purchase on September 19, 2024, across platforms including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
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2024-09-17 18:27