When it comes to zombies in video games, they typically find themselves in the horror genre, with titles such asThe Last of Us,Resident EvilandDays Gone. Although they evoke fear in the hearts of many, wouldn’t it be nice to hack and slash your way through hordes of them? If there is any franchise that gives you that sense of freedom, it’s theDead Risingseries. Some of you might already be aware of its existence since it’s been around for almost two decades. With an iconic series such asDead Rising, it’s no surprise thatCapcomis looking to keep its momentum alive (no pun intended), with its first title being brought to the latest consoles with a nostalgic yet refreshing look. Welcome toDead Rising Deluxe Remaster.
The series was developed and published by Capcom in 2006 with the release ofDead Rising. Created by Keiji Inafune, the series is heavily influenced by the 1978 movieDawn of the Dead, and was originally set to be a sequel to the 2005 action-adventure gameShadow of Rome, but was scrapped during production, according to an interview with1UP. Out of this transformation spawned a franchise that’s one of Capcom’s most successful IPs. The series has had four mainline titles, with the latest beingDead Rising 4, which was released in 2016.
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Get in Loser, We’re Going Zombie Hunting
Dead Risingbegins with a helicopter ride to the small town of Willamette, Colorado, where we meet our freelance photojournalist Frank West, who is set on getting the biggest scoop of his life. Quarantined off by the military, Frank soon makes it onto the rooftop of the Willamette Parkview Mall by the skin of his teeth. With his camera in hand and 72 hours to document the mysterious outbreak, he makes his way inside to discover that he’s landed in a warzone of zombies and psychopaths. On top of this, he is driven to get to the bottom of this case and discover what is truly going on in this small town and what it could mean in the future.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remasteris the version that will make you fall in love with the franchise.
For someone who has been familiar with the franchise, there’s no question that the originalDead Risingis a cult classic and an integral anchor for the series itself, given that Frank West makes more appearances in the other games. With this being said, for those who have never played the series before,Dead Rising Deluxe Remasteris the version that will make you fall in love with the franchise. For those who want to feel a sense of nostalgia, there’s no question that this updated installment will ease those feelings and HORDE your attention back to one of the reigning champions of the zombie video game genre.
Players will get to explore the Willamette Parkview Mall in a nostalgic-yet-refreshing way, thanks to the updated visuals. While nothing has changed in terms of stores or weaponry, the look and feel of the mall has improved, thanks to the advancement of the RE Engine. In stunning 4K, this version utilizes the latest consoles’ features to bring the two-decade old mall back to life, in spite of some graphical inconsistencies. With Willamette looking more lively than before, the main cast of characters is brought back with more detail. One of the main changes was Frank’s new design, which for some might be hard to get used to, considering there have been so many changes to Frank over the years, but over time, the character shines throughout.
Speaking of which, there’s something to be said about the new voice cast featured in this version of the game. Frank West is brought back to life by Jas Patrick, who does a great job of tackling the freelance reporter, which is no easy feat… he’s covered wars, ya know?! With this, recasting a beloved version of the game can be tricky, but rest assured, the performances in this game deliver on sharpening the original version and crafting an experience that still holds up.
There’s something oddly thrilling about traversing through hordes of zombies as you make your way through the mall. Of course, it may not be so fun at the beginning of the game, given the learning curve. Something thatDead Rising Deluxe Remasterdeals with is character progression overtime. It’s tough to stay in the game when zombies are tackling you as you try to get to your next objective, but as you progress, you get faster and stronger, making it easier (and a lot more fun) to go through the zombies. It’s something unique to the game, since you begin to grow alongside Frank and there’s a better sense of direction overtime.
One of the most prominent features of the game that Capcom improves upon is the quality of life (again, no pun intended). There are survivors in the game that Frank can save, but a majority of them can defend themselves, given the situation. It’s a nice feeling to be able to hand a weapon or a snack to a survivor as they go around the mall with you. It can still be a hassle when they aren’t too close to you, but again, they aren’t entirely helpless. Another nice improvement are the controls, which make things easier in the face of combat. Movement while aiming is nice, especially with frantic psychopaths.
Some other features were fixed, including the transmitter issue, which now lets players move around while listening to Otis talk over the phone. In terms of replayability, the game lets you replay its entirety while still retaining your level status and skills set. The limit of 72 hours is jarring, but knowing that you may do it again is nice. Also, there are multiple endings that you can achieve, so it makes sense to replay the game again. In a way,Dead Rising Deluxe Remasterhas no strings holding it back from playing the game without control or AI issues.
Experience a Visually-Enhanced Willamette Mall in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
This version will be for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC only, and the visual improvements are to thank for that.
There’s something oddly thrilling about traversing through hordes of zombies as you make your way through the mall.
‘Tis But a Scratch
While the story remains the same as the original version, there’s still a negative when it comes to pacing. The narrative can get lost at times and the beginning goes fast, which doesn’t give you enough time to adapt to things. Like Frank, you are thrown into the situation without much support behind you. The pacing can be hard to catch up on, but it gets easier to play once you level up over time.
There isn’t anything new added to the game in terms of story, but for those who haven’t played the original, the story packs a good amount of intensity mixed with some insanity. I mean, you’re using all the surrounding resources to take down zombies in a mall, wearing whatever clothes you can find. That spirit still holds true in this version.
Closing Comments:
For a remaster,Dead Rising Deluxe Remasterbrings everything you love from the original and clips the strings that held it back decades ago. While it doesn’t bring an entirely new experience, this zombie hack and slash is brought back to life with updated visuals and a great cast to back it up. It’s a must-play for newcomers and fans of the series who miss the freedom of killing zombies in style. The game does have graphical and narrative issues, but all in all, the title proves itself to be a cult classic and is a sure-fire way of letting the world know that theDead Risingseries is still alive and kicking.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Version Reviewed: PlayStation 5
More than just a remaster, this Deluxe Remaster is a full graphical overhaul of the first game in zombie-slaughtering action game series “Dead Rising.”
