When it comes to the horror genre and zombie games, no one does it better than Capcom. The Resident Evil series is more popular than ever today after stellar recreations of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4. Beyond RE, the company has another series that focuses on these blood-thirsty creatures: Dead Rising. This series initially began in 2006, when Dead Rising was first released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In the years following, multiple sequels have been released, most recently Dead Rising 4 in 2016.
In comes Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, which was revealed out of nowhere earlier this year. Just after the events of Summer Game Fest and most Summer showcases, Capcom dropped a teaser trailer for the game that revealed a September launch date. This remaster brings the original Dead Rising game into the RE Engine with a plethora of enhancements and additions to boot. After spending quite a while with the game, it’s safe to say that Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster serves as an excellent introductory point to the series.
Something Strange in Willamette…
You play as investigative journalist Frank West, who requests to be airlifted to the town of Willamette, Colorado. As the helicopter approaches, it’s hard not to notice that something is seriously wrong. Cars are not moving, businesses are not open, and worst of all, the people on the ground are walking strangely and attacking others… Frank requests to be dropped on top of the Willamette Parkview Mall, where he is greeted by a mysterious man who encourages him to check out the situation below. Upon closer inspection, the truth is revealed: Willamette is overrun by zombies, and you have to survive 72 hours before extraction.
Not only that, but the remaining group of survivors seems strange. A few people appear to understand what is going on in Willamette, yet they refuse to clue you in on anything. As the story unfolds, you learn who these people are, inching closer to the truth. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster treats its narrative like a tried and true detective case, with ten Cases, each containing a few scenarios to discover.
Although it might sound weird to be confined to a mall, let me assure you: Willamette Parkview Mall is massive, and there are all kinds of different stores to explore. There is a stunning amount of detail littered throughout each of the stores, and you can find all sorts of items to use as weapons inside these establishments. Additionally, Frank can scavenge the stores to find resources and food, with stat boost items even available if you’re lucky.
Before this release, I had yet to experience the story and world of Dead Rising, so I was not exactly sure what to expect beyond Frank West and zombies. The engaging story that unfolds throughout the game is packed with humor, and despite its short runtime, I was gripped til the very end. DRDR balances its narrative with serious themes and comedic elements, and it’s presented in a fantastic way. Each character had interesting motivations, and I pieced together the story like a detective as each Case went along.
Slaying Zombies Has Never Been More Fun
The beauty of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster‘s gameplay lies in the absolute madness that unfolds in each area. You never know what to expect, and Frank can basically pick up any item in sight to use against the hordes of zombies. This results in something that can only be described as chaos. I found myself at times laughing at the ridiculousness of Frank’s weapon of choice, but it never failed to beat down any zombie who dared to step into my path.
The game can also get challenging fast, which I appreciate. Zombie swarms can easily kill you if you’re not careful, as Frank can only attack in one direction at once for the most part. Each time you die, you’ll retain your levels and stats, so it’s not a big deal. Especially since the game is short, I had no problem retracing my steps with newfound knowledge. Part of what makes a game like DRDR so special is its ability to make every playthrough different from the last. You almost never will encounter the same exact zombies with the same weapon, so you’re constantly experimenting with what works and what doesn’t.
Combat is very enjoyable overall, but it definitely feels clunky at times. The gunplay, in particular, especially during specific encounters, can feel like a system from the past, but this checks out, considering this is a remaster of a 2006 game. The rest of the weapons have a much wider range of attack, so there is not any aiming required for the most part. Simply pick up that park bench and whack that zombie all the way across the field!
With 72 hours to survive, it is up to you on how to complete the mission. The game will throw timed opportunities, called Scoops, at you that act as side quests. You will only have a limited time to complete these, so you have to think carefully and quickly about whether or not you’d like to take one on. Generally, completing a Scoop will grant you Prestige Points, which can be used to level Frank up.
One design choice I found a little puzzling was the implementation of loading screens throughout the mall. Every single area and cutscene leaves you with a loading screen. While some of these move rather quickly, it is an interesting decision from Capcom to opt not to make the Willamette Parkview Mall map seamless and in one area. It’s possible that this is a result of the original game’s code, since this is a remaster and all.
I also wish that zombies were a little more aggressive at times. I sometimes had to be right next to them to even be noticed at all, which made running around them feel effortless. This generally applied to areas that were more open, such as the main mall hallway or the field outside, but it was noticeable and never really challenged me.
The costumes Frank can wear are also hilarious. You can become Leon S. Kennedy, Mega Man, Ken, and so many more characters! These can even change the mall music. A smile instantly appeared on my face as I explored the mall, listening to familiar tracks like ‘Saudade’ from Resident Evil 2 (2019).
Beyond the standard mode, DRDR also offers Infinity Mode. This mode puts Frank in the mall, and you’re tasked with surviving for as long as you can with limited resources. I had a ton of fun with this one, experimenting with different routes and weapons in an attempt to stay alive.
The Definitive Dead Rising Experience
As I walked throughout the shopping mall, visited the stores, and hopped on Space Rider, I couldn’t help but feel that Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster feels like a time capsule of the past in the best way possible. This remaster brings everything from that time period back in 4K, looking better than ever before. Just looking at footage of the original game, it’s clear how much RE Engine has done to elevate this experience. Characters now have proper facial animations and reactions, which makes for many memorable scenes in DRDR.
So many secrets still remain, and I feel that it will take far more than two complete playthroughs to discover everything this game has to offer. The strength of Dead Rising is its ability to offer a unique playthrough every single time. This is something seen only today in various roguelike games. I have no doubt that there are probably countless other ways to beat the game.
Overall, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is an excellent, modern take on the 2006 classic. As someone who has never delved into the Dead Rising series before, I’m looking forward to playing the rest of the series on Steam sometime in the near future. DRDR has anything you could ask for – a great and refreshing protagonist in Frank West, an engaging story, and gameplay that is loads of fun. I hope Capcom will take the initiative to remaster Dead Rising 2 or even bring back the series in full force with a fifth entry.
Disclaimer: Capcom provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 5 copy of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster for review purposes.
