Dead Rising - Sets the zombie gaming bar high, but could be higher
I will start with the CONS and end with the PROS As much as I love my game, I also have some problems with it, that in the end, a game that could have been a 9 is more a 7.5 - 8.0. First problem, the AI is HORRID for survivors and some psychopaths. So many times I will be half way back to the security room with survivors when 2 will keep colliding with each other, preventing either from moving anywhere, further leading to their deaths and my own frustration. The survivor AI also has problem with trying to run through solid walls/objects. My second problem is timing, though the case missions and scoops are fun to complete, i find the game has a LOT going on at once during most of the game, making it hard to concentrate on one thing at once. Countless times I will have Otis calling me with a mission in the middle of a boss fight in which i cannot answer. My third complaint is that the frame-rate has some awkward drop times. For example when using the sledge hammer, blood explosion effects seem to drop the frame-rate hugely, as well as completely random times i will be on the way to save in the washroom (whos idea was that?) and the game will slow to a crawl for 10-15 seconds.
The last problem that everyone has seemed to notice is how terribly small and hard to read the font is, there are still a few missions I have no idea what I am supposed to be doing and end up just following the arrow. I was quite suprised they didn't have full voice acting for the entire game instead of just cut-scenes. The game itself is great fun to play. I have never been so amused with mass killing in so many ways. The amount of weaponry and attacks is incredible. The controls are easy to learn. The graphics are good, no fight night by any means but for the HUGE amount of zombies that can be on screen it makes up for it. My favorite was the sound effects, they were incredibly well done, from every zombie grunt to every chainsaw buzz. There are definately TONS of pros in which make dead rising a game to definately add to your collection.
To sum things up, Dead Rising is one cool game, I have never seen so many characters on-screen at once. Definately add this game to your colletion if you haven't already. If you can look past the few frustrating problems with the game mentioned above, you will definately find yourself spending many hours enjoying it.