After a long wait, Dead Rising is here...but should it have stayed buried? Find out right here.
Graphics: Graphically speaking, this game is spot on. Character models look nice in every aspect, and even when there are a ton of zombies on screen at once, the game still looks good. I didn't see a whole lot of repitition in the way the zombies looked either, which is really good because, as we all know, nobody wants to tear through cookie-cutter enemies over and over again. Frank, the main character, looks crisp, with no muddy textures. Environments are VERY nicely done. It really looks like a mall as you are running through various stores throwing everything AND the kitchen sink at the waves of undead. And the blood....a very nice touch. Let it be known that there is quite a bit of gore in this title. However, it never feels overdone and only serves to compliment the gameplay experience.
Sound: The sound is pretty much spot on. The voice overs are surprisingly solid, and the handgun sounds very nice. The moaning of the undead as you run past is a very nice touch as well. I would love to have had voice overs instead of text in various parts of the game however. I'll touch on that a little in the gameplay section.
Control: Tricky. Where is the autoaim we all know and love? You pull the right trigger to draw your weapon, and then, assuming it is a gun, you must manually aim the sights and press X to fire. Why X? I don't know, as it does get a little awkward at times. Running and moving around in the world is very easy and has silky smooth controls. Even using the camera isn't as complicated as one may expect. The left trigger brings it up, with A and B buttons controlling the zoom and X, once again, snapping the picture. To pick up items, simply move close to them and press B to grab them. Very simple.
Entertainment: You are in a mall full of zombies. Anything and everything is a weapon, down to a clothes hanger or a bottle of ketchup. If that doesn't sound like entertainment to you, I don't know what is. From beating zombies with benches to mowing them over with a lawnmower, this game has many brutal and unorthodox ways for you to take out your frustrations on the undead. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun in a game just by walking around and killing things. People have complained about the A.I. I didn't really have a problem with it, as they will grab you if you're close enough, but they are slow and quite stupid. My two gripes with this game are very simple:
1. Save system: It's the worst save system in the world. I've had to replay through forty minutes of game play just to get back where I was before. Why is there no autosave? That would have EASILY gotten this game a 10 in my book...but dang it Capcom, you had to mess up on something. So close though...so very close. Give us a patch and I'll give you your ten. Although I don't see that happening.
POTENTIAL SPOILER BELOW. FEEL FREE TO SKIP DOWN TO THE NEXT ALL CAPS LINE TO AVOID READING.
2. 50 shots to kill the first boss: He's just a guy. A shot to the head, boom, done. Why in the world does it take so many shots and then the guy escapes?? Come on...that's been done fifty times in other games guys. And the old lady and the dog at the start of the game? Probably the lamest opening scene they could have gone with.
However, I forgive them because they allow me to take out my frustrations with those matters by grabbing a pair of hedge trimmers and shredding zombies. That is the heart and soul of this game: the fun factor. There is an ever-present timer to keep track of, and the way the story is revealed in what they call "panels" I don't like. But you can't let that cost you the game's unique experience.
All in all, Dead Rising is one title that may very well sell some Xbox 360 systems..it's that good. I'm having more fun with this one than I ever had with Oblivion, and that says alot. If not for the save system, this game would have a ten, I guarantee. But I just can't do it unless they fix that issue. However, what I CAN do is recommend this game for a rental. What I can ALSO do is recommend it for a purchase. Basically, for $60, you're buying the ability to level vast armies of zombies in more ways than you can count. I don't know about you, but to me, that sounds original...and it also sounds like a TON of fun. And believe me, ladies and gentlemen, it is. Pick this one up and you can truly Chop til you Drop.