Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review – A Zombie Classic Comes Back to Life

Dead Rising, the cult classic zombie survival game that arrived onto screens in 2006, has been resurrected for modern platforms with Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. The updated version aims to introduce a new generation of players to the chaotic world of Willamette Mall while offering longtime fans a reason to revisit the zombie-infested shopping center.

Story

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster faithfully preserves the original narrative, placing players in the shoes of Frank West, a seasoned freelance photojournalist with an insatiable appetite for the next big scoop. The game’s story unfolds in the fictional town of Willamette, Colorado, where Frank finds himself in the midst of a mysterious zombie outbreak. The bulk of the action takes place within the sprawling Willamette Parkview Mall, an expansive shopping complex that has become a haven for the undead.

Frank West’s character is a standout element of the narrative. His sarcastic wit and cynical outlook provide a stark contrast to the dire situation, injecting dark humor into the apocalyptic scenario. This blend of horror and humor creates a unique tone that sets Dead Rising apart from other zombie-themed games. The remaster maintains this delicate balance, allowing new players to experience the original’s distinctive narrative style with enhanced visual fidelity.

The story unfolds through a series of time-sensitive missions and encounters, challenging players to uncover the truth behind the outbreak while managing their time and resources. This narrative structure encourages multiple playthroughs, as it’s nearly impossible to see and do everything in a single run, adding significant replay value to the game.

Core Gameplay

The core gameplay of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a rich blend of open-world exploration, time-management, and creative combat. The remaster enhances these elements with improved graphics and performance, while introducing quality-of-life features that make the experience more accessible to modern gamers.

At the heart of the gameplay is the vast Willamette Parkview Mall, an open playground for zombie slaying and investigation. The mall’s diverse areas offer a wealth of items players can use as weapons, from traditional firearms and melee weapons to more unconventional options like potted plants, mannequins, and even CDs. This encourages players to think creatively in combat situations, leading to often humorous and always satisfying encounters.

The remaster has made a significant change in the distribution of healing items and key weapons throughout the mall. These resources are now more evenly spread out, reducing the frustration of running out of essential items in critical moments. This adjustment makes the game more forgiving for newcomers while still maintaining a level of challenge for veteran players.

Another core aspect of the gameplay is the photography mechanic. As a photojournalist, Frank can earn experience points by taking pictures of the chaos unfolding around him. Different types of photos (horror, drama, brutality, etc.) yield different point values, adding another layer of strategy to the game.

The combat system, while retaining some of the clunkiness of the original, offers a wide variety of options for dispatching zombies. Players can engage in melee combat, use ranged weapons, or employ environmental hazards to their advantage. The ability to combine certain items to create more powerful weapons adds another layer of creativity to the combat.

Countdown

The countdown mechanic is a defining feature of Dead Rising, and it remains intact in the Deluxe Remaster. Players have 72 in-game hours (approximately 6 real-world hours) to uncover the truth behind the zombie outbreak and gather enough evidence before a rescue helicopter arrives. This ticking clock adds a sense of urgency to every action and decision made in the game.

The main story is divided into eight cases, each crucial for progressing the narrative and uncovering the conspiracy behind the outbreak. These cases have specific time-sensitive windows during which players can start and complete them. This system creates a constant tension between pursuing the main story and engaging in side activities like rescuing survivors or exploring the mall.

The time limit also influences the game’s multiple endings. Depending on how much of the story the player uncovers and how many survivors they rescue, different conclusions to Frank’s ordeal are possible. This encourages multiple playthroughs and adds significant replay value to the game.

For players who manage to achieve certain endings, the Deluxe Remaster retains the additional Overtime mode, which extends the story beyond the initial 72-hour period. There’s also the challenging Infinity Mode, where Frank must survive as long as possible against endless waves of zombies, psychopaths, and even other survivors, with his health constantly draining.

The countdown system can be stressful, especially for new players unfamiliar with the game’s pacing. However, the remaster’s improved mission timers and guidance systems help alleviate some of this pressure, making it easier for players to manage their time effectively without sacrificing the core tension that makes Dead Rising unique.

New Quality of Life Features

The Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster introduces several quality-of-life improvements that enhance the gameplay experience while maintaining the core challenge of the original game. One of the most notable additions is the clearer mission timer system. Instead of relying on a traditional countdown, the remaster now features a visual bar meter that clearly indicates the remaining time for each mission.

To assist players in navigating the sprawling Willamette Parkview Mall, the remaster has implemented a guided objective system. This feature includes vertical direction indicators that show the distance to targets. The save system has received a significant overhaul in the Deluxe Remaster. An autosave feature has been implemented, automatically recording progress upon completing quests or discovering important items. Additionally, developers have introduced a checkpoint system, providing a safety net for players who might forget to save manually.

Weapon management has been improved with the addition of visual durability indicators. Players can now see at a glance how close their current weapon is to breaking. This feature eliminates the surprise factor of weapons suddenly breaking during critical moments. The inventory system has also been expanded, allowing players to carry more weapons and healing items.

Camera control and aiming mechanics have been significantly enhanced in the remaster. The camera is now more responsive, with improved tracking during both combat and exploration. This results in smoother gameplay, particularly when navigating through large crowds of zombies. Furthermore, developers have refined the aiming system to allow players to shoot while aiming, a feature absent in the original game.

These quality-of-life improvements collectively make Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster more approachable for new players while retaining the essence of the original game’s challenge and appeal.

Visual

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster leverages the power of the RE Engine to significantly enhance the game’s visual quality. The most noticeable improvements are in character models and environmental details. Frank West and other key characters now sport more refined facial features, with improved textures that bring out subtle details in their expressions and clothing. Zombies, too, benefit from this visual upgrade, with more grotesque and varied appearances that amp up the horror factor.

The mall environment, already a standout feature of the original game, has been given new life in the remaster. The developers have overhauled lighting effects, creating more atmospheric and dynamic scenes. Reflections on polished floors and glass surfaces add depth to the mall’s interiors, while improved particle effects make blood splatters and weapon impacts more visceral.

The game’s performance on PC is notably smooth, with the remaster supporting various features to enhance gameplay on different hardware configurations. These include NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS, allowing players to fine-tune their experience for optimal performance. However, some users may experience minor stuttering when first encountering large groups of zombies in certain areas.

It’s worth noting that while the visual improvements are substantial, they don’t quite reach the level of a full remake. The game’s roots as a product of its time are still evident, which may appeal to fans of the original but could potentially disappoint those expecting a complete visual overhaul.

Verdict

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster successfully modernizes a classic game while preserving its core identity. The improved graphics breathe new life into Willamette Mall and its inhabitants, making the zombie apocalypse more immersive than ever. The numerous quality-of-life features address many of the original’s pain points, making the game more accessible to new players without compromising the challenging nature that fans love.

The remaster’s faithful preservation of the original’s unique blend of horror, humor, and social commentary ensures that the game’s distinctive charm remains intact. The time management aspect, combined with the open-world exploration and creative combat, continues to offer a unique gaming experience that stands out in the crowded zombie genre.

However, some aspects of the gameplay, particularly the combat mechanics and character movements, still feel dated. Players expecting a more comprehensive modernization of the game’s systems might see this as a drawback. Additionally, the sometimes clunky survivor AI can make escort missions unnecessarily frustrating, an issue that developers could have addressed in this remaster.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Release Date: 2024-09-19

PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox Series X|S

Dead Rising returns with modern graphics! 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." This remaster has also been fully voiced, supports auto-saves, and has various other quality-of-life features. Witness the unmatched mayhem and freedom for yourself!

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